Best Yardage Book

[Josh Smith]

Of those I've seen......Old Sandwich hands down.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Sorry Guys, but if you are a golfer there is no such thing

Melvyn

PS for using one, you should ask what’s wrong with your own eyes and removed from the course as clearly you are not good enough to judge distances. Well if in a car who would want to ride with you if you need a book to judge distances .

[V. Kmetz]

The NGLA yardage book I obtained in 2005 is treasured for more than its 1st visit memento properties.

It's almost homely in its smallness and the fact that it is just a two staple bind of index card sized paper adds to the understated effect.

Also the graphic presentation is an interesting hodgepodge of fonts and styles.  The graphic depiction of the hole itself has the faint air of a pirate's map, the landmark distances are rendered in a plain tiny font, the hole info numbers in another and the hole names in a larger and incongruous font that is is't always uniform in size with those of another hole.

As a rule I prefer a yardage book based on architect's drawings, rather than super-imposed photos or hyper-cartoonish renderings.

[Gene Greco]

....is no yardage book.

Sorry, Tommy.

[Bill_McBride]

Sorry Guys, but if you are a golfer there is no such thing

Melvyn

PS for using one, you should ask what’s wrong with your own eyes and removed from the course as clearly you are not good enough to judge distances. Well if in a car who would want to ride with you if you need a book to judge distances .

Wait a minute, Melvyn, I have an Old Course strokesaver autographed by Old Tom himself!

[Jon Spaulding]

NGLA, hands down.

The elusive SFGC book is quite cool as well.

[Joshua Pettit]

Cal Club -- hands down.

[Emil Weber]

Barnbougle Dunes' is very cool!

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

What has Old Tom (Doak) got to do with Golf, design or even yardage books, yea, OK still trying to figure that one out myself.    Is your signed copy in Chinese or some foreign tongue and are there any juicy bits about his encounters.

If you have to read, why not ‘The Tropic of Capricorn’ by Henry Miller or if desperate for numbers there is always the latest Edinburgh bus timetable – will not interfere or confuse your ability to judge distances nor will it help you to select your clubs but with your experience you should know by now - just in case you can't i.e. from the Tee use a Putter and on the Greens a No1 Wood. Well come on it makes as much sense as using yardage books in the first place.

Melvyn

[Michael Moore]

The best yardage book is the one for Wannamoisett that was illustrated by David Cummings for Green Light Special.

[jonathan_becker]

Josh,

Please post a page from could the Old Sandwich book if you could.  Furthermore, it would be great if others could post their favorities as well. 

My reasoning behind this is that I love seeing yardage books and I'm also with Emil on this one....Barnbougle Dunes' yardage book is the winner hands down.  Actually, of the books that I've seen, it's not even close. 



Everything on this yardage book is relevant and there is no fluff.  Look at the close up of the green dimemsions....you can't get much better than that!!  This yardage book belongs in a damn museum!! 

[Michael Taylor]

Josh,

Define "best". Is it the look? The effectiveness? Price? You get my point. 

The meterage book for Twin Creeks is very good (Troon course in Sydney). As is Kingston Heath.

Pup

[Anthony Gray]

    Give me one with photos.


  Anthony


 

[kwl]

sutton bay has a terrific yardage book. aerials and tips (succinct and valuable).

[Jeff Tang]

Melvyn will hate this but the coolest ones I have are from St. Andrews - Old, New, and Jubilee. Detailed aerials with bunker names, suggestions for play etc.

I am a sucker for a good yardage book, not necessarily to use during play but as a memento to remember the course. Nothing like a yardage book a little beat up from actual use to bring back memories.

[Ron Csigo]

Melvyn will hate this but the coolest ones I have are from St. Andrews - Old, New, and Jubilee. Detailed aerials with bunker names, suggestions for play etc.

I am a sucker for a good yardage book, not necessarily to use during play but as a memento to remember the course. Nothing like a yardage book a little beat up from actual use to bring back memories.

I agree with you Jeff.  They are great mementos to help remember the course and each hole.

Also, Lahinch has the same type of yardage book as St. Andrews, aerials of each hole. 

[Dan Herrmann]

Best are the ones done by the architect.  Ours is taken from Gil's sketches, and I like Archie's work on the Twisted Dune book.

I hate those fake-3D glossy books.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jeff & Ron

No, I do not hate yardage information, its just that I feel no need for them in any way. Example if you are playing on a new course or one you have not played before do you want to know all the information before you arrive or even seen the course. Do you want all her secrets totally exposed for you?  I do not, I love the fun and enjoyment of playing each hole for the first time, feeling the course and listening as she tells or shows me her little secrets. I also love blind holes, the fun of the unknown, I expect.

Yardage is just another way that IHMO golf has been made over complicated just for the sake of it, as in real terms the distance info has already been resolved within the golfers mind as he approaches his ball.

I’m not into orienteering. I am just playing golf so no need for yardage information – any distance will be evaluated by me through eyes and brain coordination and not by some outside aide. Why play the game I enjoy and then look for something else to work it out for me, surely that’s part and parcel of the fun generated by the whole game of golf. Why do golfers hand over a major part of the skill of the game to books or electronic aids – never been able to figure that out. Must be like buying a Bentley Continental GT then getting a chauffer to drive it everywhere for you – just can’t see the fun in that.

But no I do not hate yardage books etc, just feel that a golfer does not need them, clearly they have become very addictive as some seem unable to play well without them – really sad as IMHO you are missing that fun and skill which defines the game of golf.

Melvyn   

[C. Squier]

Crystal Downs'.

[Tim Gavrich]

I'm quite surprised to learn that all these distinguished private clubs have yardage books, especially places like Old Sandwich and Wannamoisett.  I've always seen yardage books as only really instructive on a course that sees primarily occasional play (i.e. first-timers and guests who play at most a couple times per year).  Basically, resort courses and higher-end public courses seem most in need of yardage books.  I would just assume that at private clubs, the members would have played it so many times that they have important yardages ingrained in their heads.  Interesting.

I particularly like the yardage books from Cuscowilla, True Blue/Caledonia, and any course that no longer exists (much of Wild Wing, Belle Terre, now Poplar Grove in Amherst, VA it appears).

[Bill_McBride]

Jeff & Ron

No, I do not hate yardage information, its just that I feel no need for them in any way. Example if you are playing on a new course or one you have not played before do you want to know all the information before you arrive or even seen the course. Do you want all her secrets totally exposed for you?  I do not, I love the fun and enjoyment of playing each hole for the first time, feeling the course and listening as she tells or shows me her little secrets. I also love blind holes, the fun of the unknown, I expect.

Yardage is just another way that IHMO golf has been made over complicated just for the sake of it, as in real terms the distance info has already been resolved within the golfers mind as he approaches his ball.

I’m not into orienteering. I am just playing golf so no need for yardage information – any distance will be evaluated by me through eyes and brain coordination and not by some outside aide. Why play the game I enjoy and then look for something else to work it out for me, surely that’s part and parcel of the fun generated by the whole game of golf. Why do golfers hand over a major part of the skill of the game to books or electronic aids – never been able to figure that out. Must be like buying a Bentley Continental GT then getting a chauffer to drive it everywhere for you – just can’t see the fun in that.

But no I do not hate yardage books etc, just feel that a golfer does not need them, clearly they have become very addictive as some seem unable to play well without them – really sad as IMHO you are missing that fun and skill which defines the game of golf.

Melvyn   

I actually like yardage books, strokesavers, whatever you want to call them, as momentos of courses I have played.  I have quite a collection, need to get it organized one of these days.   

Melvyn, one last question:  is it okay to ask the caddie for a yardage, or to listen when he suggests the best shot to be played?  Do you make a distinction between the caddie and the yardage book?

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

What has Old Tom (Doak) got to do with Golf, design or even yardage books, yea, OK still trying to figure that one out myself.  

Good one!   

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

Its must be OK, but it’s not for me. I suppose it is all down to the raw unknown that’s what I love about the game hence my love for Links Golf and my dislike for aids, be they electronic or two/four wheels. As for clubs and ball they do the work not me anymore, so who is actually playing golf, all the aids and equipment or me. As I am paying it’s got to be me (that's down to my Scottish blood, I suppose ).

Melvyn

[Simon Holt]

Although I am not a huge fan of the course I played the Fidra course at Archerfield Links yesterday and they had a really good book with watercolour pictures of each hole and green with good advise.  It was made by Troon golf I believe.

I have a pretty big selection so will dig them out and have a look.  They are great to bring back memories!

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

Its must be OK, but it’s not for me. I suppose it is all down to the raw unknown that’s what I love about the game hence my love for Links Golf and my dislike for aids, be they electronic or two/four wheels. As for clubs and ball they do the work not me anymore, so who is actually playing golf, all the aids and equipment or me. As I am paying it’s got to be me (that's down to my Scottish blood, I suppose ).

Melvyn

What about my question?  "is it okay to ask the caddie for a yardage, or to listen when he suggests the best shot to be played?  Do you make a distinction between the caddie and the yardage book?"