What is the book that pro golfers look at?
Emma Payne
Published Jan 14, 2026
Yardage books are a handbook used by golfers when playing a round. These books contain information about distances, hazards, and green complexes for every hole on the golf course. Typically, yardage book offer a little bit more information than the average scorecard.
What is the little book pro golfers carry?
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.
What do golfers look at in their notebooks?
A yardage book is provided to each player by the golf course management. The golf course will provide general information on each hole. The information a golf course provides can differ between courses, but in general they will provide slopes of greens, size of the greens, and length of each golf hole.
Why do pro golfers carry a notepad?
If you watch golf on the television, you may see golfers writing in a small notebook. This notebook is usually a yardage book. Golfers consider this yardage book to be their primary source of information while on a golf course.
What information is in a pro golfers yardage book?
Nowadays, PGA Tour yardage books contain not only yardages from Point A to Point B, but also include highly detailed topographical features, slopes, suggested putting lines, and distances to the significant parts of a hole.
19 related questions foundIs a yardage book worth it?
But if you're someone who can break 90 and wants to lower your handicap, then yes a yardage book is so worth it. A yardage book might help you have 3-5 (or more) strokes as you can have a better strategy on each shot and keep the momentum going.
How do pro golfers know distance?
To know the course's exact distances and dimensions, professionals rely on a tour caddie yardage book. Golf yardage books are detailed guides that pros and their caddies use to navigate the course during play.
Do PGA players talk to each other?
Most players have a bit of a chat with their playing partners during a round. If they are buddies, they may talk a lot, it just depends on the pairings.
Do pro golfers use a new ball on each hole?
In PGA Tour, most professional and high-level amateur tournaments, golfers are bound by the One Ball Rule, meaning they can only play a single golf ball -- same manufacturer and model -- throughout a stipulated round. So professional golfers can carry as many of the same golf ball in their bag as they'd like.
What is a greens book in golf?
Employing the latest technology our Green Book provide golf players and their caddies with detailed information about the green slopes, taken from high precision scans just before the event starts, enabling them to boost their performance and competitive edge.
Do professional golfers mark their own cards?
Typically, PGA TOUR events feature scorecards that have detachable paper slips on the bottom of the card where players will keep their own score during a round. At the top of the card, each player will keep the score of their opponents while also tracking their own score on the bottom, detachable half.
What is playing as a marker in golf?
The Rulebook Definition of Marker
The definition of "marker" as it appears in the golf rules maintained by the USGA and R&A: "In stroke play, the person responsible for entering a player's score on the player's scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not a partner.
How do you take golf notes?
Take Notes: Bring a small notebook along and take notes on the hole layout, possible hazards, and your club selections. You can also take notes on green speed, bunker conditions, and overall climate.
Does PGA Tour allow rangefinders?
Week to week on the PGA Tour, players are not allowed to use laser rangefinders during tournament rounds, but they are able to use them to scout the course during practice rounds.
Why am I hitting my 3 wood farther than my driver?
Players who hit their 3- or 5-wood as far or longer than their driver are typically using too little loft with the driver for their clubhead speed. You know, it's a funny thing with the driver and its loft compared to the other clubs in the bag.
How many golf balls are on the moon?
There are two golf balls on the moon. They were taken there by Alan Shepard in 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission. Shepard was the first American into space, and the fifth person to ever walk on the moon… but most impressively, he was the first (and only) person to ever play golf outside of the earth's atmosphere!
How many balls do pros hit before a round?
The ideal number of golf balls to hit at the driving range before your round is 30 balls. This allows you to warm up the body by hitting each club twice, but won't be enough to tire yourself out before you tee-off. I also asked a few golf coaches about this and none of them said to hit more than 30 balls at the range.
Do Augusta members use golf carts?
No carts are allowed at Augusta National -- ever
Forget the 90-degree rule, this is an all-walking, caddie course that is not going to be ruined by those pesky golf carts driving all over its pristine fairways. (Ironically, Club Car is headquartered in Augusta, Ga.)
What do professional golfers do between rounds?
Professional swing coaches follow their golfers around the course during practice rounds and help with golf course strategy. They also spend hours on the driving range and putting green as their clients hone their swings and putting strokes.
What do golfers talk about?
Well, golf provides a litany of topics much broader than some may think. Topics include course conditions, weather, equipment, handicap system anomalies, and swing critiques; among many others. There may also be a discussion of the latest PGA results, rules changes, or possibly course history and architecture.
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.
How do PGA caddies calculate yardage?
However, I would say that the general rule of thumb would be: Pace off the distance to the front. Add the distance that the pin is on to give your total yardage to the flag. Calculate any other numbers your player may need like cover numbers (over bunkers or obstacles), back edge, ridges or tiers, etc.
Are caddies allowed to use rangefinders?
Players or caddies may use rangefinders on the course during practice to help create or modify a yardage book that they may consult during the actual tournament.
When did pro golfers start using yardage books?
YARDAGE BOOKS HAVE BEEN A STAPLE ON THE PGA TOUR SINCE JACK NICKLAUS STARTED USING THEM IN THE 1970'S. FOR YEARS TOUR CADDIES WOULD ARRIVE AT THE COURSE OF COMPETITION WEEKS BEFORE AND PACE OFF ALL THE YARDAGES TO AND FROM IDENTIFIED TARGETS AND MAP GREEN COMPLEXES BY SIGHT.