# Watch Vs Rangefinder



## JustW75 (Jan 30, 2021)

Hi I am a golfer of mid to high handicap (22ish). I was wondering if it would be better to purchase a GPS Watch, particularly a Garmin Approach S10; or a Nikon Coolshot 20 GII laser range finder.


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## PhilTheFragger (Jan 30, 2021)

Depends on your course
If you can’t see the base of the flag, you don’t know it’s position on the green, on a big green that could be a 2 club difference

I have and use both a gps and a rangefinder. 

You’ve still got to play the shot though 👍


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## IanG (Jan 30, 2021)

I first bought a GPS and then a rangefinder. I use the rangefinder 90% of the time and the GPS now only occasionally. If I had to keep one it would be the rangefinder.


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## Imurg (Jan 30, 2021)

If it's either or....I'd probably go with the watch or handheld GPS.
At a 22 handicap your priority is getting the ball on the green, not going pin hunting.
Generally aim for the middle of the green and, yeah, you may be 20 yards away occasionally but an awful lot of the time you'll be a lot closer..


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## jim8flog (Jan 30, 2021)

I have both.

If you are playing the same course all the time there is nothing wrong with just having a course planner provided it is up to date.

Ditto to Imurg's comments and at your level of handicap all you really need is middle of the green yardages.

I play the same course the majority of the time the laser may get used about 3 times in a round and the GPS about 8 or so times and there are many rounds where it does not even get turned on in the first place. We have 150 yard posts and 100 yard plates and they are good enough on most holes not to need anything else.


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## JustW75 (Jan 30, 2021)

jim8flog said:



			I have both.

If you are playing the same course all the time there is nothing wrong with just having a course planner provided it is up to date.

Ditto to Imurg's comments and at your level of handicap all you really need is middle of the green yardages.

I play the same course the majority of the time the laser may get used about 3 times in a round and the GPS about 8 or so times and there are many rounds where it does not even get turned on in the first place. We have 150 yard posts and 100 yard plates and they are good enough on most holes not to need anything else.
		
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Agreed on the 100/150 markers but I find myself rather inefficient at judging distances.


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## mikejohnchapman (Jan 30, 2021)

I have both but the watch is a shotscope I used for tracking shot yardages rather than pins. However, I find I have used it a lot in the winter on my own course when just playing casual golf as a quick check.

Only issue with rangefinders are blind shots.


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## Imurg (Jan 30, 2021)

mikejohnchapman said:



			I have both but the watch is a shotscope I used for tracking shot yardages rather than pins. However, I find I have used it a lot in the winter on my own course when just playing casual golf as a quick check.

Only issue with rangefinders are blind shots.
		
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They need half decent light as well.
Slight mist or drizzle and they can struggle to pick up the pin.


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## jim8flog (Jan 30, 2021)

JustW75 said:



			Agreed on the 100/150 markers but I find myself rather inefficient at judging distances.
		
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 If your shot has gone beyond the pole or marker learn to count your paces  as you walk past it to the ball - one step = one yard is a good enough guide in golfing terms.

If you play the same course regularly learn to look at what is around. I know where I play if I am level with a certain tree/bush/bunker that it is an X iron from that point.


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## Oddsocks (Jan 30, 2021)

Re the OP, when I was playing to 18 I used a clip on gps on the bag that have solely front middle and back yardages.  It was great and very simple which at that level was all I needed.

As the level of my game progressed and my consistency in ball striking become stronger, I found that playing to specific distances become a big advantage.  We have several greens where you are approaching from below the hole and the difference between front and back of the green could be 2 full clubs at which point I went across to a laser.

In my opinion the laser is more versatile but it’s a faff to keep getting out of the bag etc, and in mist and heavy rain it’s not very accurate.

For that reason I’m going to order a watch just for front middle abs back distances during the winter to keep the pace of play moving and keep it simple, but use the laser in the dryer months and especially comps.

I think it’s key to decide what you want from the device, and factor in different courses and which would be most practical for you.  I do agree with some of the above that from high teens upwards, a watch could be simpler.


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## JustW75 (Jan 30, 2021)

jim8flog said:



			If your shot has gone beyond the pole or marker learn to count your paces  as you walk past it to the ball - one step = one yard is a good enough guide in golfing terms.

If you play the same course regularly learn to look at what is around. I know where I play if I am level with a certain tree/bush/bunker that it is an X iron from that point.
		
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Thanks for the tip!


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## JustW75 (Jan 30, 2021)

PhilTheFragger said:



			Depends on your course
If you can’t see the base of the flag, you don’t know it’s position on the green, on a big green that could be a 2 club difference

I have and use both a gps and a rangefinder.

You’ve still got to play the shot though 👍
		
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Quick (stupid) question: Will the rangefinder only 'find' the pin or can one use it for bunkers and other hazards?


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## PhilTheFragger (Jan 30, 2021)

JustW75 said:



			Quick (stupid) question: Will the rangefinder only 'find' the pin or can one use it for bunkers and other hazards?
		
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If you can see it, you can get a range on it. Not on the plane in the sky Doh 

Only proviso is that they dont work in fog or in very low light.


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## IainP (Jan 30, 2021)

I'd echo what oddsocks and others have said. If picking one one school of thought is-
Go with a GPS for convenience until the time comes where you feel you are striking accurately enough to benefit from the potentially slightly more accurate laser rangefinder.

I have both but can go several rounds not taking the laser out.

But there isn't a right or wrong answer here - whatever you fancy. 
You do pay more for a GPS that includes hazards/penalty areas and a value laser does give you that option as long as you can see them. If you've carved it over the trees onto the next fairway and need to come back over trees then often the GPS wins (flag can't be seen)


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## hovis (Jan 30, 2021)

Go with both and buy a bushnell hybrid


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## Oddsocks (Jan 30, 2021)

Oooooo off to google!


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## Smiffy (Jan 31, 2021)

With all due respect, at your handicap a watch will be fine.
There are very few things more amusing on a golf course than watching somebody pull out their rangefinder, declare it's 112 yards exactly to the pin, take 4 or 5 practice swings and then fat it 20 yards....
With a watch, you can take a quick look without anyone else noticing, and when you arrow one straight at the flag they will think you are a genius.

If you do buy a watch, go for one that shows you lay up distances, distances to doglegs, hazards etc. Very, very useful, especially on a strange course.

Once your handicap comes down and you are hitting the ball consistent distances, sell your watch and buy a rangefinder.


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## JustW75 (Jan 31, 2021)

Smiffy said:



			With all due respect, at your handicap a watch will be fine.
There are very few things more amusing on a golf course than watching somebody pull out their rangefinder, declare it's 112 yards exactly to the pin, take 4 or 5 practice swings and then fat it 20 yards....
With a watch, you can take a quick look without anyone else noticing, and when you arrow one straight at the flag they will think you are a genius.

If you do buy a watch, go for one that shows you lay up distances, distances to doglegs, hazards etc. Very, very useful, especially on a strange course.

Once your handicap comes down and you are hitting the ball consistent distances, sell your watch and buy a rangefinder.
		
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Thank you so much for this.


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## Pants (Jan 31, 2021)

Not sure if it was Palmer or Nicklaus, but whoever it was said that (paraphrasing) if you take your yardage to the middle of the green, and hit it, then you will rarely be more that 15yds long or short - and let's face it, none of us would more that 2 putt from that distance, would we

Good advice though methinks, so all you need is distance to centre and you won't go far wrong


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## JustW75 (Jan 31, 2021)

Pants said:



			Not sure if it was Palmer or Nicklaus, but whoever it was said that (paraphrasing) if you take your yardage to the middle of the green, and hit it, then you will rarely be more that 15yds long or short - and let's face it, none of us would more that 2 putt from that distance, would we

Good advice though methinks, so all you need is distance to centre and you won't go far wrong 

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I take it you are advocating the watch as the better purchase?


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## Imurg (Jan 31, 2021)

Traminator said:



			It depends how accurate you want/need to be.

Hitting it to the centre of our greens would see you 3 putting several times a round in summer, depending on the pin positions, normally it's much better to be short or long.

Laser is more reliable and accurate, trying to work out a precise distance to a back pin when you're nowhere near a distance marker is just guesswork.  At least having a GPS that tells you distances to hazards and front, middle and back of each green is miles better than nothing at all.
		
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A lot of GPS units have a movable cursor acting as the pin.
Normally it's set on middle but you can move it to anywhere 
So if the pin looks towards the back you move it in the general area and you have your more accurate approximate yardage..if that's even a thing


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## Pants (Jan 31, 2021)

Traminator said:



			Hitting it to the centre of our greens would see you 3 putting several times a round in summer, depending on the pin positions, normally it's much better to be short or long.
		
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Yet another argumentative post for the sake of it.  I very much doubt if the OP plays at your club and the quality of your putting on your greens has little bearing to his question.  If you base your club selection for the middle of the green, unless it's in the hole you will be short or long (OK to the side maybe) so  i don't get your point.  

Most courses I play have some indication as to where the pin is positioned - colour of flag or a slider to indicate whether it's at the front, middle or back third of the green for instance.  I seem to remember something about the pin shouldn't be positioned less than 2yds from the edge of the green??  This being the case then taking an average length of green at (say) 30 yds then the pin should be positioned within a 24 yd long area.  Therefore a central location should be 15 yds on +/- 5yds, a front or back location should be 5 yds from front/back +/- 3yds to edge and+/- 5yds to centre section.  I know of very few golfers (who are not scratch or cat1) who can regularly hit shots to within a 5 yd accuracy regularly.  In fact I'd go as far to say that most golfers' yardages are based on well hit shots and the majority of times they will come up short of their required distance.  That lends credence to the view that most golfers should take the yardage to the back of the green.

Coming back to the OP, imo, anything that gives basic info for FMB of green should serve you well until you get to Cat 2 or better.  If it's a course you play regularly and you are worried about distances to hazards etc, either aim to miss them or get a course planner and combine that with your watch.  

I see Smiffy has got a fairly basic one for sale .............


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## JustW75 (Jan 31, 2021)

Traminator said:



			It depends how accurate you want/need to be.

Hitting it to the centre of our greens would see you 3 putting several times a round in summer, depending on the pin positions, normally it's much better to be short or long.

Laser is more reliable and accurate, trying to work out a precise distance to a back pin when you're nowhere near a distance marker is just guesswork.  At least having a GPS that tells you distances to hazards and front, middle and back of each green is miles better than nothing at all.
		
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Where are you playing that the greens are so big?🤣


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