What if Laser/GPS were banned?

[newtogolf]

Now that is a proper course @Fourputt .  I wish more would do it.  As I said, on my courses that have good markings, I don't need to use it that much.  But it does come in handy when you are not in the middle of the fairway.

Agreed, if all courses were marked like that I wouldn't be so dependent on rangefinder or gps.

[Teamanglerx]

I think it would hurt at first because I use my GPS all the time.  However, I would not have problem with it because I would love the challenge of making a range book for the courses using google maps, on course recon, etc.

[dfreuter415]

From a caddie's perspective, technology undoubtedly helps to speed up play. I've used one for several years now and find that by the time your golfer gets to the ball, a good caddie will have the yardage for the shot.   I also use a GPS watch. It comes in handy several time per round for distances to the front/back of the green, as well as the distance to the green when your player has a blind shot and you cannot shoot the pin.

When a golfer does not have a caddie, the rangefinder can actually slow you down. The time it takes to the rangefinder out of the bag/cart, aim & shoot, then return it to the bag/cart can be time consuming.  The GPS watch, on the other hand, is very simple:  look at your wrist, look at the pin, pick a club.  (Inevitably the GPS watch can speed up play, but a scratch golfer might object because the watch distances might be off by a few yards, because a rangefinder's output is more exact.)

For the past 50 years all I have ever needed is the 150 yard stakes. Even when I first got a rangefinder for caddying, I never used it when I played. Now that I have the GPS watch, besides giving me distances, it allows me to more accurately evaluate the distances that I hit my clubs. So, I really enjoy having the watch.

Returning back to the original premise: "What if Laser/GPS were banned?"  Having coached high school golf for more than a decade, I know that the younger golfer would have a harder time adjusting because they are more reliant on technology now than they were even five or ten years ago. Also, reading a number of these postings and from personal experience, it seems as if the veteran golfers would be affected the least because we grew up with only the 150 markers.

[shawnpeach]

I've only started playing golf seriously over the last 11months, before that was maybe once a year with friends. The first 6 months for me I played without of gps/range finder or even really markers at all. I was out there trying to learn distances, find my swing and have a good time doing it (not just using the range).

Now after joining a club my focus has changed to improving my game, lowering the scores and a big factor for me was my GIR, so I started paying attention to the markers to get me in the rough vicinity of the correct distances. I got a range finder 2 months ago and it has helped me heaps. Posting better scores based on knowing the distance I needed to carry hazards. I'm off 14 and I don't shoot the pin because my golf just isn't there yet but knowing distances to/carry hazards gives me a better shot of hitting GIR and ultimately playing quicker. I was a fast golfer before the range finder and I'm still a fast golfer with the range finder.

My grandfather doesn't use a gps or range finder, he just pulls of years of playing experience, but he also can't figure out my iPad. Times are changing and we live in a technology based world now with the need to have the latest toy, change is good, it promotes growth!