Help, skycaddie vs igolf vs laser rangefinder.

[bwhitish]

I am going to purchase on of these for use this year but I am haveing trouble decididing. I am a 20 handicap and I am getting tired of trying to find yardage markers. I am leaning to the skycaddie now that they have come down in price. Any suggestions appreciated.

[bigpopper81]

I really like my rangefinder because I can get yardages for everything on the course that I want. I can know how far the front or back of the green is, every tree, creek, etc... It's nice to see it all right though the scope. A SkyCaddie would be awesome too but kind of a pain to download all the courses. Range finders are fun at the driving range too.

[abewley]

imho you need both..

 

 

the SG is great for during a round or tourney.. downloading isn't a big deal if you know where your playing and for amateur tournament golf like i play its perfect..

 

however.. the range finder is great for practice rounds, and like stated about, the range. great for working on short game and getting distances dialed in..

[jbirkes]

I bought a Sky Caddie and it is super. Since I am not a low caper the front middle and back work great. As you get to your ball the yardage is right in your hand. I can also tel the people I am playing with their yardage and speed up play. I have not found a course I that I play that is not downlaodable that goes for FLA and Calif.,

[sheppy335]

If courses you like to play are on the Sky caddies is might be worth it but none of mine are and i went with a Pinseeker and i am glad i did.

[title]

why would you use a range finder at a driving range?

[dtgolder]

Rangefinder for me. I have a Bushnell. Very handy for EVERYTHING on the course, and very useful on the driving range (and to answer the question, you can find out how far you REALLY hit your shots, and believe it or not, that flag marked at 100 yards isn't likely 100 yards away).

 

I like the SkyCaddy idea, but don't like the idea of ongoing cost for a subscription/course downloads. If it was a "one-time" purchase, I'd be more interested....

[thewitt]

I still use a rangefinder for making yardage books (Maine does not yet allow GPS in State tournaments), but I use the iGof for everything else.

 

I'll never use a rangefinder during a round of golf again if I can map the course ahead of time. The GPS is much faster and it's trivial to use during play - will NOT slow play like a a rangefinder can while to try to find something suitable to "shoot" for your distance.

 

I can't shoot a flagstick from anything outside of 100 yards or so with ANY of the rangefinder technologies - just not sure handed enough.

 

-t

[title]

Rangefinder for me. I have a Bushnell. Very handy for EVERYTHING on the course, and very useful on the driving range (and to answer the question, you can find out how far you REALLY hit your shots, and believe it or not, that flag marked at 100 yards isn't likely 100 yards away).

 

I like the SkyCaddy idea, but don't like the idea of ongoing cost for a subscription/course downloads. If it was a "one-time" purchase, I'd be more interested....

 

 

I would not guage the distance you hit the ball using range balls. "believe it or not", i am aware that some flags are not the exact distance they say they are. do you use range balls on the golf course? if so, you should have your yardages down. range balls are specifically designed to travel 15-20% shorter than regular golf balls. use the range for accuracy, not distance.

[ba_priddy]

Both are very helpful, but I like the Skycaddie more and more after use. Courses not hard to find and download.

[kjvieira]

I have the SG4 and love it! :) As long as the courses you normally play are mapped (three or four stars) I would highly recommend it.

 

I played yesterday with a friend who has a Bushnell and once he say my SG4 he put the Bushnell back in his bag. He plays 4-5 times a week and said he is going to get one.

 

I tried his bushnell and got several wrong readings due to wind (flag was blowing). The other problem is if the group ahead of you is on the green, you have to wait until the flag is back in before getting your reading.

 

I agree about the driving range and distances. I don't use the range to find my distance since more often than not the range balls don't perform like regular golf balls.

[sidewinder]

I tried his bushnell and got several wrong readings due to wind (flag was blowing). The other problem is if the group ahead of you is on the green, you have to wait until the flag is back in before getting your reading.

kjvieira,

 

A wind blown flag will not negatively affect the Bushnell Pinseeker accuracy. In fact, it could make it easier to lock on.

 

Wait for the flag? Target the player closest to the flag and go from there! In any case, it takes some time for the players to walk off the green after they are done. Target the flag ten and pick your club....

 

Scott

[kjvieira]

I tried his bushnell and got several wrong readings due to wind (flag was blowing). The other problem is if the group ahead of you is on the green, you have to wait until the flag is back in before getting your reading.

kjvieira,

 

A wind blown flag will not negatively affect the Bushnell Pinseeker accuracy. In fact, it could make it easier to lock on.

 

Wait for the flag? Target the player closest to the flag and go from there! In any case, it takes some time for the players to walk off the green after they are done. Target the flag ten and pick your club....

 

Scott

 

I can tell you from my experience is it's a lot easier (especially on a windy day) to look down at your skycaddie screen to get a distance than to use the range finder.

 

So from 180+ yards out, how do you know who the closest player to the flag is?

 

All I know is that I have used both and prefer the skycaddie.

[sidewinder]

I can tell you from my experience is it's a lot easier (especially on a windy day) to look down at your skycaddie screen to get a distance than to use the range finder.

 

So from 180+ yards out, how do you know who the closest player to the flag is?

 

All I know is that I have used both and prefer the skycaddie.

kjvieira,

 

I am not arguing that you should like a range finder or SkyCaddie better. Use one, both, or none.

 

My point is that wind is not a big issue when using a range finder, at least has not been for me and the people I know that have them. Maybe you need to use the range finder more than once or twice. Maybe you don't get along well with them. Some people can't use binoculars either....

 

Picking someone on the green is going to be just as accurate as your SkyCaddie which has no idea where the flag is going to be. You have to tell it where the flag is, or should I say, guess where the flag is. So this point of yours is pretty darn weak.

 

Me? I would like to have both a range finder and a SkyCaddie. I am not knocking either one....

 

Scott

[mr_duffer]

Picked up an SG3 last week. Awesome! And very accurate!

[dtgolder]

Sky Caddy will only give you an approximation to the flag...rangefinder will give you an exact reading.

 

Is this important? For most of us, probably no...

 

Sky Caddy will give you depth of the green. Is that important for most of us? Probably yes...

 

Still, something comforting for me having the exact distance to the flag...so rangefinder for me...for now.