They're very useful, especially for a course I've never played.

I always ask for a yardage book when I play new courses. I mainly use them so I can see the layout and know if I need to lay up my tee shot.

I’ve never used anything like that out on the range.
I have the bushnell scope lazer and I normally buy a stroke saver for the course that I’m playing too.

Heard Hogan used to practice his whole round from the practice tee. Hitting driver then shots he expected to hit on the course.

I usually use a range finder to get distances then hit shots to get a distance range for the day.

I normally buy one for each new course I play.
Well worth it.

With the bad range balls at most of our ranges I use it for contact purposes. Distance sometimes is a false reading when the ball is struck near perfect and the ball knuckles in flight. Plus most of my courses I play don't have yardage books for the course, and the range has 3 locations, forward which is actual distance, kinda middle which can be 10-20 yards back, back which is 40-50 yards back. So it's a guess if they don't have the range setup on the front ridge....... They do have poles out there but I can't lazer shoot a range finder so I don't own one to help with distances on the range.

I guess I play too many muni/city courses

DM

If I am playing a tournament, will do a practice round. Prior to the practice round, write on the scorecard my club selection, based on the distance by hole. I use a Bushnell range finder (no slope) as they are allowed in tournament play. I use the range to warm up with various clubs. With a proper warm up, have my shaping and distance down pretty much.

If a yardage book is available I like to pick one up for new courses, however, I don't worry about dialing in yardages on the range unless they have Pro Vs, it's totally different on the course vs with a 1 piece range ball. If no yardage book, I'll at least look for a course map on the scorecard or something for those blind shots so I know what's ahead, but for everything else I have a laser range finder.

To finish my range warm up I will hit the club I intend to use on the first tee followed by the club I expect to hit into the green.

Thanks guys really cool to hear how you approach practice.