Rangefinder or garmin watch

[126849660]

Guy i was playing with today had a garmin watch, he was showing me how it worked. Pretty cool, showing distance and counting his steps ect.
Wanted to get a idea what others use ? Rangerfinder or one of they watches or maybe dont even bother with anything?

 

[AdamC28]

Apple watch with Hole 19 app here.

 

[Bdill93]

Apple watch with Hole 19 app here.

Same - and I love it

 

[Bdill93]

Guy i was playing with today had a garmin watch, he was showing me how it worked. Pretty cool, showing distance and counting his steps ect.
Wanted to get a idea what others use ? Rangerfinder or one of they watches or maybe dont even bother with anything?

Try downloading a free smartphone app initially and seeing if it helps before spending big money! If you know your distances, you should see some improvement - I did anyway!

 

[Robster59]

I've had a Bushnell golf watch for years. Very happy with it. Shows front, middle and back, hazards, counts miles and steps, plus quite a few other features. I prefer it to lasers because our course has a number of blind shots and I don't always have line-of-sight to the green.
It's also waterproof, and has enough battery to last for at least 36 holes.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't think there's any point in you shelling out money for a rangefinder, as a beginner you probably don't know your full club distances anyway, or at least they won't be consistent enough. You'd be better off using a free app like Hole 19 for your phone, which gives you full GPS of the course, so you can get a yardage to the green or to any hazard, and it doesn't cost a penny.

I used a rangefinder for nearly a year, then it stopped working just within the warranty - I got a refund and have decided not to replace it. I think I became over-reliant on it, and started getting bogged down in where the pin was when I would be better off keeping it simple and just aiming for middle of the green when in doubt. Biggest margin for error. I realised I was doing stupid things like lasering the pin on an uphill par 3, find it's front edge, go down and club and then leave my approach short, when I should have stuck with the longer club, aimed middle of green or maybe the back of the green, but still with two putts for par. I just use Hole 19 now exactly as I advised you.

 

[fundy]

Based on the approach you took to buying clubs Im almost certain the right answer is one of these

https://www.tagheuer.com/gb/en/tag-heuer-connected/golf.html

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If you don't want to have your phone out, on a holder etc for an app then I would suggest a watch rather than a range finder. I've had a Garmin S1 for a good few years now and they are great. No messing about, info straight at hand. A quick glance and I know the numbers I need.

If you get to be very good then a range finder will come into it but for most of us, front, middle or back is all we need. Knowing the distance to the exact yardage is not relevant at this point of your golf career. Front, middle or back is plenty good enough.

 

[patricks148]

as others have said front, middle and back is good enough as a beginer. I would just use your phone for now rather than spend more on a gps. range find is good if you have control over your distance and know how far you hit each club.

middle of the green is good enough for most

 

[davidy233]

Try downloading a free smartphone app initially and seeing if it helps before spending big money! If you know your distances, you should see some improvement - I did anyway!

I do this - well I paid for the app (Golfshot) a decade or so ago - gives distances and how far to clear hazards as well as to green - I just put my iPhone in my back pocket - where I'd have a scorecard if I was playing a comp - distances and step count sorted.

 

[slowhand]

The only problem I have with using my phone is, every time I need a distance, having to unlock it (by code if I'm wearing my sunglasses and it can't recognise my face), then reopen the app (it always seems to have gone into the backgroud when the phone locks), which just takes too long. Anybody got any tips to deal with this? I have an iPhone XR. I have an Apple Watch as well but I don't like wearing a watch when I play

 

[Orikoru]

The only problem I have with using my phone is, every time I need a distance, having to unlock it (by code if I'm wearing my sunglasses and it can't recognise my face), then reopen the app (it always seems to have gone into the backgroud when the phone locks), which just takes too long. Anybody got any tips to deal with this? I have an iPhone XR. I have an Apple Watch as well but I don't like wearing a watch when I play

Get your phone out while you're still walking the last 15 yards to your ball. Seriously, that's what I do.

 

[ger147]

Guy i was playing with today had a garmin watch, he was showing me how it worked. Pretty cool, showing distance and counting his steps ect.
Wanted to get a idea what others use ? Rangerfinder or one of they watches or maybe dont even bother with anything?

Both.

 

[clubchamp98]

Depends on your course as well .
If you have uphill shots where you can’t see the bottom of the flag, then rangefinder is best imo.
Front middle or back is ok if the flags tell you where the hole is.
White back
Yellow middle
Red front
If so a watch is fine.
I use my rangefinder on the practice ground as well to map yardages of my shots.
But you can just pace it out old style there.

 

[126849660]

Thats the phone i use so downloading an app is not an option lol love having a phone i only need to charge twice a week. Think ill definitely get a watch just need to decide on what one.
Want one thats really simple to use, yards to pin, keeping my score and maybe counting my distance walked.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

When you’re starting out I don’t think a laser is necessary. But a gps gives you front, middle, back etc, which is fine for now.
Get used to hitting the middle of the greens and you’ll be ok.

 

[Orikoru]

Guy has spent about ten grand on golf and has a £20 top-up phone. Couldn't make it up.

 

[davidy233]

Get your phone out while you're still walking the last 15 yards to your ball. Seriously, that's what I do.

This - I've got an XR too and not noticed any problem - mind you I don't wear sunglasses very often

 

[Gowferdee]

garmin s60 watch is what fancy

 

[clubchamp98]

Guy has spent about ten grand on golf and has a £20 top-up phone. Couldn't make it up.

Phones are not that important to some people.
Others are glued to them all day.
I know which ones I would rather play with.