How do I find accurate yardages and optimal gapping?

[MrWellingtonINC]

Today I call upon the collective wisdom and unwavering knowledge of the MGS community once again...

 

I saw a post about a trackman yardage gapping session and was wondering how everyone has learned their yardage gaps.

 

I apologize if the following seems like complaining but when you considering 2 yards is the difference between a 90% putt and a 15% putt, and 8 yards on the wrong green could make 2 putting tricky, I want to be as precise as possible.

 

I was previously using the hitting bay/lauch monitors at the PGA superstore to learn my yardage gapping, tracking my average distance with each club for each session and taking out any mishits or generally bad shots. I had some pretty precise numbers that i thought were accurate until they changed the launch monitors to the GC2's (I think) and all of my numbers were a full club short. I'm assuming they spent money on new launch monitors because they are more accurate of course, which makes me think i've probably been playing a club short for basically the entire season, and I definitely fall short of the green way than I go over. 

 

I got to thinking about all of the different variables that come into play when finding yardages like the balls in there, the effect on launch, and spin, and of course I couldn't seem to find club head speed either, so I don't know if I was just swinging a little slow or something like that.  It also made me think I should get the loft on each of my clubs checked for accuracy, and maybe get them bent a degree or two stronger because the 157 yard 7 iron that i thought i was hitting seemed to make a lot more sense than one that goes 145 yards especially considering the spin numbers looked pretty good with the trash balls that don't spin nearly as much as the ones I actually play.

 

Hitting one piece balls into the wind off of a mat at a range with questionable yardage flags isn't a solution. I don't know which launch monitors I can trust, and if the spin and launch is accurate, and trying to track distances for shots on the course seems questionable because there are so many variables in every shot with elevation changes, wind, and pins that aren't in the middle of the green...

 

So how do I find out accurate yardages for each of my clubs that transfer over to real playing situations? ...and should I consider changing my lofts slightly?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

 

 

[PlaidJacket]

There a ton of methods to accomplish this.You'll get a lot of ideas in this post too.

I would mostly do my work out on the course during the evenings when it's slow. If you're alone you can use your laser RF and a GPS device. I would measure off distances from the front of a green and walk back to some distance. For example... 125 or 150. Then I'd hit 6-8 shots with various clubs and take an average. Without a ton of discussion it's trial and error and definitely not hard to do.

[Kenny B]

There a ton of methods to accomplish this.You'll get a lot of ideas in this post too.

I would mostly do my work out on the course during the evenings when it's slow. If you're alone you can use your laser RF and a GPS device. I would measure off distances from the front of a green and walk back to some distance. For example... 125 or 150. Then I'd hit 6-8 shots with various clubs and take an average. Without a ton of discussion it's trial and error and definitely not hard to do.

What PJ said.  I do it all the time.  Only use the ball you play.  Hitting off the turf you play on provides a much better basis for determining actual yardages and gapping than off a mat and using a launch monitor.  You can check the lofts if you want, but it's really only necessary if you have a gapping issue in your test.  Good luck!

[jdwjdw]

Definitely off grass and use the laser or gps you use when playing your rounds. I use our clubs practice area, green staff and committee are not keen on members practicing on the course. Mark 10 of your practice balls with a number 1, 10 with number 2 and 10 with number 3. I normally start with pitching wedge and hit the 10 number 1's. 9 iron 10 number 2's and 8 iron 10 number 3's. I use a Garmin watch gps with a distance function that's set to zero at hitting area. When I walk down to the area where the balls are, I eliminate the poor strikes and find the middle of the number 1 balls and that gives me my average distance with pitching wedge and so on. I then repeat with the rest of my clubs in 3 club intervals. I have access to launch monitors (quad and track man) but find the method I've explained more reliable.

One point I would make is it's essential to work out the gaping with the equipment you use when playing rounds. I've stood on a tee in a four ball and everyone picked up a different yardage. Trust your own gps or laser and you won't be far off.

 

 

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