Rangefinder or GPS Watch

[Steve Wilson]

What's the consensus here?   Rather than eyeball it, increasingly uncertain, or rely on the kindness of strangers I'm going to advance technologically.  Opinions please.

[Brad Tufts]

I'm sure the traditionalists will recoil in horror, but...


Rangefinder gives actual distance, generally with a lack of other info.  This is your Bushnell V3 (what I use).  Some of these have the elevation calculation included with + or - yards...I have stayed away from those as the elevation feature is generally not kosher in competition.


GPS watch gives center of the green, often with front and back of green yardages.  Depending on model, you may have to download courses or they may be pre-loaded, and there is always the risk a course you are playing is not covered.  Some are stylish, and can double as a proper watch.

There are some that combine the two I believe, but probably more expensive.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Not recoiling in horror but......Yes, increasingly difficult to be precise as my eyes get older, but such a superior experience in adding up all the surroundings and estimating the approximate yardage.  You have played long enough to accurately judge different elevations, ground rolls, bunker placement and thus satisfaction is derived from use of the brain over a device.  Another of golf's enjoyments when success is attained.
Lastly without the precise yardage, feel becomes more important.  Isn't it great to feel the effort required in the striking of the ball and see a good result?
I have come to the conclusion that the benefit of exact yardage isn't worth the time and trouble.  It detracts, not adds to the experience.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I have found that the watches are accurate +/- 4 yards while rangefinders give exact distance to the flag or to a tree or other reference point.


The watches are helpful when carrying your own bag and you seek ease of use w/o the extra weight or hassle of getting out the RF.


The watches suck with their battery life. Only good for one full round before a recharge that takes FOR-ever!


Net/net for me:


I use the watch when I carry my own bag.
Rangefinder for all other times.

[jeffwarne]

rangefinders
binocular effect gives you opportunity to observe terrain-see slopes etc. very good on unfamiliar course
also gives you yardages to what YOU want not a 1000 other things this technophobe can't figure out

[JMEvensky]

I have come to the conclusion that the benefit of exact yardage isn't worth the time and trouble.  It detracts, not adds to the experience.

I've come to the same conclusion.


I worry,however,the reason is because having exact yardage doesn't mean much if I can't hit it the exact yardage.

[Ed Brzezowski]

rangefinders
binocular effect gives you opportunity to observe terrain-see slopes etc. very good on unfamiliar course
also gives you yardages to what YOU want not a 1000 other things this technophobe can't figure out

Agree with Jeff, I have both and use the rangefinder more often. As stated battery life for the watch is right at five hours. I replace the rangefinder once a year.

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Jeff,


Maybe a commentary on American golf course conditions...but most shots I face play within 5y of the posted distance, so I don't think there is as much opportunity for in-head distance calculation here as opposed to overseas, for example.  If I'm going to go find a marked sprinkler head (or use a yardage book or caddie #), I figure make it quicker with the gun.  As a tourney player, I also don't want to give up an ability to use help that others can use.


Of course, if I grew up/lived in links golf conditions, there would be much more "feels like a 7-iron."  I agree that nothing is more pleasurable in golf than "the time I chipped a PW onto a green at Carne from 140y, with 120y of that on the ground" or "the time I hit 5i to birdie range from 120y at Carnoustie," but not much of my regular golf is played that way.  Part of me wishes I had skilled depth perception to know within a few yards what I was looking at, but let's face it...I don't want the starting # (before wind/slope/firmness is added/subtracted) to be wrong!


I think my play has improved slightly with the advent of rangefinders, or at least I can no longer blame a bad shot on an incorrect #.

[Criss Titschinger]

I'm in the GPS camp. I'm not good enough to play to a specific yardage. As long as I have a pin sheet, or the flags are color coordinated, middle and front/back is good enough for me. I can work out the club I want to play based on the number and course factors (elevation, wind, etc.). Also like knowing hazard numbers as well, when needed.

Have used stand-alone GPS units as well as my phone. Given the big crack I gave my phone last year, I probably shouldn't be using it as a golf GPS. Battery also suspect. Looking closely at a Garmin X40 watch.

[Joe Hellrung]

I'm not good enough to need the exact distance, but I like the rangefinder because it lets me get distance to non-green features, such as bunkers, water, hills, etc.

My dad uses the "golf buddy" which he clips to his hat.  Every time he presses the button a friendly lady whispers the distance into his ear.  Pretty neat product and reasonably priced.

[Ronald Montesano]

Full Disclosure: My review.


http://www.golfwrx.com/385714/review-tomtom-golfer-2-gps-watch/


I have both and for ease, I prefer the watch. It also reminds me to not hit to the flag, as I don't spin the ball enough to stop it. I do like the scope for yardage to bunkers, but I believe the watch also does same, if I were more fluent in all of its applications.


Come to think of it, with camera, watch and scope on my person when golfing, I'm either Steve Austin or Bond.

[Sean_A]

I don't use one of these gadgets, but I have considered the watch style as the range thing is simply way too big and heavy for carrying.  Price is what holds me back...damn things are still pricey. 


Joe...thanks for the tip on the Golfbuddy...that sounds like what I would want...simple and basic...one button info.


Ciao

[JLahrman]

I have come to the conclusion that the benefit of exact yardage isn't worth the time and trouble.  It detracts, not adds to the experience.

I agree...when I can hit a shot 168 yards, I'll ask for the exact yardage.

Sometimes getting the yardage is helpful if I'm playing a totally new course, or if I'm in the completely wrong position on a whole (for example, after I've sliced my drive onto the wrong fairway). But mostly, if I can guess within 5 or 10 yards that's fine for me.

In case you can't tell, I have no distance device so I'm not much of a help to the original question...

[Jon Wiggett]

What is the point of knowing the distance you cannot see when your not able to hit that distance? Unless your 5 handicap or better and playing a course you do not know too well then it isn't going to help. Vanity, vanity, vanity......


Jon

[Sean_A]

What is the point of knowing the distance you cannot see when your not able to hit that distance? Unless your 5 handicap or better and playing a course you do not know too well then it isn't going to help. Vanity, vanity, vanity......


Jon

What an odd question.  Obviously because golfers have a hard time judging distance.  Even if one can't hith the number indicated with any consistency, it still lets the player know what he should be hitting.  On clever courses it is very easy to be a few clubs off because the yardage is obscured...which is why I don't think these devices should be allowed.


Ciao

[John Kavanaugh]

A lousy caddie uses a watch, a good caddie uses a range finder, a great caddie uses neither.

[Charles Lund]

About 18 months ago I bought a Golf Buddy cap clip.  I had gotten tired of looking for sprinkler heads on courses I was unfamiliar with. 

I have played in a few different countries and different states, with only two courses not having maps course data logged in.  One was a private club near Coeur d Alene, Idaho, recently out of receivership.  The other was a newer course in Vietnam. 

I had resisted getting a device for a long time.  I ilke the front, middle, back distances.  The size and weight are convenient for travel.

There is a course library you can see on the web.  That convinced me because virtually all courses of interest in Ireland and Australia were included when I looked up the information.

Charles Lund

[Andy Shulman]

While it's highly unlikely that you'll lose the watch - a big plus in my mind - I still went for the rangefinder for its greater accuracy and to be able to measure distances to bunkers, water hazards, etc.  I got a fairly compact one by Leupold and stick it in my back pocket.  Yes, it's certainly bulkier than the yardage book I used to carry there, but it's not too bad and makes it a lot less likely that it will wander off.   

[A.G._Crockett]

GPS watches are great IF you are carrying your bag and IF you already know the course pretty well.  The newer models give distances to hazards, etc., but the biggest issue is green depth.  I wear mine when I play my home course; in tournaments or on an unfamiliar course, it's the laser, hands down.

BTW, it makes me laugh when people say they don't need the exact yardage.  I know that virtually none of us need to know 163 vs. 165 or whatever; what makes me laugh is the idea or a laser that would say, "You're between 160 and 165, but you ain't good enough to need to know more than that!  Deal with it!" 

It's a laser, for crying out loud...

[Ian Mackenzie]

A lousy caddie uses a watch, a good caddie uses a range finder, a great caddie uses neither.

...and the group whose caddies use rangefinders plays in under four hours...

[Jud_T]

Neither- Golfshot Plus Iphone App- $30.  Unless you need to spend $400 on a golf-specific watch or a bulky range-finder, this app is great.  Gives accurate distances to and over hazards, front and back of the green, has scoring capability, etc.  This is a perfect compromise for those who aren't anal card and pencil scratch players.  Plus you've already likely got your phone in your pocket or bag anyway, why wear or carry anything extraneous?

[James Boon]

For years I've steered away from these gadgets, then earlier this year I played 2 separate rounds of golf:


First was with a former Amateur Champion who used a laser rangefinder. On discussing it, he said he thought it would save me one if not two shots a round...


Second was against a 3 handicap member at our home club, who is an ex Physics teacher, and it was all about the data! He has a standard laser rangefinder for exact distance to the flag, a second that shows slope (only for use in practice rounds), he makes note of the plus or minus elevation in a yardage book and other notes for reference, and lastly a GPS watch for front, middle and back. Despite all this he doesnt take much time to calculate what he has in front of him and is a quick golfer.


One airmailed green from an over aggressive wedge where I'd overestimated the distance, that lead to a double that ruined an otherwise decent round, and I'd joined the dark side (no cookies yet!)    [size=78%]and purchased a laser rangefinder![/size]


We play a lot of medal and competition golf at our place so with guys taking it as serious as that mentioned above, I just couldn't help myself. I certainly think its probably saved me a shot a round at least, but I only use it in these comps and very rarely in social golf, so if you see me using it at Buda you can shoot me! 


Cheers,


James

[Dave August]

I have used both.
I prefer the watch. I know how far to the back of the green and to the center. I can eyeball whether the pin is left or right.
Laser - I use on par 3's.
On new courses, I would much prefer to know what the yardage is to the center of the green than almost any other piece of information that can be attained. If I cannot see the flag, the laser is not helpful.
Watch also seems to speed up play - I know the yardage almost the moment I get to my ball.

[Jim Sherma]

Steve - hope you are well - just bought a new laser today. I had a nice handheld gps with maps on it but after cataract surgery I couldn't read it without cheaters. With the laser I can see the number without readers. Maybe a lousy reason to switch but it works.

[Ed Tilley]

I don't use one of these gadgets, but I have considered the watch style as the range thing is simply way too big and heavy for carrying.  Price is what holds me back...damn things are still pricey. 


Joe...thanks for the tip on the Golfbuddy...that sounds like what I would want...simple and basic...one button info.


Ciao

I bought the watch a year ago and it is fantastic. You get to your ball and immediately know distances to front, middle and back of the green. I'm sure it might be a couple of yards out but I'm not good enough for that to be a problem. I play with people who have rangefinders and it's always within a yard or two on the par 3s so it is accurate - it also tells the time too! I have the Garmin S2 which is about £120.

I'm not sure how useful a rangefinder would be at B&B with all the blind shots.