Poll on Range Finders

[Dave2512]

Most useful when you have a realistic chance to hit a green. I was shocked how different course marking could be from the hole location. I've been inside the 150 marker and had longer than shots and outside of it and had shorter than shots. IMO extremely useful inside 100 because you can laser a spot on the green or bunker and make sure you clear an obstacle and hit the biggest target that makes sense. I often laser a spot just in front of the green knowing that a poorly struck shot might end up there to be sure I at least get it there with a miss. If it's uphill I often grab a longer club.

[zipazoid]

7 minutes ago, Shindig said:

I agree that lack of accurate information is why they're short and that the rangefinder is valuable.  I disagree that it's the only missing piece:  many people over-estimate how far they hit their clubs.  Prior to getting my Game Golf, I thought I hit my irons about ten yards further than I do.  My GIRs have gone up quite a bit now that I know, for example, that 125 yards out I should pull the 8-iron, not the 9.

But you're right;  even with accurate information on club distances, you still need to know the distance between your ball and your target .

Totally agree, and I think the range finder will be a slap of reality to them. "I hit a 9 iron 150"...oh really? Then why did you just hit it 20 yards short of the green?

When I get my range finder the first place I am going is to the driving range - they got flags but they're not marked as to the yardage & the range is a semi-circle...so the distance changes based on where you're hitting from. I got a pretty good idea how far I hit each iron (7i is 150, plus or minus 10y for each iron above or below it). So I'm gonna scope those flags to know the EXACT yardage then start hit the irons. Get my yardages really dialed in...will be nice to know I hit the 7i 148 or 153 instead of 150.

 

[dennyjones]

Each day that I go to the driving range, I always check the distances to each flag.   At our range, the distances are always short, 100 yard flag is actually 93, etc..  

But...since I'm hitting range balls, distance is relative.   

Edited June 24, 2017 by dennyjones

[Dave2512]

The male amateur tends to be a best case scenario golfer. I see guys that struggle to break 90, that maybe hit 5 shots a round that could be considered their very best ball striking type shots out of the 55-60 remaining strokes (excluding putts) and make every club choice on that 8-9% shot.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Dave2512

[Moppy]

I use the markers when I am close to one, but I like the range finder, it was a Father's Day gift, because it is so much faster than a GPS, and within 100 yards, I start having a tricky time selecting the right club without it. It gives me a number and I can just use it an not overtthink. 

I tend to use a best case distance because I want to play the stroke as if I were going to hit it properly, so even if I have a bit of the fatsies, or whatever, I like to assume I am going to get a solid strike. I hate like poison taking yards off of the club because of how I am hitting them that day, and then putting one in the brush behind the green on a well struck shot that should have paid off. I would rather just take my punishment on hitting it short, if that is what is to be.

[DeadMan]

2 hours ago, Moppy said:

I use the markers when I am close to one, but I like the range finder, it was a Father's Day gift, because it is so much faster than a GPS, and within 100 yards, I start having a tricky time selecting the right club without it. It gives me a number and I can just use it an not overtthink. 

Unless someone really has to dig to find the GPS, it's much faster than a laser. On par 3 tee boxes, I will have the distance to the flag within 5 yards (which is all you need as an amateur, especially on par 3s) before anyone has finished lasering the pin. I know this because I almost always ask them to confirm the distance I found on my GPS. 

My personal opinion on rangefinders is that GPS units are better. On the vast majority of shots, the only information you need is distance to the center of green, which is where you should be aiming. Almost none of us on this board are good enough to have a couple of yard difference matter. For the handful of shots were you are aiming at the pin and need a more precise distance, front, center, and back distances should be enough (I  concede that I would get some benefit from a rangefinder on shots from 30-80 yards). 

[Killa]

I was deciding what to get but I ordered a garmin s6 for under $200. I decided on that instead of the laser because right now I am using my phone and GameGolf and it takes me a lot of time to always take the phone out and check. It would be the same with the laser. 

[todgot]

I have a bushnell v3 and love it.  I never got the hang of the GPS rangefinder and prefer the Laser. It's a part of my normal pre-shot routine.  

[ZappyAd]

I have a Nikon range finder and it really helped improve my scores.  I have used GPS on a phone and never really found it convenient.  I can see a watch might be better than a phone but I do tend to laser features around my target area, just to get a handle on where the best miss might be.  

When I come to replace it I will definitely go range finder again but this time with slope as I think that feature could also help me get better.  Trouble is the Nikon isn't really showing any sign of wearing out so unless I lose it I might end up using it for a while.

[klineka]

7 hours ago, DeadMan said:

My personal opinion on rangefinders is that GPS units are better. On the vast majority of shots, the only information you need is distance to the center of green, which is where you should be aiming. Almost none of us on this board are good enough to have a couple of yard difference matter. For the handful of shots were you are aiming at the pin and need a more precise distance, front, center, and back distances should be enough (I  concede that I would get some benefit from a rangefinder on shots from 30-80 yards). 

One of the reasons I prefer the rangefinder over GPS is because there is always that chance that you might have to wait for satellite connection or the app crashes, phone battery dies, phone gets run over from golf cart (have seen it happen to a friends phone) etc etc. 

I think the watch GPS units would be better than a phone app, but I still prefer the tried and true range finder. I like the ability to use it off the tee box to know how far a certain tree is or the yardage to a fairway bunker to know if I can reach it with a driver or not. I find myself using the range finder on pretty much every shot outside of 50 yards.

[Fourputt]

12 hours ago, Moppy said:

I use the markers when I am close to one, but I like the range finder, it was a Father's Day gift, because it is so much faster than a GPS, and within 100 yards, I start having a tricky time selecting the right club without it. It gives me a number and I can just use it an not overtthink. 

I tend to use a best case distance because I want to play the stroke as if I were going to hit it properly, so even if I have a bit of the fatsies, or whatever, I like to assume I am going to get a solid strike. I hate like poison taking yards off of the club because of how I am hitting them that day, and then putting one in the brush behind the green on a well struck shot that should have paid off. I would rather just take my punishment on hitting it short, if that is what is to be.

This is one of the more peculiar comments I've read on this topic.  There is no way that you can get a reading with your laser faster than I can get it with my Garmin Approach G6 (not a watch).  And I can do so much more than just shooting the flag.  I used both for a couple of years and for me, a full featured, dedicated GPS (not a phone app) was both faster and more informative than a laser.  With the GPS, all I do is look at the screen and the general information is all right there - nothing to fiddle with, no buttons to push or scope to sight through.

10 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Unless someone really has to dig to find the GPS, it's much faster than a laser. On par 3 tee boxes, I will have the distance to the flag within 5 yards (which is all you need as an amateur, especially on par 3s) before anyone has finished lasering the pin. I know this because I almost always ask them to confirm the distance I found on my GPS. 

My personal opinion on rangefinders is that GPS units are better. On the vast majority of shots, the only information you need is distance to the center of green, which is where you should be aiming. Almost none of us on this board are good enough to have a couple of yard difference matter. For the handful of shots were you are aiming at the pin and need a more precise distance, front, center, and back distances should be enough (I  concede that I would get some benefit from a rangefinder on shots from 30-80 yards). 

I went GPS after using both for a couple of years.  For me, the GPS offers more information and is less likely to give me a false reading.  Even a good Bushnell laser could easily pick up the wrong object if not used exactly right.  Accuracy to a yard is simply not necessary.  I can generally take the middle distance from the GPS, estimate the adjustment for a front or back pin, and have a number within a couple of yards of any of my friends shooting the flag with a laser, and I can get it faster.

2 hours ago, klineka said:

One of the reasons I prefer the rangefinder over GPS is because there is always that chance that you might have to wait for satellite connection or the app crashes, phone battery dies, phone gets run over from golf cart (have seen it happen to a friends phone) etc etc. 

I think the watch GPS units would be better than a phone app, but I still prefer the tried and true range finder. I like the ability to use it off the tee box to know how far a certain tree is or the yardage to a fairway bunker to know if I can reach it with a driver or not. I find myself using the range finder on pretty much every shot outside of 50 yards.

Then get a real GPS, not an app.  I agree that that most of the phone apps I've seen or tried were a pain in the ass.  On the other hand, a dedicated GPS unit is fast, easy, and accurate.  I get the same info for bunkers and hazards without having to find  a useful surface and then bounce a laser beam off of it.  I can also get distances where a laser is useless, like when you can't see the pin through trees or brush or up a steep hill.

For tee shots or layup planning, my GPS is great.  I can set and drag an intermediate target around the screen, picking any spot on the hole for a layup and at the same time get the distance from that target to the green, so I can plan a layup to leave a specific distance to the pin for my next shot.  

This is particularly useful for holes which aren't straight.  A couple of par 5 holes on my home course have a double bend, so shooting the flag and subtracting to plan a layup won't get you any sort of useful information.  You can't usually even see the flag from where your tee shot ends up anyway (or it's beyond the laser's effective range), so the laser may or may not be of much help in planning to set up your final approach.  I can also drag the flag around on the green to approximate the hole location, but it usually isn't even needed.

I have nothing whatever against lasers - some of my best friends use them - but I feel that there is a lot of misinformation being perpetuated about GPS.  Some are great, some are okay, and some I wouldn't use if you paid me (and the same is true of lasers).  That doesn't mean that GPS technology is bad, only that some applications of it are not well implemented.  Do some research before you make broad statements which simply aren't true.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Fourputt

[klineka]

6 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

This is one of the more peculiar comments I've read on this topic.  There is no way that you can get a reading with your laser faster than I can get it with my Garmin Approach G6 (not a watch).  And I can do so much more than just shooting the flag.  I used both for a couple of years and for me, a full featured, dedicated GPS (not a phone app) was both faster and more informative than a laser.  With the GPS, all I do is look at the screen and the general information is all right there - nothing to fiddle with, no buttons to push or scope to sight through.

I went GPS after using both for a couple of years.  For me, the GPS offers more information and is less likely to give me a false reading.  Even a good Bushnell laser could easily pick up the wrong object if not used exactly right.  Accuracy to a yard is simply not necessary.  I can generally take the middle distance from the GPS, estimate the adjustment for a front or back pin, and have a number within a couple of yards of any of my friends shooting the flag with a laser, and I can get it faster.

Then get a real GPS, not an app.  I agree that that most of the phone apps I've seen or tried were a pain in the ass.  On the other hand, a dedicated GPS unit is fast, easy, and accurate.  I get the same info for bunkers and hazards without having to find  a useful surface and then bounce a laser beam off of it.  I can also get distances where a laser is useless, like when you can't see the pin through trees or brush or up a steep hill.

For tee shots or layup planning, my GPS is great.  I can set and drag an intermediate target around the screen, picking any spot on the hole for a layup and at the same time get the distance from that target to the green, so I can plan a layup to leave a specific distance to the pin for my next shot.  

This is particularly useful for holes which aren't straight.  A couple of par 5 holes on my home course have a double bend, so shooting the flag and subtracting to plan a layup won't get you any sort of useful information.  You can't usually even see the flag from where your tee shot ends up anyway (or it's beyond the laser's effective range), so the laser may or may not be of much help in planning to set up your final approach.  I can also drag the flag around on the green to approximate the hole location, but it usually isn't even needed.

I have nothing whatever against lasers - some of my best friends use them - but I feel that there is a lot of misinformation being perpetuated about GPS.  Some are great, some are okay, and some I wouldn't use if you paid me (and the same is true of lasers).  That doesn't mean that GPS technology is bad, only that some applications of it are not well implemented.  Do some research before you make broad statements which simply aren't true.

I think you brought up some great points here, which I didnt even know GPS units could do. Thanks for the information. to be honest the only reason I use a laser is because it was given to me for free. Once that dies I might have to look into getting a GPS unit, I like some of the features you mentioned. Have you had any issues with it not having a course that you played? Also do you have to specify the course you are going to ahead of time like from your computer at home or does it auto recognize the course/hole that you are on and adjust accordingly?

[rehmwa]

Yes.  The single best piece of equipment in the entire bag.  And I'm not normally good at estimating distance, so it's extra helpful for a guy like me.  I may not be good hitting my line, but I'm very good with distance, so this is essential.  I always have spare batteries too.  Did I mention my range finder is the best thing ever?

I'd laser my putts if it would help.

For that matter, it's also a mini telescope - it helps to find stuff.  Like golf balls.

If I hit a drive and the ball isn't visible, I'll also laser objects in that direction and find a landmark that matches how far I think I hit the ball.  that's also huge in finding errant (or not so errant) tee shots.  I drive to that tree/bush/shed and then start looking..

I'll scan the group in front of me to make sure they are out of range before hitting.  And hazards, and the edges of stuff, ends of the green.

It fires a laser, so you can entertain yourself by making laser noises and firing it at stormtroopers.

the thing absolutely rocks

Edited June 27, 2017 by rehmwa

[DeadMan]

27 minutes ago, klineka said:

I think you brought up some great points here, which I didnt even know GPS units could do. Thanks for the information. to be honest the only reason I use a laser is because it was given to me for free. Once that dies I might have to look into getting a GPS unit, I like some of the features you mentioned. Have you had any issues with it not having a course that you played? Also do you have to specify the course you are going to ahead of time like from your computer at home or does it auto recognize the course/hole that you are on and adjust accordingly?

I have the Garmin G6 as well. When you turn it on, you select your course. The GPS pulls up the closest courses to you to select from. Only issue I've had is that sometimes I have to restart it for it to find a GPS signal, but that's really rare.

I have never played a course that my GPS didn't pull up. I plug it into my computer about once a year to update the course list.

[zipazoid]

Hey, question for those who own a laser - 

Do you keep it in your golf bag when you're not playing? I'm thinking about heat influencing it (I keep my clubs in my trunk). I'm leaning towards just keeping it in the house then taking it when I go play or practice. Does that make sense?

[Groucho Valentine]

I had one in the bag for years but almost never used it unless i was playing from an adjacent hole or something. 90% of the time i use  a combination of my eye, feel, course markers or tee sheet (when available) to gauge distances. Obviously not the most precise method. Where i lose by not using a range finder is mostly off the tee. Guessing how far out a dog leg turns or where a fairway bunker is isnt the best way to do it....lol.  But its mostly worked for me and i feel like I play faster because of it.

[shanksalot]

Played without one for 40 years. I've used a Sky Caddy for a while now, but I don't need one on the course I play now. I play almost exclusively at one course and I pretty much know what I need to hit unless I am way off the fairway and don't have a view of the pin. If I play a course I have never played before it comes in handy. I don't need an exact yardage just the distance to the middle of the green.

[Fourputt]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

I think you brought up some great points here, which I didnt even know GPS units could do. Thanks for the information. to be honest the only reason I use a laser is because it was given to me for free. Once that dies I might have to look into getting a GPS unit, I like some of the features you mentioned. Have you had any issues with it not having a course that you played? Also do you have to specify the course you are going to ahead of time like from your computer at home or does it auto recognize the course/hole that you are on and adjust accordingly?

Even the little 9 hole course out here in the boonies where I play Tuesday evening leagues is in the GPS, and it's not even rated for handicap.

33 minutes ago, zipazoid said:

Hey, question for those who own a laser - 

Do you keep it in your golf bag when you're not playing? I'm thinking about heat influencing it (I keep my clubs in my trunk). I'm leaning towards just keeping it in the house then taking it when I go play or practice. Does that make sense?

This one has to come in the house after about 3 rounds to recharge (I have gotten 4 rounds on a charge, but that's pushing it - I can also charge it in my truck when needed), but my previous GPS was an Approach G5 and I used AA lithium batteries in it, so it lived in my bag (also in the trunk of my car) with no problems.  I'd still be using it if I hadn't left it in the cart one time after playing.  I preferred it to my newer one, but it wasn't available any longer.  

Another advantage over a phone is that the G6 is designed to be easy to read in full sun.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Fourputt