Todays my b-day, wife says I can get a range finder

[Dizz]

I use the Tour V2 just because I prefer the size and the way you hold it better. The 1600 is great too, its probably a little better unit overall. I've read some people have problems shooting longer distances with the V2 but I've never had a problem. Off the tee I may shoot something 320 yards away just to get a feel for the correct line I may need to take and have no problems doing so.

[gdb99]

I have the hunting version of the V2. Works great. The batteries can be expensive, but I get them at http://www.batteryjunction.com pretty cheap, $1 each.

I played a tournament last summer at a course that had the reflector flags, and it was much easier to get a distance. One shot at the flag from 300 yards, no problem. It can be a little tough if there are a lot of trees behind the flag or no wind, even from 150 yards. Our course is getting the reflector flags this year. Our Men's Club gives a donation to our course every year, and the Super agreed with my suggestion. Can't wait till Spring!

[Dizz]

[quote name='gdb99' timestamp='1298693796' post='3009820']
I have the hunting version of the V2. Works great. The batteries can be expensive, but I get them at http://www.batteryjunction.com pretty cheap, $1 each.

I played a tournament last summer at a course that had the reflector flags, and it was much easier to get a distance. One shot at the flag from 300 yards, no problem. It can be a little tough if there are a lot of trees behind the flag or no wind, even from 150 yards. Our course is getting the reflector flags this year. Our Men's Club gives a donation to our course every year, and the Super agreed with my suggestion. Can't wait till Spring!
[/quote]

$1 each? Will you send me the link to the one that I should buy? I know they're photo batteries but not really sure which one would fit. I think I paid about $12 for 2 last summer and would love to pick up 10-15 of them for $1. Thanks.

[gdb99]

This is the place for all your battery needs. This link is for the Titanium battery for the V2. But check out prices on all their batteries.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/w2en-lcr2.html

[TML]

Leupold GX-3. Best optics in the industry.

[idiotbox]

I've used the Tour V2 for over a year and couldn't be happier. The pinseeker is nice but you can also grab other targets quickly. Good luck with your search.

[golfnhack]

Bushnell. The fact that they have a 2 year warranty vs the 1 year for Nikon is HUGE IMHO. My Nikon broke after 14 months and they wanted $200 to fixit. Instead I bought a Bushnell 1500. I dropped it when it was 23 months old, and they fixed it no problem. If you go with a different brand, I would check their warranty period first.

[golfnhack]

Bushnell. The fact that they have a 2 year warranty vs the 1 year for Nikon is HUGE IMHO. My Nikon broke after 14 months and they wanted $200 to fixit. Instead I bought a Bushnell 1500. I dropped it when it was 23 months old, and they fixed it no problem. If you go with a different brand, I would check their warranty period first.

[golfnhack]

Bushnell. The fact that they have a 2 year warranty vs the 1 year for Nikon is HUGE IMHO. My Nikon broke after 14 months and they wanted $200 to fixit. Instead I bought a Bushnell 1500. I dropped it when it was 23 months old, and they fixed it no problem. If you go with a different brand, I would check their warranty period first.

[golfnhack]

Sorry. Damn iPhone. Please delete the dupes.

[SwingBlues]

[quote name='Hateto3Putt' timestamp='1298667910' post='3008782']
[quote name='fore_life' timestamp='1298667427' post='3008756']
so the medalist and the v2 are pretty much one in the same?????
[/quote]

Externally, no. Internally, damn close.

You hold the medalist like binoculars, and hold the v2 like sideways binoculars.

The Medalist is slightly larger and[b][color="#ff0000"] uses a 9 volt battery[/color][/b], I'm not sure but I think the v2 uses a smaller cr sized battery.

I can get pins and "numbers" as fast and effectively as ANY rangefinder on the market.
[/quote]

Exactly the reason why I got the medalist instead of the V2. Also there's something about water proofing in the medalist while the V2 is not. Decent price when you see a deal on Fleabay, < $180.

[Dr. Bombay]

[quote name='gdb99' timestamp='1298693796' post='3009820']
I have the hunting version of the V2. Works great. The batteries can be expensive, but I get them at [url="http://www.batteryjunction.com"]http://www.batteryjunction.com[/url] pretty cheap, $1 each.

I played a tournament last summer at a course that had the reflector flags, and it was much easier to get a distance. One shot at the flag from 300 yards, no problem. It can be a little tough if there are a lot of trees behind the flag or no wind, even from 150 yards. Our course is getting the reflector flags this year. Our Men's Club gives a donation to our course every year, and the Super agreed with my suggestion. Can't wait till Spring!
[/quote]

I did the research on hunting vs. golf range finders and the conclusion was that hunting rangefinders with a scan function should work equally well in golf.

Well in real life that was anything but the case. My Bushnell Legend (hunting range finder) did not work worth a damn for golf. And my buddy bought Nikon from Cabela's to use on the golf course, he has trouble with it. Just a little more difficult to pick up the pin than it should be.

Right now there are a ton of Nikon hunting rangefinders for sale on ebay....I don't know where these units came from but I would be very careful and be 100% certain they are returnable before buying one.

[gdb99]

My hunting version Scout 1000 not only has scan, but also Bullsey, which works exactly as Pinseeker, to lock in on the target. Works equally well as my buddies V2.

Do you have the Legend 1200? It also has Bullseye. Should work the same.

[78Staff]

Bushnell 1600, no contest. Better Warranty, No legal issues, std battery, etc. Prices range from 290-350 on Amazon just check the site for the next few days, the price changes every day. When I looked it was 299 one day 303 the next, I just happend to pickup one up locally on sale for a better price otherwise I would have bough from Amazon. And their warranty good as any B&M, for sure.

[harrison101]

Leupold is a great way to go a buddy of mine bought his from GolfClubs.com they have a pretty good selection there and at least one under $300. Fantastic optics and the measurements are spot on.

[NWS Alpine]

I use golfshot but I just got a leupold GX-3 yesterday. Very happy with it so far. Used it today at the range and was very easy to pick up the pin at 225 in about 20+ mph wind. The wind was coming from directly behind my back and was firing a 6 iron at the pin.

It worked very well for me with sunglasses on but if you have bad vision the bushnell might be better because the field of view is larger. The reticle and yardage is MUCH better on the GX-3 though. Also much better optics. The smaller size is great. Not as obvious and won't be as big a target to steal. Entire unit is in the palm of my hand.


Also want to add that the guy at golfsmith was hilarious when I went it to look at them. He was younger and seemed like he was the type of person who thought he knew everything and anything he said was true. He kept trying to sell me on the bushnell but I already had the GX-3 in mind. He was talking about how the bushnell had pin lock and the leupold didn't. Also pointed out the bushnell worked up to 1600 yards vs 800 for the leupold. My response to that was that I would need to find a club to fit that 1600yrd gap. Bushnell does have a higher rate of broken units returned.

[smittysbar]

I have had and used about every gps/rangfinder out there, Bushnell 1600 hands down!

The 1600 W/slope was $331 new, with free shipping on Amazon last Sunday

[78Staff]

[quote name='NWS Alpine' timestamp='1299093726' post='3019878']
Bushnell does have a higher rate of broken units returned.
[/quote]

I would guess that is mainly due to many more units sold...

[Sean2]

How well do rangefinder's work as far as getting hazard data is concerned, i.e., distance to hazards, distance to carry hazards, etc.?

[78Staff]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1299388215' post='3029634']
How well do rangefinder's work as far as getting hazard data is concerned, i.e., distance to hazards, distance to carry hazards, etc.?
[/quote]

You have to be able to see/shoot a defined edge of some sort, like the bank of a lake, bunker, etc or hazard marker or stake, something like that. Not hard to do.

[gdb99]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1299388215' post='3029634']
How well do rangefinder's work as far as getting hazard data is concerned, i.e., distance to hazards, distance to carry hazards, etc.?
[/quote]

If you can hit it with a laser, you can get the distance. For example, we have a couple of creeks crossing fairways at my course, and if you can't hit the bank, you can get the fairway over the hazard. Or, if you can't get a yardage in front of a bunker, you hit the bank of it, etc. As long as you have a straight site line to it, you can get a number.

There is a hole at one course I play that has a huge hump in the fairway. It's the only place that a rangefinder has not been useful, because there is no way you can see the green to get a yardage to the pin. Would not be a problem for a GPS.

[WhiteBettinardi]

Red hot liserlinks are very accurate and easy to use

[Pr3cision]

[quote name='Mike M 74' timestamp='1300218402' post='3057926']
Red hot liserlinks are very accurate and easy to use
[/quote]
In one of my golf magazines they did a review between both GPS and laser rangefinders. I'd say the laser ones are better, if it was up to me.

[Caveman281]

Is it true that the Bushnell 1600 Tournament Edition battery lasts alot longer than the V2? I've heard that the V2 battery doesn't last that long.