Better play by using GPS instead of rangefinder

[Lodestone]

I have an inexpensive Phantom GPS. Gives me front, middle and back yardages...I also have a rangefinder. I have started using the GPS for approaches, instead of measuring to pin..if pin is front to middle I just try to gauge what will clear the front. If it's back, I add some....I still use the rangefinder for distance wedges, and for practicing distance wedges.

For some reason this seems to be working better for me than focusing on just distance to the pin. It's also helping me learn more about how far I'm flying the irons.. (not very far, evidently)

[BB28403]

I have a watch. So much easier to turn your wrist over, see a number and then hit.

[Lodestone]

> @BB28403 said:

> I have a watch. So much easier to turn your wrist over, see a number and then hit.

Makes sense... I can't stand anything on my wrists, but I wish I could.

 

 

[lefty1978]

I moved to the bushnell watch last year, It was annoying at first, but I stuck it out. I love it now. So easy to look down at your wrist, I don't even bring my rangefinder out anymore. It took a few rounds to get used to.

[GWfool]

I actually use the Phantom as well. It is so easy to just look at it stuck to the cart and then look at the pin sheet. But, reality is I am aiming at zones and don't need exact distances anyway.

[Lodestone]

> @GWfool said:

> I actually use the Phantom as well. It is so easy to just look at it stuck to the cart and then look at the pin sheet. But, reality is I am aiming at zones and don't need exact distances anyway.

 

I'm aiming at zones as well. On the tee box my zone is "Between the trees",,,and after that, hopefully, it's "somewhere near the green".

 

 

[kiwihacker]

> @Lodestone said:

> > @GWfool said:

> > I actually use the Phantom as well. It is so easy to just look at it stuck to the cart and then look at the pin sheet. But, reality is I am aiming at zones and don't need exact distances anyway.

>

> I'm aiming at zones as well. On the tee box my zone is "Between the trees",,,and after that, hopefully, it's "somewhere near the green".

>

>

 

LOL me too! :smiley:

[GWfool]

> @Lodestone said:

> > @GWfool said:

> > I actually use the Phantom as well. It is so easy to just look at it stuck to the cart and then look at the pin sheet. But, reality is I am aiming at zones and don't need exact distances anyway.

>

> I'm aiming at zones as well. On the tee box my zone is "Between the trees",,,and after that, hopefully, it's "somewhere near the green".

>

>

 

Right there with you.

[dlygrisse]

I have both. I use the GPS about 75% of the time.

[Shawn15p]

I just got the Garmin Z80 which has both combined. I love it.

[North Butte]

Like everything else about GPS, it all depends on how many times you've played the course before. If you play the same course several times a week for years on end the only piece of information you don't have in your head is the actual distance to the hole (and where the hole is located on the green). Conversely, if you are playing a course you've never seen before the distance to the flag is only one of your many "known unknowns", so to speak.

[cristphoto]

I have a laser and a gps. The gps is convenient but the laser gives me more data. When playing a new course I prefer the laser as I can measure distances to doglegs, hazards,etc. This helps greatly with course strategy.

[596]

I use my laser for more then just on distance. Traps, doglegs, trees, etc. I had 3 Garmins but after about 2 years for each they died and would no longer charge.

I like the laser range finder better then the gps

[Pwood28]

I just switched from a laser to the Sky SX500 and love it. With my game slipping as of late, the GPS has helped me go back to playing to the center of greens instead of going after flags I have no business of chasing. It’s also hugely helpful when I’m playing courses I’m not familiar with.

[Lodestone]

> @Pwood28 said:

> I just switched from a laser to the Sky SX500 and love it. With my game slipping as of late,** the GPS has helped me go back to playing to the center of greens instead of going after flags I have no business of chasing.** It’s also hugely helpful when I’m playing courses I’m not familiar with.

 

This is what I think I'm noticing too. For anything longer than 9 iron, for me, what I really need to do most times is make sure I carry to the front of the green, unless it's a hugely deep green and pin is way back.

[NRJyzr]

> @Pwood28 said:

> I just switched from a laser to the Sky SX500 and love it. With my game slipping as of late, the GPS has helped me go back to playing to the center of greens instead of going after flags I have no business of chasing. It’s also hugely helpful when I’m playing courses I’m not familiar with.

 

 

I mean no offense, but what you describe isn't native to a laser rangefinder, but instead how you've used it.

[Bucken77]

I have purchased the SX500 and will stick with that. As I get older a GPS is easier to use for me as my hands are not exactly steady. Watching a 7 iron sail a green by 75 yards and hit the tree I actually lasered is hilarious but time consuming. GPS gives me what I need and my swing does not need exact yardages

[Pwood28]

> @NRJyzr said:

> > @Pwood28 said:

> > I just switched from a laser to the Sky SX500 and love it. With my game slipping as of late, the GPS has helped me go back to playing to the center of greens instead of going after flags I have no business of chasing. It’s also hugely helpful when I’m playing courses I’m not familiar with.

>

>

> I mean no offense, but what you describe isn't native to a laser rangefinder, but instead how you've used it.

 

Maybe, but with a laser, I’m not getting a number to the middle (or front third, back third, etc). The only thing I could measure were things within line of sight (like the flag, bunker edge, etc.). You could pick up a middle ydg off a sprinkler head, but I seem to be playing a lot of tracks where the sprinkler heads are only sporadically marked.

 

The GPS also doesn’t give me a number on the flag which has removed the temptation in some cases.

 

Would love some suggestions on how I could use a laser more effectively.

[Lodestone]

> @Bucken77 said:

> I have purchased the SX500 and will stick with that. As I get older a GPS is easier to use for me as my hands are not exactly steady. Watching a 7 iron sail a green by 75 yards and hit the tree I actually lasered is hilarious but time consuming. GPS gives me what I need and my swing does not need exact yardages

 

been there, done that. I'm not against the rangefinder, I just find that since I've been using the GPS, I use it more, and the rangefinder less, and it has changed how I approach my approach shots. I still use the rangefinder for 25 yards to 100, for two reasons. One, I have some idea of how to hit partial shots, and also for feedback on those partial shots. I practice them a lot, and feel I should be able to hit a 30 yard 60degree wedge pretty darn close to 30 yards, but I need to know it's 30 yards and not be guessing.

[MaxBuck]

> @Pwood28 said:

>

> Would love some suggestions on how I could use a laser more effectively.

 

I tend to use the laser primarily inside 100 yards, where pin-seeking becomes more feasible for someone of my skill level. Outside that range it's mostly GPS via a phone app.

[NRJyzr]

> @Pwood28 said:

> > @NRJyzr said:

> > > @Pwood28 said:

> > > I just switched from a laser to the Sky SX500 and love it. With my game slipping as of late, the GPS has helped me go back to playing to the center of greens instead of going after flags I have no business of chasing. It’s also hugely helpful when I’m playing courses I’m not familiar with.

> >

> >

> > I mean no offense, but what you describe isn't native to a laser rangefinder, but instead how you've used it.

>

> Maybe, but with a laser, I’m not getting a number to the middle (or front third, back third, etc). The only thing I could measure were things within line of sight (like the flag, bunker edge, etc.). You could pick up a middle ydg off a sprinkler head, but I seem to be playing a lot of tracks where the sprinkler heads are only sporadically marked.

>

> The GPS also doesn’t give me a number on the flag which has removed the temptation in some cases.

>

> Would love some suggestions on how I could use a laser more effectively.

 

 

It's not much different than any other information you might have about a given green. Combine the pin yardage with any front / middle / back pin location indicators or pin location zone info. Use the laser to determine more detailed hole data from the tee, positions of trees on dogleg or even straight holes, distance to sand or water, to golfers in front of you on the hole you're playing, either fairway or green. And so on.

 

My course has 150 yard marker stakes, and a couple of red and white striped poles marking water you can't quite see. I laser those stakes and poles to help with shot selection. Or willow trees that are front and back of a diagonal water hazard fronting the green on a par 5.

 

Whatever your imagination can think of. :)

[P.E.]

> @cristphoto said:

> I have a laser and a gps. The gps is convenient but the laser gives me more data. When playing a new course I prefer the laser as I can measure distances to doglegs, hazards,etc. This helps greatly with course strategy.

 

That is exactly how I use my laser and GPS.

 

The added benefit of the laser when outside competition is adjustments for elevation.

 

If you use both on a hole once you quickly learn the clubbing adjustment for that hole.

[North Butte]

You guys who can't hit the flag from outside 100 yards or who pick up distances to trees instead of the flag need a better rangefinder. Try one of the image stabilized Nikons.

[VNutz]

I've got both. Use the GPS more for tee shots for general numbers, rangefinder if there's something specific. For approaches I use the rangefinder more and check it against my GPS watch to tell if the pin is front/middle/back to know where I have more room to miss. I don't feel that I play better or worse with either setup, but I do feel more confident when using just the rangefinder vs just the GPS. Just don't overthink it.

[new2g0lf]

GPS is good for general information, I often use my Apple 4 watch running Tag Heuer app which is very functional given the ability to scroll around the course to get distances. When I'm making an approach shot or need to get exact distances to hazards I use a rangefinder.

[platgof]

I have a golf buddy and bushnell. The bushnell is far more reliable, not even close.