Knowing pin locations
Knowing the golf course before you play it give you many advantages over someone who is playing the course for the first time. Golf holes can often be over 600 yards long. Visualising the layout of the fairway, trees, bunkers, pin location and other obstacles can be difficult all the way from the tee box. For this reason, walking the course is popular amongst the golfing community and those of you who want an advantage come game day. Tour caddies do extensive research and note taking for their pros leading up to the tournament to communicate the best information and knowledge regarding the course to ensure they can play the correct shots.
Despite walking the course and getting an understanding of the layout and obstacle positioning from being on the ground, caddies and golfers will still refer to visual aids that show a birds eye view. Seeing the topography of the course helps the pros and their caddies on the bag stratigise and plan their method of play more indepthly.
Drone mapping: a renewed perspective on course surveying
Kitting out your caddie or yourself with an affordable drone setup can allow for a new perspective on obstacle location, angles of attack and brings forth dynamic analysis to gain an advantage. There are many commercial drone vs FPV drone options available and will cater to your needs regardless of your skill level or analysis of the course. Walking the course with a small aerial drone to see the course from above can change your entire outlook. It is also important to note that many courses do not have birds eye imagery for reference, leaving you in the dark.
Studying the course
Drones create incredible scenic views and footage and rewatching the footage you capture can be both enjoyable and helpful. If you are serious about improving your golf you will assess the course, obstacles, fairway bends, bunker and pin locations. There is never a single right way to play a specific hole. You may play a 600 yard hole with a driver on the tee and a 7 iron to lay up. Others may prefer a 3 wood to a different fairway location in order to have an attempt at the green with a hybrid for their second shot. Acknowledging the options available to you are key to performing better and reducing your scores
