I lost my rangefinder... I'm a moron

[mvhoffman]

Title really says it all.  Had the rangefinder for 2-3 seasons now.  A Callaway 300 which was great.  Slope, vibration, chirp...etc.  Used it all of the time and then the end of last year before the handful of cart riding tournaments I decided to get one of the magnetic straps on amazon for $10 to keep it handy.  Well, since then i have left it on 2 carts and had to go back to the course to get it.  3rd time was a charm as I grabbed it after the tournament last weekend and while getting my bag together, i stuck it to the basket on the cart and forgot it... AGAIN.  I called the course and nothing was turned in.  3rd time was a charm.  

 

Ordered a replacement cheap one on Amazon.  I know it wont be as quick as the Callaway but I guess it doesn't really make a difference as long as it works.  Wondering if anyone has any experience with these?  Minimal reviews but only at $40 when I bought it, I figured it was worth a shot.

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by mvhoffman

[animalgolfs]

I've done the same - it's now my routine to put my RF away after my last shot on 18 - before I pull the putter out - I put my RF away

[me05501]

I usually rely on my Garmin watch for distances and like that it is always attached to me so I can't lose it. This year I grabbed a Callaway 300 from a member here at a good price so I've been using it some as well. 

 

I've found that leaving the empty rangefinder case hanging from my bag is enough of a reminder for me not to leave it stuck to the cart, but I can see how it'd be easy to leave one behind. 

[bellken]

Did you tell the pro shop, it was stuck to the basket on the cart? It might still be there. Another inexpensive range finder is the GoGoGo Sports GS24, I have one, and, it works great.

Edited September 19, 2022 by bellken

[me05501]

2 minutes ago, animalgolfs said:

I've done the same - it's now my routine to put my RF away after my last shot on 18 - before I pull the putter out - I put my RF away

 

I'm a big fan of using little mental tricks like that. 

 

One of my frequent playing partners leaves his favorite wedge beside a green at least once a round. We're always telling him to leave it laying on the green or with the flagstick but he'll leave it laying in the rough on the side of the green opposite the cart path. Makes no sense. 

[Boricua Golf]

I agree with Animalgolfs, I always put it back in the pouch on the last shot on 18, like most of us, I have left it in the cart before, I just got the Bushnell V5 Shift and it will hurt if I lose that one, I do have a V3 as well (for the last 7 years) don't have any issues at all with it, just time for an upgrade....back to the thread, just place it back in the pouch on your last shot on 18 and it will become routine...

[dfeldss]

I always throw my keys and wallet in my rangefinder case. Never left it since someone gave me that little tip

[Albatross Dreamer]

Another trick could be to leave the storage pouch on the driver's seat of your car. Or even hook it to your car keys in your bag. Personally I leave it in the pouch in one of the cubbies of the cart  as I don't have a magnetic strip and I always double check the whole cart before leaving

[getitdaily]

I've only forgotten 1, ever. Had a nippon and always had it in the cart cubby hole during play. I always went through the cart after a round to grab all my stuff...phone, speaker (if I brought it), range finder, etc. 

 

I had a tournament round and finished my round on 18. I was 1 back and the leader was on the 18th...the hardest hole on this course.

 

I watched his group play 18 and he had a really tough up and down to make par and win. I figured it was headed toward a playoff. I watched him get and upa down to win. Well, I had my phone with me while I watched from back of 18 green. Bag was on the cart. Rangefinder was in the cart. Since it was over, I just needed to grab my bag and go...which I did...and left the rangefinder. 

 

I have a bushnell now and it stays in the case that's attached to my bag. I grab it from the case, get my yardage, and put it back in the case. It never goes in the cart.

[mvhoffman]

9 minutes ago, dfeldss said:

I always throw my keys and wallet in my rangefinder case. Never left it since someone gave me that little tip

This is it.  this will be my new reminder.  my old one didn't have a case with it so I never had a reminder like this.  GREAT idea

 

[dfeldss]

1 minute ago, mvhoffman said:

This is it.  this will be my new reminder.  my old one didn't have a case with it so I never had a reminder like this.  GREAT idea

 

 

Yeah i can't remember where i heard it, but it's been a savior for me.

 

Just make sure your car wont lock with your bag in it, because ive thrown my clubs in the trunk a couple times and had a mini heart attack when i realized my keys were still in the case and rangefinder still on the cart.

[GHIN n Juice]

I’ve always just left mine in its case hanging on my bag.  I have to go to my bag anyway to get a club so the extra 2 seconds to pull it then and replace it right away seems okay rather than risking a $400 investment on a cart frame.

[Cliffy2020]

My old Leupold wasn’t magnetized so it rode in the cup holder.  Never forgot it.

 

Newer Precision Pro was magnetized and left it attached to the cart 3x.  Name and phone number on the rangefinder worked twice, but the third guy decided he needed it more than I did.

 

Just purchased a GoGoGo (can’t imagine spending $400 on a range finder) with slope and WRX discount and use a lot of “tricks” mentioned above. 1) Use the case as a phone holder 2) Put it away before getting to the green on 18 

[golfjam]

I lost my rangefinder 5 or 6 times. A lot of times I forgot attached to my cart, have a XE, and was always able to find either with the starter or cart boy. Not sure how since I only play munis in Southern Cal. 2 weeks ago it fell somewhere and miraculously I found in the rough when driving back just to check it out. Also lost cell and speakers several times and was always able to find. Pure luck I guess 🙂

Edited September 19, 2022 by golfjam

[taoslcl]

Be sure to put your name and phone number on it. I did the same last year and left my name at the pro shop and didn't hear anything and considered it gone. 3 months later I get a call that it had been sitting around in the cart barn all summer with my name and phone number stamped right on it. My guess is some HS kid cleaning carts borrowed it for the Summer and then got a guilty conscience. 

[mvhoffman]

11 minutes ago, taoslcl said:

Be sure to put your name and phone number on it. I did the same last year and left my name at the pro shop and didn't hear anything and considered it gone. 3 months later I get a call that it had been sitting around in the cart barn all summer with my name and phone number stamped right on it. My guess is some HS kid cleaning carts borrowed it for the Summer and then got a guilty conscience. 

that or the battery needed replacing so he gave yours back and started using another

 

[BrandonDunes]

I have the same issue with forgetting the rangefinder attached to the cart. Now I always put my rangefinder case in the cart basket so I don't forget it. 

[Lasorcier]

I always have mine in my bag in the little quick pocket above the main pocket.  

 

I take it out, get the read, and put it back in every time (it is now habit).  I never leave it in the cart at all.   Yes that is not convenient, but have not misplaced it once.  

 

I lay wedges on the green with my putter headcover.  Have only forgotten that once, which was on the next tee where I immediately caught it.  

 

It just takes reducing things to habit.  Then losing things isn't an issue.

 

[ChipNRun]

I lost it during opening round of amateur circuit in 2020. Was sharing a cart with golfer who was unusually impatient given the crowded course. I had used RF to shoot a distance to front bunker. I put it  somewhere in cart, hit my shot, get my putter and partner zooms off to his ball leaving me in fairway.

 

Next hole is par 3 - just use Garmin watch. We must wait 5 minutes to hit. But on following hole, I can't find rangefinder.

 

Searched both carts, revisited par 3 tee, and no RF. Course said no one turned one in.

 

Opening round always a challenge to get pre-shot routine back down.

 

Replacement RF is small enough I can put it on my belt behind right side pocket with no obstruction. Belt position really handy on cartpath-only days, I don't have to lay it down while I hit my shot.

 

Question: How reliable are the magnets on RFs that you supposedly can stick to the roof post of your cart?

 

 

[chinaski]

2 hours ago, dfeldss said:

I always throw my keys and wallet in my rangefinder case. Never left it since someone gave me that little tip

 

 

I have left my V5 Shift on a cart three times. Luckily was able to recover them all, but since the 3rd time I always take my case off the bag and put in the cart bin as a reminder. I'll follow this advice and take that extra step with the keys and wallet. Was also thinking of adding GPS tracker

[MK7Golf21]

I have never left mine in the cart but I have left it on the tee a few times. Bring it with me up to the tee for yardages and set it on the tee marker. Luckily not very long passes before I noticed I left it behind because I need a new yardage.

[TourSpoon]

3 hours ago, animalgolfs said:

I've done the same - it's now my routine to put my RF away after my last shot on 18 - before I pull the putter out - I put my RF away

I do the same thing. Hit the approach into 18, sand the divot, put the rangefinder in the case in the bag. 

 

2 hours ago, dfeldss said:

I always throw my keys and wallet in my rangefinder case.

Great insurance move! I may have to do the keys from now on. 

[phil75070]

4 hours ago, Albatross Dreamer said:

Another trick could be to leave the storage pouch on the driver's seat of your car. Or even hook it to your car keys in your bag. Personally I leave it in the pouch in one of the cubbies of the cart  as I don't have a magnetic strip and I always double check the whole cart before leaving

I do that but put a folded white hand towel in that cubbyhole so whatever I put in there, rangefinder, phone or whatever, stands out. I also put my keys, wallet and usually my phone in the rangefinder pocket of my bag. Between the two methods, I have never left a rangefinder on/in the cart.

[mvhoffman]

So I cancelled my delivery via Amazon.  I stopped at my local course yesterday afternoon on the way to pick up my son from daycare.  I went in and talked to the lady that is there all of the time when the owners aren't and explained what happened.  She explained that they have had a few come up from the driving range and i was able to look in the drawer.  I did not find it.  She asked what brand and I said it was a Callaway 300 pro.  She opened the other drawer and said "like this?"  She pulled out the newest model and I said yes, but the older model.  She said "ok, well now you have the new model."  She explained that the rep dropped off a bunch for them to display and that she loaned one out.  When the rep came back to pick them up he told her not to worry about that one she had loaned out for the day.  Long story short, she put in the drawer, contacted the rep and placed a date tag on it.  There was not a return call made and the date tag was from over a month ago, so "now you have the new model."

 

YES!!!

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by mvhoffman

[me05501]

I think this would be a good use for an Apple AirTag. 

[GHIN n Juice]

28 minutes ago, me05501 said:

I think this would be a good use for an Apple AirTag. 

All that would do is let my wife know I’m at the course again, lol!

[LUMA]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:45 AM, animalgolfs said:

I've done the same - it's now my routine to put my RF away after my last shot on 18 - before I pull the putter out - I put my RF away

I've left mine attached to the cart many times and I've lost one that "wasn't turned in". I've started to try to do this on 18 so it becomes automatic. 

[MattC555]

Very cool that the lady was able to make your day.  As someone said previously, put your keys and wallet in the case.  You'll never forget your rangefinder. 

[mvhoffman]

4 hours ago, MattC555 said:

Very cool that the lady was able to make your day.  As someone said previously, put your keys and wallet in the case.  You'll never forget your rangefinder. 

That will be the plan from now on. A replacement case from Amazon is on the way

[jordan2240]

Well, you didn't actually get an answer to your question, but to continue the direction of the thread, I would think just putting your keys together with the rangefinder would be the vital combination.  You can keep the wallet elsewhere.