Printed Yardage Books

[saz0418 21]

I have been carrying a yardage book for about 4 years, now.   I have mapped greens on several of the courses I play frequently.  I *did* purchase a commercial green book for my home course, but it only replaced one I had already made.   You can purchase a circular bubble level on Amazon (maybe $15)  that gives you the slope (1 to 3 degrees in .5 increments), and  shows you the fall line.  I started with just a reading every 3 or 4 paces across the green, and then filled in details or edited as I played and found more/better information.  I also carry a club distance chart -- 1/2, 3/4 and full shot distanced for LW up through 6 iron.   Its useful  to know how far you hit a 1/2 6 iron when you re punching out from under a tree and wondering if you will go front of green, middle, or over, for example.   I also recently started carrying a chipping matrix.   I have percentages of fly vs. roll for up to 40 paces away from the flag and for firm, regular, soft and extra soft greens.  I usually just test what club is 1/2 fly and 1/2 roll during warm up, and that gives me the best indication of the green firmness.   In play:  if you pace 27 steps from the flag to your ball, and assuming you have ample green to work with, this will give you guideline for how far to carry a PW, 9i or 8i on to the green for the appropriate roll out.   Obviously, I adjust for up and down hills (both lie and roll out).  But it's been pretty successful in the first couple of weeks of using it.  Disclosure:  I am 63 and play to around an 8 index.   I don't get that much use for the *fairway* mapping in the usual yardage books.  But then I carry a GPS watch and a laser range finder to cover that part.   

[cksurfdude 10,863]

On 4/14/2022 at 2:16 PM, DaveP043 said:

It costs a few dollars more, but I think you'll get better accuracy using a digital level in the 10" to 12" range.  This is the one I got to help train myself with Aimpoint:

https://www.amazon.com/Husky-10-Digital-Level/dp/B015NE6R4A/ref=sr_1_8?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjN-SBhCkARIsACsrBz5ETzGludXjwfkh7NsvVUYpT_qtAZEGBN7nQ2gmZqDoWA1F8nZy85IaAnmtEALw_wcB&hvadid=410033536790&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9059749&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2747321063045048043&hvtargid=kwd-384578537210&hydadcr=8769_11537986&keywords=10+digital+level&qid=1649959836&sr=8-8

That's just like the one that was recommended by my AimPoint instructor - have used mine on practice greens, not on the course (yet?).

[cksurfdude 10,863]

On 4/14/2022 at 12:42 PM, GolfSpy MPR said:

And I pulled the trigger on the PuttView book

Interesting that they sell a book *without* the green slopes .. I mean, it's even in the name PuttView ... 

[cksurfdude 10,863]

On 4/14/2022 at 2:24 PM, Lacassem said:

I was debating on doing this. Has anyone ordered printed yardage books from https://store.golflogix.com/collections/US_massachusetts?sort_by=title-ascending&utm_source=2021 Green Books Home Page - Slide 1 - Shop Now&utm_medium=2021 Green Books Home Page - Slide 1 - Shop Now&utm_campaign=2021 Green Books Home Page - Slide 1 - Shop Now

Was looking at doing this specifically for tournaments where I am not familiar with the course.

So I had bought a GolfLogix printed book last year - we'd joined a new course that has 3 x 9s and I felt like it helped me 'learn my way around', check distances off the tee and to hazards, etc. The greens side of the pages offer two views - both overlaid atop topo contours and using 5 yd gridlines - one's a heat map and the other is white with smaller, closer arrows to show you the direction of the slope at all points on the green. A lot of useful info but me being me used it less and less over time...

I'd also look at the PuttView books .. similar but a little different .. to see which presentation you prefer.

Oh, PS:
We're at a different course this year but didn't buy a book for it; have been looking at both Google Earth and provisualizer.com (thx @cnosil!) to look at lines and distances off the tee - but, of course, neither of those otherwise excellent tools has golf course green mappings.

[GaDawg 1,614]

I just received a Strakaline book for my home course yesterday. Played this morning using it and really liked the green details.