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Re: How to judge elevation changes?

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Wed, Sep 8 2010 3:17 PM

  First off, my first post....and I'm addicted to this game:)

   

  Anyway, I've read through all the tips/etc about putting, chipping and so forth, but what the rule of thumb on elevation changes?

   

  I've been playing 1 yard per foot..if I could learn to "ding it" more often, I'd know if I was in the ballpark or not.

   

  Thanks.

• Pangaea 242 Posts

  Thu, Sep 9 2010 4:25 PM

  I can't remember where, but I think I read somewhere it was +1 yard for ever 3 feet up, and -1 yard for ever 4 feet down. It doesn't always work though. I'm trying to figure it out too, as it's frustrating when the ball goes way over or well short.

• drewsterinone 190 Posts

  Thu, Sep 9 2010 6:40 PM

  i usually play a third of the ft., up or down converted to yards, up (add 1/3), down (subtract third)

• joebowler 38 Posts

  Thu, Sep 9 2010 7:27 PM

  here's an equation I use for putting

   value x (elevation )+ distance = feet

  1.42 x (9) + 25 =38 ft

  use a spreadsheet format like Excel for this equation and you can fine tune the value

  also  downhill putts need a negative number for elevation

  I hope this helps

  fairways and greens hit it long and straight

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Fri, Sep 10 2010 9:38 AM

  Thanks folks, that'll give me something to try out.

   

  JoeBowler...

   

  Question for you in you putting quation...what is "value" representing?

   

  Thanks again

• Pangaea 242 Posts

  Fri, Sep 10 2010 5:34 PM

  Hope people don't play the game like Joe seems to. Can't remember Tiger whipping out a calculator and circling around while trying to figure out an equation before an approach shot or putt.

  Play Golf - not CalcuGolf.

  Much better to play on feel and guesstimates than some exact equation.

  That said, I use a rough head-calculation when hitting putts. Fast greens seems to be about the right distance (or a bit too much). Very fast I take off about 20%. 30% for tournament. Not tried Champs but I hear it's only slightly faster than tournament. Now I'm starting to learn the distances automatically, which makes playing much faster. Having to whip out a calculator and/or Excel for every shot would be boring as hell.

• CharlemagneRH 1,054 Posts

  Fri, Sep 10 2010 6:02 PM

  While it may be more entertaining to simply rear back and swing, that doesn't mean that a ruler and calculator won't improve your game.

  As far as elevation changes go, it's hard to say when it comes to uphill shots, but when it comes to downhill shots, it's pretty simple.  With a short club, the ball won't have much forward progress relative to how fast it is falling.  The shot could be 30 ft downhill, but with a PW, that will only mean about 4 extra yards.  With a 3-iron, though, 30 ft downhill will mean about an extra 15 yards, as it is falling at a slower rate and has a much higher rate of forward progress.

  Realize, though, that there are two different types of "uphill" and "downhill."  A shot might read as being 3 ft uphill, but if the area in which it will land is downhill, you will want to hit it short, as it will roll a lot more than usual.  Similarly, a shot might read as being 2 ft downhill, but if the area on which the ball will land and roll is uphill, you will want to hit it a little harder than normal.

  STA 5 is a good example of this.  It will tell you that your second shot is 3 ft uphill or whatever, but due to the downhill slope near the hole, you need to hit the ball 6-15 yards short (depending on miscellaneous factors.)  STA 2 is the same.  The shot is typically 1 ft uphill or so, but your ball is almost always going to roll way too far there (unless you really screw up and leave it 10 yards short.)

• TextMyPC 232 Posts

  Sat, Sep 11 2010 4:03 AM

  The answer is always different. There's no consistent formula. All you can really do it try to land in relatively the same spot before the hill each time.

  For example, on Bethpage #15, on your second shot, if you land just on the edge of the fairway, add 7 yards to the hole and, of course, adjust for the wind. This will always be consistent. It's placement and practice, not a calculation or formula.

  Find a happy medium on the fairway that you can you stick most of the time and take notes on the distance to the hole. This is called distance control.

  You're not going to find a pixy dust solution without putting in your time on the course.

  As far as putting, again, land in relatively the same spot on the green to learn the line. The line will be close to the same each time.

  In closing, if you land in different places all the time because you're focusing all your energy on dinging the meter, all you'll get is a semi-straight shot.

  TMPC