Which golf distance measurer is the best for the money?

[OldSkoolTexan]

"konrad: I don't want to say you're wrong. You're just misguided. I've played with plenty of players who are very good players - but rely on people to give them yardages and sprinkler heads. Why? Because they have poor depth perception. I know that a lot of people just have trouble seeing or the archetect is playing tricks on them. For example, putting a lot of trees around the green to frame it and then putting nothing around the green could make it look 15+ yards different. Simply because of tricks played on your eyes."

Man son you are ON MY CASE. lol I do not rely on sprinkler heads. As long as I have a 150 and a 100, 200, then Im fine with pacing it off to the marker. Most decent places have colored flags to denote the fron, back and middle of the green. Im definitely not Hogan enough to hit it to the foot, but I do ok.

I know what you mean about the tricks, because I cant stand courses with alot of blind shots to green because of random elevation changes for no reason. I did however LUV Rio Secco in Vegas and they definitely make you pay attention to the distances with the canyons and all that. Its part of the fun.

Youre alright with me though Konrad. Atleast you dont get your feelins hurt like shallow"mostly thin shots"divots. lol

[ApexGrind]

I guess I'm a "technical" player? Especially close in. The other guys in my foursome play by feel. For me it makes a difference if it's 55yds or 60-65yds to the pin. I really have doubts eyeballing it. No, I've never paced those distances unless I've carted to the green and have to walk back to my ball anyway. I can put my head down and execute a 55yd swing or something between 60-65yds. It's just that without knowing I usually pick something in that range and I'm never sure until it lands. I think maybe I used to be able to do that but I'm wearing tri-focal contacts now. Other times my depth perception is way off one way for longer shots. Usually it's ridgeline or desert courses with very few trees. When I'm off things look a lot farther away than they really are. In any case I used to wear myself out hunting sprinkler heads.

[duffyanneal]

Man I wish had the opportunity to play where some of you guys do. From my experience, a good percentage of holes (even on good courses) on any given course will have some yardage discreptancies. Whether the issue is a missing marker on a sprinkler or just a poor measurement at some point in the past. I always run into instances where a range finder comes in handy. In particular a range finder is invaluable when playing a course for the first time. It's always handy to know exactly how far out a dog leg is or the carry necessary to clear a hazard. I also find that practice is more productive when I know how far my irons are traveling.

[sdrem]

Another vote for the Nikon 500G. It is light and compact, as is the Callaway 800 (by Nikon). I feel the rangefinders are more versatile than GPS, more accurate, and you have the advantage of being able to use it when practicing to find yardages with all your clubs. Also to find yardages for layup shots (distances to a tree or a bunker, or to carry a water hazard).
Most GPS units require a yearly subscription fee, which keeps adding to the cost.

Steve

[ApexGrind]

One thing a lot of people keep bringing up is cost. Cost of the unit and cost of yearly subscriptions with those devices that require it. I'm not sure where you guys play golf but out here on the West coast I'm paying $50 to $150 per round. It's in the $50 to $100 range to play decent Muni's (not much playable towards the $50 range). Considering that I expect to use the unit for at least a year and probably 3 or more I don't see the cost being a factor. Cost of green fees, shoes, clubs, gloves, balls, beer, ... I think consideration of the difference in unit cost or consideration of an additional subscription fee is down in the noise level relative to functionality isn't it?

[LucF]

[quote name='OldSkoolTexan' post='860917' date='Jan 12 2008, 06:39 PM']Have any of you rangecaddiefinder users seen a great deal of increase in your GIR stats? Has having the GPS yardage down to the foot given you some 2 fold increase in birdies per round? Just curious....[/quote]

Here are my stats before (17 games) / [b]after [/b](7 games) the rangefinder.

Fairways (%): 50.5/[b]57.1[/b]
GIR (%): 31.5/[b]34.5[/b]
Successful approaches [shots from within 100 yards within 10 feet of hole] (%): 23.8/[b]30.7[/b]

[EnglishBob]

I've found it has stopped me second guessing myself, in teh past if there was a lot of bushes behind a green, water or OB etc, I would get the yardage, take the club...think "what if i am over estimating", back off a club and hit short more often than not.

I know how far I hit each club consistently, so with the exacty yardage i swing with nmore confidence, and as a beginner, this game is all about confidence for me.

I've played 3 of my 4 best rounds since getting the rangefinder.

[atlanta golfer]

I'm definitely taking several less putts per round and sticking the wedges much tighter than before, with the use of the rangefinder. If you know exact yardage, and you are practicing with the wedges and can hit them high and consistent, then this makes a huge difference inside 125 yards. No more pacing off from the 150 and guessing at approx pin location, or walking all the way to the green and pacing back to ball which is slow slow slow.

[Wardell Stone]

Old Skool, I somewhat understand what you are saying but if I could I would give every player on the course the yardage to the pin. It would to SAVE TIME. If I was behind you on a crowded course and you were pacing your shots off like Paddy Harrington I might lose my mind. We already have kids that read all the books saying to stick to your nine swing practice routine before addressing the ball, then look at every putt from seven different angles. If a rangefinder helps speed things up I'm all for them. They allowed their use in a local match play tourney last year and the qualifying rounds were averaging about 15 minutes less.

[labillyboy]

I have a Bushnell Yardage Pro... (on my 3rd one)

 

I find that I use it mostly on Par 3's during a round or on shots where you are carrying water, a swale or some other obstacle making it important to know carry distance.

 

80% of the time I just go by the 100, 150, 200 markers especially on courses where I play frequently at my home course I would get laughed out if I pulled a laser... been playing there 25 years and nothing has moved. It is nice when playing a strange track for the first or second time though.

 

I agree that some courses markings can be way off... I know of one sprikler head on my course that says 116 but it is really closer to 130. I always love it when an oppenent puts a tee shot near it... they always come up short...

 

NOW for the real value, practice! I use it to dial in the distance for each club. As a confirmed club junkie, it also comes in handy to judge different clubs performance. Knowing the real distances I hit each club leads to confidence and good shot selection.

 

Also nice to prove that YES... I really can hit a driver 300 yards... or that no, that was not a 300 yard drive you just hit....