[BigGuy]

The Villages should use this system. Played a course with Red flag in back, White in middle and Blue in front. Takes all the guess work out of trying to look for the little flag position on pin.

[billethkid]

That is what the little flag on the flag stick denotes.
High middle or low denote hole placement. Easier than keeping sets of flags for hole movement.

[alwann]

Don't recall seeing any small flags on the championship courses, but the pro shop will gladly sell you a range finder.

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by alwann

Don't recall seeing any small flags on the championship courses, but the pro shop will gladly sell you a range finder.

Do you recall seeing 1-2-3 on the greens on the scorecard? They tell you where the pin placement is for the day.

http://www.golfthevillages.com/champ...E%20GARDEN.pdf

[yabbadu]

Originally Posted by alwann

Don't recall seeing any small flags on the championship courses, but the pro shop will gladly sell you a range finder.

Championship Courses tell you pin placement number when checking in. Scorecard show approx. placement.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by BigGuy

The Villages should use this system. Played a course with Red flag in back, White in middle and Blue in front. Takes all the guess work out of trying to look for the little flag position on pin.

Interesting, given that the typical colored flags I've seen are red/front, white/middle and blue/back.

Orrrr, you can buy accurate range finders for less than $100 these days...which takes ALL of the guesswork out.

IMHO, range finders are better than the standard GPS (wrist/other) because besides giving exact distance to the flag, you can shoot to things like bunkers to determine the carry you need, or maybe even more importantly, the distance you should lay up short...to keep your ball from going in the bunker.

It seems that at least a few times every round, someone in my group hits it too far and into a greenside bunker...when they were simply trying to lay up short of it.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by BigGuy

The Villages should use this system. Played a course with Red flag in back, White in middle and Blue in front. Takes all the guess work out of trying to look for the little flag position on pin.

I think that the little indicator flag work just fine in 99% of the cases. The problem I see is that some of the employees are not properly trained on where to put them or simply do not care about doing their job correctly. The same goes for cups that are sunk to the proper depth and dirt in the bottom of the cup so that flagstick can't be fully inserted.

But with the generally horrendous condition of most of these courses, these are small things.

I played Amberwood last week and hit 8 out of nine greens and could not make a putt. They might as well have asphalt instead of greens.

[Mortal1]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Interesting, given that the typical colored flags I've seen are red/front, white/middle and blue/back.

Orrrr, you can buy accurate range finders for less than $100 these days...which takes ALL of the guesswork out.

IMHO, range finders are better than the standard GPS (wrist/other) because besides giving exact distance to the flag, you can shoot to things like bunkers to determine the carry you need, or maybe even more importantly, the distance you should lay up short...to keep your ball from going in the bunker.

It seems that at least a few times every round, someone in my group hits it too far and into a greenside bunker...when they were simply trying to lay up short of it.

under $100 are not reliable. You get what you pay for in this case. As to who needs any device that gives the distance to the pin, hazards or other locations? Only someone who truly knows the distance they hit each club and can do so most of the time.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Mortal1

under $100 are not reliable. You get what you pay for in this case.

Actually, they are very reliable, especially compared to using fairway yardage markers and/or colored flags...or sharpie marked numbers on the scorecard.

But even if you get one that's off by a couple of yards, it's not like anyone short of a professional...would ever even notice.

Originally Posted by Mortal1

As to who needs any device that gives the distance to the pin, hazards or other locations? Only someone who truly knows the distance they hit each club and can do so most of the time.

If a golfer doesn't have a general idea of how far they 'average' with each club...then they're wasting their time anyway.

I mean cripes, why do you think a player chooses a particular club, for a particular shot...in the first place?

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by billethkid

That is what the little flag on the flag stick denotes.
High middle or low denote hole placement. Easier than keeping sets of flags for hole movement.

The little flags work for me also. Of course, I am usually shooting for the middle in any case. Golfers I know who are accurate enough to want to know pin position have range finders.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Mortal1

under $100 are not reliable. You get what you pay for in this case. As to who needs any device that gives the distance to the pin, hazards or other locations? Only someone who truly knows the distance they hit each club and can do so most of the time.

I have a Nikon LR 1200 Waterproof that I bought about 8 years ago new for $279 on eBay and it listed for $499. My neighbor that I play with just purchased this range finder off Amazon for $149, and it's reading just as accurately as mine, the only negative is the housing is plastic.



Amazon.com : TecTecTec VPRO500 Golf Rangefinder - Laser Range Finder with Pinsensor - Laser Binoculars - Free Battery : Sports & Outdoors

As far as knowing your distance, I don't see how you can break 80, or even 90 for that matter if you don't know your distances. My PW is 103, my 9 is 115, my 8 is 128 my 7 is 135, my 6 is 145, my 5 is 159 and my 4 is 169. If I hit it correctly it will travel the distance I have listed with a normal swing. Last round I played was Evans Prairie (Osprey) just nine holes and shot 37 from the white tees and Friday was very windy. I had played when I was young in the 1960's and then laid off for 40 years and resumed in 2009.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

The little flags work for me also. Of course, I am usually shooting for the middle in any case. Golfers I know who are accurate enough to want to know pin position have range finders.

or a caddie

[Polar Bear]

That TecTecTec is the one I use. Really good rangefinder at a really good price.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

That TecTecTec is the one I use. Really good rangefinder at a really good price.

That one actually has some pretty darned good reviews...and looks like a heck of a value.


If only I cared...about how far to hit my ball.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

or a caddie

I had to fire my longtime caddie.


He wanted a raise from 10% to 12% of my winnings.


I just couldn't afford...the extra $.75 a week.