• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

GPS; Its just a gimmick!

I have a Laser Rangefinder and think that it is as valuable as my putter in termsss of scoring. I know exact distances to the flag/bunkers/trees etcc which allows me to make a fully infomred choice about which club I should go with. I still have to factor in temparature wind and lie which is a skill. Pacing off distances and doing addition/subtraction isn't worth the effort in my opinion! I would recommend a range finder/gps to every single golfer who wanted to improve.
 
shivas irons said:
I`m sure the R&A looked into this some years back and were concerned with slow play when using GPS and although allowing clubs to let club golfers use them apart from the skill level one of the reasons that they dont allow the elite players to use them in tournaments was the concern over slow play.
Click to expand...



Buddy i think that you are way off the mark with your findings......
GPS dont slow down play.....
What slows down play are golfers that are either wont or dont educate themselves in the basic etiquette of the game before they start to play it or those that are completely ignorant to the basic rules of courses!

In my opinion GPS devices would be of great help to any player.....Especially if they take the time to really make use of them.... i.e learn exactly how far they hit each club in normal conditions.......
How in all honestly can you say that they slow the game down?

If the educated player knows his carry distance for each club while he is walking to his ball he is getting the correct yardages to the green and its just a matter of pulling the club from the bag and letting one go....

He's certainly not going to be arsing and faffing about pacing around the fairways from yardage points.....That in my opinion wastes time unless done religiously to the point where your so rapped up in your own game that you wont even socialise with the people that you are playing with.
 
shivas irons said:
,you can mark off distance from a marker whilst walking to your ball,this ive done whilst caddy on the European Seniors and it works fine so dont tell me it does not because if its good enough for them I can assure you its good enough for you GPS guys!.Mobile phones + GPS=long round :confused:
Click to expand...

This of course assumes that you have played past the marker post. If you are short then surely you need to walk from your ball to the marker and back therefore taking more time. :confused:
 
Bratty said:
Just please don't try imposing your views on others.
Click to expand...


I still think that he's on a Papyt wind up - nothing he says makes any sense to me.

They are legal, definitely are faster than pacing up and down, better than guessing and almost every posting on here is pro them, and yet he keeps on trying to convince us we are all wrong. Ever thought of running for Parliament Shivas?
 
shivas irons said:
Rely on bunkers and trees on the hole that are shown/marked on a scorecard.
Click to expand...

Assuming you have this info on the card.....

Many don't. Or it's completely indecipherable...

A GPS is nothing more than an electronic Scoresaver - a million times easier to use and more accurate than pacing - definitely more accurate than guessing.
 
chrisd said:
Isn't that the good think about golf, you do it your way and we're free to do it ours !
Click to expand...
Absolutely,I`m just giving my opinion on something and members are entitled to their opinions,but what I will say that has suprised me has been the pathetic unconstructive childish comments that have been made to me,Golf for some reason nowdays seems to attract some really stupid people :rolleyes:.
 
shivas irons said:
Absolutely,I`m just giving my opinion on something and members are entitled to their opinions,but what I will say that has suprised me has been the pathetic unconstructive childish comments that have been made to me,Golf for some reason nowdays seems to attract some really stupid people :rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

:rofl: :rofl: Oh the irony.
 
shivas irons said:
I`m sure the R&A looked into this some years back and were concerned with slow play when using GPS and although allowing clubs to let club golfers use them apart from the skill level one of the reasons that they dont allow the elite players to use them in tournaments was the concern over slow play.
Click to expand...

If they are concerned then why are they not banned for use in comps
 
shivas irons said:
Absolutely,I`m just giving my opinion on something and members are entitled to their opinions,but what I will say that has suprised me has been the pathetic unconstructive childish comments that have been made to me,Golf for some reason nowdays seems to attract some really stupid people :rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

He he touché :rofl:
 
shivas irons said:
The "Aid" bit was all very tongue in cheek Mr Moderator :whistle: .Seriously though another argument against GPS is the fact that they do and its been proven slow down play quite considerably,you can mark off distance from a marker whilst walking to your ball,this ive done whilst caddy on the European Seniors and it works fine so dont tell me it does not because if its good enough for them I can assure you its good enough for you GPS guys!.Mobile phones + GPS=long round :confused:
Click to expand...

Certainly seem to speed up play, when used properly, in all the 'tests' that I've seen.

As GPS/Rangefinders are not legal during the actual competition (Elite/PGA/European - except a couple) so, pacing out from the markers etc is what's required. And there are loads more markers (though no 150yd post) actually added to assist caddies/players during those comps. And they are given pin-sheets too, so distance to flag is much more accurate.

Who was your player btw? And when was it?

Anyway, wind-up or not, I believe you fundamentally agree that knowing the correct yardage is important. It's only the method by which you achieve it that we are discussing - GPS, Laser, Pacing or 'by eye'. So you are welcome to carry on wandering about finding a reference point to pace your distance - or simply guess. Just remember to let me through cos checking my SkyCaddie, zapping the pin with my Bushnell or checking the Pro Guide for the distance from that sprinkler-head is much quicker!
 
kid2 said:
So you are basically guessing the depth and width of the green then!
Click to expand...

Kid, that's how the game was played at club level since it began until about 3 years ago when DMDs arrived and we all decided we needed to know the distance to the nearest yard.;)

I very rarely pace out distances either. Nor do most people I know who play without DMDs. I certainly don't walk ahead to a marker. I might pace off from a marker as I walk up to my ball but I nearly always lose count any way. Mostly I just "guess". I look at the marker (if there is one) I look at my ball I look at the flag. I pick a club and fire away. It's actually quite fun thinking is it the right club? (no water to carry on our course :smirk:) If it is well done me!

I'm pretty ambivalent about GPS/DMDs. I don't use one and feel that judging distance is part of the art of the game. People did and do manage to play without them. And yes I would guess (estimate) the depth of the green! Mistakes happen and I accept it as part of the game. I can however understand why people like and use them. That's fair enough.

As I said on another thread, playing with partners who have them I can see the value and there have been times when I have been told the distance and changed clubs so I don't dispute they can help. However I don't think they are as essential as some people think.

I don't think they have any significant impact on the pace of play one way or another. That is far more the result of other factors (see Bobmac's thread on that topic).

One thing I have noticed is that after playing golf for 40 years since I was a kid, I judge most distances up to about 250 yards in terms of golf shots. If someone were to ask me how far a particular object is I would first think what club I would use to reach it then convert that into yards.:mad:
 
MashieNiblick said:
Kid, that's how the game was played at club level since it began until about 3 years ago when DMDs arrived and we all decided we needed to know the distance to the nearest yard.;)
Click to expand...



I know pal....Im just trying to give my opinion on what the OP said......He tells us that he caddied for years but he seems to think that he can judge the distance by eye to the nearest yard better than a GPS :(......

Thats why i posted about the elevated green....Im a bit perplexed as to how he can tell the depth and width of an elevated green from over 150 yards when he cant see the putting surface to tell how big it is.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Course specifying club use on a hole
2
Replies
36
Views
4K
clubchamp98
clubchamp98
Ye Olde Boomer
Non-scratch player--bagging a driving iron?
2
Replies
28
Views
6K
Ye Olde Boomer
Ye Olde Boomer
P
Why are people A-Holes when playing MATCHPLAY?
5 6 7
Replies
121
Views
14K
Sid Rixon IV
S
N
Filling the Gaps
Replies
6
Views
5K
ntommo
N
D
Loft increase on its own or with closed face? Beginner with Tendinosis.
Replies
11
Views
2K
Backsticks
Backsticks
Top