Golf watches

Bazz

Bazz

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Been looking at and considering getting a watch to measure distances but I'm wondering if it will do me any good.

Currently my swing isn't very consistent, as my handicap suggests, so would I be better off waiting until I've got a repeatable swing and know exactly how far I can hit each club?

Anyone got any thoughts?

Thanks
 
There is no down side to getting one of these watches. They are a good guide to the distance you need to hit. As your game improves your club choice will improve as your striking/distances become more consistent. The watch takes out the guessing element and it will help you. I have a Garmin S1, the most basic, and I find that is enough, certainly a good one to start with.
 
I'm a 28 & been thinking about one, but to clip to my bag as I can't wear a watch while playing.

Personally, I don't see it doing any harm. If anything, it will help to gauge your best shots with a given club, & help work out an average distance which may ultimately lead to more consistency.

If for example you think your 6i will go 150-160 but actually only going 140 at best, then you can use this choose the correct club....

That's my tuppence anywho.
 
I've got a Garmin S2 and it gives you more confidence in how far you have to the green.

I obviously can't swing consistently enough to hit the green all the time but I find the watch gives me more confidence in club selection and thereby one less thing to think about.
 
I was torn between a watch and a "sat nav" when I was looking at this. I ended up getting a Garmin Approach G6 for Christmas which my missus got in the sale and I have to say I love it. I opted for the sat nav over the watch for the ability to see the hole layout, plot spots where I want to layup etc.. I know some watches have hazard functionality but they will be the more expensive ones I think.

I'd agree with Tyrion - I'm still very much getting to a place where my distances are consistent but knowing how far I need to aim for is definitely a benefit. As I get more consistent it will be even more useful. Hell they most also have shot tracking functionality to help you work out how far you _really_ hit the ball with each club.
 
Yeah I want one because they're cool gadgets but until I can hit 8/10 balls to within a 10 yard distance differential I'd probably only use it where the course designer has created an optical illusion as part of the hole design or I hit onto an adjacent fairway, otherwise there's plenty distance markers on the course so there's others golf toys I'd buy first
 
If nothing else, it will help you build up knowledge of how far a decent shot will go with each club as you use it more and more on the course.

If you can afford it, go for it.
 
Some observations from my point of view of using a DMD since I had a handicap of 21.

1. A distance measuring device helps you think less about each shot if you know your club yardages and they're quicker than estimating based on course markers and yardage books. They help you to be decisive quickly, I think that's a good thing for players of any ability. Even if you don't know club yardages, they help to remove some doubt and having the DMD is a good trigger for you to go on to learning your yardages.

2. I won a GolfBuddy watch from HowDidIDo last year and it's excellent, much clearer and more convenient than the Garmin attached to my bag. I tried playing with it, it works great, but I just can't play with a watch on. There's no concern with accuracy of a watch versus anything else but it's a matter of personal preference whether or not you can wear them in play.

3. If you want it and can afford it. Just go ahead and enjoy your new toy. Don't listen to anyone that says you're not good enough for it. :D
 
Bazzatron said:
Been looking at and considering getting a watch to measure distances but I'm wondering if it will do me any good.

Currently my swing isn't very consistent, as my handicap suggests, so would I be better off waiting until I've got a repeatable swing and know exactly how far I can hit each club?

Anyone got any thoughts?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I bought a golf buddy watch best purchase I ever made, Yes maybe your swing isn't the best right now but that wont stop you buying a watch there's nothing better knowing how far you got left to the green, no more guessing.
You'll start knowing how far you hit you clubs when you hit them well, Get one you wont regret it, I didn't.
 
I pinched a Garmin S1 from Amazon's Black Friday sale for £70 last year, and it's ideal for me. I score on a scorecard (best habit to have when you play comps I find) so the S1 does all I need it to - give me a distance to the green. The higher numbered models give you more functionality, like a scorecard on the watch and distances to hazards etc, so depending on what you want from your watch, you can go cheap and cheerful or expensive and fancy!

Forget handicap, it's good to know your distances as well as knowing basic distances to greens!
 
"hit 8/10 balls to within a 10 yard distance differential" I wish I could do this.......what do you play off?

My thoughts on the watch are at the very least you'll know how far your good shots go and how far your bad shots go.
 
I have had a simple DMD for a few years now and it has definitely helped me work out how far I can hit individual clubs. Of course if I thin it or hit it fat it doesn't go the correct distance but assuming a fairly decent strike, I now have a very good idea of how far my irons in particular actually go.
 
This is one of the best things to buy for golf. I wanted a watch and got talked into a handheld that I clip to my bag. It's tremendous and so much better than a watch. Watches (unless going for the newest, most expensive) give you front, middle, back. My Garmin handheld gives you a map of every hole with distances to bunkers and hazards. You can also select lay up distances and select a pin position.

Initially I thought this would be of minimal use especially on my home course but the amount of times I have had a bunker to clear with 60 yards to go have showed me how useful it is.

DMD has not improved my best score but my average score is probably down a couple of shots. Such a good thing to have. You'll wonder how you ever judged distances without it!
 
I would definitely go for the GPS watch, but first, get your distances checked by a pro with a flight-scope or similar, as you need to know how far a well-struck shot goes with each club. (You can work this out using a DMD, but it takes much longer.) Armed with this info and your new watch, you'll be confident in selecting the right club almost every time. (Still need to allow for wind, uphill/downhill shots etc.) Anyone, regardless of handicap, can benefit from these - so go ahead.
 
There is absolutely no association to your handicap and having anything such as a GPS to assist you, in-fact, it can only help you. If you look at your GPS and it states 135yds to the middle of the green and you keep catching the front greenside bunkers, then you can't hit that club you've used consistently, so you club up, at worse if you flush it you'll be at the back of the green, over the hazards but putting! So, get yourself a basic GPS for front, middle & back and get to learn the distances [you average) with your clubs, the results will be very beneficial irrelevant of your handicap :thup:
 
Do you have access to a practice ground. Easy enough to hit a few balls and take an average. Even if you only hit a few seven irons on the course somewhere (when it's quiet and out of sight from the clubhouse I would suggest) then you can get an average and if you go in say ten yard intervals for each club from there it'll be a ball park figure. Go for it. Always good to know how far you have left
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Do you have access to a practice ground. Easy enough to hit a few balls and take an average. Even if you only hit a few seven irons on the course somewhere (when it's quiet and out of sight from the clubhouse I would suggest) then you can get an average and if you go in say ten yard intervals for each club from there it'll be a ball park figure. Go for it. Always good to know how far you have left
Click to expand...

Excellent suggestion, I'll give that a go. Cheers
 
If you can afford it, go for it I'd say. It's peace of mind to know accurate distances to the green, bunkers, hazards etc.
I sound like a broken record but after lots of research I went for the Golf Buddy WT4, in my case it gave me everything I wanted at the best price compared to all the others, it also looks the coolest as well IMO :cool:
 
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