Has your gps device knocked shots off your handicap?

[ademac]

As the title says really.

I’m looking to buy a rangefinder or gps device but wondering if it’s really worth it?

Will it save me shots per round or improve my handicap?
I doubt it but would like to get peoples opinions on this and hear if anyone’s handicap has come down due to using one?

I feel that the markers on the course and the flag position (different coloured flag) is generally enough for me but I think maybe I am looking to be convinced!

Would also be good to see people’s handicap and if they use gps/rangefinder or not?

 

[rulefan]

IMO they are only of benefit if you can always hit a ball to within 10 yards on the fairway and 10' on the green.
All I have seen is that they prove that most people can't.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't offer any quantifiable proof but I do feel having worked hard on my approach shots from 100 yards and in, I feel more confident when using a rangefinder from that sort of range and knowing how far away I am and therefore which sort of shot would work best given the landing zone (short sided, flag a long way back, danger long etc).

 

[trevor]

When I know the exact yardage I know what club to use. Whether the ball goes that yardage is entirely down to my swing but that’s not the balls or the clubs fault.

 

[Grant85]

As the title says really.

I’m looking to buy a rangefinder or gps device but wondering if it’s really worth it?

Will it save me shots per round or improve my handicap?
I doubt it but would like to get peoples opinions on this and hear if anyone’s handicap has come down due to using one?

I feel that the markers on the course and the flag position (different coloured flag) is generally enough for me but I think maybe I am looking to be convinced!

Would also be good to see people’s handicap and if they use gps/rangefinder or not?

Interesting. I think the question should more be 'will having an accurate yardage save you shots or not'?

I'd say, on balance, yes. but you can still hit a good shot and miss the green.

Perhaps for some, it would give you the confidence to know you have the right club and you are not guessing. But it could also make you more aggressive to try and hit the exact number, on the exact line. If you don't know the exact yardage, you may be more inclined to simply aim for the middle of the green and might actually hit more greens.

 

[rksquire]

I love it, use Hole 19 with the apple watch (had a garmin before), I find it very useful for 170/160 and in which tend to be more consistent shots; beyond that, it's really telling I'm into the clubs that are less consistent so I know just to try and concentrate on strike. Useful for measuring completed shots as well.

Has it knocked strokes off? Probably not, it doesn't improve chipping or putting, couple it with your consistent clubs and know what you can lay up to etc. (course management), it might be a helpful tool.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

When I had game golf from 75-100 yards I averaged 83% inside 15 yards (default distance set by GG)
With a SW from that distance I hit it to 15 yards 73% of the time
With a GW that was 86%
With a PW that dropped to 63%
That took into account all lies

As I said, knowing the yardage and the club/shot to play made a difference (in my mind)

From 50-75 yards I averaged 76% overall
With my SW that was 73% inside the 15 yard mark
With the GW that was 86% inside the mark

Clearly the SW was the weaker club but I am happy that the rangefinder definitely helped

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It is a hard question to answer but I don't see how it can harm. Most courses have markers at 200, 150 and 100yds. In between those distances we are making guesses. They may be good guesses but they are still guesses. The gps device takes out most of the guesswork, mine tells me front, middle or back of the green and I don't walk to the green, measure the distance to the flag, so then it is down to me. As an example, on Saturday I had a number of shots from 80yds to the middle, we don't have deep greens so I largely go for the middle figure particularly in the cold and damp when the greens are not running on much. I could swing knowing that 80yds was the figure to hit. No half measures, not sure etc, I could hit the shot with a clear mind. How can that be a bad thing?

 

[Orikoru]

It's hard to quantify because I think I started using GPS around the same time as my first handicap. But I can tell you I was awful at estimating distances before that. And it's not just about shots to the green where you could use the 150 markers. It's off the tee, when you need to lay up behind a hazard, or play to the corner of a dogleg, or you want to play it to the widest, safest part of the fairway before it narrows further down. All of these things can be seen on the overview of the hole so you can choose where to aim and know what club to use to get there. Rather than hitting it 10 yards too far and ending up in a ditch which is nearer than you thought, or underclubbing it to that dogleg so trees block your line to the green.

I use a rangefinder as well occasionally, mainly on par 3s where I can't see the surface of the green and it's hard for me to work out if the pin is front or back, which could be 15 yards difference. Generally I find that knowing the exact yardage gives me more confidence in my club selection, and it's very hard to make a good shot if you're not 100% committed to the club that you're hitting.

 

[jim8flog]

Away from home has definitely saved me shots.

Where I play I used to have a well marked out course planner based upon walking distances. One thing it taught me is that I don't have a one yard pace and my club yardages based upon the course planner were incorrect. There are quite a few holes where I do not even refer to it (particularly the par 3s) because I know the course so well and know what club based upon where I am.

As my handicap has remained fairly constant over a number of years I cannot say it has reduced my handicap but it has saved me shots on occasions.

Having got one would I buy another if it went wrong or was lost - Yes.

 

[chrisd]

I've used a Bushnell from the 1st day they were allowed. People took the pee but I'd ask them how far it was to a certain tree and what club they'd use for that distance. 9 times out of 10 they would be at least 15 yards out on their guess (mostly under) and therefore about one club short.

 

[Imurg]

I'm not sure use of a GPS or laser is primarily designed to knock shots off your handicap.
The first thing you need to know, when you get to your ball, is how far you are from your target.
Some can guess with reasonable accuracy, some can't.
As for on course markers, some courses only have, for example, a 150 yard marker on one side of the fairway or right in the middle ( sunken plate) which is fine if you're close to them. If you're not then I hope you studied trigonometry...
A rangefinder just gives you the distance - fairly quickly and pretty accurately.
It doesn't hit the shots and even if you're right next to the 150 marker you still need to hit the shot.
But at least you know what your target distance is.

 

[cliveb]

Couldn't say if having a GPS watch has helped my handicap - it might have been the same if I'd never got one.
But what I can say with great confidence is that I rely on it far too much, to the extent that I'd feel lost without it.

So on balance I guess they have deskilled the game to some extent.
(But then so have 460cc drivers, CB irons and hybrids).

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My gps device comprises my eyes and my experience. But it doesn't do 'stand-alone' very well; it needs calibrating using distance posts or distances marked on sprinkler heads. Then it works pretty well - and the combination certainly saves me shots - because when I am way off the fairway on a hole even on my own track (which I know inside out) - I struggle to sort out the distance to go. maybe I need one of these new-fangled gizmo things...

 

[Swango1980]

As the title says really.

I’m looking to buy a rangefinder or gps device but wondering if it’s really worth it?

Will it save me shots per round or improve my handicap?
I doubt it but would like to get peoples opinions on this and hear if anyone’s handicap has come down due to using one?

I feel that the markers on the course and the flag position (different coloured flag) is generally enough for me but I think maybe I am looking to be convinced!

Would also be good to see people’s handicap and if they use gps/rangefinder or not?

The year I got a GPS watch, I went from a handicap of 11 to a handicap of 6.

I'm sure I just generally got better, but I do think the GPS played a massive part. It doesn't matter if you are inconsistent in the yardages you hit your club, the important thing is you know the actual yardage in the first place. For example, I may have 140 yards to the green (going by GPS), hit a club less far than normal and be 10-15 yards short. However, without GPS i might have incorrectly thought it was 130 yards (i.e. used a lesser club). If I then hit it equally short based on that, I am now 20-25 yards short, not 10-15 yards.

Before I had GPS I would quite often hit a shot and be shocked when I was so far short of the green, or even miles past it. As soon as I got the GPS watch, I've never been that far short or long, unless I have properly fatted it or bladed it.

The other beauty of it is, when you are playing to the green from an unusual place, like another fairway, where yardage posts or discs won't be of much use. Also, depending on where you are, yardage posts can sometimes be misleading. Judging by the post, I may assume that I've 100 yards, but then look at my watch and can sometimes be about 10 yards out, simply because of the angle I'm playing from, or maybe of poorly positioned post.

A Range Scope is very good to get exact position to the pin, which is sometimes hard to tell, especially on a deep green. The weakness is playing to a blind green, or playing on a foggy day, where a watch is probably more useful. When using a scope, care not to accidentally click on the trees behind the green. I've done that a couple of times and watch my ball sail over the green

 

[Swango1980]

IMO they are only of benefit if you can always hit a ball to within 10 yards on the fairway and 10' on the green.
All I have seen is that they prove that most people can't.

I'd definitely have to disagree with that. Every golfer will hit variable yardages to some degree. Better to hit variable yardages to a definitive (known) yardage, than variable yardages to an estimated yardage. Firstly, if you estimate the yardage incorrectly, AND hit the shot a different distance to what you normally would hit on average, you can easily compound the problem. Secondly, at least if you know the yardage and hit it the wrong distance, it gives you confidence that it was the yardage that you hit was wrong, not the yardage you thought you were playing to. That gives a golfer much more useful feedback, and will probably assist them in working out how far they can actually hit their clubs.

 

[Rlburnside]

I’m a 17 h/c and have been using a gps watch for 3/4 years and I can definitely say it has not helped lowering my h/c.

Playing my home course I still use it but that’s just out of habit and I don’t really think it’s a great deal of help as I know the course that well plus at 17h/c i can’t consistently hit my yardages.

Where I do think it’s a real Benifit is on away courses.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd definitely have to disagree with that. Every golfer will hit variable yardages to some degree. Better to hit variable yardages to a definitive (known) yardage, than variable yardages to an estimated yardage. Firstly, if you estimate the yardage incorrectly, AND hit the shot a different distance to what you normally would hit on average, you can easily compound the problem. Secondly, at least if you know the yardage and hit it the wrong distance, it gives you confidence that it was the yardage that you hit was wrong, not the yardage you thought you were playing to. That gives a golfer much more useful feedback, and will probably assist them in working out how far they can actually hit their clubs.

Most of the time I can see from Red/Yellow/White flag where the pin is on the green (front/middle/back) - and I simply pace to my ball from the nearest sprinkler head or marker post - converting 10 paces = 8yds. And I'm usually pretty consistent with GPS devices. But I need the distance markers. However on courses I don't know I can get some distances a bit wrong so can see the value then.

 

[patricks148]

Rangefinder Def helped within 130 yards, went from 7 to 4

 

[patricks148]

Most of the time I can see from Red/Yellow/White flag where the pin is on the green (front/middle/back) - and I simply pace to my ball from the nearest sprinkler head or marker post - converting 10 paces = 8yds. And I'm usually pretty consistent with GPS devices. But I need the distance markers. However on courses I don't know I can get some distances a bit wrong so can see the value then.

so what you are saying is you don't have a rangfinder or GPS and they havn't lowered your scores?