Rangefinder or No?

[Bowlorgolf]

Most courses have reflectors on the top of flag sticks some have both in on top and below the flag.

[msg]

I used to have a rangefinder. Sold it because I believed that I did not improve or did not gain anything out of it.

 

Recently I got a Sky Trak and I dialed in my wedges when practicing. A few games ago I borrowed my friend's range finder. I have never hit my wedge distances this close to the hole because now that I have a feel of how my shot for certain distances are plus the exact read on, compared to my GPS.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Definitely speeds up play for me and is an essential tool. No looking for markers. I have both a GPS watch (Garmin vivoactive 3) and laser. The GPS is the go to tool and the laser maybe gets used a few times per round.

[Mikey5e]

Laser over gps all day long. From 150 yards in, if you know your wedge distances, how can you not benefit by knowing the exact distance?

Because the majority of golfers have a hard time even hitting the green, let alone the exact distance.

[Londoner]

Laser over gps all day long. From 150 yards in, if you know your wedge distances, how can you not benefit by knowing the exact distance?

Because the majority of golfers have a hard time even hitting the green, let alone the exact distance.

 

You're right in that respect. If your not hitting greens from 150 theres no yardage tech thats going to help.

[Londoner]

Definitely speeds up play for me and is an essential tool. No looking for markers. I have both a GPS watch (Garmin vivoactive 3) and laser. The GPS is the go to tool and the laser maybe gets used a few times per round.

 

I used to use both but now, unless I'm playing a strange course, I carry laser only.

Interesting you only use it a few times. I zapp almost everything under 150. My yardages are pretty constant for clubs at or under that.

[Mikey5e]

Laser over gps all day long. From 150 yards in, if you know your wedge distances, how can you not benefit by knowing the exact distance?

Because the majority of golfers have a hard time even hitting the green, let alone the exact distance.

 

You're right in that respect. If your not hitting greens from 150 theres no yardage tech thats going to help.

I'm a believer that a rangefinder is a fantastic needed tool for low handicap golfers, but for higher handicap golfers, like you say, no technology is really going to help over the other. A GPS watch is probably plenty of technology for higher handicap golfers, and it's a simple tool to use that doesn't take a lot of time. For guys that can pretty much go right after the pin and are able to put a little action on the ball, I'm sure a rangefinder is quite an advantage.

[@_the_crook]

for game management, a RF is a handy tool.

 

if player will take the time to think through the shot and knows their capabilities, they can benefit from these devices.

see if you can clear a hazard, get to a safe rescue area, reach green.

 

the basics ones are reasonably priced and pretty accurate.

[lenman73]

I find many opinions in this thread interesting. By saying that I do not mean wrong by any stretch. I was gonna start my own thread but alot was already covered here. I was curious if people used both.

 

For several years now I have been using a gps watch. And while they work great for front, middle and back, the problem I have been having is a majority of places I play here in southwest Michigan have elevated greens. While knowing 200 to the middle may be nice, once I am in scoring club range, I just can't see if the flag is front middle or back a majority of the time. So after 4 years of just aiming at the middle number I just received a range finder purchased off of amazon. It showed up yesterday and I was playing around in the house with it. Seems to work so far. I bought an inexpensive one ($79) that had good reviews so I am excited to see if it works this spring. I went with a golf applicable model but without slope. My goal is to actually dial in some yardages with my clubs. I started last spring at the range with my sc200 monitor, while it don't get much love on here, I did find it to be sufficiently accurate with a well struck shot to what I see on the course. But work got in the way and my project came to a halt with not much time to practice. But now that my daughter is getting into golf I can find more excuses to go to the range. I will probly go broke cuz she always wants to go get frozen yogurt afterwards because her favorite place is only a block away. Sometimes for a 8 year old she is too aware of her surroundings.

[pcedens]

Want to get some feedback on the topic of rangefinders. I have used GPS apps before and they have been somewhat beneficial but sometimes when I play I do not have service. Have you guys found that rangefinder improve your club selection? Are they worth the price?

Rangefinder is the way to go!

[Duke of Hazards]

Both. No reason not to use both.

[platgof]

I just upgraded to a Golf Buddy 2 and replaced my range finder. There is no comparing a golf buddy to a cell phone, the golf buddy is so easy to use, and If I have doubts, the range finder comes out, and usually verifies the gps. I used the golf buddy in a watch strap, but will just attach it to the pants with a key fob. The best thing about gps is the middle, front, and back yardages, if it is uphill I use the back yardage, and if downhill the front yardage, for slope effect. This makes the game so easy.

[lenman73]

After using a GPS for years, yes I like the simplicity but far too often for my liking I cannot tell where the flag is on the green. So for those holes I will use the rangefinder.

[mjforn]

I started using a GPS app on the phone, seems to be good enough. Front, middle, back, just knowing front half and back half is what really helps me.

I do have a rangefinder and it does come in handy. Not so much for the pins on the greens but how far the trouble is when I'm wandering around the course. I'd say 70/30%, gps / Range finder.

 

 

:golfer:

[e-man]

Both. No reason not to use both.

 

I don't think you need both if the course uses colored flags for front, middle and back. On most of the courses I play around here, we use red for front, white for middle and blue for back. I use my rangefinder to get the exact yardage and the color of the flag to determine where the flag is in relation to the green.

[Duke of Hazards]

If I had to pick one, I'd say GPS.

 

I use both. Rangefinder good for use on the range to work on distance control to targets, also for measuring flag on approaches and for exact distances to targets on tee (end of dogleg, etc).

GPS for overview of hole on the tee, mostly to avoid the hidden water hazards not visible from tee or bunkers not visible on approach, etc.

 

Obviously, rangefinder is a 'luxury' item, as GPS is mostly free (everyone has a smart phone and there are a dozen free GPS apps out there), but it's nice to have both at your disposal should you need them.

[lenman73]

Well after going to Florida for a few days to golf this week, I got to try my rangefinder for the first time. Since many of the holes were mostly flat my gps worked fine, but on a few holes it was definitely a good tool to have. I am very pleased that I bought one and can't wait to get it to the driving range, but that will be a while in Michigan sadly.

[Invisible-z]

Want to get some feedback on the topic of rangefinders. I have used GPS apps before and they have been somewhat beneficial but sometimes when I play I do not have service. Have you guys found that rangefinder improve your club selection? Are they worth the price?

I can't imagine playing without a range finder... how do you gauge your distance? yardage books?

[J_Tizzle]

I still think this is something that the pros should allow. Its available to all, its a tool that will help save time from walking off distances. The pro/caddy still has to do calculations regarding wind and elevations and "actual playing" distance and all that. If they want to complain about slow play but still make guys carrying the bag walk off distances, part of that is in their control as a governing body for sure.

[brew4eagle]

I recently switched from a laser to a GPS watch. I find the watch gives me everything the RF gave me plus a lot of other very useful features, and does so faster and with zero effort. It also doubles as my GPS running watch. No need for the RF anymore, best change I've made in awhile.

[KARL M]

GPS is most beneficial on a course you have never played before. The GPS can show you the layout of the hole and where trouble is that you can't always see. I no longer use a GPS on my home course, now that I also have a laser.

 

Laser is more accurate, and especially useful when hitting pitch shots.

[UNClawgolfer]

For two years I used a garmin watch. Eventually switched to laser and it is definitely preferred.

[kcstock]

Yes.

 

Why not use the tech available to you. Just try not to slow down your group.

 

I am often not in the fairway, so yardage markers are mostly ornamental to me.

 

I also like to be able to laser a tree or bunker to estimate carry yardage i need.

[elljay]

The 16 year old Bushnell Tour that **will not die** is the best piece of equipment I've ever bought.

The tech is mature, so my next one will probably be the MG @ about $100 or the Tec Tec Tec.

To help stabilize, lean against cart or rest elbows on your chest.

 

[QuigleyDU]

> @kcd38 said:

> Want to get some feedback on the topic of rangefinders. I have used GPS apps before and they have been somewhat beneficial but sometimes when I play I do not have service. Have you guys found that rangefinder improve your club selection? Are they worth the price?

 

 

I have been considering the same question. The most common answer seems to be "do you live under a rock?" get one.

[johntchow]

i will always choose my range finder over gps in the cart or gps on my garmin s60. i really only use GPS if i want to get a general idea of distance for like a tee shot. but any time i am trying to be precise, i use the range finder.

i'll also use gps to mark distances to hazards etc, but when it comes to getting the distance to the pin, range finder is a no brainer.

only other time i use gps is to get idea of the front and back distances to the green. and on cart path holes. when i have to trek to the other side of the fairway ill just relay on my garmin. mostly for fear of losing my range finder if i dont leave it connected to my bag.

ive seen people play with their range finder on their belt and thought about doing that but just seems like it would bother me.