Anyone else consider giving up the rangefinder.

[cgasucks]

I'll never give up my rangerfinder.  I rely on it so much it is like a crutch to me and I'll be totally lost without one.  Not only it gives me accurate readings in helping me choose the right club it also tells me when it is safe to tee off when I laze off the group in front of me and see if they are far enough away.

[5baytjd]

15 minutes ago, llewol007 said:

I have a range finder but one of the best things I came across was an app that gave me distance and actual distance with slope included. It showed me how way off I was when there was any elevation change

What App is it that gives distance with slope included?

[llewol007]

Just now, 5baytjd said:

What App is it that gives distance with slope included?

It’s an App called 18birdie

You can try the app for free and the first go around you can utilize the caddie option that gives you the distance then actual. I ended up paying the premium just to have that option. So worth it. Didn’t even have to use my range finder even once. I was planning on purchasing the S62 Garson but felt like this worked just as well 

[cardoustie]

I’ll keep using mine, it’s faster

 

i still round yardages, if I have 168 for example, I just hit the 170 club .... there’s no hit it a whisker softer going on 

[jomatty]

I find that gps is a nice compromise.  Much faster than rangefinder and gets me fairly accurate info.

[Socrates]

Last Feb. I was in Puerto Vallarta and going to play the Vista Vallarta Weiskopf course.  Higher end, but like a lot of Mexico courses, no GPS on the carts.  Lots of elevation change, tight corners, hidden hazards so lots of local knowledge I've got to try and get from lasering off yardages so I don't hit it where the snakes are waiting for me.  The starter told me to take a rake with me if I ever went into one of the many drainage hazards.  That's encouraging!

 

Get out onto the 1st fairway and my laser doesn't work? WTF?!?!?  After changing batteries - it's still dead.  Panic city.  When you're in a cart, you never look for sprinkler heads.  Where's the nearest sprinkler head?  Found one!  Pace it off.  165 to middle.  Somehow made 4.  Anyway between the 1st green and the 2nd tee it started working again.  No idea, but mighty relieved.  Realized just how dependent I had become on GPS or a laser. 

 

[cgasucks]

15 hours ago, Socrates said:

Last Feb. I was in Puerto Vallarta and going to play the Vista Vallarta Weiskopf course.  Higher end, but like a lot of Mexico courses, no GPS on the carts.  Lots of elevation change, tight corners, hidden hazards so lots of local knowledge I've got to try and get from lasering off yardages so I don't hit it where the snakes are waiting for me.  The starter told me to take a rake with me if I ever went into one of the many drainage hazards.  That's encouraging!

 

Get out onto the 1st fairway and my laser doesn't work? WTF?!?!?  After changing batteries - it's still dead.  Panic city.  When you're in a cart, you never look for sprinkler heads.  Where's the nearest sprinkler head?  Found one!  Pace it off.  165 to middle.  Somehow made 4.  Anyway between the 1st green and the 2nd tee it started working again.  No idea, but mighty relieved.  Realized just how dependent I had become on GPS or a laser. 

 

If you don't mind me asking, what brand is that rangefinder that let you down?  Was it Bushnell?

 

Quote

 

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by cgasucks

[ZAP]

Every shot is a quick glance at the GPS and a laser yardage.  Gives me a yardage range I want to hit it in.  The entire process takes very little time.   Does not mean I can hit my number all the time but at least there is a plan.   My group typically plays nine holes in just over an hour.

[Socrates]

3 hours ago, cgasucks said:

 

If you don't mind me asking, what brand is that rangefinder that let you down?  What is Bushnell?

 

 

Bushnell TourX.  Both times it has done it, has been after a prolonged period of inactivity and air flight.  It had power, it just wouldn't get out of some sort of setup mode.  Likely a combination of holding down a button or something that made it active.  Other than that, it has been flawless for at least 4-5 years.

[cgasucks]

9 hours ago, Socrates said:

Bushnell TourX.  Both times it has done it, has been after a prolonged period of inactivity and air flight.  It had power, it just wouldn't get out of some sort of setup mode.  Likely a combination of holding down a button or something that made it active.  Other than that, it has been flawless for at least 4-5 years.

I know where you're coming from.  I've bought 2 top of the line Bushnell Range finders and they both konked out on me just like the way you described within 5 years of buying it.  I treated them very well as I never dropped them nor exposed them to rain.   You would think that their quality control would not be an issue since they're such a well known brand and made one of the first rangefinders.  I have since was fed up with that brand and got myself a Caddytek and has been working strong since.  That was 4 years ago.

Edited November 29, 2020 by cgasucks

[BlackDiamondPar5]

I have both laser and GPS. GPS w/front-middle-back is what I really need most and the laser is a nice compliment for shooting specific targets. 

 

Certainty on a well marked course I could play without, but many courses aren't so well marked. Without DME I'd be wasting time looking for markers.

 

So NO, not looking to give up GPS or laser. If I had to give up on one I'd get rid of the laser as I don't even use it most rounds. Though on courses with enormous greens the laser is more important for me because front-middle-back difference could be significant. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by BlackDiamondPar5

[jordan2240]

31 minutes ago, cgasucks said:

I know where you're coming from.  I've bought 2 top of the line Bushnell Range finders and they both konked out on me just like the way you described within 5 years of buying it.  I treated them very well as I never dropped them nor exposed them to rain.   You would think that their quality control would not be an issue since they're such a well known brand and made one of the first rangefinders.  I have since was fed up with that brand and got myself a Caddytek and has been working strong since.  That was 4 years ago.

I had a Bushnell that was well-reviewed by not necessarily top of the line that got wiped out after it barely got wet during a sudden downpour.  Have since had a relatively inexpensive Nikon that does nothing other than give me distances to the target (i.e. no slope, no vibrating), and it's been flawless for a few years now.  And it's tiny.  But I do keep it in the Bushnell case because it gives me room for batteries as well.

Edited November 29, 2020 by jordan2240

[cgasucks]

5 minutes ago, jordan2240 said:

I had a Bushnell that was well-reviewed by not necessarily top of the line that got wiped out after it barely got wet during a sudden downpour.  Have since had a relatively inexpensive Nikon that does nothing other than give me distances to the target (i.e. no slope, no vibrating), and it's been flawless for a few years now.  And it's tiny.  But I do keep it in the Bushnell case because it gives me room for batteries as well.

 

I hear ya.  I still have their cases because of the reasons you described.  

[cardoustie]

I’ve had 3 failed Bushnell’s ... all replaced by warranty .. moved to Nikon .. never a problem since

[Socrates]

One of the reasons I initially bought a laser was that I got tired of getting my yardages from markers or sprinkler heads that were flat out wrong.  Seems to be very common in the Caribbean where I would go for winter vacations.  That was 17 years ago.

 

The only reason I am using a Bushnell TourX and not something else (Nikon) was that a shop owed me store credit and that's all he had that I needed at that time.  T

[Members Only]

Rangefinders for getting yardage is like the internet for looking up info before when you had to open up a book or encyclopedia, manuals, dictionary etc... The efficiency, accuracy, and speed with which Rangefinders relay yardage should be used across the world, in professional play, etc... Speed up the game and make it easier for people to get what matters most, a yardage! Especially for good players, yardage is everything. Why have a caddie mess around with yardage books when you can just laser the pin, get a slope adjustment, pull a club and make a swing? If If I was a pro, I'd keep the caddie around for course knowledge, mental support, second opinions, and potential environment adjustment related decisions (wind, humidity, elevation, etc...). Only time I can say "dump the rangefinder" would be during short game routines (50 yds and in) or if you are practicing playing on instinct and judging depth purely with your senses. In any other scenario, rangefinder is a GO!

[nsxguy]

7 hours ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

I have both laser and GPS. GPS w/front-middle-back is what I really need most and the laser is a nice compliment for shooting specific targets. 

 

Certainty on a well marked course I could play without, but many courses aren't so well marked. Without DME I'd be wasting time looking for markers.

 

So NO, not looking to give up GPS or laser. If I had to give up on one I'd get rid of the laser as I don't even use it most rounds. Though on courses with enormous greens the laser is more important for me because front-middle-back difference could be significant. 

 

I never liked jewelry, not even a watch, so I certainly didn't want to wear one while playing golf.

 

But I decided to give it another try not that long ago mostly because of back pins. While I almost never go long I was tired of playing (too) short of back pins for fear of going over.

 

So I figured that shooting the pin and comparing the "back edge of the green" on the watch would at least give me my margin for error if I went long.

 

So I got a Garmin (S20 ?) watch.

 

Used it for a little bit until I shot a back pin of a very regular shaped green at 67 yards and the watch told me the back of the green was 62 yards. End of experiment.

[jordan2240]

1 hour ago, Members Only said:

Rangefinders for getting yardage is like the internet for looking up info before when you had to open up a book or encyclopedia, manuals, dictionary etc... The efficiency, accuracy, and speed with which Rangefinders relay yardage should be used across the world, in professional play, etc... Speed up the game and make it easier for people to get what matters most, a yardage! Especially for good players, yardage is everything. Why have a caddie mess around with yardage books when you can just laser the pin, get a slope adjustment, pull a club and make a swing? If If I was a pro, I'd keep the caddie around for course knowledge, mental support, second opinions, and potential environment adjustment related decisions (wind, humidity, elevation, etc...). Only time I can say "dump the rangefinder" would be during short game routines (50 yds and in) or if you are practicing playing on instinct and judging depth purely with your senses. In any other scenario, rangefinder is a GO!

Seems kind of funny that with all the advances in technology that ARE in use in pro golf, they wouldn't just allow the rangefinder.  Of course, that would put all the folks involved in those yardage books out of business, so maybe it's better for the economy if things stay as they are.  Certainly the pros benefit from knowing exact yardages - not sure it makes much difference for the average hacker like myself and most of the people I see playing on the public courses I play.

[5baytjd]

3 hours ago, Members Only said:

Rangefinders for getting yardage is like the internet for looking up info before when you had to open up a book or encyclopedia, manuals, dictionary etc... The efficiency, accuracy, and speed with which Rangefinders relay yardage should be used across the world, in professional play, etc... Speed up the game and make it easier for people to get what matters most, a yardage! Especially for good players, yardage is everything. Why have a caddie mess around with yardage books when you can just laser the pin, get a slope adjustment, pull a club and make a swing? If If I was a pro, I'd keep the caddie around for course knowledge, mental support, second opinions, and potential environment adjustment related decisions (wind, humidity, elevation, etc...). Only time I can say "dump the rangefinder" would be during short game routines (50 yds and in) or if you are practicing playing on instinct and judging depth purely with your senses. In any other scenario, rangefinder is a GO!

CANNOT use slope function in tournament play. 

[nsxguy]

29 minutes ago, 5baytjd said:

CANNOT use slope function in tournament play. 

 

"The efficiency, accuracy, and speed with which Rangefinders relay yardage should be used across the world, in professional play, etc."

 

I believe he was making a suggestion.

[Greenskeeper13]

When i finally took my game serious ( this year ) i upgraded from my Nikon Range finder to the Garmin Golf watch & Grint App Combo.. 

 

i use the garmin for exact distances to front middle or back.. and then check on my grint app to see how far the bunker is or how far to carry the water on some holes are... if i didn't know that.. id just be shooting blind and guessing.. 

 

plus with the distances i can zone in my clubs to those exact specs.. 67 yards out lets use my 56 degree 75%... boom im dropping that dime.. 

if i was just guessing id probably think 75 yards.. use that in my club and swing selection and be bombing it over.. 

 

was a real game changer when i really started to concentrate with the help of the garmin and grint app 

[Members Only]

7 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

"The efficiency, accuracy, and speed with which Rangefinders relay yardage should be used across the world, in professional play, etc."

 

I believe he was making a suggestion.

Thanks for your support. Yes the suggestion is true. Caddies are so good nowadays at calculating slope because they have either prior course knowledge or use the slope function in practice rounds practice play. That is what I learned from fellow NCAA athletes and pros alike 🙂

[Chadwickog]

Small GPS with front-middle-back is usually more than enough for me.  I learned how to play (in the 90's) using the sticks and markers which are slowly disappearing from courses these days but I will still use them when I see them.  If I'm missing greens it's because I picked the wrong club (analysis of conditions, slope, etc) or hit a bad shot.

[cristphoto]

I have a Bushnell Excel watch and a Bushnell V4 Slope laser.  For me its not even close - the laser wins by a mile.  I now only wear my watch when playing a strange course where it comes in handy on blind shots.  The laser gives me readings for where I want my ball to end up (I'm in rough and have to lay up on par 5 for instance or for proper distance on dogleg tee shots).  Plus knowing exact distance to pin beats FMB numbers particularly on odd shaped greens.  

[pseudoswede]

My $3 GPS app on my phone can get within 0-3 yards compared to laser rangefinders just by eye-balling the pin. Of course, that's only when I can see the bottom of the flagstick. Otherwise, front/middle/back is fine. What my GPS app does infinitely better than a laser rangefinder is pin-pointing the distance to areas of the fairway where I'd like the ball to end up. Or how much I need to carry over bunker in order to hit the fairway--not just the part of the bunker that the laser can hit.

Edited November 30, 2020 by pseudoswede

[Socrates]

8 minutes ago, pseudoswede said:

My $3 GPS app on my phone can get within 0-3 yards compared to laser rangefinders just by eye-balling the pin. Of course, that's only when I can see the bottom of the flagstick. Otherwise, front/middle/back is fine. What my GPS app does infinitely better than a laser rangefinder is pin-pointing the distance to areas of the fairway where I'd like the ball to end up. Or how much I need to carry over bunker in order to hit the fairway--not just the part of the bunker that the laser can hit.

Just curious as to why you would laser the bottom of the flagstick?

[pseudoswede]

4 minutes ago, Socrates said:

Just curious as to why you would laser the bottom of the flagstick?

 

Sorry that wasn't clear. I meant for eye-balling purposes when using my GPS app. For example on a par 3, I use my app, and the others in my group will use a rangefinder. They shoot, and I long-press on my app where I guesstimate where the pin is. 95% of the time, I'm within two yards of what their rangefinders say.

[lefthack]

My wife got me one for my birthday. I used it once, but it was easier to use my phone.

 

My club has 150 steaks and I have gotten pretty good at gauging from them. Since I have played about a dozen rounds there, I am pretty well dialed for straight play. 

 

The phone app was nice to start with, but I think I've gotten good enough to wing it.

[TourSpoon]

My rangefinder is the best club in my bag! 

 

IMO there is a value in knowing distance to the pin, but there is more of a value in knowing the distance between the bunker and the pin and where to hit it on the green. Just because you use a rangefinder doesn't you throw basic strategy out the window and just go pin hunting (although many people do this). I have an old Bushnell V2 that is still kicking without slope and its saved me more strokes than any lesson, club, stand bag, new pair of shoes, training aid, or professional grade ball ever has! It is certainly quicker than consulting the yardage book, finding a sprinkler head, doing the calculations, etc. 

[Honixx]

-1  

 

If I could use 2 rangefinders, one for each eyeball, I would.