Question for rangefinder users

[76mpg]

I received a sky caddie sgx for my birthday and am deciding if I want to keep it or not as I really like the Leupold GX3 too.

 

Here are my questions about the rangefinders:

 

Are you often in a situation where you are hitting to an elevated area or over a hill/downhill and cant get a read on distance to a layup area/green?

 

Also, how many times do you use your rangefinder in a round?

 

I think I might like the ease of just looking at a GPS and being able to see distances regardless of hole terrain, but the subscription/software/course availability makes the rangefinder more appealing.

 

I know this has been discussed at length, but I would appreciate any user experience.

[_MS22_]

I had demoed both rangefinders as well as GPS devices and as soon as Leupold released the GX-3 I bought it.

For me GPS just had too many drawbacks. First I was getting +/- 5 yard discrepancies as compared to the GX3 and 1600 -- not that I am a pro that needs exact numbers but for the money it better be right. Second, subscription fees and course availability are not as user friendly as rangefinders (I travel a bit and play a bunch of different courses through the year). Also, in my game I often need to know directly how far I have to "that tree" or "that bunker" where the GPS is not giving you perfectly linear distances to certain targets. Finally for me, and this is big, the GPS devices need to be charged all of the time . . . at the beginning of the season I put a new battery in the GX-3 and it lasted all 112.5 rounds, plus range time, plus how many times I shot it for playing partners -- new season, new battery, no worries.

My advice is try them both, decide based on how you feel. They make both because different people prefer one over the other. I know some guys that just can't hold and fire a rangefinder to save their life and their Skycaddie has been the best thing ever for them. Try them out.

[sheppy335]

I have both and they are good for different things. My range finder was good but i was not able to keep it steady enough to always get a good yardage. Plus to me that range finder to longer to get the yardage, pull it out, find aim point range into the aim point and get yardage put back till next shot. But the Range finder is great at the driving range so you know what you are hitting distance wise.
GPS is an instant yardage, look at device and go hit shot. it also clips nicely on my bag so it is visible constantly. So if you can afford both that would be awesome. i would try both and find the one that works for you the best.

[baseballfrk8998]

I have a rangefinder as well as a GPS (Golfshot) on my phone.. The rangefinder is great for exact yardages and, as a previous poster said, getting distances to trees and such. It's especially useful on the range as well so you know exactly how far you're hitting the ball. Personally, I feel much better about a distance from a rangefinder than I do a distance from a GPS. That's just me though.

One of the good things about Golfshot is that I'm able to keep track of all my stats and get layup distances much easier than I am with a rangefinder. Sometimes when you're having to carry water it's tough to find an object immediately on the other side of the water than you can get a distance to and this is where GPS is at its best IMO.

I could do without either, but I don't know if I could do without both. I prefer both but that's strictly a personal preference.

[Janet Pendergrast]

I use a gps, and it's useful because it's a quick glance, no set up needed like a laser. Also, I've been playing around with the software on my phone, and I love being able to mark the map wherever I want for the distance to features that aren't that laserable.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='76mpg' timestamp='1329452650' post='4305753']
I received a sky caddie sgx for my birthday and am deciding if I want to keep it or not as I really like the Leupold GX3 too.

Here are my questions about the rangefinders:

Are you often in a situation where you are hitting to an elevated area or over a hill/downhill and cant get a read on distance to a layup area/green?

Also, how many times do you use your rangefinder in a round?

I think I might like the ease of just looking at a GPS and being able to see distances regardless of hole terrain, but the subscription/software/course availability makes the rangefinder more appealing.

I know this has been discussed at length, but I would appreciate any user experience.
[/quote]

I have an SG5 / 3 state subscription and 1600 Tournament Ed Pro, and often find myself using both during a round. But, I never have counted how much I use that one or the other. I face completely blind shots and that's when I value SG5, but those shots are NOT my biggest concern. I face a 170-207 yd down hill par 3; the SG5 gives me yardages to front and back of a big green, 1600 give me to the pin. I use the 1600 to targeting landing areas in fairways, which SG5 doesn't do. I also use 1600 for yardage to a left or right bunker edge, and tree tops and bushes. The SG5 typically has fairway obstacle yardages, but most are to clear. I often want short of, that's when again I use 1600 pro. SG5 gets used mostly for yardages to the front and back of the green, but 1600 gets used to major undulations in the green.

[Hateto3Putt]

I use my laser at least 18 times per round.

 

[76mpg]

Thanks to everyone above for your thoughts.

[pengki1]

Tried both, now the only one i bring is the bushnell tour v2, there is the slope edition but that would be cheeeaaating. ..

[Golfwolf]

I own both an SGX and Leupold GX-3, they both get used on the course. The SGX is always on and used for quick reference re: hazards, lay up areas, slopes on greens etc. The Leupold is used 20-25 times per round, always on Par 3 holes and holes where hazards may come into play. An exact yardage can make a big difference in the outcome of some of my shots.

[bobfoster]

I have GolfLogix on my Thunderbolt (Android) phone. Truthfully though, I do not use it very often. It is good about distances to clear water or sand ...

[DaveLeeNC]

I own both a Nikon 550G laser device and an iGolf Neo GPS device. I use the GPS a couple times per round. I use the laser maybe 1.5 to 2x per hole (on average). I like having both but the laser is WAY/WAY more valuable to me than is the GPS.

dave

[Tom S]

Laser beats gps. You can shoot what you want and it is quick and easy. I walk and speeds up play not searching for Yardage markers. Never had a problem hitting flag at club with mirror prisms on flags. Can shoot from 350 yes plus.

[Tyrone Tyger]

I use my rangefinder (GolfLogix on my Droid) all the time. Not every shot, but I check it on most of my drives, and if I slice badly enough to miss the green (often). Also, I play a lot of hilly woody clubs, so yes, I always seem to hit the situation where I can't see what I'm trying to miss.

[ktkn]

I have both. I have the Callaway upro mx and the Callaway Nikon IQ and use both of them. If I were to choose only 1, I would choose the GPS.

The problems with *most* gps vs rangefinder comparisons is that it really depends on what gps you are comparing. Standalone GPS prices can range from $25 to $500, even free to a few bucks for smartphone gps apps. Rangefinder availability is alot less and seemingly less variance amount them, as their price point generally has a tighter dispersion with most at $200+. If you ask somebody who has a gps, which one they have, the price range would be from free to maybe well over $300. If you ask somebody with a rangefinder, the minimum price is usually around the $150ish to a few hundred. When you read gps vs rangefinder, make sure you know what gps unit they are comparing. A standalone GPS unit that cost $25 is NOT going to function the same way as a GPS unit that cost $200, the software is not going to be the same, the features will not be the same, and the accuracy will not be the same, but in the reviews, they will be "lumped" into the GPS category. If you are getting a crappy GPS unit, then of course it will suck relative to the rangefinder that costs an average of $200.

Rangefinders to me are more similar amoung the different brands and models out there. Of course there will be better ones, and certain preferences, but the technology seems to be straight forward. I've only used the GX-1 and my Nikon IQ, but tried many in store and they seem to function pretty similar. You're also paying more for the rangefinder (usually). For the price, it's hard to beat the good gps, and especially a working upro mx (that is another issue).

I usually use my GPS until I get to a really close approach (for me that's a PW and in, maybe even 9i). Every other time, front middle back is more than enough, but it's always nice having the exact distance to the hole. I get distances to hazards at a glance with my gps, I can also plan lay up shots that automatically calculates my following shot distance. It's nice when I don't have to do any unecessary math when it's already done for me. Speeds up the game which other people will appreciate, especially if you're an already slow player. If you used a rangefinder and wanted the same information, you'd be even slower... have to shoot hazards, how far the dogleg is, if you wanted front middle back. Also, other than the exact distance to the flagstick, the rangefinder is inaccurate as well, as you will be shooting some tree that is close or maybe even guestimating some other point that is close to what you want.

Best scenerio: Get both. If budget is a concern, I would get a good gps and a crappy rangefinder (as long as the rangefinder works in all scenerios, not the ones that only work with those prism flags). For example, the Bushnell Pin Pro Rangefinder has been on sale for $79.99 or so (definitely under $100).

If you could only get one: I recommend a good gps. Unless you're really good, a lot of people recommend you aim for the center of the green anyways (but that's a different story), which the rangefinder won't give you. Rangefinders are exact only for flaghunting, so I guess it really depends on your skill level on whether or not you are flag hunting a lot to the exact yard.

[GolfRich3]

Bushnell makes a hybrid unit that has both.

[GetmeouttaJersey]

Hybrid unit FTW. I honestly don't use the GPS function too much, but it's nice to measure off drives, etc with the GPS...

[losefreeze33]

I was thinking about picking up a GPS but the rangefinder just seems more useful for practice when i am on the range. That is really where I try to dial in my clubs and a GPS isn't going to help me with that.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

[quote name='76mpg' timestamp='1329452650' post='4305753']
Are you often in a situation where you are hitting to an elevated area or over a hill/downhill and cant get a read on distance to a layup area/green?

Also, how many times do you use your rangefinder in a round?
[/quote]

Unless I have a tree or OB stake or other distinct vertical feature to aim at, I do not attempt to get distances to layup point or such with the rangefinder. Just too much uncertainty with exactly what spot is being measured if you point at the ground or even a bunker lip or pond embankment (although vertical bunker sides or railroad ties adjacent to water work fine).

That said, I very rarely have an intervening hill or anything like that in the way of shooting the flag.

At my home course, maybe 3-4 times a round. Seldom more, sometimes I don't even pull it out once during a round if I'm hitting to my usual spots. Maybe an extra time or two if someone else in my group wants a distance on a Par 3 or something.

At an unfamiliar course I'll probably use it a dozen or more times in a round. Assuming I'm actually keeping score and wanting to avoid mistakes. I do not take it with me on extended golf vacations (for instance to the UK) in favor of traveling light. I also leave behind several clubs and any other extraneous knick-knacks. As your basic weekend country-club golfer the rangefinder is, basically, an extraneous knick-knack.

I had a GPS for a couple years and despised it. There are situations where it is marginally more useful than a laser but the entire ownership and usage experience is a crock. They are flaky in operation, often inaccurate for periods during a round and nothing but hassles to own and maintain. Good riddance.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

I have both, 1500 and a golfbuddy. If I could have only one it would be the laser. No charging the battery, no downloading courses, more consistent, works on every course, no fees, etc. I bet I use it on about half my shots, more on a strange course. Hitting to a blind layup? doesn't happen much, how do you know what direction to hit it?

[El Padrino]

I had the Leupold GX-I for the last two years and just got the GX-3 for this year. I use that on EVERY HOLE and love it! I feel completely naked if I don't have it with me on the course.

I also do have a GPS app on my iPHone that I use when playing various courses to compliment the Laser but I rarely use the GPS.

Laser all the way.