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Better play by using GPS instead of rangefinder


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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)

FORE RIGHT!!!!

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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.

Callaway AI Smoke 10.5°(9.5°) - GD Tour AD IZ 5

Taylormade SIM2 TI 3W 15°(14°) - GD Tour AD DI 6 

Taylormade SIM2 TI 5W 19°(18°) - GD Tour AD UB 7

Mizuno Pro 245 HMP (4-pw) - DG120 S300

Vokey SM8 52°(50°) F Grind

Vokey SM8 56° M Grind

Vokey SM9 60° T Grind

Odyssey WH OG #7 Nano - Stroke Lab 3GEN Red

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> @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".

 

 

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FORE RIGHT!!!!

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> @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:

Cobra King F9  Driver 10.5° Atmos Blue 6 stiff
17° Callaway X Hot 4 wood
20.5°& 23° Cleveland DST Launcher hybrids
Srixon ZX5 5 - PW Modus 105 Regular 

Cleveland CBX Zipcore 48°/9° & 52°/11°, RTX 3 58°/9°
Ping Anser Sigma 2 putter

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> @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.

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

Ping G400 Testing G410.  10.5 set at small -
Ping G410 3, 5 and 7 wood

Ping G410 5 hybrid-not much use.  
Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal. 5-G
Vokey 54.10, 2009 58.12 M, Testing TM MG2 60* TW grind and MG3 56* TW grind.  Or Ping Glide Stealth, 54,58 SS.  
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ProV1x-mostly
 

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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.

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> @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.

FORE RIGHT!!!!

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> @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.

The Ever Changing Bag!  A lot of mixing and matching
Driver: TM 300 Mini 11.5*, 43.5", Phenom NL 60X -or- Cobra SpeedZone, ProtoPype 80S, 43.5"

Fwy woods: King LTD 3/4, Rogue Black 75X -or- TM Stage 2 Tour 3w, NV105 X -or- TEE E8 Beta 12*, Rogue Silver 70X
Hybrid:  Cobra King Tec 2h, MMT 80 S -or- TEE CBX 17*, HZRDUS 85 6.0

2 iron:  Arias D-23, Modus3 120 S; Mizuno MP-20 HMB, NS Pro 950 R

Irons grab bag:  1-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 1-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R; 2-PW Golden Ram Vibration Matched, NS Pro 950WF S; testing: Arias D-23 5i w/Modus 120 S
Wedges:  Dynacraft Dual Millled 52*, SteelFiber i125 S -or- Scratch 8620 DD 53*, SteelFiber i125 S; Cobra Snakebite 56* -or- Wilson Staff PMP 58*, Dynamic S -or- Ram TW282 SW -or- Ram TW276 SW
Putter:  Snake Eyes Viper Tour Sv1, 34" -or- Cleveland Huntington Beach #1, 34.5" -or- Golden Ram TW Custom, 34" -or- Rife Bimini, 34" -or- Maxfli TM-2, 35"
Balls: Chrome Soft, Kirkland Signature 3pc (v3), Wilson Triad

Grip preference: various GripMaster leather options or Star Grip Sidewinders of assorted colors

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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

TM Sim 9.0
TM Sim 3WTi
TM Sim 3H

PXG XF 5-PW KBS TGI Graphite Reg
Cleveland CBX2 48/54/58 KBS
Byron Morgan GSS DH-89
www.gamegolf.com/player/Chunkylover77

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> @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.

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> @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.

FORE RIGHT!!!!

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> @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. :)

The Ever Changing Bag!  A lot of mixing and matching
Driver: TM 300 Mini 11.5*, 43.5", Phenom NL 60X -or- Cobra SpeedZone, ProtoPype 80S, 43.5"

Fwy woods: King LTD 3/4, Rogue Black 75X -or- TM Stage 2 Tour 3w, NV105 X -or- TEE E8 Beta 12*, Rogue Silver 70X
Hybrid:  Cobra King Tec 2h, MMT 80 S -or- TEE CBX 17*, HZRDUS 85 6.0

2 iron:  Arias D-23, Modus3 120 S; Mizuno MP-20 HMB, NS Pro 950 R

Irons grab bag:  1-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 1-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R; 2-PW Golden Ram Vibration Matched, NS Pro 950WF S; testing: Arias D-23 5i w/Modus 120 S
Wedges:  Dynacraft Dual Millled 52*, SteelFiber i125 S -or- Scratch 8620 DD 53*, SteelFiber i125 S; Cobra Snakebite 56* -or- Wilson Staff PMP 58*, Dynamic S -or- Ram TW282 SW -or- Ram TW276 SW
Putter:  Snake Eyes Viper Tour Sv1, 34" -or- Cleveland Huntington Beach #1, 34.5" -or- Golden Ram TW Custom, 34" -or- Rife Bimini, 34" -or- Maxfli TM-2, 35"
Balls: Chrome Soft, Kirkland Signature 3pc (v3), Wilson Triad

Grip preference: various GripMaster leather options or Star Grip Sidewinders of assorted colors

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> @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.

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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.

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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.

Driver - Callaway Paradym
Woods - Callaway Paradym 3W
Hybrids - XXIO 10 3H, 4H, 5H
Irons - Callaway Paradym 6-52*
Wedge - PXG Forged 56** 
Putter - Ping TYNE C
Ball - Titleist AVX

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