@ZWExton and @rsvma the point of tracking the yardage is to determine a set of tees you would enjoy the most. The author, Brad Klein of Golfweek wrote, " I’m most comfortable and having the most fun when I’m playing tees in the 6,200-yard range" which is what HIS spreadsheet results were for him.

I don't need to track the yardage of my bogeys or worse. I make a notation on my card what CAUSED the poor play on that hole and work to eliminate them between rounds. If I can get my "Ah Shits" to 5 or less a round, I'm probably scoring in the low 80's or occasionally breaking 80, especially if I'm playing yardage that "I'm most comfortable and having the most fun".

It does lead to a good discussion. The resulting yardage may give you number that provides a good mix of greens in regulation you can hit with an iron to give you a shot at birdies while not playing something so short it becomes a driver and an 8,9, or W all day.

    mikeintopeka I had my "ah shits" down to just a few recently. Triple bogeyed the 18th for an 80. 😭

    The yardage stuff comes down to fun I guess, but golf is easier for everyone at every level when it's shorter. That isn't rocket science. Who is making more birdies from 400 than 350?

    An 81 from 5,800 is not more impressive than an 88 from 6,800, is it? Score is relative. Longer is harder.

    5i distance x 36 still seems the most accurate measure of appropriate course length.

        ZWExton right. So I play an old set of irons. My 5-iron would be labeled a 6-iron on today's clubs. So do I multiply the distance I get with the iron that says the number five on it, or do I multiply the distance I get with my 4-iron, which is really a modern 5-iron loft?
        Trickier than it seemed, right?

          ZWExton An 81 from 5,800 is not more impressive than an 88 from 6,800, is it? Score is relative. Longer is harder.

          Good post! I'd take the 88 from 6,800 any day rather than the 81 (or 78 or whatever) from 5,800 as I'd feel I was challenged and rewarded. From anything under 6,000 I still have enough distance off the tee that I'd be hitting a lot of 8,9,W for my approaches and that gets mundane (been there, done that). The caveat is I know there is a day coming when I'll cherish playing from those forward tees AND enjoying it.

          Yes, 36 x 5i distance is a lot quicker and doesn't need any further calculations. And in my case, using this method results in just a little longer yardage than the formula I'm tracking...6,255 vs 6,300, so I believe it's another good method too.

            We play from 6400-7000. I don't mind as I like to hit my hybrids and we play a different course every week. My handicap would probably be a stroke or so better if I played the same course most weeks, but that will never happen unless I retire on a course. I feel I can make birdies from any distance and I actually like long par 3's, 180-220, they are challenging. As long as I am still having fun and can hit the ball a decent distance, I do not see me dropping down below 6300-6400ish.

            DC300 I get jacked up when I get those intermedia distances that stick me with 50 to 90 yards after the driver... hate those!

            You don't carry a 3wd?

              My birdies this year have been few and far between. I doubt I've gotten 2 in a single round at all. I'll list them all below.

              Par 4, 458 yards
              Par 5, 484 yards
              Par 5, 513 yards (ok, these two par 5's were the same day)
              Par 4, 303 yards
              Par 5, 456 yards
              Par 4, 307 yards (ok, here were two more the same day. The par 5 was very short. I was playing black tees with a group I met on the first tee and ended up playing the same tees with them)

              EAGLE - Par 5, 450 yards
              Par 3, 131 yards
              Par 4, 313 yards
              Par 4, 397 yards

              This is back to 7/19. I can add more later, but this shows decent data. Looks like my birdies are the result of me pulling my head outta my arse to hit a decent drive. I don't get many on par 3's.

                puttnfool - I plugged your yardages into my spreadsheet and your "fun distance" would be from tees that measure around 5983 yards. The lone birdie on a short Par 3 and too many birdies on really short Par 4s weighed your averages down. I'm guessing your average distance for a 5i is greater than 166 yards in the alternate calculation being kicked around here.

                    It's all about putting for me. I don't make birdies cause I can't putt, period. Anything outside 3 feet is an adventure. I shot an 80 in a tournament with 37 putts. Hit 5 of the first 6 GIR and three putted 4 of them. And I'm talking from 8-15 feet.
                    I don't like par 3's where I need to hit anything longer than a 7 iron. I feel a par 3 should be a scoring hole.

                    I think I've only had maybe 6-8 birdies all year. I just don't have length enough from the tee box to get into decent birdie range anymore. I can only think of two birdies that I made with a putt. The others came from chipping in from short of or beside the green. I would call decent birdie range on a par four as being 85-100 yds.out after my drive. Our 9-hole course has three par 3 holes. #3 is 190 yds. somewhat uphill and into a prevailing wind that reaches 20-30 MPH a good share of the time. I can no longer reach that unless there is no wind. #6 is 172 yds. and I rarely hit it although I can reach it much of the time. #8 is 184 yds. with the green 40-50 feet below the tee box. The wind is mostly from the left here. I rarely hit this green either unless the wind is behind me or there is no wind. I'm told that it's quite unusual to have three par-3's with each of them playing more than 170 yds. from the tee box.

                    Interesting read. I really don’t make enough birdies or eagles for that matter to develop a real number. Thinking about it, the yardage number that would carry more meaning for me is what some call ‘go to number’. The approach shot, be it the par 3 tee ball, the par 4 or par 5 shot to the green is to me what sets up the scoring opportunity.

                    The other number that is of interest to me is the number of shots that find the putting surface from various yardages, 75, 100, 125, 150, etc.

                    An average can mask too many variables that could lead to disappointment in scoring.

                    Course length is another subject altogether IMO.

                    The 5 iron rule of thumb originated back in the 70s as I recall. A 5 iron was about 32 degrees. Today a 6 or even 7 iron is about 30 to 32 degrees, so maybe the rule should be updated. The PGA and USGA published a Tee It Forward chart based on driving distance. I most would be surprised at the recommended course length.

                    Driver Recommended
                    Distance 18-Hole Yardages
                    275 6,700-6,900
                    250 6,200-6,400
                    225 5,800-6,000
                    200 5,200-5,400
                    175 4,400-4,600
                    150 3,500-3,700
                    125 2,800-3,000
                    100 2,100-2,300
                    My guessing few of us follow the guidelines…

                    9 days later

                    mikeintopeka throw these numbers in if you have time and see what it comes to. Probably not much different, but this is all year. Couple of longer holes in there now. A 437/4 and a 210/3 should help the numbers slightly.

                    Par 4, 458 yards
                    Par 5, 484 yards
                    Par 5, 513 yards (ok, these two par 5's were the same day)
                    Par 4, 303 yards
                    Par 5, 456 yards
                    Par 4, 307 yards (ok, here were two more the same day. The par 5 was very short. I was playing black tees with a group I met on the first tee and ended up playing the same tees with them)
                    EAGLE - Par 5, 450 yards
                    Par 3, 131 yards
                    Par 4, 313 yards
                    Par 4, 397 yards
                    Par 4, 368 yards
                    Par 4, 390 yards
                    Par 4, 368 yards
                    Par 3, 135 yards
                    Par 4, 335 yards
                    Par 5, 535 yards
                    Par 3, 210 yards
                    Par 3, 104 yards
                    Par 3, 135 yards
                    Par 4, 437 yards

                        rsvman

                        No idea on my bogey yardage, probably an extra 20 yards a hole average. I've got way too many over par scores to try that one out.

                        I'm revising my decision, my birdie yardage is a 15 ft eagle putt!