Course Planner, GPS or both?!

[AmandaJR]

So, playing an away match tomorrow and it's an important one! Playing at The Abbotsley which I played once a couple of years back and can only recall a couple of holes. Plus I'm a very different golfer now so how I played it/found it last time is almost irrelevant.

I have my Garmin G3 so it shows an image of the hole/bunkers/hazards plus the facility to find the distance to any said feature. Is that sufficient or should I buy a course planner too? What would you do? Seems kind of a waste of money BUT would it provide more information than I get from my GPS? Oh - I also carry a scope

 

[pbrown7582]

I always but a planner as well as using a skycaddie.
A combination of both works best IMO, although I am tempted to try a laser out , mmm would that be over the top planner gps and laser? :lol: maybe only if they all gave different info! :mmm:

 

[Imurg]

I have never liked Course Planners

I can never work out which tree they measure from of which hill or whatever

Personally I have the Laser but I'm toying with getting a cheap GPS to get a front/back reading too as I can't always chase pins.

 

[AmandaJR]

I always but a planner as well as using a skycaddie.
A combination of both works best IMO, although I am tempted to try a laser out , mmm would that be over the top planner gps and laser? :lol: maybe only if they all gave different info! :mmm:

I'm thinking there's nothing wrong with belt and braces!!

Plus...I think Abbotsley was altered when V Saunders took it back under her wing so wonder if it's been re-mapped on the GPS...

 

[Region3]

I usually get a course planner if it's somewhere nice that I want a memento of. I think the pictures of the holes are more useful than those on a GPS screen, but I mainly use the planner for distances to hazards/doglegs/etc off the tee.

 

[CMAC]

course planners are mostly inaccurate rubbish!

use your Garmin and your playing opponent who can state facts about layout/yardages.

Good luck!

 

[blackpuddinmonster]

Not having a pop at anyone here but why cant people just look at whats in front of them, decide were they want to hit it, choose a club they think will get them there and just ruddy hit it???
Poll after poll states how much people hate slow play. Is it any wonder when the 3 or four ball in front of you are first checking their course planners, then their gps device before taking a laser reading and rounding it all of with some incomprehensible pre shot routine, before topping it into the nearest bush?? :rant:

Sorry about that, just something i needed to get of my chest, mainly because i can't afford a gps me-self

 

[guest100718]

Lots of blind tee shots at Abbotsley.

 

[Tab373]

I would hate to be playing a game with you if you are going to use the course planner the GPS and finally the laser b4 every shot its going to be a long round especially if you have a pre shot routine as well The pros can cope with just a course planner that has been measured by there caddy. So your gps will be fine.

 

[Bratty]

I usually get a course planner if it's somewhere nice that I want a memento of. I think the pictures of the holes are more useful than those on a GPS screen, but I mainly use the planner for distances to hazards/doglegs/etc off the tee.

I'm with Region3 on this one. I will buy a strokesaver as a memento although I don't often use them on the course. My GPS device does a flyover of the hole and can measure to certain points, so it kind of does what the planner does, rather than just front, middle and back.

If your GPS doesn't have point to point measuring or a flyover, then I think a course planner is very useful.

 

[DaveyG]

Not having a pop at anyone here but why cant people just look at whats in front of them, decide were they want to hit it, choose a club they think will get them there and just ruddy hit it???
Poll after poll states how much people hate slow play. Is it any wonder when the 3 or four ball in front of you are first checking their course planners, then their gps device before taking a laser reading and rounding it all of with some incomprehensible pre shot routine, before topping it into the nearest bush?? :rant:

Sorry about that, just something i needed to get of my chest, mainly because i can't afford a gps me-self

I use an S3 and love it but I must admit I agree with you on this.

I look at my watch as I approach the ball so have a good idea of what it will be when I get there... I then look again and see the exact yardage (something a book cant do) and hit the ball...

On the way to the ball I would have worked out if it was a club up opportunity etc based on hills wind and again have a second or 2 to think about it as I go for a club.

If we were pros and almost guaranteed to hit a dustbin lid from 240 yards out AND playing for millions of £££ I could understand looking at maps/recent rainfall charts in the local area/ wind predictions for the next minute etc but I do think all of this information can help and hinder just as much.

By all means use a device but don't become to reliant on using 3 of them as surely you cant stand over the ball with all of them conflicting slightly and feel you are confident to hit ONE shot

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not having a pop at anyone here but why cant people just look at whats in front of them, decide were they want to hit it, choose a club they think will get them there and just ruddy hit it???
Poll after poll states how much people hate slow play. Is it any wonder when the 3 or four ball in front of you are first checking their course planners, then their gps device before taking a laser reading and rounding it all of with some incomprehensible pre shot routine, before topping it into the nearest bush?? :rant:

Sorry about that, just something i needed to get of my chest, mainly because i can't afford a gps me-self

Aha! I am not alone in this world

 

[AmandaJR]

Thanks (I think)! I hardly ever use the laser and usually take a quick glance at the GPS so don't get paralysed or take ages...

On a course I don't know with potential blind shots, hidden hazards etc I'd just like to maximise the information when required so I win!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I always get a planner even though the Sky Caddy has a view of the hole. Apart from anything else most have some sort of hole by hole guide on where to aim/hit which you don't get from the gadgetry. Nice momento too

 

[bobmac]

Get HID to caddy, Simple
And make sure your belt and braces dont clash with your pink bag :thup:

 

[DAVEYBOY]

Garmin S3 for me and it doesn't slow me down even in the slightest. Makes me faster when my games on, correct club selection = less shots.

 

[AmandaJR]

Get HID to caddy, Simple
And make sure your belt and braces dont clash with your pink bag :thup:

I have a pink belt but the braces may be a problem!

Going caddy-less tomorrow so rather hoping my opponent will too. Mind you just home from a thumping 7&5 win and was playing a bit erratically until one opponent asked "ooh Amanda, is that 2 balls you've lost today?"...me "don't know, are you counting then?" and then reeled off 5 straight pars, 4 holes won and the match finished on the 13th :thup:

As Ben Ainsley said "they didn't want to make me mad" :clap:

 

[Bigfoot]

I use my gps which gives me a good layout of the holes (SGX) and only buy a planner at a memorable course. This usually means ( like yesterday at The Warwickshire) my son borrows the planner and I just use gps. I love looking at the holes after a round.

 

[Wayman]

Course planner and bushnill for me