Range Finders

[JCRuzanski]

I was reading some other threads on golf vs hunting rangefinders, and it seems if you get one with the hunting version of the "pin seeker" software, they work just as well, and usually less costly.

[sacm3bill]

I was reading some other threads on golf vs hunting rangefinders, and it seems if you get one with the hunting version of the "pin seeker" software, they work just as well, and usually less costly.

Yes, that was my experience. I have a Bushnell that can be set in different modes. One mode displays the farthest object it scans (so you can lase a deer through the brush or tree branches), another displays the closest object (so you can sweep across the flag and it will register it instead of background tress and other objects.)

There's a 3rd mode but I forget what it does...

[rkim291968]

I use both GPS & laser one.  I use the laser one for close range (< 100 yards).   I use GPS to quickly check yardage from 100 yards and out.   It gets used about a 1/2 dozen times in a round.

[BuckeyeNut]

If you have any game whatsoever....................correct yardage to the pin is necessary.

You have 2 choices:

1. walk around looking for sprinkler heads.....and pacing off yardages.

2. point and shoot..........

Or you can guess........(low cappers rarely guess)

I'll make an argument that GPS is for hackers.....because GPS doesn't know where the pin is...........

[Robster 7]

I'm no hacker and use GPS. If you're that good that you need to know exactly to the yard where the pin is then I look forward to seeing you on tour!

[MacDutch]

I am a hacker and use a rangefinder. I feel more confident when I know the true distance.

I play courses where de difference in distance between back- and frontgreen is two or three clubs.

[clutchshot]

If you have any game whatsoever....................correct yardage to the pin is necessary.   You have 2 choices: 1. walk around looking for sprinkler heads.....and pacing off yardages. 2. point and shoot.......... Or you can guess........(low cappers rarely guess) I'll make an argument that GPS is for hackers.....because GPS doesn't know where the pin is...........

This is exactly what all my low capper friends tell me. There really sit any doubt I would shave some strokes (miss greens from time to time and think "wrong club"), however, I just feel like it would change the game pointing the thing around every 2 minutes....

[saevel25]

If you have any game whatsoever....................correct yardage to the pin is necessary.

You have 2 choices:

1. walk around looking for sprinkler heads.....and pacing off yardages.

2. point and shoot..........

Or you can guess........(low cappers rarely guess)

I'll make an argument that GPS is for hackers.....because GPS doesn't know where the pin is...........

Not really, correct yardage to were you want the ball to be on the green is important. If the pin is tucked behind a bunker, i rather know were the bunker is at than the pin. Or I might want to know the yardage to a ridge in the green, or maybe a tier. This one hole i play on, if you hit the bank in the tier, you will come back towards the front of the green. So i know I want to error to the middle of the green, if i miss it short, i am not on the green. If i still miss it short but error on the middle, i can still hit the green.

Also what if you play a course that is hilly? How do you point an shoot when you don't see the pin. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Honestly its not hard to take a look at the green were the pin is at and get a good yardage off of GPS.

[MacDutch]

This is exactly what all my low capper friends tell me.

There really sit any doubt I would shave some strokes (miss greens from time to time and think "wrong club"), however, I just feel like it would change the game pointing the thing around every 2 minutes....

You have 240 minutes in a round, so thats a 120 score for you as an average? Oh, no bet you would not use the rangefinder to measure your putts........

[rkim291968]

GPS gives you distance to the middle of green.  And based on where the flag is, you can do a quick math and get an accurate distance to the pin.   Hacker or not, the math is all the same.

[caniac6]

I look at a sprinkler head or 150 marker, and use my eyes.

[Dave2512]

Thing is guys like me aren't firing at flags, GIR is sufficient to get it done. In fact it should be a goal considering my 2013 GIR average is still less than 50%. Knowing exactly what the number to the pin is wouldn't be much help because I don't have the accuracy to hit it to that spot. Especially if there is trouble anywhere near it. Though a laser would be helpful for shots where you need to land the ball short and roll it up.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I've played with both and as saevel25 said, there are advantages to both.  I used an app on my phone for a while and I loved it.  It gave distance to front, middle and back of green - and anywhere you tapped on the screen.  And it gave a nice overhead view.

Then my girlfriend got me a laser for my birthday.  Which I thought was a folly because it was expensive and I figured I'd never use it b/c I liked the GPS so much.  And I couldn't sell it on CL or anything because she'd find out.

But in a pretty short period of time, I actually came to like the laser a little better and that is what I use now.  I think it is because I only really use occasionally, it is fast, and for what it does, it is super dependable.  But having said this, I really like the GPS's as well.

I don't feel most holes really require it b/c in a lot of situations you can make a pretty quick determination of how far you are from the center (based on markers) and then just observe if it is front, middle or back for a little adjustment.  It is a pretty good estimate most of the time - and I know because I can check it with the laser.  And I think that is good enough for most golfer's games.  It comes in notably handy for what you need to carry a bunker or maybe to stay short of one - or the water or whatever.  And sometimes the course markers just haven't told you a good enough story and it would help to know.

I probably use for 8-12 shots/round - but more on an unfamiliar or scant-marked course. And when I do need it, I'm really glad I had it.

[sacm3bill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutchshot

This is exactly what all my low capper friends tell me.

There really sit any doubt I would shave some strokes (miss greens from time to time and think "wrong club"), however, I just feel like it would change the game pointing the thing around every 2 minutes....

You have 240 minutes in a round, so thats a 120 score for you as an average? Oh, no bet you would not use the rangefinder to measure your putts........

4 hour round? I wish! :-)

[PirateJim]

I have one of the basic Garmin golf watches, range to front, center and back. I sort of play a private game of estimating distance and checking it on the Garmin so I don't become too dependent, but I wouldn't want to play without it. I really like the wrist watch format since it requires no fiddling with an extra gizmo. There are moments when I would love to have a laser, but they are rare enough that I have no intent to buy one. If you have a smart phone grab one of the free apps and give it a try, you'll probably like it and can then think about what form factor you prefer.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I have one of the basic Garmin golf watches, range to front, center and back. I sort of play a private game of estimating distance and checking it on the Garmin so I don't become too dependent, but I wouldn't want to play without it. I really like the wrist watch format since it requires no fiddling with an extra gizmo.

Just curious about that one - do you have to give the watch any info.  Like maybe what hole you are on or something?  Or does it just kind of follow you around the course and it knows which green you want?  I think that is why I now prefer not to use the GPS app - you have to keep letting it know where you are on the course.

[RickK]

I have both a Skycaddie and a laser rangefinder.  I played golf for 30+ years without either one.  So, obviously it is not a necessity that I have one.  And, if I play one of the 3 courses I play on a regular basis, there are times I never look at either one.  But, I play in a traveling golf tournament league (22+ different courses each year) and I also play quite a bit out of town and out of state.  Where I find the Skycaddie handy is playing a golf course I have never seen before or have not played in a long long time and being able to get the yardage to the front, middle, back of the green.  The one I have has a picture of the hole so it helps to able to see where hazards may be and how far away that may not necessarily be visible from the tee box.  And, many courses today don't have yardage books because of the newer technology available.  They just don't sell enough of them to make it worthwhile to have them available.

[RickK]

If you have any game whatsoever....................correct yardage to the pin is necessary.

You have 2 choices:

1. walk around looking for sprinkler heads.....and pacing off yardages.

2. point and shoot..........

Or you can guess........(low cappers rarely guess)

I'll make an argument that GPS is for hackers.....because GPS doesn't know where the pin is...........

Respectfully disagree.  I don't consider myself a hacker but then I am not a 2.3 index.  I find the GPS to be helpful, especially in this respect.  If you are playing a course that you have never played before and you can see the flag is in the back portion of the green.  Let's say it you use the laser and you can see that it is 156 to the flag.  Unless you are accurate to within let's say 4 yards on every iron, you have no idea with laser only that you may have 5 yards behind the flag, 8 yards behind the flag, or maybe only 3 yards.  I'm old so I'm going to use my yardages.  My 7 iron distance is 160.  My 8 iron distance is 150.  Without knowledge from the GPS, I would probably hit 8 iron because I don't know how much room is behind the flag...knowing I will be short.  But, if I have GPS and I see that it is 164 to the back of green, I am probably going to hit 7 iron instead of 8.  Now, maybe I should consider myself a hacker at a 10.3 index because I am not accurate to within 2 or 3 yards even when I am between clubs.  But, I don't.

Again, that is how I use the information provided by GPS.