Do GPS systems and Rangefinders really help?

[phil75070]

D they help? I have used a GPS consistently since they were legalized and even off an on before that. I don't know that I really score that much better but I do think if used properly, they can help speed up play. Instead of searching for sprinkler heads, walking off distances, then calculating the exact yardage to the pin by consulting the pin sheet, a quick look with a rangefinder or a glance at a GPS are much quicker. I do believe a GPS is faster to use and can give more information in the time it takes a person with a rangefinder to get his yardage just to the pin. In that time, I get front, center and back yardages, I can approximate the pin location (with either a Golf Guru or SkyCaddie), or get distances to and over various hazards.

 

I think they are also more valuable on courses one has never played before. On a course you play all the time, you have a pretty good sense of what club to hit before ever using a distance measuring device. It just may give you a little more confidence.

[wilwin]

Bringing back an old topic...

 

I never really considered getting a gps system or rangefinder, but the other day I played on a new course with someone that had one a skycaddie and I shot one of my best scores ever. He was a regular at the course so I don't know if it was him or sometimes the skycaddie (I asked him a few times, but not every shot).

 

I was wondering how many shots would you say a gps system saves you? I've played with other people that have had gps, but they didn't affect my game too much. So was it the human caddy (helped me a lot on club selection on short par 4s) or the sky caddy that helped me play so well?

[mkrolewski]

Amusing reading the old posts -- "I don't think it saves stokes. But I use it all the time".

 

I think the common thread and my personal observation, knowing the distance that you have to hit, makes it easier to select the correct club or right distance for a particular club. The GPS definitely gives you that information.

 

Obviously you still have to know your clubs and execute the swing.

 

My personal observations is many people do not know what their clubs do, especially wedges or during pitches and chips. So the distance information may create more confusion. Back to the "feel" thing.

 

Some people cannot judge distance. For myself, I cannot guess the distance, unless I am standing on a marker. So I really need distance data.

 

 

The other issue with the GPS is some GPS only give you Front, Center, Back (F/C/B) distances along the center line thru the center of the green. From a large distance ( over 150 yd), the error for a pin location on the very right or left edge on a wide green is not significantly different from the measurement to the center. As you get closer, the F/C/B can generate some "bad" distances if the pin is near the edge and you are on one side of the fairway. It is basically a math problem. There are some GPS that give you (1) a continuous perimeter of the green (2) a movable pin location and (3) the Front, Center and Back relative to your position intersecting the movable pin location and the appropriate perimeter points. This is more accurate and less incorrect. The rangefinder is more accurate in this particular case.

 

Would I get rid of my GPS. No!!! Would I add a rangefinder? If the price is right, sure.

[slash77]

Honestly, I'm not sure if it has actually lowered my scores. It is nice having exact yardages, but you still have to execute the shot. The best thing about my skycaddie is that it speeds up play. I no longer have to walk of yardages or search for a marker.

[PaulN]

I have an older DME brand rangefinder, and I love it. Knowing exactly what I need to hit to clear a bunker, tree, hit the back of the green, clear a corner, etc. takes the guesswork out of the equation and allows to to focus on the shot. I find myself thinking "Hit this 160" instead of "I hope I clear the water".

 

A lot of the courses I play are older. I can be standing on the cart path at the 150 and see that the sprinkler heads, course marker, and cart path are all telling me different things. I've already confirmed that some of them are just wrong.

 

I really like it on downhill par 3s and approaches. If you want to get a unit for little money, let me know and I might sell my DME. They are currently made by Opti-Logic in Tennessee. They don't have a lot of bells and whistles, but they work.

[Stix]

I got a Callaway/Nikon laser rangefinder this year and if nothing else, it gives me more confidence to hit the shot I need due to having a better estimation of yardage. I still have to put a good swing on the club and hit the shot, but I feel I can commit more to the shot having a more accurate yardage than just pacing off from the nearest marker.

 

I haven't had much experience with GPS systems other than the occassional one that comes on a cart at a course. But, I have the same confidence boost with those as I feel I know the yardage better.

 

I think the slope featured rangefinders could be even better, but didn't want to spend over $500 for one. An for those that complain that people that use either take too much time, I disagree as it actually has shortened my overall time I take to hit a shot bucause I don't have to pace back and forth to a marker and I don't have to second guess my yardages.

 

Its worked for me on any course I play, home or away...

[zazer]

I just bought both a Golf Guru and the Bushnell 1500 Tourn. edition. To me, it does speed up play. I think as I start to better measure my distances it will lower scores. So far, I have found I need to add a club on many shots. But, knowing the actual distance is only part of a good score. Still need to hit the shots. So, I guess now I am well informed terrible golfer!