Cheap laser rangefinder

[mazza78]

Hi guys I'm after something to help with my yardages. I currently use golfshot on my iphone but now my course in uk is banning in comps due to being able to find out wind speed and direction. I've considered gps watches but after trying a bushnell v2 I was impressed. Problem is the expense of one to buy so was wondering if anyone found any good but cheap laser rangefinders!??? Thanks

[geauxforbroke]

Hi guys

I'm after something to help with my yardages. I currently use golfshot on my iphone but now my course in uk is banning in comps due to being able to find out wind speed and direction. I've considered gps watches but after trying a bushnell v2 I was impressed. Problem is the expense of one to buy so was wondering if anyone found any good but cheap laser rangefinders!???

Thanks

What's your price range?

[Lihu]

I bought one from a similar source. Mine is a Bushnell that was on sale a few years ago.

I heard that Nikon is better.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/698417?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Optics%20-%20Rangefinders-_-PriceCompListing-_-698417&gclid;=CJa_ydmr_LsCFQlxQgodRgwA9g

[mazza78]

Hi Well if I was to buy a gps watch I'm looking at £150-230 where rangefinders are about £100 more. I want something not to fancy as I only play off 11 but want it easy to use and accurate!

[David in FL]

Hi

Well if I was to buy a gps watch I'm looking at £150-230 where rangefinders are about £100 more. I want something not to fancy as I only play off 11 but want it easy to use and accurate!

I'd take a look on some of the auction sites and consider a used one too. They don't "wear out". An older model Bushnell or Leupold (I love my Leupold GX1) will do the job for you just as well as the latest and greatest.....

I understand price sensitivity, but I'd really encourage you to get a rangefinder rather than GPS.  You're a pretty solid golfer and I think you'll find the precision of the rangefinder much more useful than the general "front, middle, back" that you'll get from lower end GPS units.

I have both and don't even carry my GPS unless it's a course that I'm completely unfamiliar with.  Then it's handy for finding carry distances and distances to hidden hazards.  But even on very familiar courses, I use my rangefinder on virtually every hole.

[DoubleEagle]

I am a high handicapper, and never thought much about the benefit of a range finder.  I wanted a GPS watch for Christmas and did not get it.  I got a Nikon Range Finder for Christmas, and it seems to be a pretty good one.  I am a bit older, so the technology sometimes baffles me.  10 minutes in the driveway with my 12 year old grandson and I was able to make it work.

I was playing a par 3 hole, marker said it was 137 yds.  I decided to use the range finder and see how far it said from the tees to the pin.  I was amazed when the range finder showed it was 158 yds. to the pin.  To me, that was a whole different club.  I am not good at using the "raw eye" to calculate distance, so I was using the markers in the fairways and whatever the card/marker said at the tee box.  I believe that using the Range Finder will help me be a bit more confident that I am using the correct club and eliminate the wonder why I thought it was 160 out and I was 10 yards short.

Secondly, I have now found it very beneficial to be able to measure the distance to water/sand hazards and the end of a dogleg to keep from hitting it through the dogleg and into the woods.  I guess what I am saying is that I believe the Range Finder, for me, was the way to go and not the GPS watch.  Also, I was concerned that using a range finder might slow my pace down, but it did not.  It is easy to point and shoot and get the yardage.  Whether or not it will make me a better golfer, I don't know.  But, I now have no excuse for hitting the ball with the wrong club...

Do not necessarily go "Cheap", buy look for a deal or a used one that will be "less expensive"

[tooc]

I’d like know if clubs in the USA are banning the phone GPS too? My club is the same, not just the I phone all. To me it really its only to keep the GPS manufacture in business. The rangefinders are brilliant really amazing how they pick up the flags but if u ask me I would ban the two of them and bring eye balling it back

[RayG]

Using GPS or rangers is banned in comps everywhere. Why not use your phone app to create a yardage book for your home course. You can put ANY info you need at any time and that would be perfectly in the rules.

[geauxforbroke]

Using GPS or rangers is banned in comps everywhere. Why not use your phone app to create a yardage book for your home course. You can put ANY info you need at any time and that would be perfectly in the rules.

OP said phones are being banned. Good idea, but you'd need to make it a hard copy. I used to do this when playing in tournaments.

[David in FL]

Using GPS or rangers is banned in comps everywhere. Why not use your phone app to create a yardage book for your home course. You can put ANY info you need at any time and that would be perfectly in the rules.

I haven't played in a single competitive event that had not invoked the local rule allowing the use of appropriate distance measuring devices.

[RayG]

OP said phones are being banned. Good idea, but you'd need to make it a hard copy. I used to do this when playing in tournaments.

I meant a hardcopy- sorry, I didn't make that distinction. as for a local rule thing- I would think as the stakes go up, that would NOT be the case.