Laser or GPS?

[harpo_72]

If you have a watch on and get a free laser number your just getting more details.. or you know they have just lasered the tree behind. Having said that our flags have the reflectors on which makes it very quick

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I played with a golfer once and I had forgotten my watch he proceeded to say you don't need it if you can't constantly know your distance

I just pointed out no but it's helpful to know how far to clear the ditch .. so I know if it's a 6 iron or a 9 eh?

I played with a guy who, soapbox style, berated me for the use of technology that has "no part in this sport" but 20 mins later casually asked me for a reading

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

continued.... (pressed too soon)
And I've played with guys who's GP is on the wrong hole and simply take a club for a 180yd shot which is 150.

 

[nickjdavis]

continued.... (pressed too soon)
And I've played with guys who's GP is on the wrong hole and simply take a club for a 180yd shot which is 150.

had that happen to me in a foursomes match at an unfamiliar course...my partner gave me a yardage with his GPS watch and I airmailed the green by two clubs....for some reason his watch had decided we were playing a different hole!!!

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I prefer GPS for the convenience, and also the far lesser likelihood of leaving my watch out on the course.
I suspect laser is more accurate, but I'm not so why would it matter?

I'm surprised that Brits would prefer laser when your courses have so many more blind shots than ours do.
Isn't rangefinder a problem then?

 

[Golfnut1957]

I use a Leupold GX-2i3, a rather expensive American brand that is generally unavailable over here. I've played them all, Bushnell, Garmin, Precision Pro, Callaway, Nikon and more, the Leupold beats them hands down for speed of locking on the pin and simplicity and is equal for accuracy. Incredibly small, I just keep it in my pocket when playing.

I hear people saying why bother with such accuracy. It's simple, I want to hit it a specific distance, am I capable? Yes. Will I pull it off? Occasionally. But, I am going to get an accurate distance, factor in wind and slope and try to hit it that specific distance. If you don't have that information, you're just guessing and setting up to fail.

This to my mind is what you get with an average GPS, some vague inaccurate distance to a point on the green. If you are just looking for the middle just use the tee markers and the distance on the card, saves money. A mate of mine stands on the tee and calls out a distance which I can testify via the laser, can be and often is, way out. I've told him, he isn't interested, he's happy with his vague distance, I'm happy for him.

Not withstanding any of the above, Santa is bringing me a Bushnell ION Elite. It tells the time incredibly accurately, apparently.

 

[Backache]

This to my mind is what you get with an average GPS, some vague inaccurate distance to a point on the green. If you are just looking for the middle just use the tee markers and the distance on the card, saves money.

If the only distance that is important is the tee shot on par 3's this would be true.
However for me distance on the fairway is also important.
GPS works fine as I do not usually aim at pins but at greens my shot dispersion doesn't warrant aiming at pins.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

My GPS watch has become a "necessary" appendage of habit.
A "comforter".
I've driven back home to get it on arrival (a mile) and, other times, flapped when I found it wasnt charged and relied on my playing partners for the info.
Yet I've recently realised that "subconsciously" its just an aide and my brain and my watch have a debate.
Today, misty, damp and slightly chilly, watch says "9 iron".
Eyes and brain say "Nope, 7 iron" and 7 iron it was.
Eyes and brain 1, watch 0.
But 8 months of the year watch is boss.

 

[srixon 1]

Both for me. Laser mainly from 140 yds or less.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Both for me. Laser mainly from 140 yds or less.

How do you allow for conditions?
As I said, today the ball simply wasn't travelling so the brain challenges the tech?

 

[Backache]

How do you allow for conditions?
As I said, today the ball simply wasn't travelling so the brain challenges the tech?

All forms of legal distance measuring devices only give a distance. Whether laser or GPS.
You always have to engage brain to decide on the shot and club depending on wind, temp, slopes firm ground flier lies etc.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I agree, but today, so many times, my brain simply overruled the watch as I gazed at the shot.
Yet I still feel naked without the watch.

 

[srixon 1]

How do you allow for conditions?
As I said, today the ball simply wasn't travelling so the brain challenges the tech?

When it’s cold and damp the ball just doesn’t go as far. I allow for it by hitting more club.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I agree, but today, so many times, my brain simply overruled the watch as I gazed at the shot.
Yet I still feel naked without the watch.

Do you still think summer distances in autumn/winter? I'm 1-2 clubs more right now. I don't necessarily adjust the whole distance/club table, I just think distance x, that's a PW, take 8 or 9.

 

[jim8flog]

continued.... (pressed too soon)
And I've played with guys who's GP is on the wrong hole and simply take a club for a 180yd shot which is 150.

Seen that often where I play.

We play two holes shortened when very wet and players forget to advance their watches from 16 to 17 when we have played a much shortened 16th alternate green. 16th par 5 to a par 4 with a 200 yard difference and 17th becomes a par 3 from a completely different tee.

 

[Orikoru]

Don't have that problem with Hole19. You enter your score at the end of the hole and scroll to the next one. Even if you weren't scoring you can plainly see if it's on the wrong hole since you're looking at a map of it.

 

[PJ87]

Don't have that problem with Hole19. You enter your score at the end of the hole and scroll to the next one. Even if you weren't scoring you can plainly see if it's on the wrong hole since you're looking at a map of it.

I find when its raining if ive got my waterproof jacket on my watch likes to think that ive scrolled to another hole which an be annoying

but its easy to spot (as the yardage is wrong and the picture is wrong)

 

[timd77]

I’ve used hole19 on my watch for years, must be 8 years now. I love the convenience, being able to record my score, and also being able to have a glance at the yardage and a pick a club accordingly. On the odd occasion I’ve forgotten my watch or I’ve had some sort of tech issue, and have had to do with out it or ask playing partners for a yardage, I’ve really struggled.

However, I played today and concluded I need a laser as well. Couple of times I look at the flag ‘that’s front’ and picked a club based on the front yardage. Got up there and the flag was as the back. So my 100 yard shot which came up a few yards short, is now actually about 30 yards short! Don’t know if it’s an age thing and my eyes are on the way out, but it’s happened a few times lately. Would love the club to colour code the flags.

If I do get one I’ll still wear the watch and use hole19 in conjunction with the laser.

 

[rulie]

Sounds like several are slaves to technology and can’t play without it? Sad state!

 

[PJ87]

I’ve used hole19 on my watch for years, must be 8 years now. I love the convenience, being able to record my score, and also being able to have a glance at the yardage and a pick a club accordingly. On the odd occasion I’ve forgotten my watch or I’ve had some sort of tech issue, and have had to do with out it or ask playing partners for a yardage, I’ve really struggled.

However, I played today and concluded I need a laser as well. Couple of times I look at the flag ‘that’s front’ and picked a club based on the front yardage. Got up there and the flag was as the back. So my 100 yard shot which came up a few yards short, is now actually about 30 yards short! Don’t know if it’s an age thing and my eyes are on the way out, but it’s happened a few times lately. Would love the club to colour code the flags.

If I do get one I’ll still wear the watch and use hole19 in conjunction with the laser.

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I have this brand, very good, simple easy to use