Would You Own A Rangefinder?

[Tom Huckaby]

AGC - grudgingly is better than not at all.  

As for the wuss factor, well... I've found so far that the only people who do tend to use these are the VERY good, VERY competitive players.  So judge accordingly.

Jerry - understood completely - I was just responding to your question about the effect of using one... As for Sand Hills, it's marked, isn't it?  I never felt the need for a rangefinder in any of my rounds there....

TH

[Jerry Kluger]

TH: The issue at SH is finding the distances to certain features on the course such as a bunker, etc. and how far back a pin was, etc. You have so many angles, elevation changes, etc. that make the course great and challenge you to consider how aggressive or conservative you should play a shot.  I could go on and on but that's what makes it so great.

[Mike_Cirba]

I agree with Crockett.

The nerd factor associated with Rangefinders is right up there with plastic covers for your irons, or a pullcart with scorecard holder and tees.  

[JR Potts]

As for the wuss factor, well... I've found so far that the only people who do tend to use these are the VERY good, VERY competitive players.  So judge accordingly.

I agree!  In fact, that is the only reason I got one.  What is the saying..."dress for success."

[JR Potts]

I agree with Crockett.

The nerd factor associated with Rangefinders is right up there with plastic covers for your irons, or a pullcart with scorecard holder and tees.  

No, the all-time worse is the manual stroke clicker.

One, click, two, click........seven, click.......tap-in, eleven, click.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike - tell that to all the plus handicaps that are using them... who in fact are damn near the ONLY ones using them...

Hey, there are plenty of nerdy, dorky things people use in this game.  Rangefinders are not one of them.

Jerry - gotcha re Sand Hills.  But hmmmmm.... using one there just wouldn't seem right, even if I can see it might help.  As much as I do argue for the rights of others to use them, well... there is a time and a place.  One wouldn't use one of these at St. Andrews, and one ought not to at Sand Hills.

Just please do use them on crowded American public courses... I remain very convinced they do speed up play.

TH

[Mike_Cirba]

No, the all-time worse is the manual stroke clicker.

One, click, two, click........seven, click.......tap-in, eleven, click.  

Ryan,

Too funny!!!  

Huckaby,

You'd wear a pocket protector, high-waters, and horn-rimmed glasses if you thought it could shave a stroke off your score.  

[JR Potts]

I don't understand how one can play competitive events and justify NOT having one.  It is one thing to be preservationist, it is another thing to be stupid.

I thought being a hypocrite was a prerequisite to playing and loving golf.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike:

That is a good line and I did enjoy it, it's just not true... see my previous post.  

Ryan - well said. If one is to play competitively and it would help to have one of these (on a poorly marked or unmarked course), one would be just giving strokes to the field by taking a stand and not using one.  Thus it would then depend on how competitive one wants to be, and what is most important to him... Because being a hypocrite certainly is not a prerequisite to playing and loving golf; rather principled stands might just cause one to lose where he otherwise might win.  Some would be fine with that.

They are the ones to play big money games against.  

[JESII]

Are there any situations where a rangefinder might hurt? Dan Kelly started a thread with a similar question...what do you think? High wind? would we be fixated on the number as opposed to the shot in high wind? How about extreme firm cinditions like at Hoylake? How about moving from one climate to another? Denver to Pebble must be at least a club and a half difference, right?

[Mike_Cirba]

Mike:

That is a good line and I did enjoy it, it's just not true... see my previous post.  

Tom,

Hypothetical Ethics question for the day;

You are playing Brad Miller in a match on the final hole at Sand Hills, all even.

He is without a Range Finder, and his approach which looked good in the air comes up woefully short.

You're away, and you remember that you haven't unpacked your Rangefinder prior to flying to Denver.   Brad is already walking ahead up the fairway and the sun is setting, and there is a lot of pride and beers at Ben's Porch on the line.

What do you do??  

[JR Potts]

Mike:

That is a good line and I did enjoy it, it's just not true... see my previous post.  

Tom,

Hypothetical Ethics question for the day;

You are playing Brad Miller in a match on the final hole at Sand Hills, all even.

He is without a Range Finder, and his approach which looked good in the air comes up woefully short.

You're away, and you remember that you haven't unpacked your Rangefinder prior to flying to Denver.   Brad is already walking ahead up the fairway and the sun is setting, and there is a lot of pride and beers at Ben's Porch on the line.

What do you do??  

Mike:

As Tom's counsel, I am not going to let him answer the question.  The topic of the thread is whether or not you would own a rangefinder...not whether you would use it.  He has answered the question.  Time to move on!

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike:

Simple - I don't use rangefinders myself playing the game - have never felt a need for such.  My arguments here are just that if people want to use them, well... they tend to speed up play so I have zero problem with them.

So I dilly dally not and knock it stiff, like I did in the match in question.

 

[Mike_Cirba]

Ryan/Huck,

Good answers guys.

And yes you did knock it stiff, Tom, which tells me that you have no need for the blasted contraptions, contrary to what Mr. Huntley may advise you!  

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike, I never said I did need one.  In fact I've said on this thread several times that I don't.  145, 150, 155, it's pretty much all the same to me. If it hit a 7iron decently, it goes 150.  If I don't, it doesn't matter what exact distance I have.

But that's just me...

Taking a strong principle against these just seems foolish to me, given all they do is help.  But that got me labelled as an evil relativist by Sean, so I am now being more careful.

 

[BigEdSC]

I own one.

I find, or have found that it does help.  Especially on courses that you have never played before.  It removes most doubt on how to play shots.  I consider it a tool, and not some sort of gimmick.  

Just ask yourself how many times have you played a course for the first time, and after your done, count up how many shots you threw away because of uncertainty.  Most of the guys I play with have rangefinders.  We play very fast.  In fact as we walk, you can carry on a conversation while you shoot yardages.  

And they do not slow play down at all.  They might even speed play up.  Instead of looking for sprinkler caps, then pacing them off, and then consulting with a pinsheet (if you have one), then triangulating on how far away you are from the spinkler cap, then thinking if you have to add or subtract yardage because of wind or elevations, you just have to point and shoot to get your yardage.

As far as tournaments, I like to use them because a lot of the tournaments I play in are on courses that I haven't played before, or haven't played in a while.  They are extremely helpful in that aspect.  You can swing the club with a lot more confidence knowing that you have the correct yardage.  Also, when your on the tee and you have a bunker out in the fairway that you are not sure on whether you can carry it or not, it'll remove that doubt.

But the great thing about golf.  Rangefinders are not required.  If you don't want one, you don't have to buy one.

[Brad Tufts]

I have no issue with those who have rangefinders, unless they want to use them against me in tournament play...

I harbor no ill will towards anyone that has one, but I will resist getting one myself for as long as possible (or ever).

I am relatively yardage-obsessed, as I like to have as much information as possible at hand.  I don't think the rangefinder particularly speeds up play.  Look for your yardage while others are hitting, or do it quickly.  It relaxes you before a shot after setting you bag down.  I like to have an exact yardage (even though I'm definately not that precise) because I believe it focuses me on the shot at hand, and even if I miss zeroing in on my distance/the pin, I am generally close.

I buy the yardage book primarily so I can remember the course later, but also if the course is engaging, it's nice to know how far a bunker is to carry, etc...

As for the range finder, I don't call myself a super-purist or anything, just with a RF, it doesn't feel like golf.

[Tom Huckaby]

I shall never forget it, Sean.  I ought to get it as a tatoo.  


Brad:  re speeding up play, I just think it does for those who are REALLY yardage obssessed - you know, the kind that will move the cart back and forth 50 times to get the GPS exactly positioned... or will pace off from two separate sprinkler heads just to get things exactly right in their minds... for these types, proficient use of a rangefinder will speed things up indeed.   The other type it will help is the ultra-competitive, who won't hit a shot until they have exact yardage... it's pretty quick and easy to obtain with a rangefinder.

And when you think about it, the only ones who will buy the device are pretty much those two types....

Thus I see it speeding up play.

For me it doesn't really feel like golf either....but - and Sean is gonna hate this - golf is so bastardized anyway 99% of the time where I play the game - what the hell, if it's gonna speed things up, go ahead and use the things.

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

Sean - sorry man - it was just too perfect, that is too perfectly describing a relativist position.

 

[Dan Boerger]

I spend many a lunch hour at the range, so yes I would own a rangefinder for that specific purpose. I can't envision using it at any regular course I play, but it would be nice to have for courses I'm not familiar with. -Dan

[JSlonis]

Nothing more rewarding to me than eyeballing a shot...hitting it successfully...and then finding out your "internal" yardage guess was real close...

Sully,

I'm sure you always use the "eyeballing" method in tournament play.

Count me in as a proud Bushnell Pinseeker owner.  Here in the GAP section, the devices are sanctioned for tournament play, and are a great help.  The newer versions of these yardage finders really do speed up play IMO.  I honestly don't see what all the uproar is about.  The yardage is already available to you on the golf course.  What is the big deal about the manner in which you aquire this information?  

[Matt_Cohn]

One way that my rangefinder benefits my game is that mentally I'm much more focused on the pin. I don't have numbers in my head to get to the front, middle, back, over the bunker, short of the slope, etc. I just know how far it is to the hole, and my focus is on the target right from the start.

Of course if I want to know distances to other objects I can find them using a pin sheet or yardage book just as easily - but more quickly! - than someone who is not using a rangefinder.

[Tom Huckaby]

Jamie/Matt:  amen brothers.  Maybe some day I get good enough at this game where that kinda thing would help me.  As it is, I know my limitations.  

Mike Cirba - wanna tell Jamie what a nerd/dork/wuss he is for using the Bushnell?

 

[JSlonis]

Tom,

I may very well still be a nerd/dork/wuss...BUT I'll be a nerd/dork/wuss WITH THE CORRECT YARDAGE!

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom,

I may very well still be a nerd/dork/wuss...BUT I'll be a nerd/dork/wuss WITH THE CORRECT YARDAGE!

 
Amen again, brother.

The Evil Relativist