Rangefinders, are they worth it?

[thatboygaule]

Hi all, I'm thinking about getting a rangefinder for Christmas . I have only two models in mind (the bushnell medalist and pro 1600 )so I don't want model suggestions apart from which is better between those. But I've been wondering , do they actually save shots? Would investing in a new putter or driver or any club be more beneficial . I play off 10 and I'm 14 so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[John Kreese]

Best money I've ever spent on a piece of golf equipment was for a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500.

[Kadin 25]

I can't imagine playing with out it!!

[thatboygaule]

Yes but would I shoot lower scores than if I had an adjustable driver or something

[Scott@84]

Get one, you won't regret it.

[njlam]

Don't get one, you are only 14.

My analogy would be: I wouldn't let my 14 year old use a calculator instead of learning math.

If you are serious about golf, learn to guage your distances by experience, not with an expensive gadget.

You can buy expensive gadgets when you are an old fart like me... I do like the laser. but it is more for fun and largesse.

[avgjoe]

how many times a round do you drop a shot due to misclubbing/wrong yardage? if your answer is >1, you might save shot(s)

[msupl]

Get a GPS, they are accurate enough and you it's a lot less work.

[Princeton TN]

I own the Pro 1600 Tournament Edition and Slope Editions... They are by FAR the BEST MONEY EVER SPENT ON GOLF!!! If you play USGA Sanctioned Tournaments then buy the Tournament Edition, if you dont' and only play with your buddies and in scrambles then buy the Slope Edition! The only drawback of the 1600's is it's size, I have recently ordered the Tournament Edition Pro 1M which is the newest version of the 1600 on a much smaller platform. This way I can shoot one handed when it is just me in a tournament...

Hope this helps!!!

[OldGolfer87]

[b]There is only one piece of golf equipment that i have kept the same in my bag for the last 5 years and it is my Skycaddie SG300 , i have used it every golf round since i purchased it and i will never play another round without it , it was worth every cent i paid and more . [/b]

[weso209]

I never realized how off my yardages were until I got my Medalist, best money spent.

[SkyyDesigns]

If you play serious golf it is a must. I am a feel player but you need to have exact distances in order to score well or even to plot your way around the course. All my buddies who play in numerous NCGA Am events all use them and so should every golfer lookin to play golf better.

[SteveL1]

I'm going to be in the minority here, but I play to a five and don't use one or want one. Seems like every time I play with someone that has one, I play worse. I rely on fairway markers and feel and find that I'm only off by much on one or two shots per round. Learn to play by feel first, and then get one after you've got all your clubs perfect for you.

[thatboygaule]

Also the sky caddie looks pretty good is that tournament legal? Is it better than a rangefinder ? Thanks again

[Hateto3Putt]

[quote name='thatboygaule' timestamp='1349478181' post='5756443']
Also the sky caddie looks pretty good is that tournament legal? Is it better than a rangefinder ? Thanks again
[/quote]

No & No.

[FairwayGolfUSA.com]

[quote name='njlam' timestamp='1349475222' post='5756271']
Don't get one, you are only 14.

My analogy would be: I wouldn't let my 14 year old use a calculator instead of learning math.

If you are serious about golf, learn to guage your distances by experience, not with an expensive gadget.

You can buy expensive gadgets when you are an old fart like me... I do like the laser. but it is more for fun and largesse.
[/quote]

I agree with you and one other method would be to guess the yardage before the shot and then seeing how close you got to the actual yardage by shooting the laser.

-Ryan

[Panteradon]

I use a Upro MX+. I know it is not as accurate as a laser, but I hate playing without it. Give me a lot of confidence in my shot selection. Maybe If/when I get better the extra accuracy of a laser will make more of a difference.

[PZero]

I bought a rangefinder and loved it, until I got my Skycaddie. Now the rangefinder rarely comes out of the bag. I would suggest getting a GPS unit, before considering a rangefinder.

[DigDugDig]

Love mine. I feel naked on the golf course without mine.

[CGolf11]

Really helped me...sometimes I misjudge distances by 10-20 yards and I miss badly.

[bjrapper]

Rangefinders are great-use mine many times each round. I also use it at the range all the time. My playing partners have both gps and rangefinders and we will sometimes see some significant difference in distances between the two (sometimes at least a club and it's not the lasers that are giving the wrong number). Also, as long as it doesn't have slope it could be permitted in tournament play-not so for a gps.

[SIMP2]

Love my rangefinder, money well spent.

[+Church]

Do you have a smart phone? I would say get a free gps app for now if you're worried about yardages. Just my 2 cents. I'm kinda cheap.

[citizensdiscount]

I purchased the Garmen G3 GPS unit 4 years ago. It has everycourse and free downloads for life. My father in law has the laser and he prefers the Garmen over the laser. Lets say its a course you have never played before and its a blind tee shot, a laser is only going to give you a distance to a point where a gps will show you landing areas and trouble spots. best of luck with your decison.

[floycota]

Like most on this site I can't imagine playing without one now. I have a Bushnell 1500 and love it. The next best thing is a cell phone gps. Your 14 you probably have an iphone or Droid. Download something like Free Caddie. It's not as good as a rangefinder but it will do the trick. If you already have a smartphone there are free options out there.

[highergr0und]

Being pin high (or close to it) more often than not saves strokes...... whatever it takes to get there is worth the money. I used to think GPS was "just fine" since it gave me the distance to front center back. Then I got a laser and dropped about 3 strokes a round almost right away. Just do it..... Get the best one you can. I have a pinseeker 1500 that's several years old but works great. If the courses you play have prisms on the flags the medalist should do just fine. If not, you might want more magnification from the better models.

[lazyjc4]

Have a Bushnell V2 and it's helped me as much in practice as it has on the course. Being able to laser targets has helped me learn how far I can hit certain clubs/shots. I think it's an invaluable tool.

[cmmgolflab]

If you are classifying both GPS units and lasers as a "rangefinder", than yes they are definitely worth it regardless of your handicap. Knowing what distance you have to any object, whether a pin, bunker, bend of a dogleg, end of fairway, or a water hazard is always beneficial. That said, there is plenty of debate on which is better, a GPS or a laser.

I'm a 3. I've had an SG5 for three years and upgraded to an SGXw this year. If you can get over the yearly fees, they are well worth the investment. To me, a GPS that has a graphical display of the hole with distances is invaluable. They are the closet thing to having a yardarge book. Knowing where your target is, or danger, is priceless.

That said, I also purchased a Leupold GX3i this summer. I really like the unit and it performs great, especially on approach shots when your target is the pin. Where a laser is weaker, in my opinion, is when you are trying to understand your distances to avoid trouble, which is almost more important than your target. Golf is a game about your misses, not your good shots. You minimize the severity of your misses, your scores will go down.

They are both great pieces of equipment, but if I had to choose one it would be a GPS.

[Fat Duke]

I have Bushnell Z6 and it´s best rangefinder. I have used TOUR V2 model 3 years and this is much better. It is a lot easier to find the flag. It measures 10 times better thru branches if you are behind trees. It is also much more handy then M1 or pinseeker 1500/1600. Totally worth of extra money.

[Florida Gator]

I love my Bushnell 1500. It provides me with feedback as to how well I am hitting my numbers with my irons. The other part is the course management that I have by knowing what I need off of the tee versus what I want.