The first thing is to use the 15-feet formula. This formula should be approached as follows: If there is an uphill or a downhill shot of 15 feet of elevation, add or subtract one club. If there is more than 15 feet, add or subtract one club for every 15 feet.

How much does elevation change a golf shot?

Altitude, as you can see above, is the other big factor. With a driver, you get an extra 2.5 yards per 1,000 feet of altitude. But that's not all. The “optimal spin rate” with a driver, Rice explains, increases from 2,250 RPMs at sea level to about 3,000 RPMs at 10,000 feet.

Does an elevated green play longer?

Playing a shot to an elevated green is basically going to flatten out your effective trajectory. All other things being equal, a shot hit to an elevated green is going to need longer to stop than a shot played to a green which is level with the fairway.

How much does slope affect yardage?

And it works on the idea that for every 15 feet, the ball has to go higher or lower than a flat lie, you can add or subtracts 10 yards. So if we are hitting uphill by 15 feet it's going to play 10 yards longer than normal and if its 15-feet down it's 10 yards lesser than normal.

How do you hit uphill and downhill lies?

Here's a good rule of thumb to remember for uphill and downhill lies: The ball should be closer to your higher foot and weight should favor your lower foot. Depending on the severity of the slope, an uphill lie is usually an easier type of shot to hit from compared with the other three.

Is slope on a rangefinder worth it?

If you are using your rangefinder during practice rounds, then a slope feature comes in very handy. The more sophisticated devices factor in the uphill or downhill trajectory of a shot and then factor in the slope for an accurate yardage reading.

How do you calculate yardage for golf?

Use a rangefinder. A rangefinder uses a laser, rather than GPS coordinates, to determine a yardage for you. The laser within the rangefinder simply bounces off of a target out in front of you, and returns a distance within an instant.

Where do you aim your rangefinder?

Finally, aim the rangefinder at the ground, then aim it at your target. The rangefinder will calculate the slope between you and your target, and it can calculate the angle of return.

How does uphill affect golf ball distance?

As a general rule, one yard of elevation change (up or down) equals a yard of distance. For example, if you have a shot that measures 100 yards up a hill that rises 10 yards from ball level to hole, those 10 yards must be added to the total – so it's a 110-yard shot.

Does elevation affect golf ball?

The golf ball flies further in high altitudes mainly due to the change in air density, which decreases as elevation increases. Thinner air exerts less drag force on the ball. The ball moves more easily through the air and doesn't slow down as quickly as it flies, resulting in greater distance.

When should you club up?

Club up in golf is used by golfers who are going to use the next club in the bag for a greater distance as opposed to their regular choice. “Clubbing up” is typically used when a golfer is taking a shot into the wind or aiming to land the ball on an elevated area on the course.

How do pro golfers determine distance?

The yardage book are ubiquitous on the PGA Tour. Players and caddies carry them in their pockets and consult them before each shot. They show yardages to various targets on each hole, different points of elevation, and a close-up of the green that shows detailed contours and yardages.

How do you walk off golf yards?

Measure the length of your stride with a tape measure or ruler to determine what kind of stride -- bigger, smaller or regular -- you need to adopt on the golf course to walk off yardages. Use your adjusted stride so each step corresponds to 1 yard.

What yardage tees should I play from?

A general rule of thumb to determine which tee box is right for you is if you hit your driver under 200 yards, play from the closest tee. If you hit from 200-225 the next farthest tee, and so on. When you are hitting 275+ accurately you should be playing the farthest tees back.

How does golf rangefinder calculate slope?

A slope edition rangefinder gives you the distance to the flagstick, and the degree of elevation to the target. The change in elevation (Slope) will give you a 'Play like' yardage, so you can calculate the right club for the shot based on the yardage and slope.

How much does slope affect distance in golf?

This formula should be approached as follows: If there is an uphill or a downhill shot of 15 feet of elevation, add or subtract one club. If there is more than 15 feet, add or subtract one club for every 15 feet. For example- let's say you are 150 yards to the pin and you would use your 7-iron.

Why is slope important in golf?

Besides the quality of a shot, a slope also affects the number of swings as well as the stroke required to get the ball to the target. So, as you can see, a slope is an important aspect of golfing. Of course, we hit golf balls in an arc and not in a straight line.