How Pros Use Yardage Books for A Competitive Edge
Is a rangefinder or a GPS enough information and technology to give you a competitive edge on the golf course? Why are pros always looking at yardage books on the golf course? If you have asked these questions, you are in the right place. Most amateurs are unaware of the benefits that yardage books offer and why pros use them for every competitive round. Let's take a deep dive into how pros use yardage books for a competitive edge and what you can learn about it.
Tournament Preparation and Learning
MBefore a tournament, professional golfers will take their yardage books with them onto a golf course and try to learn everything they can about the course. They will look at the layout offered on each page of the Greenbooks yardage books and determine a strategy for each hole.
In addition, they will look at detailed yardage information to be able to make proper club selections, not just for the practice round but for each tournament day.
MWith changes in tee box locations and pin placements, yardages are continually changing. The yardage book offers a consistent resource regardless of the position the player teed off.
Green Slope
Professional golfers have a great eye for reading greens. However, they are also well versed on the slope of the greens and how they move.
During their practice rounds, professionals will study the green contours and learn which areas of the green they want to be putting from. Green slope is not often as simple as it looks.
For professional golfers, the combination of practicing on the greens, learning about them through Greenbooks data and then experiencing it seems to be the most effective way to make more putts on the course.
Landing Areas on the Green and Approach
When approaching a green, the pin is not the only thing to consider. Professional golfers are looking at the entire landing area and thinking about where they want the ball to land.
Let's say a green is built on a slope and slants from front to back.
When approaching a green, the pin is not the only thing to consider. Professional golfers are looking at the entire landing area and thinking about where they want the ball to land.
Let's say a green is built on a slope and slants from front to back.
As a professional golfer approaches this green, they will take a little more club, knowing that the natural reaction of the ball will be to roll backward off the front of the green.
Having this type of information can be the difference between a 10-foot putt and a 30-foot putt.
For golfers at a professional level, that could be the difference between a win and a loss.
For amateur players, it could be the difference that lets you break 90.
Contours for Additional Roll and Distance
Every golf course is different, and that's why Greenbooks is tailored to each course. The specific information can help professionals play different courses from week to week.
For amateur players who tend to alternate between 3 to 10 different courses, it becomes difficult to know each of the holes.
When you want that little extra roll and distance on a tee shot or approach to a green, sometimes you need to know the contours. Professionals know that there are little spots they can reach that could give them an additional 10-15 yards.
That's a lot of distance, and it's worth knowing those locations.
Should Amateur Golfers Be Using Yardage Books?
Now that you have an insider's look into how professionals use yardage books for a competitive edge, you may wonder whether this makes sense for your game.
For amateur players, especially those focused on shooting lower scores, the Greenbook advantage is quite clear. You will get detailed information that is necessary to play your best game.
At some point, you will know how to hit a straight shot and even control your yardage. However, when you have the advantage of yardage books, you can turn a good shot into a great shot.
Think about hitting a drive with 10 more yards simply because of the line you took. How about your 7-iron shot coming to rest just 6 feet from the pin instead of 26 feet? Or maybe, most importantly, playing a round of golf with no three putts.
All amateur players who are ready to play their best golf can get a competitive edge from a yardage book.
Final Thoughts
At this point, you should better understand what a great yardage book can do for your game. Details are important in golf, and sometimes a rangefinder giving you just a yardage to a pin is not telling you the full story. Give Greenbooks a try to get the details you need to play like the pros.
