Do you use a rangefinder?

[YogiTKE]

You must feel the same way about caddies and yardage books?

Not really comparing apples to apples with your statement.

[MGP]

Not really comparing apples to apples with your statement.

Sure he is. A GPS or rangefinder provides the same function to a golfer as a caddie with a yardage book.

And for the record, I have a GPS and love it.

[nykfan4life]

I want one. It would make short shots so much easier. I'm a terrible judge of distance. I almost always pick the wrong club between the 100 and 50 yard markers.

[larlev]

I want one. It would make short shots so much easier. I'm a terrible judge of distance. I almost always pick the wrong club between the 100 and 50 yard markers.

Check out the "stintz" on ebay....it will train your eyes to judge distances, I have been using it and it does really work

[Fastrack]

Range finder has help me better know of my club distance and managing my short game

[The Gill]

Honestly, I wish range finders were required, just in the hope they'd speed up play.

[larlev]

Honestly, I wish range finders were required, just in the hope they'd speed up play.

That's an interesting comment....

Why do folks always seem to be in such a rush when playing a round?

[iacas]

What are the reasons to choose a rangefinder over a gps unit?

We've discussed this several times before, and it's off-topic for this thread. Please do a search; show some initiative.

rangefinders take away from the game, imo

As your comment is so short and offers little to support, mine will too: I disagree.

Not really comparing apples to apples with your statement.

I think he was.

Why do folks always seem to be in such a rush when playing a round?

Because a round of golf shouldn't take 5 hours.

[The Gill]

That's an interesting comment....

I honestly think that's kind of a silly statement. You must be retired.

Have you ever played a 6 hour non-tournament round? Sadly, I have. Sadly I have... I feel the karma from your statement may mean a 6 hour round for you in the future.

[larlev]

I honestly think that's kind of a silly statement. You must be retired.

I can understand a 6 hour round being to long....but it seems that even 3.5 to 4 hours is pushing it....I play golf to enjoy the scenery, spend some quality time w/ friends, and enjoy the game. Some of you that want to haul ass and get home, should really rethink why your out there in the first place. I can't even take my wife/kids out w/o some a-hole bitchin. It's real hard to get new players to like the sport.

[StrayCat]

Before this get too off topic, I want to thank all those that replied. I really wanted to get opinons (which I got) on rangefinders in general.

I personally have nothing against them, just don't know if they're right for me.

[Lefty731PM]

I don't want this to be a poll, just looking for comments and opinions.

I don't think they're legal for competition play here in Australia. I would be interested in trying one if I was practising, but the only thing that I can think of which would make you look like more of a jerkthan pulling one of these out is to have your name embroidered on a staff style bag. (Both fine for pros, not wannabe hackers) I would prefer to work on my swing than know the exact distance of a shot without an exactly repeatable swing to make it useful. Course markers are all you need.

Technology is fun, but ........ I guess I'm thinking back to the days when there weren't even course markers. Eyes are reasonably useful things, I find...

[Finn07]

I just purchased the igolf caddie II after doing some extensive research. My first round with it will be in a few days, ill give a review in a separate thread for those who are thinking of getting a GPS unit. I like to walk when I play and this is definitely going to speed up play for me which is a great thing.

[lordnazgul]

I personally don't particularly like them. Firstly, when i go to a new course, i think it is fun the learn the little idiocynracies and what not that a course has by trial and error, not by getting the perfect yardage from shot 1.

Also having a caddy is different, as it involves doing calculations etc, i'm not exactly on the yardage marker, count in, the flag is so may yards on and to the left, what does this equal? A GPS just goes, ta da, and you have got the exact yardage, and done nothing for it.

[YogiTKE]

Sure he is. A GPS or rangefinder provides the same function to a golfer as a caddie with a yardage book.

A caddie or yardage book doesn't come with the information stored in it. You have to research and study the course and record it manually.

[wigolffan]

When I am paying to play a nice course that I have not played before I dont want to spend that 160 bucks to learn its idio sencrecies (wow I cant spell sorry) The game is challenging enough on a good course. Some places they have caddies for you but now your talking close to another 100 bucks with tip. Also my sky caddie speeds play, I dont pace off from a sprinkler head, I dont just guess I am 20 yards behind the 150 and hit the wrong club cus I am 35 yards behind. I walk to my ball look at the sky caddie, take wind and elevation into acount, look for trouble spots I want to avoid and grab a club and swing.

[lefttoright]

rangefinders take away from the game, imo

There is no difference between shooting the distance with a rangefinder and standing on a surveyed 150 yard marker.

[wolverine318]

A caddie or yardage book doesn't come with the information stored in it. You have to research and study the course and record it manually.

And most of us dont have the time so a gps device is a great alternative. I would love to be able to map out my own courses and keep notes and whatnot, but between life and reality I dont have the time. As im sure most of us dont.

I played with my skycaddie for the first time a couple of days ago. It was great, it sped up our play and we played 5 and were on the asses of the 3 in front of us. There is no walking off yardage or figuring stuff out. You look at the screen, read, and hit. Some guys in my leage with their rangefinder use it on every single shot. Im talking 20yds to 300yds. (i know some dont go to 399 btw) Then they cant get their target, or double check, and they take longer. Our two slowest players use rangefinders. Im not knocking rangefinders, but you need to know how to use them efficiently for them to benefit the speed of play imo.