Generic Range Finder?

[sportsnut]

Afternoon, anyone out there using a range finder that is not marketed for golf, one that could be used for shooting or hunting, etc? Just wondering if you need one marketed for golf or if they all work the same and would pick up a flag as a target. Makes price shopping more flexible.

Thanks, Frank

[Fourputt]

The most glaring difference is in the logic circuitry.  Golf lasers are designed to pick the flagstick out of any background clutter and isolate it.  From what I've read, the hunting ones do just the opposite so that branches between the hunter and the animal don't give a false reading.  They would actually be harder to use for golf than one with no logic parameters at all.

[sportsnut]

Rick, thanks for the insight, I have been wondering about whether or not this was worth a try, the answer is not after reading your reply. I will wait until I develope as a golfer some more before I decide if I need either a gps of rangefinder.

Frank

[sacm3bill]

No, there is usually no difference between golf rangefinders and general sporting rangefinders (other than sometimes the "golf" version of one can be more expensive than the exact same "hunting" model simply because it's marketed for golf). What Rick is referring to is a setting that can be changed to either find the closest object, or to ignore foreground objects like brush and pick up the object in the background. (And note, sometimes you will want that mode, if for example you are off the fairway and lasing to the pin from behind some trees.)  My "golf-specific" Bushnell can be set to either mode, as can many other non-golf models.

Some units marketed for golf may claim to have some kind of "Pinseeker" technology, but that's just marketing-speak for the mode that only picks up the closest object.

I'm not aware of any circuitry differences between models - that doesn't mean they don't exist, but my point remains that hunting models are generally no different than golf models, other than sometimes being available more cheaply.

[sportsnut]

Thanks for the info. I am thinking about these units for now as I do not believe as a new golfer I could control my shots to warrant purchase of either of these items. I am beginning to see the merit of a gps unit that tracks hazard distance, etc, although I am sure you could use a range finder to gather the same info. However it is always hard to pass up a good buy, and I saw what I felt was a good price for a hunting model.

[Spooner]

If you have a smart phone you can down download an app that does all of that for free or very inexpensively.  I have one on my HTC EVO that works great-even has a google maps view of the hole.  Free too!

[sportsnut]

free is always better, but alas I have a dumb phone, something to consider when my current contract is up.

thanks Frank