skycaddie vs rangefinder+gps watch

[Fourputt]

I made most of those same arguments when I carried a laser.  Since I got my Garmin, I've had to revise my opinion

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

I made most of those same arguments when I carried a laser.  Since I got my Garmin, I've had to revise my opinion

And I've used both. I still prefer the laser for the reasons listed above. I could have added "make sure your course is on your GPS" as an annoyance of a GPS over a laser too.

Oh, and a laser is good for seeing whether a cart or a golfer is in range or not.

[Jspangler]

Thanks for all the input it gives Mr a lot to think about the only real perk I see for GPS is you can just look at it and it tells you where a rangefinder you have to pick up and shoot the stick

[meenman]

And I've used both. I still prefer the laser for the reasons listed above. I could have added "make sure your course is on your GPS" as an annoyance of a GPS over a laser too. Oh, and a laser is good for seeing whether a cart or a golfer is in range or not.

I think this whole laser / GPS argument can be based on skill level. A GPS is well within my margin of error, where Erik can attack a pin. There is nothing more annoying than my 30 HC playing partner correcting my 163 yard reading by telling me its only 161.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

I made most of those same arguments when I carried a laser.  Since I got my Garmin, I've had to revise my opinion

And I've used both. I still prefer the laser for the reasons listed above. I could have added "make sure your course is on your GPS" as an annoyance of a GPS over a laser too.

Oh, and a laser is good for seeing whether a cart or a golfer is in range or not.

As short as I've become, that is barely even a need for me any more.

True that there are courses which for one reason or another haven't been added to the database, but they have been pretty responsive about responding to requests.  I had one missing which I played in Idaho with my brother, and it was added on the next update.

Originally Posted by Jspangler

Thanks for all the input it gives Mr a lot to think about the only real perk I see for GPS is you can just look at it and it tells you where a rangefinder you have to pick up and shoot the stick

Assuming that all you need is distance to the "stick" then it's your choice.  I choose to supply myself with more information than that.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by iacas

I still like lasers over GPS for three main reasons:

I can get a yardage to anything. I don't remember the last time I was left without something I could hit to get a yardage.

Lasers are more accurate. You can say 9 feet, but you're also +/- estimating the pin position too.

Battery life on lasers is forever. GPS requires charging all the time.

I agree that if you only have one, the laser is the one to have.  BUT......the better option is to have both.

Knowing that it's 150 to the pin from your laser is nice, but it's nicer to be able to refer to the gps and also know that the back of the green is 153......or that the front is 147.  While the laser will tell you that it's 165 to carry that big honkin' bunker in front of the green, it takes GPS to show you that the bunker isn't actually green-side, but rather that the green is actually 30 yards behind the bunker.   GPS can also show you hazards that might not be visible from your current location.  Not as important if you've played a course many times, but critical if it's a new course.  The bunker hidden behind the bunker that you can see....the water hazard that extends out to catch the tee shot that cuts a corner that your laser has told you is doable.

I use my laser on just about every hole.....but even so, I'll look at the gps a handful of times a round.  More if it's a course I'm not as familiar with.  First one to buy.....no doubt, the laser.  But the boy is it nice to have both.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by David in FL

I agree that if you only have one, the laser is the one to have.  BUT......the better option is to have both.

I can agree with this for the most part, although I believe that higher handicaps (20+) actually benefit more from the GPS than a laser. Plus, GPS units aid in speeding up play more so than a laser does. Its always better to have both if you can afford it.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL

I agree that if you only have one, the laser is the one to have.  BUT......the better option is to have both.

I can agree with this for the most part, although I believe that higher handicaps (20+) actually benefit more from the GPS than a laser. Plus, GPS units aid in speeding up play more so than a laser does. Its always better to have both if you can afford it.

Trust me, even a 10 handicap doesn't need to be accurate to +/-1 yard.

[David in FL]

Trust me, even a 10 handicap doesn't need to be accurate to +/-1 yard.

True. But the biggest downside to the GPS (and I love mine) is that it doesn't know where the pin is. If you have a pin sheet and if it's accurate, you can adjust to where you THINK the pin is. If....... I like having both. They really do different things.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Trust me, even a 10 handicap doesn't need to be accurate to +/-1 yard.

Trust me I am a zero handicap  and I don't need to to be accurate to +/- 1 yard!

[SCfanatic35]

I am a 19 handicap and need to know within +/- 5 yards. My 7 iron goes about 155. If my shot is between 150-160 more than likely hitting the 7 unless conditions demand more or less. I'm like you guys, I dont understand why guys who play with me sometimes debate between 154-156. If they could hit their clubs that exact all the time they would be one tour.

[joelwhite22]

With a GPS can you track each shot? Meaning if I hit driver can I go up to my ball and it will say on hole 9 I hit my driver 270 yards, then I hit a 7 iron 160 yards and then 2 putted?

[meenman]

Originally Posted by joelwhite22

With a GPS can you track each shot? Meaning if I hit driver can I go up to my ball and it will say on hole 9 I hit my driver 270 yards, then I hit a 7 iron 160 yards and then 2 putted?

You can track it, but will have to manually.

I have the skycaddie Sg5 and can measure the distance of every shot. However there is no way to pull that up on the skycaddie.

All that is saved is my drives, which can be downloaded onto the skygolf website and looked at from there.

[Jspangler]

You can track it, but will have to manually. I have the skycaddie Sg5 and can measure the distance of every shot. However there is no way to pull that up on the skycaddie. All that is saved is my drives, which can be downloaded onto the skygolf website and looked at from there.

How do track your shots on a gps? That's why I was looking at a gps watch its easy to track shots on them you hit the shot then push a button and walk to your ball.

[SCfanatic35]

Originally Posted by Jspangler

How do track your shots on a gps? That's why I was looking at a gps watch its easy to track shots on them you hit the shot then push a button and walk to your ball.

There is a "mark ball" button on it.  Hit it once where you hit your first shot, when you get to your ball, hit it again and that's the distance.

[Jspangler]

Sounds easy enough, maybe ill just end up getting them both

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by joelwhite22

With a GPS can you track each shot? Meaning if I hit driver can I go up to my ball and it will say on hole 9 I hit my driver 270 yards, then I hit a 7 iron 160 yards and then 2 putted?

One I used to use, Swing by Swing, would actually track each shot you hit (you had to manually enter which club you used) and let you review your round shot by shot on a satellite image of your course.

It is a phone app, though, and therefore not legal for serious play, unfortunately, so I don't use it any more.

[teed off]

I find that GPS and laser units are both equally good on familiar courses whereas, the GPS unit would have a added advantage on an unfamiliar course for lay up distances etc.

However, a laser unit can be very useful at the practice range where the GPS unit would be essentially useless for this purpose. .