GPS vs. Laser Rangefinders What Do You Actually Use on the Course?

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Just wondering — within what distance to the pin do you usually start pulling out the rangefinder?

Around 170yds on approaches shots unless it’s a long par 3 then I’ll use it on the longer shot to

 

[Backache]

That makes total sense. Out of curiosity, how often do you usually get out to play during the winter? And with temporary greens, what part do you find most challenging?

This winter the weather has been appalling and I've a knee injury so very little. Normally a reasonable amount.
If the pins aren't on a regular green GPS is not a lot of use.

 

[Orikoru]

If you don’t mind me asking, what didn’t work for you when you tried a rangefinder before? And if you were to consider one again, what would matter most to you?

Got too drawn in to aiming at the pin. Often if it was a front pin and I lasered it, I'd be tempted to go down a club and then end up hitting short of the green. I worked out that you hit more greens if you just aim between middle and back every time and don't worry about where the flag is.

In addition, my home course has colour-codes flags for front, middle & back (red, yellow & white) and that's more than enough information for me.

 

[sunshine]

Do you use slope at all, or mostly play without it? How often does it matter for you?

I would never use slope, because it’s cheating. I know that only applies in competition rounds, but what’s the point in using it for casual rounds.

It’s a bit like using an illegal driver for casual games and then switching to a conforming driver for competitions.

 

[garyinderry]

Do you use slope at all, or mostly play without it? How often does it matter for you?

Used it maybe a few times when I first got the range finder just to see the effect. Other than that I just leave the function off.

There's a piece of plastic that you push into the range finder that disables it. Once that went on its stayed there.

 

[Backache]

I would never use slope, because it’s cheating. I know that only applies in competition rounds, but what’s the point in using it for casual rounds.

It’s a bit like using an illegal driver for casual games and then switching to a conforming driver for competitions.

I think there is a point in that it teaches you the best estimation of distance change so that you can estimate for competition rounds.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I would never use slope, because it’s cheating. I know that only applies in competition rounds, but what’s the point in using it for casual rounds.

It’s a bit like using an illegal driver for casual games and then switching to a conforming driver for competitions.

I’m the opposite I’ll always use it in a practice round before a competition. It’s not cheating at all it’s giving you insight in to course layout and how it can affect club choice. No different from a yardage chart bought in club shops that shows the slopes to aid club selection.

Then in comps I have it off knowing that 160yds I laser see yesterday may be playing 150 so it’s a smooth 8 iron or it could be 170 so it’s nearer a smooth 6iron depending on the angle of the slope it was. That is much quicker than waiting for someone to use their gps work out what they think it is and then coming up way short and repeating their process all over again.

It’s simply playing smart and doing proper homework before a competition round.

 

[jim8flog]

For those who use lasers, do you then select a club based on the exact yardage to the pin, or do you factor in the green and where you want to try and land the ball? I have never really understood the use of lasers as I want to hit the green and not the pin.

Back when I was mid single figure generally speaking with any club less than about a 7 iron I could reasonably guarantee where to land the ball within a a few yards at worst. Firing at the pin was common practice for me back then but knowing where on the green you want ball to finish was and is the most important factor.

These days, in the main, I just aim to be on the green in roughly the right area.

 

[jim8flog]

Par 3s are fun when all four players are measuring the distance and then comparing numbers! zzzzz…..

One of my biggest "oh no"s is seeing players who have played the course for decades laser a par 3.

 

[jim8flog]

It’s amazing how many people say lasers delay play. They delay the time to take the shot but if the outcome is good they may actually speed up play by needing less shots to complete the hole(s).

Realisticly though knowing the yardage is one thing being able to play to it us another.

I have mate who lasers everything (we are all waiting for it to come out for a putt).
He can be stood on a distance plate with the flag in the middle of the green and will still laser it but has the sort of ability that the ball can finish anywhere on the green if he hits it in the first place.

 

[clubchamp98]

One of my biggest "oh no"s is seeing players who have played the course for decades laser a par 3.

I do this
Mainly because if I can’t see the bottom of the flag our GK has a habit of putting the wrong colour flags out in winter.

 

[KenL]

One of my biggest "oh no"s is seeing players who have played the course for decades laser a par 3.

 

[Burnsey]

I wear and watch, carry a laser and had a trolley with GPS and still not made my mind up

New trolley does not have GPS, so down to two devices and when it's an open fairway, I don't bother, but tend to use the laser if judging hazard distances. For greens, I tend to focus on the back distance.

If only one, it'd be my rangefinder.

 

[jim8flog]

I do this
Mainly because if I can’t see the bottom of the flag our GK has a habit of putting the wrong colour flags out in winter.

We have 4 par threes
You can see the flag position on the 2nd whilst walking up the first fairway
On the 10th flag position can be clearly seen when you are on the 9th green and generally from the 10th tee.
13th and 15th can be seen clearly from their respective tees.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

One of my biggest "oh no"s is seeing players who have played the course for decades laser a par 3.

Mine is when one of my group lasers the flag on a par 3 and tells the rest…they then do their own lasering thing…just to confirm of course. I hold my hands up to doing that…occasionally…

But I will laser the flag for pitch approaches of over 50yds or so. Manipulation of swing to fit what my head thinks I need to do is one of my big failings as I tend to fall back into old bad ways when I do. It’s much better if I am 100% certain of my yardage.

I argued against any use of distance measuring devices in club comps for years…basically as I considered that it gave these players an unfair advantage (yes I know all the arguments to counter that). I no longer make that argument. But I would argue against allowing use of slope if that was ever up for adoption - making assessments for impact of ground slope is judgment, experience and skill - and developing that is core to the sport. I don’t believe yardage charts with such info (if such were available) would be an equivalent.

 

[Mandofred]

Mine is when one of my group lasers the flag on a par 3 and tells the rest…they then do their own lasering thing…just to confirm of course. I hold my hands up to doing that…occasionally…

But I will laser the flag for pitch approaches of over 50yds or so. Manipulation of swing to fit what my head thinks I need to do is one of my big failings as I tend to fall back into old bad ways when I do. It’s much better if I am 100% certain of my yardage.

I argued against any use of distance measuring devices in club comps for years…basically as I considered that it gave these players an unfair advantage (yes I know all the arguments to counter that). I no longer make that argument. But I would argue against allowing use of slope if that was ever up for adoption - making assessments for impact of ground slope is judgment, experience and skill - and developing that is core to the sport. I don’t believe yardage charts with such info (if such were available) would be an equivalent.

I'm not actually knocking you on this....but this is to me kind of why people can't agree on politics/religion etc. The same people may look at the same info and come to different conclusions....just the way each person looks at something. You see someone double checking yardage as a waste of time.....to me it's a confidence issue which is well worth my taking a couple extra seconds to do.

The second sentence you want to make sure that you KNOW what the yardage is....which helps with confidence. Yet, in the first sentence if someone pulls out their laser to double check the yardage you can't understand it. I've stood at a tee box with several other people who have all lasered and all come back with measurements that can be 2-3yards different....and sometimes way off because some people are crap on using their laser. If someone checks before I do.....I'm still checking. That way if there is a screwup....it's MY screwup. It's a confidence thing....it's not right or wrong. I check yardage right down close to 20yds.....in my head I know it's "around 25yds".....but I want to make sure......I've been known to be wrong.

You can't really stop the march of tech influencing golf....and everything else. The "core" of the sport has already changed a lot.....and it will keep evolving for better or worse. I'd be fine with going back to just side markers every 50yds....there was a skill in deciding the distance as close as possible.....but that isn't going to happen and I'm not even going to think about trying to stop it. Bring on slope....you still have to hit the right shot.

 

[sunshine]

I’m the opposite I’ll always use it in a practice round before a competition. It’s not cheating at all it’s giving you insight in to course layout and how it can affect club choice. No different from a yardage chart bought in club shops that shows the slopes to aid club selection.

Then in comps I have it off knowing that 160yds I laser see yesterday may be playing 150 so it’s a smooth 8 iron or it could be 170 so it’s nearer a smooth 6iron depending on the angle of the slope it was. That is much quicker than waiting for someone to use their gps work out what they think it is and then coming up way short and repeating their process all over again.

It’s simply playing smart and doing proper homework before a competition round.

I’ve never seen a yardage chart that provides slope adjusted distances.

Judging the impact of slope is one of the fundamental skills of the game. I don’t like to see it diminished.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I’ve never seen a yardage chart that provides slope adjusted distances.

Judging the impact of slope is one of the fundamental skills of the game. I don’t like to see it diminished.

I have and I’ve used them at courses that sell them.

I don’t disagree it’s a skill but so was judging distance once upon a time. Things move on doesn’t make executing the shot any easier or guarantee a result.

 

[D-S]

I would have thought that all the year yardage books used by Pros would have the slope on it. Why on earth wouldn’t you?

Out of interest, when using the slope (in practice of course) on a device do you zap the green surface or the top of the pin as this could give a 6ft + difference? I only ask as a recently a mate said a particular hole was slightly uphill and it was patently flat or a little downhill and zapping it he still said it was. We assumed it was the fact that he was aiming at the top of the flag.

 

[sunshine]

I have and I’ve used them at courses that sell them.

Wow I've never seen that before. Must be really interesting to see. Did the course guide have both the distance and the slope adjusted distance? What were the courses? I'm guessing tour courses.