Are rangefinders worth it?

[TGutHHSGolfer]

on the fence

So I'm on the fence about buying a Rangefinder.

I have an Iphone and could just buy Golfshot GPS for 30$, but I am interested in being able to know exactly how far I am from the pin, but it is some serious extra $$$.

For those of you who have tried both, or just have a Rangefinder, should I buy the rangefinder or not? Pro's and Con's would be awesome!

[EnglishBob]

I started with a laser, switched to GPS and much prefer the GPS, easier to use in heavy wind or misty weather, quicker and accurate enough for me.

[brushie]

I use golfshot and a rangefinder. The combo is worth it. Neither covers everything. The rangefinder really helps when the pin is in the back of a really long green. If I had to choose only 1, I'd just go with golfshot

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

If the flag is your target, the laser is the one you need. They cost a bundle but if you're trying to hit it close to the hole it's the only option.he

If front/middle/back of your green is your target a GPS is the one you need. It has to be a GPS which knows the actual shape of the green so it can give you front/middle/back in line with the angle your ball will be traveling. Don't even consider a GPS that has fixed points representing "front" and "back". Also a GPS is good when navigating around a course you've never played before if the course has a lot of water hazards, blind shots, etc.

I almost never play courses where it is difficult to know how far I am from the middle of the green. And 90% of my rounds are on my home course. So I have a laser but only use it for the half-dozen or so shots a round where knowing the distance to the pin is important. At my home course I seldom carry it at all because I know all the hole locations by memory

[TGutHHSGolfer]

My home course is pretty well marked off to the center of the green, so I really don't think I need something to tell me how far I am from the center.

So if I'm looking for the pin it is worth it to get the rangefinder? I'm just worried that the Golfshot wont be that accurate in general

[Skaffa77]

I have GolfLogix GPS (free app version) for my iPhone which gets you yardage to the middle of the green and I own a rangefinder. The rangefinder is more accurate, but the GolfLogix is close enough. I had a scratch golfer laugh about the situation and ask if 2 to 5 yardage difference really matter at our level. In all honesty, he was right.

[williamo]

If you are looking for a good way to improve your game and to make it a lot more fun... Then I would definitely recommend you to get a rangefinder. You get the distance to the pin and you can actually shoot on the front and back edge of the green if you want to know the distance or even the bunker if you want that. And this is what the GPS does, gives you distances that can be read for a course guide... The rangefinder gives you that plus the distance to the pin, how awesome isn't that? Very simple and effective. I have really improved thanks to my Bushnell 1600 Tournament Edition, I am more than satisfied with my purchase.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

So do the GolfShot (tm) and GolfLogix (tm) have only middle-of-green distances?

If I were going to bother carrying and using a rangefinder it would have to at least have SkyCaddie style front/middle/back along your ball's line of flight. Otherwise it's just a complicated replacement for the 150 plate in the fairway or the sign on the tee box, IMHO. With middle of green distances you'd still need a yardage book if you weren't familiar with the course and you'd need a pin sheet if you weren't going to just shoot for the middle of the green.

I don't know about 2-5 yard differences but if I had a choice between the correct number and one that's four yards wrong I'd take the former every time.

[drgolfaholic]

[quote name='TGutHHSGolfer' timestamp='1313992223' post='3508720']
So I'm on the fence about buying a Rangefinder.

I have an Iphone and could just buy Golfshot GPS for 30$, but I am interested in being able to know exactly how far I am from the pin, but it is some serious extra $$$.

For those of you who have tried both, or just have a Rangefinder, should I buy the rangefinder or not? Pro's and Con's would be awesome!
[/quote]

Don't waste your money on a smartphone app. Think about it: the phone battery won't last for a round of golf. If you're into exact yardage to pins, get a laser rangefinder. Plenty of options on market. Don't have to be the latest model btw.

[Tgunn137]

I have been using Golf shot on my Samsung Captivate all season and really like it.I think it is better than Golf logix I previously used. I haven't had problems with my battery going dead during a round yet. I make sure the phone is charged fully before I begin. Gives yardages to front, middle, back along with yardages for layups bunkers, etc..

[FriedEgg]

Love my Rangefinder and its great on courses I am familiar with. I'm thinking about picking up a GPS too for green shapes and better guidance on courses I play infrequently.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

So which GPS units or apps have green shapes mapped and take those into account on the front and back distances?

[stiffdogg06]

I use SkyDroid. Works really well. Never compared it to a GPS or rangefinder. Only reason why I'll never buy a GPS is because of the yearly dues, even if it is $20-25.

[_MS22_]

Simply put, yes.

I had the app for the iPhone but found it very limiting and often times as much as 5-7 yards off, not to mention my battery would die before the round was over. With a rangefinder you never have to worry about battery life, yardages are dead on, you can pick up distance to any object you want, and on and on. For how often I play and how often I find myself using the Leupold GX-3 I bought I find it to be a very solid investment.

[gxDD]

YES.

I've hit more close shots....at more pins....when I put a range finder into play. It takes the guess work out of the equation, and allows you to just perform the shot with no hesitation.

BUSHNELL TOUR V2

[EBgolf]

I was on the fence as well and I was given a rangefinder as a Christmas present. I love it and use it all the time. A lot of the courses I play are way off on their yardage so it comes in handy. People I play with have GPS and they work just as good though. There is not a whole lot of difference in the yardages we get and none of us are good enough that 2-5 yards will make a difference. The one thing I like about a laser is that you can get yardages to anything on the course to lay up or carry etc. I know some GPS systems have that feature but I think they are a little more and don't give everything on the course.

I would say get either one but it is really about personal preference.

EB

[suphoman]

I use both a smartphone app and a rangefinder (just bought it). The BBGPSGOLF app is free on blackberry's, is very decent and does not take much battery life at all; its all text based and has yardage for front-mid-back. I haven't really used it much since I got my rangefinder though since I'm looking for exact yardage for pins. The slope on the rangefinder is a nice little tool too.

[TGutHHSGolfer]

[quote name='Delman' timestamp='1314037928' post='3510006']

[b](little tip when you shop....don't limit yourself to "golf only" retailers. I purchased my brand new Bushnell from a merchant marine online store in Massachussets for $240)[/b]
[/quote]

I think I'm going to go this route if I go with a rangefinder.

My experience with GPS is that it's usually 3-7 yards off and occasionally more then 10. 7-15 yards DOES make a huge difference in club choice. I dont think the battery thing is a huge issue but unreliable yardages and second guessing seems like a bad bad combo

From what I can tell basically everyone says go rangefinder. Thanks alot!

[RRFireblade]

I have both and prefer the laser. Its more reliable and dead accurate 100% of the time. I just never question it and that confidence is really the point of the whole thing. I really only bring the gps to courses Ive never played before and then only use it on holes with blind shots or doglegs. I also have 2 apps on my phone. Neither function as well as the handhelds but do work "ok" in a pinch. If I was to only have one it would be the laser. Its the old bushnell 1500 and never leaves my bag.

[darkhelmet]

I've had both, and found lasers to be the better option, especially on courses with medium to large greens and/or lazy maintenance staff.

A medium-sized green can mean that the "front" hole location might be anywhere from 145 to 155, not just somewhere within a 2-5 yd range. And I can't tell you how many times I've hit a good shot to a red (front) flag, only to find out that the hole is actually in the middle and I'm 35 feet away because they cut a new hole but didn't change the color of the flag.

GPS is great for unfamiliar courses with lots of hazards (how far to clear a creek, what ydg to stay short of a fairway bunker, etc.), but you can also shoot those things with a laser (provided they're in line-of-sight) and get a good number that way.

[bub72ck]

I use a rangefinder and love it. Gives exact distances to the pins with no doubts. I do consider other factors such as where the flag in on the green (front, middle, back) and the other obvious factors (wind, elevation, etc.) so I'm not always playing to an "exact" distace given to me by the rangefinder.

[mtsmith]

Yes a rangefinder is WELL worth it. Period

[rtlltj]

I use a rangefinder because I like being able to point it at bunkers, trees, poles, stakes, posts, signs, edges of hazards, etc. Not to mention getting exact yardages to flags when you miss a fairway and can't use the course marker.

[avgjoe]

had 'em all over the yrs... laser, gps, phone app. sold the 3 gps I've owned, uninstalled the phone apps, kept the laser

[elwhippy]

Range finders are great if you hit the ball with genuine consistency and know your numbers to a couple of yards. They are especially good if you are playing to a pin where there is dead ground in front of the target or a dip in the fairway. They are useless on a links course into a howling wind or if, like some of my playing partners think you hit the ball 30 yards a club further than reality (like the 70 year old in our group yesterday hitting a 58 Vokey from 130 yards!!) or have a very poor swing zilch idea how far it is anyway.
On a strange course they save a lot of time so that has to be a bonus.

[jabrch]

I have both....the rangefinder is most helpful for me to practice. On the range, I can figure out exactly how far I hit different clubs, with different swings. On the course, both are about equally useful. My GPS gives me most of the relevant info, and I can determine it all with my RF. If you plan on really improving, it is key that you know how far you hit the ball with each club, and that you can repeat that consistently.

So if you have the $ laying around, a RF is a good idea.

[Full Tilt]

Range finders are the next level in golf. Knowing your distance is key to what you hit around the course. I prefer a range finder cause I can shoot traps to carry over etc. The sky caddie thing sucks due to you have to purchase a membership etc.

[TGutHHSGolfer]

Hello again

I did end up buying a rangefinder.

My question is how to use it? Sometimes I cant get it steady enough and cant hit the flag and hit behind it. Any advice?

[ksgolfguy007]

yes, I started this year with a range finder and find that is saves me so many more strokes since I know how far I am from the pin. instead of guessing

[larrybud]

While the GPS is OK, the laser is the way to go. This coming from someone who uses SkyDroid (battery DOES last the full round) and a Bushnell.

Note that the GPS is only as good as the mapping. SkyDroid offers the ability to map your own course through google maps, and I've discovered REALLY bad mappings. I always check a new course out on the website first, fix all the problems, then download it.