Laser Rangefinder/GPS worth the money for recreational golf?

[Jcrossley94]

I bought a well known branded GPS watch from eBay for £30 and I find it the most useful, however each different tool has its limitations. The GPS watch doesn’t tell me how far it is to hazards (you can buy ones that do) but when using my phone, I find the distances can be sometimes inaccurate. I’ve never actually used a rangefinder, but They seem a bit bulky and require line of sight, useful for temporary greens though. All in all, definitely worth using something to track yardage, depends which suits your price range I guess.

 

[CliveW]

Lasers are great when temp greens are being used in the winter.

 

[Rlburnside]

I'd say either will improve your game no end, you will soon build up a better understanding of how far you hit each club and be pin high more often or you can see how far it is to take bunkers nearer the front of the green out of play. Its a no brainer, I use a gps and a range finder. I think the combination is extremely useful

I tend to think the opposite in fact I asked a question awhile back which was has using a gps or lazer helped reduce your h/c , most said it was useful some said they couldn’t play without one ( which I found very strange) but few said it helped them reduce their h/cs.
I think at your h/c they would be invaluable, btw I’ve just plugged mine in for tomorrow, but must admit I don’t really need it on my home course.

 

[Jigger]

I started with a cheap eBay rangefinder and it was tough to get a read on the flag when there were things near it. My friends couldn’t keep it steady enough.

Bushnell is definitely the way to go in my opinion. Something with pi seeker technology and a slope option which toggles off (don’t think their first model did). However, having had one a few years and seeing friends get new ones, they have even improved massively over the years too. Still live mine and it’s really easy to use.

For GPS, as above, use an app. Hole19 is an excellent free app and doesn’t drain your battery anywhere near as much as other apps.

 

[richbeech]

I pesonally think you need both a GPS and a range finder but if I could only have one then it would be a GPS.

The reason I think you need two is:
Laser obviously doesn't really work when you haven't got a clear line of sight to the flag or the hazard you're trying to avoid.

A GPS won't give you distances to say trees, bridges, marker posts, fences, raised mounds or undulations etc etc. For example at my home course there are a few holes where you need to know how far a large oak tree is as on one hole you need to lay up next to it on a par 5 and on another you need to make sure you don't get too close to it so that it blocks out the green.

Once you do get better at distance control from 100yds and in then obviously a laser is better at giving you more accurate distances.

If sometimes it's not clear, having both will tell you whether a flag is front middle or back. Even for very average golfers this is useful information.

 

[Orikoru]

I pesonally think you need both a GPS and a range finder but if I could only have one then it would be a GPS.

The reason I think you need two is:
Laser obviously doesn't really work when you haven't got a clear line of sight to the flag or the hazard you're trying to avoid.

A GPS won't give you distances to say trees, bridges, marker posts, fences, raised mounds or undulations etc etc. For example at my home course there are a few holes where you need to know how far a large oak tree is as on one hole you need to lay up next to it on a par 5 and on another you need to make sure you don't get too close to it so that it blocks out the green.

Once you do get better at distance control from 100yds and in then obviously a laser is better at giving you more accurate distances.

If sometimes it's not clear, having both will tell you whether a flag is front middle or back. Even for very average golfers this is useful information.

Errr yes it does - on my GPS it's a birdseye view of the hole so you can get a distance to anything. And it didn't cost me a penny.

 

[richbeech]

Okay so I guess I meant a typical GPS watch or smaller handheld device like the one I've currently got. It's a very good watch and gives me a lot of information but it doesn't give me distances to the aformentioned parts of the course.