Do You Need A Scorecard Holder? — (and What The Pros Use)
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Patrick Corley
- 12/14/2023
Many recreational golfers have never owned a proper scorecard holder book, and choose instead to fix their scorecards to the provided steering wheel clip of their golf cart or push cart. Scorecard holders serve a practical purpose, as well as being a stylish golf accessory that some golfers look at as a status symbol.
In this article, the team of experts at Tell Me More Golf outline who can benefit from using a scorecard holder, and take a look at which types are used by PGA professionals. We also break down yardage book holders, and compare the two.
What Golfer Needs A Scorecard Holder?
Golf scorecard holders are helpful for protecting a scorecard throughout a round of golf, as well as providing a solid surface to write on. Many golfers will save and collect their scorecards from particularly memorable rounds of golf, and the use of a scorecard holder can ensure that the scorecard doesn’t get too beat up during the round.
Scorecards that are haphazardly shoved into golf bags or pockets can quickly become bent up and show signs of wear.
It would be a shame for a scorecard from a memorable moment like a hole in one to be scuffed up and in less than perfect condition for display at home. Oftentimes, keeping tees or a divot tool in the same pocket as a scorecard can cause damage to the card.
Scorecard holders can also be helpful for golfers who use a golf cart or push cart. Oftentimes, it is easier to make scorecard notes or mark a score immediately, instead of waiting until after the walk back to the cart. Having a scorecard holder easily accessible in the back pocket is especially helpful when keeping track of fairways, greens in regulation, and putts taken.
Scorecard holders also make great gifts for fellow golfers, as many do not already own them and there are some very nice high end options available on the market. Top quality scorecard holders can be made of exotic animal skin like alligator or ostrich, and can be personalized with names, initials, logos, and more.
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What Golf Scorecard Holder Do Pros Use?
On the PGA Tour, professional golfers and their caddies both carry yardage books around the golf course. This is a necessary piece of equipment on tour, as no rangefinders are allowed during play and a detailed yardage book is required to figure out distances to different points on the golf course.
Most professional golfers use high-end yardage book covers that also function as scorecard holders. For example, Irish golfer Shane Lowry uses a yardage book that is made out of alligator skin.
Justin Thomas uses a stylish white leather yardage book cover made by the high-end leather goods company House of Fleming. These luxury leather covers are 100 percent handmade in Atlanta, Georgia by expert craftsmen.
T.I.N. Box Partners is perhaps the most well-known and respected manufacturer of custom yardage book covers in professional golf circles. The company is located in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and is a mainstay among college and professional golfers alike.
The matching United States team yardage book covers at the Presidents Cup are made by T.I.N. box partners, and many college golf teams also use the company for their covers. Oftentimes, each player’s name or initials will be added to them, as well as the team’s logo.
Many professional golfers have held on to these keepsakes and still use them on tour.
Cameron Champ still uses his college yardage book holder, a T.I.N. Box designed black leather book with the Texas A&M Logo on the bottom. The top reads “GIG EM,” a popular slogan and rallying cry among the Aggies of Texas A&M.
Keith Mitchell also uses the yardage book he was given in college, though his is adorned with his last name in all capital letters instead of a school slogan. The University of Georgia logo is placed on the bottom center below his last name, and it is apparent that his book has seen years of use!
Charles Howell III also uses a personalized yardage book and scorecard cover from this Hilton Head based company, though not the same one he has had since college. Instead, his yardage book cover simply displays the name of his children, with a classy and simplistic aesthetic.
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What Is A Yardage Book Holder?
A yardage book is a course-specific guide that gives golfers a variety of helpful information and measurements to different landmarks on the golf course. While a scorecard only provides the total yardage of each hole, a yardage book specifies the exact yardage to water hazards, bunkers, and out of bounds lines, helping golfers choose strategy and lay up distances.
Yardage books are bound pocket sized books that are much thicker than a scorecard, which is generally one folded piece of laminated cardstock.
Due to this size difference, yardage book holders are significantly larger than scorecard holders, though they look similar and generally feature the same style of design.
Nearly all yardage book holders will also function as a scorecard holder, and they will generally have a designated holder for scorecards across from the yardage book side. While yardage book covers generally double as scorecard holders, scorecard holders will usually not have space to accommodate a yardage book as well.
TellMeMoreGolf.com – Frequently Asked Questions
What scorecard holder do pros use?
Professional golfers usually use dual purpose scorecard holders that are also designed to hold their yardage books. They are usually made of high end materials and are often personalized with the golfer’s initials, college logo, or something else that is meaningful to the pro.
Why do you need a scorecard in golf?
While playing golf, a scorecard is required to keep track of your score. While most other sports like football or basketball have designated scorekeepers keeping track of the action, golf is one of the only sports where the player is required by rule to keep their own score.
Can you mark your own scorecard in golf?
Golf is one of the few sports on earth where the player is required to keep their own score. Additionally, golfers must sign their scorecard at the end of a round, and are held responsible for the score marked on each individual hole.
If you accidentally mark a higher number of strokes than it took you to finish the hole, you will be scored based on that higher number. If you mark a lower number of strokes, however, you will be disqualified from the competition.
How do you keep track of golf scorecard?
When using the stroke play format, most golfers will choose to either mark the number of strokes taken on each hole, or to simply write how many strokes were taken relative to par on that hole. For example, three strokes on a par four would be marked “-1,” four stroked would be marked “0,” and five strokes would be marked “+1” or “1.”
What is Rule 5.3 A in golf?
Rule 5 of the rules of golf covers “Playing the Round,” and section three is labeled “Starting and Ending the Round.” Subsection A covers “When to Start Round” and subsection B covers “When Round Ends.” Rule 5.3 A states that you must begin an official round of golf at your exact starting time, and you are not allowed to start before or after.
To be considered ready to play, you must be present at your assigned starting time with at least one golf ball and one golf club. If you arrive less than five minutes late, or start less than five minutes early you will be assessed a two stroke penalty on the first hole in stroke play, and you’ll lose the hole in match play.
Additionally, an exception can be given if the “committee decides that exceptional circumstances prevented you from starting on time.” In these rare cases, you will not be considered in breach of Rule 5.3 A, and no penalty will be assessed.
What does par 4 5 Mean on a golf scorecard?
Golf courses are designed with different sets of tee boxes on each hole, allowing a variety of players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy a fun and fair round of golf for their game. Golf course designers try to level the playing field for all golfers by strategically placing these tee boxes in an attempt to make each hole play relatively similar from all tee boxes.
Sometimes, the specific layout of a golf course leaves designers unable to completely level the playing field on a certain hole. In these cases, that hole will carry a different par designation from one tee box to another. In these cases, the hole will be marked as a par “4 5” or “4 / 5” on the scorecard, and there will be instructions on the scorecard specifying the par for each tee.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
While a genuine leather scorecard holder may not help you hit the fairway more often, it can keep your scorecard in top quality shape after a long round of golf, and provide a solid and reliable writing surface for marking your score.
A high quality card holder can also make a fantastic gift for the golfer who is particularly hard to shop for. They can be craftsman made of genuine leather or other fine materials, and can be customized in a variety of ways to suit anyone’s needs.
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