Laser is better. It is an open and shut case!

[Mercurial]

They advertise every where, just watch the golf channel in the coming weeks it will be "phone application" here and there. Anyway, go by your gut feeling.

[DaveLeeNC]

Mr. McLaine, your claims, at best, as far as GPS accuracy is hogwash. I'm an avid golfer, I also work for the CDC, we rely heavily on GPS. In all cases I have dealt with, the lon/lat co-ordinates were within 2-3 yards. Maybe you have some technician filling your head with what you want to hear.....I don't know.

 

I've posted a couple of times tonight: It entirely depends on the course mapping in the first place. I am more than willing to enter into a public debate on this forum about GPS accuracy. What I can tell you is this, if my life depended on accuracy levels on a golf course I would trust a laser. The GPS is less labor intensive and for the most part easier to deal with, and that's why the average golfer prefers it and it happens to be accurate within acceptance levels. Tiger Woods can't land a ball within 9 feet most times, the vast majority of us are not Tiger.

 

Quite frankly though, your website is at best...misleading. Keep on peddling and alienating your product.

 

Edit: spelling.

 

I did an experiment once with GPS where I manually 'marked' a number of places around our neighbor hood and then recorded the distances to those points from a fixed place in my front yard (a whole bunch of times over a roughly 1 week period). I was not measuring absolute accuracy - just repeatability (ability to get the same answer to the same question). I saw variations of up to 5 yards (in each direction).

 

For golfing purposes I view this is 'OK, but I wish it were a little better'.

 

This might be a regional thing. We are several hundred miles from the nearest WAAS base station. And that is similar to the experience of other guys in this area who owned other models.

 

dave

[DaveLeeNC]

The only thing laser units are good for is slowing up play.

 

It is well-reasoned, well-stated posts like this that make this board worthwhile. :russian_roulette:

 

dave

[phil75070]

There are six of us that rotate in and out of weekend games. Five (5) use GPS devices, one uses a laser. We are always waiting on the laser user. Another thing I can't figure out is that a lot of laser users shoot the flag from a point other than standing directly over the ball, so they supposedly use a laser for accuracy but end up "estimating" anyway. LOL

[BlackDiamondPar5]

There are six of us that rotate in and out of weekend games. Five (5) use GPS devices, one uses a laser. We are always waiting on the laser user. Another thing I can't figure out is that a lot of laser users shoot the flag from a point other than standing directly over the ball, so they supposedly use a laser for accuracy but end up "estimating" anyway. LOL

 

One of my golf buddy's has a GPS and laser. Last night he had the laser out but wasn't using it, so I asked him why he had it out? He said that so he'd remember to keep it out of his bag and put it back in his house because he doesn't really use it for golf anymore.

[soop]

A case can be made for each device. Both have pro's and con's. You need to choose the device that works best for you, and your game. I went with the new Callaway laser (Nikon). It is fast, accurate, and I absolutely love it. I have never had a problem with any lighting or conditions in obtaining a reading. Seems foolproof. It was the right choice for me.

That being said, I play with guys who have the GPS and they seem to work well also.

[bytehoven]

I have used both and find value in both.

Since I am out of action for a spell, I sold the GPS and kept the laser.

In the spring, I may consider picking up another GPS. Among the GPS units, I liked the uPro, however the SG5 and G5 were both units I would consider when I get ready to buy again.

The laser I decided to keep since I can use it for a number of other activities beyond golf.

Which is best? They each have their better moments, and to the degree they both are best a different needs, owning both is a worthwhile consideration.

[blade_man]

[quote name='Stern100' post='1807555' date='Jul 9 2009, 10:28 AM']I'm shocked. How can you guys not see the genius of Bob McClain?[/quote]


19 post and ALL of them about how much better lazer is than gps,,,not unbias at all!

[Dizz]

I would never even consider using a GPS.

[blade_man]

[quote name='Dizzub' post='1922886' date='Aug 30 2009, 01:49 PM']I would never even consider using a GPS.[/quote]


Did anyone ask you to? You made a choice just like the rest of us did. No flame to you (and please don't take what I said personal) but this is a personal matter of choice.

[yankeeboy644]

just wondering, does gps take into consideration the pin placement? I bought my uncle the laser because I thought that gps only said front, middle, back but maybe i'm wrong...

[dlygrisse]

Better for what? getting an exact distance to the pin with a unobstructed view? then yes.

GPS on smart phone is a bad idea becasue most batteries dont last long enough. My buddy is trying it and his was dead on the 15th hole, hard to read when the sun is shining etc. You are much better off getting a golf specific device.

For me the GPS is better because I get front middle back distance quickly which is what I want. What if you have a elevated green the pin is in the back, you have no idea how much room you have behind the hole with the laser. What I want to know is how much to get past the middle of the green and I want to make sure I don't airmail the the green, so I will pick a club that will get me to or past the middle of the green and one I know wont fly the green. If you really need to know the exact yardage to the pin then you are more precise than me and most pros, probably overthinking it.

I alos like the GPS becase I dont have to zero in on a target that may not exist. Let's say you are on a long par 5, you want to lay up but don't know what club to hit, you cant really see the green without walking up the fairway 100 yards, but you can look at the GPS see you have 295 left and pulll your 195 club so you can leave yourself 100 in.

I suppose ideally you could carry both, but if I choose one I would pick the GPS, all would be unnecessary if the sprinkler heads were marked with front middle back distance IMO.

[phil75070]

[quote name='yankeeboy644' post='1922939' date='Aug 30 2009, 01:27 PM']just wondering, does gps take into consideration the pin placement? I bought my uncle the laser because I thought that gps only said front, middle, back but maybe i'm wrong...[/quote]

Some models, like the SkyCaddies and Golf Gurus, have a view that lets you move the pin around on the graphic of the green, a graphic that shows the actual shape of it, to approximate the pin location. You can actually get pretty good at it after a while and can usually be within 2-3 yards of a laser measurement.

[Dizz]

[quote name='blade_man' post='1922927' date='Aug 30 2009, 02:20 PM'][quote name='Dizzub' post='1922886' date='Aug 30 2009, 01:49 PM']I would never even consider using a GPS.[/quote]


Did anyone ask you to? You made a choice just like the rest of us did. No flame to you (and please don't take what I said personal) but this is a personal matter of choice.
[/quote]

Exactly, I don't understand why some people get so bent out of shape when someone prefers something other than what they prefer.

[firegolfer]

I'm one of the lucky ones that carry both laser and gps. I like them both for very different reasons.

GPS: Very fast and easy to use. Great for blind shots and far shots with layup distances. In my experience of of stopping on yardage markers it's been within 1-2 yards 95% of the time. Mine also now keeps my score and number of putts for me.

Laser: Really good for picking out spots and measuring to it. Not all GPS devices let you choose extra spots to measure to. Gives you exact distance to the flag. (Still not able to hit the flagstick everytime even though I have the exact yardage!)

How I play: GPS in use every hole. When according to the GPS I am in a scoring yardage that I really like, I laser the pin and then adjust the GPS flag marker to show me the same yardage. Now I have exact yardage to the pin and the front and back edge of the green and I can let it rip with the absolutely best club and hit "the price is right shot" you know, the closest actual shot without going over.

If I aboulutely had to choose one? The GPS as it gives me what I need in more of the situations I find myself in. I'm down to a 7 handicap, but still find myself behind trees and in the wrong fairway from time to time.

But use whichever one makes you happy and play faster! Remember, you should be just behind the group in front of you, not just in front of the group behind you!

Hit em long and straight.

[ruff rider]

The past eight years I have been lucky enough to caddy for the Nationwide PGA golf tournament when it comes to Utah. If you think these guys don't want EXECT yardage you would be fired in a heart beat. I have a very accurate yardage book that I use for my players.

This year I bought the Upro for myself to use when I play. I down loaded the pro mode for the course the pros play for the Nationwide tournament. I had the Upro with me when I went out on a practice round with my player. He had never seen the course before. At first he would only go by the yardage book. Then we got to a severe dog leg par five. He asked me where a good line would be. I popped out the Upro and showed him a flyover of the hole. He was amazed. Never seen the Upro in action. We used it for the rest of the round. He was very impressed with the accuracy of the Upro

For me the GPS is better for my game then the laser. I seem to find all the weird places to hit some of my shots from where there are obstacles in my way to use a laser. So to me you can't go wrong with either devise. But I'll be damned if I will come on here and say one is better then another. They all help your game if you know how to use the unit.

[stevestrike]

[quote name='ruff rider' post='2004528' date='Oct 13 2009, 06:02 PM']They all help your game if you know how to use the unit.[/quote]
Amen! Now can we put this topic to bed--forever?!?!

[hoganapex]

I have been a laser proponent for quite some time.... But I played a tournament on a strange course last week and was wishing I had a GPS unit to show me the yardages front to back, over bunkers etc.

I have the Bushnell 1600 just opened, but this one round of gold has me thinking GPS may be better especially if you play different courses and not the same old track always.

Lee