How the estimate works
Thinner, warmer air creates less drag, so a golf ball carries farther. We use two published rules of thumb:
- Altitude: about +1.2% carry per 1,000 ft of elevation gain. MyGolfSpy's altitude chart uses this figure and notes that published sources range from about 1.1% to 1.6% per 1,000 ft. (MyGolfSpy)
- Temperature: about 1.5% per 20 °F (about 11 °C). Titleist's example is a 200-yard shot at 70 °F losing about 3 yards at 50 °F. (Titleist)
The formula is carry × (1 + 0.012 × Δelevation in ft ÷ 1,000) × (1 + 0.00075 × Δtemperature in °F). For Predator Ridge we use about 644 m (about 2,113 ft), which comes from Open-Meteo's terrain model at the course coordinates. The resort doesn't publish an official elevation.
Quick example: a sea-level golfer gains roughly 2.5% from altitude alone, or about 6 yards on a 250-yard drive. On a hot July afternoon (27 °C versus 15 °C at home), temperature adds about another 1.6%.
For comparison, Golf.com's Trackman-based article suggests about 2.5 extra yards per 1,000 ft with a driver, and about 2 yards per 10 °F of warmer air for a driver, but only about half a yard for wedges. (Golf.com) So treat the wedge numbers here as an upper bound.
What this doesn't account for
- Elevation changes on the hole itself. Several holes on both courses play noticeably up or downhill, and that matters more than altitude on a single shot.
- Wind. Afternoon wind on the hillside can easily cancel out the altitude gain. Check the tee-time forecast.
- Ball, spin, humidity and roll. This is carry only. Firm summer fairways add roll, which isn't estimated here.
Estimate only, using published rules of thumb (Titleist, MyGolfSpy/Trackman). Real results vary. The best calibration is a session on the resort's Toptracer range before your round.