Help me choose, please

[dennyjones]

I'm near retirement (couple weeks) and I'm thinking about buying myself a retirement present.   I currently use Golflogix on my phone for distances and don't have any issues with it.   Battery life isn't an issue, even if I chose to play 27 holes.  I'm debating replacing my phone with the new Leupold GX-2i2 (capable of slope but tournament legal) or just buying the new Game Golf.   I've used Game golf from my phone and it was a bother but I like the statistics it generated.   It was more comprehensive than Golflogix.   

 

Is a range finder an evil necessity, or is Game Golf a better way.    I realize they are only directly related through my wallet.    If I go with the range finder I still have to find a way to generate statistics (score card).

 

Your thoughts and suggestions please.

 

Denny from Davison, MI 

[SavvySwede]

@dennyjones I have both the Leupold GX2i2 (review coming soon) as well as Game Golf. I don't think you can go wrong with either but if you already have an android phone you could just get the game golf tags and use the Game Golf app which will give you yardages just like Golflogix. 

 

[dennyjones]

I'm looking forward to your review.    thanks for your input.

[DrvFrShow]

I like having a rangefinder. Game Golf helped me wake up and smell the coffee that I wasn't hitting my driver that far - my iron game was better and more reliable.

[dennyjones]

I'm still undecided but giving some serious thought to the range finder.    I don't believe I have unrealistic expectations about distances with my clubs.   I believe I understand my weaknesses.   It may just be the "fun" factor of a range finder.

[DrvFrShow]

Besides, I find Game Golf sometimes gets in the way. While it's a good tool, it's something else to remember to do while you're playing. I forget to tag a lot of the time. The thing about the gadget is that you might end up playing for your stats rather than playing for the course.

Whereas a rangefinder is always useful, especially one with slope. Look at either the Leupold or the Bushnell. They're the same price. Both can be made "tournament legal." I wish I'd coughed up the extra $100 for the slope model. They're beneficial when you're learning a course or playing one for the first time. Knowing exactly what club you need to carry that bunker or carry that water hazard can make a huge difference in how you play a hole. 

[dennyjones]

thanks so much.   You've helped me make a choice.

[dave s]

Laser range finders (I use a Bushnell) are more accurate than any phone ap the guys I play with use.  The laser can easily find the far edge of doglegs, distances to hazards, bunkers ... anything you can bounce light from.  Good example.  Long par 4 is dogleg right.  Tall pines frame the fairway from the FAR side of the fairway moving L to right.  Honestly, I don't know the exact yardage from the teeing area to the pine trees.  I pick out a tree and the Bushnell says 210 yards.  Fade driver, ball in the fairway.

The BEST use of Laser range finders is when you get inside 100 yards.  Without the accuracy of the range finder from ball to pin, people tend to UNDERESTIMATE the distance significantly.  Any question why so many of your playing partners leave those wedge shots short?  I carry 4 wedges and have the distances dialed in pretty well.  When the range finder says 80, I pull my 80 yard wedge and don't leave it short.

Most folks I play with agree that the range finders are the better tool to understand exact distance from ball to flag or anything else you'd like to know distance to.

dave

[Valleygolfer]

Range finder is always useful. If you are like me, you won't be able to golf without it shortly. Make sure you keep extra batteries handy. Game golf is fun but I have noticed that the distances are not that accurate at times and I am not talking driver. I will shoot a flag with the range finder and gg will show a shot that's 5 to 10 yards shorter than I hit. Plus I am horrible at remembering to tag shots, I just can't get it into my routine. Go with the range finder, it is required compared to the novelty of game golf. Although it is retirement, you deserve two rewards...

[DaveP043]

12 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

Both can be made "tournament legal." I wish I'd coughed up the extra $100 for the slope model. 

A note on the slope feature.  Beginning in 2016, you only breach the local rule if you use a device for a prohibited purpose.  I can use my older slope-enabled Bushnell as long as I don't actually use the slope feature.

9 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Range finder is always useful. If you are like me, you won't be able to golf without it shortly. 

Even in this age of electronics, most courses have distance markings.  The better ones have yardages to front, middle, and back of the green on the sprinkler heads.  You should never become completely dependent on any kind of device, you can still play golf quite effectively without one.  Now that I've said that, I'll also say that I use a Bushnell laser, slope enabled, but I also look for sprinklers.  Many times I'm much more interested in front, center, and back of the green for shot planning than I am in the actual pin distance.

[DrvFrShow]

Of course you can always pace off approximate distances from the markers. But if you have a rangefinder, why not use it? If a green is protected by a bunker, I'm more interested in how far that back lip is from me so I can make a decision whether to carry or lay up.

[dennyjones]

I'm sold.   Since I use my phone to records stats also, are you guys just using a score card to record stats?   Are you imputing that data into another program for analysis?

[Valleygolfer]

I use golf shot to keep score and some data along with GG.

[RickK]

I have just about every golf yardage app you can load on my Android phone and yet I still have a Skycaddie Touch that I use every round I play (unless I forget it or it is not charged...which is where the phone apps come in handy).  

I also have a very cheap ($150 price range) laser rangefinder.  If I am playing a course I am very familiar with, the rangefinder rarely comes out of its case.  But, I play a lot of courses I have either never played or maybe play only once or twice a year.  That is where I find whatever GPS you use to be invaluable.  I want to know my miss yardage ranges.  I want to know more than just how far the flag is.  I want to know yardage to front and back of the green.  The phone apps are pretty good for that but I just like the accuracy I get with the Skycaddie.  

I don't really keep stats.  I probably should.  I have been playing long enough that I know how bad my putting is and I can recall every shot in the round...whether I want to or not.  :)

[dennyjones]

I just purchased a membership at a local semi-private course and where I  plan to play most of my golf.   I can see your point about having distances to more than just the pin.   I currently use Golflogix which has proven invaluable but I am looking to spend a windfall for my retirement.  

[jkelley9]

I use GolfPad (app) coupled with a cheaper laser rangefinder (Callaway Xhot, no slope). The app has been the more accurate one for me out of a few other apps I've used. Since I'm almost always targeting the centers of greens, it's great. It also shows me the size of the greens relative to my approach angle (do I have 20 ft of roll out room? or 50 ft?). I'll whip out my laser rangefinder usually too see how far I need to clear a hazard, however GolfPad does that too. But sometimes if I'm thinking the GPS may have bugged a little (happens maybe 0.5% of the time) I'll double check a good point of reference with the laser. 

GolfPad has a great tool for slope.

[dennyjones]

I'm sold on Leupold.    I'm leaning toward the new GX-2i2 but am still looking at the GX-4i2.    I believe I'll pull the trigger this weekend.  

[No Mulligans]

I have both a Rangefinder (Bushnell V3) and Game Golf.  If I had to choose between the two I'd choose the Rangefinder. 

If you're set for retirement, you can afford both. 

Or, work one extra week, that will justify buying both.