Poll on Range Finders

[Dave2512]

I keep my Bushnell attached to my bag 365, in the cold, heat, wherever. It's pretty sturdy and through three years never a problem.

I seriously doubt the speed of use would ever be an issue when comparing GPS to a laser. I've used both and IMO a laser is quicker if you hit your target needing just that number. GPS can and does recalculate. I've been waiting for a green to clear, looked at it and looked again, watching it even as the points change. GPS is certainly more comprehensive on the fly giving front, center and back, yardage to obstacles etc. In that regard it's faster to aid in decision making when reality is the unskilled should need to plan for some degree of mishit. I don't think stick it on the flag I think hit it to the biggest, safest spot to give myself a chance to score.

[zipazoid]

Thanks @Fourputt & @Dave2512 - Now that I think of it, I'm sure I will get some care instructions when I receive it (supposed to be here tomorrow!), but I am leaning towards keeping it in the house instead of the golf bag - this is Miami & it's ballz hot here. That can't be good for it to leaving it in a golf bag in a trunk. In Miami lol.

 

[Midpack]

I am well satisfied with my $99 Garmin Approach G10 GPS. Yardages are instant (how could a laser be faster?) to the front, center and back of every green - and I can move the center/flag if needed (no need IMO). It's never blind like a laser can be. And it only needs to find satellites once at the beginning of each round, not during the round. It also gives me distances to all hazards (traps, water) and layup distances on doglegs. It will measure shot distance if you want. And it keeps score, putts, fairway % and misses (R or L) and GIR. I never had to look for markers any more, sometimes they can be hard to spot.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Midpack

[Shindig]

I used to be really bad about leaving my clubs, including laser, in the trunk of my car.  Now that I have a garage instead of shared parking + elevator to unit, I take them out whenever i anticipate not using them for more than a day.  I really should remove them anyway and keep them in the garage when I'm not playing or practicing. 

[Moppy]

I am sure an always on, screen always readable in direct sun, GPS is better and faster than a laser. I haven't seen one, not that I have looked that far, but seems like it would take a car battery. Phone apps are a waste of time, and laser beats them hands down. I keep the laser easy to reach, use it quick and put it away. It isn't costing me time, I don't sit there playing with it, but the idea of lasering landmarks when you lost sight of your ball is a good one and probably saves time.

[Fourputt]

50 minutes ago, Moppy said:

I am sure an always on, screen always readable in direct sun, GPS is better and faster than a laser. I haven't seen one, not that I have looked that far, but seems like it would take a car battery. Phone apps are a waste of time, and laser beats them hands down. I keep the laser easy to reach, use it quick and put it away. It isn't costing me time, I don't sit there playing with it, but

From Garmin's website:

Quote

The sleek, lightweight and durable Approach G8, with a 3” multi-touch color display, is our most feature-packed handheld. G8 starts with precise distances for more than 40,000 courses internationally, with Wi-fi^® and free lifetime updates. Then adds PlaysLike Distances, smart notifications, PinPointer blind shot assistance, rechargeable 15-hour battery, plus the Garmin Connect Golf community for sharing and comparing.

No car battery required - mine is the previous model, Approach G6, and it does not adjust for slope.  That is not a feature that I want or need.

Quote

the idea of lasering landmarks when you lost sight of your ball is a good one and probably saves time.

Great idea, and I can do it with my GPS too, by just hitting the "mark" button (normally used for measuring the length of your shot as you go to your ball) and walking off the typical distance for whatever club I was using when I hit the errant shot.  Works even if there is no course feature to lase anywhere near the ball's trajectory.  It should put me in the general area of where the ball is expected to be.  Never thought of that before, but the next time I launch one crooked, I'll try it.

 

[Moppy]

1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

No car battery required

Is it always on and screen readable in direct sun?

[Midpack]

21 minutes ago, Moppy said:

Is it always on and screen readable in direct sun?

I don't know about the color models, but my black & white Garmin Approach G10 is always on and is readable in blinding sun or any light. It can hang or clip to a belt, a hat, a golf bag, a cart or just about anywhere else. It's about the same size as an old match box and the batteries are reported to last 15 hours. I've played 18 with mine many times this year and the battery was still at 70% or thereabouts at the end of each round so you could easily play all day with it. No disrespect intended, but much of what you've posted above re: GPS (golf or otherwise) is wrong or maybe just out of date - I've been using marine GPS for decades. Far cheaper than a laser (I got mine on sale for $99, regularly $129 I think), and never "blind" like a laser (can't see over hills and sometimes can't pick out the right target from what I've read?). FWIW

Edited June 28, 2017 by Midpack

[Moppy]

Well then I take it back, and the next time I play with that guy who uses his @#$& phone to do distances, I will let him know there are better options. I still like my range finder, and I don't think it costs me time in a round. I don't use it a lot though, mostly from within about 115 where it works pretty well and pretty fast.  

[Midpack]

3 minutes ago, Moppy said:

Well then I take it back, and the next time I play with that guy who uses his @#$& phone to do distances, I will let him know there are better options. I still like my range finder, and I don't think it costs me time in a round. I don't use it a lot though, mostly from within about 115 where it works pretty well and pretty fast.  

I tried an app on my iPhone and I agree it was awful (clumsy, often searching and hard to read), my dedicated golf GPS is far better. I'd like to have GPS and laser (sometimes it would be more helpful), but I'd choose GPS if I had to pick just one. YMMV

Edited June 28, 2017 by Midpack

[rehmwa]

9 minutes ago, Midpack said:

black & white Garmin Approach G10

readable in blinding sun or any light.

about the same size as an old match box

Hmmmm, it's small.  I like just having it on me all the time.  The Bushnell I keep in a cupholder.

[Midpack]

10 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

Hmmmm, it's small.  I like just having it on me all the time.  The Bushnell I keep in a cupholder.

I was going to buy a $79 Bushnell Neo Ghost (link below), it's almost exactly the same size/format, there are a few of them in our league. Unlike the Bushnell, the Garmin G10 keeps score, putts, GIR and fairways and downloads scorecards to my PC - that's the only reason I paid a little more and went for the Garmin instead. I keep it hanging from a belt loop so I can look at it anytime.

http://bushnellgolf.com/gps-rangefinders/neo-ghost-charcoal/

Edited June 28, 2017 by Midpack

[Fourputt]

11 hours ago, Moppy said:

Is it always on and screen readable in direct sun?

Yes it's on the whole round, and it's actually more readable in sun than in shade.

[iacas]

I prefer lasers. They're more accurate, I can shoot whatever I want, I don't have to download a map or keep them up to date, etc.

I can count on one hand the number of times I can't get a yardage in a given year. I can shoot the far side of a water hazard (the bank) to get the distance to clear something, shoot a tree near what I want to know (i.e. the end of the fairway - shoot the tree, subtract 10 yards or whatever), etc. Bunker lips, the front of the green, a tree near the tee box (or the front lip of the tee box itself), etc.

They don't need charging and the batteries last a full year or longer. They're point and click.

[zipazoid]

37 minutes ago, iacas said:

I prefer lasers. They're more accurate, I can shoot whatever I want, I don't have to download a map or keep them up to date, etc.

I can count on one hand the number of times I can't get a yardage in a given year. I can shoot the far side of a water hazard (the bank) to get the distance to clear something, shoot a tree near what I want to know (i.e. the end of the fairway - shoot the tree, subtract 10 yards or whatever), etc. Bunker lips, the front of the green, a tree near the tee box (or the front lip of the tee box itself), etc.

They don't need charging and the batteries last a full year or longer. They're point and click.

Thanks for this, and that was my logic for deciding on a laser (which I am still waiting to arrive...sure hope it comes tomorrow so I got it for the weekend) - that I decide what I want distance to, not a predetermined map telling me. I totally understand that the gps gives pretty much what a golfer needs to know, but I still like the idea of me choosing what I want distance to.

Like you said - I can see me shooting a tree on the far side of the fairway on a dogleg & deducting 10 years or the far side of a creek to get the carry distance & so on. A laser just seems to give you more control.

[David in FL]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

I prefer lasers. They're more accurate, I can shoot whatever I want, I don't have to download a map or keep them up to date, etc.

I can count on one hand the number of times I can't get a yardage in a given year. I can shoot the far side of a water hazard (the bank) to get the distance to clear something, shoot a tree near what I want to know (i.e. the end of the fairway - shoot the tree, subtract 10 yards or whatever), etc. Bunker lips, the front of the green, a tree near the tee box (or the front lip of the tee box itself), etc.

They don't need charging and the batteries last a full year or longer. They're point and click.

You don't play enough golf these days!  

[iacas]

12 hours ago, David in FL said:

You don't play enough golf these days!  

They lasted a full year when I played 100 rounds a year. Now, they just get old…

[TN94z]

I have had one a few years now and LOVE it! It's especially useful at driving ranges where the flag yardages are not marked. But on the course, it's just to easy to pull it up and grab an accurate yardage and feel confident