OpenYardage
Show HN: Generate free golf yardage books from OpenStreetMap data
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What is OpenYardage?
OpenYardage is a free web-based tool that automatically generates custom golf yardage books for any golf course using publicly-available OpenStreetMap data. Created by Nathan Pilkenton as a JavaScript port of his earlier Python tool
OpenYardage pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Completely free - OpenYardage is a free, open-source web tool with no paid tiers or premium plans. All features are available at no cost, and the source code is publicly available on GitHub under an open-source license.
OpenYardage pros
- Completely free to use with no paid tiers
- Open-source with source code available on GitHub
- Works entirely in the browser, no installation required
- Generates yardage books for any course on OpenStreetMap
- No account or registration required
- Automatic distance calculations to green center
- Visual hole layouts showing fairways, greens, bunkers
- Printable yardage book output
- JavaScript-based, fast and responsive
- Works on mobile devices
- No ads or tracking mentioned
- Active development with creator engaged
- Uses publicly-available OpenStreetMap data
- Good for lesser-known courses without commercial yardage books
- Clean, simple user interface
OpenYardage cons
- No topographical/slope data visualization yet
- Depends on OpenStreetMap data quality and coverage
- Some Python version features not ported to web
- May not work for courses not mapped in OpenStreetMap
- No mobile app, web-only access
- No pin position selection (front/center/back)
- No GPS tracking during round
- No scorecard or round tracking features
Frequently asked questions about OpenYardage
What is OpenYardage?
OpenYardage is a free web-based tool that automatically generates custom golf yardage books for any golf course using publicly-available OpenStreetMap data. You can search for a golf course and the tool will auto-generate a yardage book for you with distances and visual hole layouts.
Is OpenYardage free to use?
Yes, OpenYardage is completely free to use. It is an open-source project with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or premium features. All functionality is available at no cost.
How does OpenYardage work?
OpenYardage pulls golf course data from OpenStreetMap, performs data cleaning and image processing in JavaScript, auto-calculates relevant distances from tee boxes to greens and hazards, and creates visual yardage book imagery. All processing happens in the browser.
What golf courses are supported?
OpenYardage supports any golf course that has been mapped in OpenStreetMap. You can search for a golf course and if it exists in OpenStreetMap's database, the tool will generate a yardage book for it.
Who created OpenYardage?
OpenYardage was created by Nathan Pilkenton, who is based in Nashville, TN and creates business strategies at IA Collaborative. He originally made a Python tool called Hacker Yardage and later ported most functionality to JavaScript as OpenYardage.
Is the source code available?
Yes, the source code for OpenYardage is available on GitHub at https://github.com/npilk/openyardage-web. The project is open-source and the creator welcomes feedback and contributions.
Does OpenYardage show elevation or slope data?
Not yet. The creator mentioned that topographical data to visualize slopes is a feature that exists in the Python version but has not been ported to the JavaScript web version yet. This is a known limitation.
Can I use OpenYardage on my phone?
Yes, OpenYardage is a web-based tool that works in browsers, so it can be accessed on mobile devices. However, it is not a dedicated mobile app - you access it through your mobile web browser.
Do I need to create an account?
No, OpenYardage does not require any account creation, registration, or login. You can simply search for a golf course and generate a yardage book immediately.
How do I provide feedback or suggest features?
The creator welcomes feedback and ideas. You can message Nathan Pilkenton at hello/at/npilk/dot/com or likely through the GitHub repository at https://github.com/npilk/openyardage-web where you can also view and report issues.