Arch Wasp Custom Yardage Books

Arch Wasp are a new golf company to enter the market and have launched what can only be described as DIY Yardage Books that can be used by any golfer, for use on any course.

Each Yardage Book has 44 ‘blank’ pages to begin with. The book consists of a Golf Course Name page & Club and Distance table page followed by 2 blank pages for each hole (18 holes) – one for the fairway and hazards, & one for the green.  At the back there are also 2 detachable scorecard recorders to be able to use when playing to keep track of any notes you may make.  The pack also includes a unique ‘holed’ stencil design to help you map out your course as well as the greens and breaks.

Golfshake Ambassador Matt Holbrook caught up with the creator Piotr Ratajczyk who is based in Poland to find out a bit more.

What made you want to start up this business/product? What challenges have you come up against?

“First of all, I don’t like using my phone during the round, I don’t like using GPS systems. I switch my phone off because it simply distracts me, and I don’t like playing with a wrist watch on. I also prefer a bit of old-time golf style, just like on Tour. No electronics, no laser rangefinder, just paper books.

I did not have a plan to make it a business type of thing. I basically needed such notebook for myself, and planned to print just 100 hundred copies. At first, I started using some standard paper notebooks to draw some holes and make some notes, but they were not good enough. I had to cut them to have a proper size and take some pages off, because they were too fat. And after that it simply looked terrible, I didn’t want to take it out of my pocket in case someone sees it :)

I met with that small graphic design agency in my town, just 2 guys doing a great work. They opened my eyes, explained what can be done and how to plan the whole design process. That was the moment when we decided it was simply too expensive for a hobby project, as we wanted to print it in offset technology.

We planned the yardage book as simple as possible, 2 pages for each hole: one for fairway, one for green and notes. One page to write down the distances you get with your clubs, and 2 scorecards at the back. I want to use the yardage book over and over again, so the scorecards had to be detachable (extra cost, but this was important for me). With covers strong enough to be used without extra covers (if someone doesn’t have one). The size is the same as Tour yardage books, fits back pocket easily, and sticks out of it so it is easy to take out.

Oh, about the stencil: when we decided it should be a project for other golfers I wanted to make it as easy as possible to draw in the books, with no extra tools required (except for pencil). The 2 most important things to draw for me was a straight line and an arc - this simple stencil design is perfect for both. Also, if someone wants to share the yardage book set with someone I added 3 stencils, one to each book, instead of 1 every 3 books. Banderol and a sticker make the whole set a good looking product in case someone wants to use it as a gift.

What does the future hold for your product if all goes to plan?

“I plan to offer some leather yardage book/scorecard book covers. I don’t really like plastic/artificial leather covers, and would like to offer something that will last years and age nicely. I plan on a different notebook design, but it depends on the popularity of the current one”

 

#yardagebook in the making. #golf #scorecard #arch_wasp #golfgift #mygolfspy

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Dec 3, 2017 at 3:54am PST

These may be perceived by some as a bit of a novelty product but for any serious golfer playing a home club on a regular basis these could provide a great asset.  And when we say serious we mean serious due to the need of the ‘homework’ element you will need to put in in order to map out your course.

But as a serious golfer mapping out your home course and working on your strategy is vital in order to lowering scores. The biggest benefit may be spending time and mapping out the greens at your home course.

At an extremely reasonable price of £13.50 (plus postage) each pack consist of 3 blank yardage books as well as a stencil for each book and all comes bound together nicely and very well presented making it a perfect gift for a golfer, whether it’s for yourself or someone else.

As an additional product you can also buy 2 replacement scorecard books (18 pages in each book) for £8.00

For more information or to order you can visit www.archwasp.com and follow them on Instagram @archwasp