Rangefinder or GPS watch

[Capella]

i have a gps watch because my dad did give it to me as a birthday gift, and it does it's job. I think I would have gone for a laser otherwise, though. Advantages of the watch: unobtrusive and quick to use, one glance and you know where you stand. Disadvantage: it does not give you distances to hazards etc. (I know some of the more modern ones do, but it might still not be the distance you are interested in for a specific shot) I very often find myself wondering "How far is it to the edge of the water?" Also, in winter on temporary greens the watch is completely useless. I still think I might get a laser rangefinder at some point in the future. As for the charging thing: never found that to be much of a problem, to be honest. I recharge it directly when I come home from the golf course and then it is good an ready to go the next time I head out. I also use it for the occasional jogging round, to keep track on how far I went.

 

[Philbleasy]

Thanks guys still can't decide weather to ditch the rangefinder and get a watch. They just seem so much easier and quicker but I do see the benefits of the rangefinder.

 

[drdel]

Garmin Approach S2; 'Fitbit' style watch. Does front, middle and back which, with my level of accuracy, is all I need. Very quick and easy to use on the course. The App gives a map of your round which enables you to plot your shots after a round, if you're into analysis.

 

[2blue]

Both.

Laser is rubbish when you are offline and have to hit over trees and bushes.

Agreed ^^^^^^
Spending as much as many of us do on golf, its worth a bit more to get the info.... also Lasers don't work in misty conditions

Also saves on shot preparation time, as I'll often Laser the yardage whilst stood next to PP taking their shot-in, then compare to SkyCaddie & adjust cursor to yardage so I can just read-off when getting to my ball..... keeps things moving nicely :smirk:

 

[smith931]

The decision between a GPS watch and a rangefinder depends on your personal preferences. If you like detailed information then a large GPS screen is helpful for you.
One of the big reason makes GPS devices so attractive is the wide array of forms it can take.
But if you talk about accuracy, then a laser rangefinder must be over GPS device. Both of them have their several needs. So, you can use both of them.

 

[SteveJay]

Another vote for both - get an approximation with the watch which saves wondering if you have zapped the bush behind the green rather than the pin. Also a watch is quicker when further from the pin. Laser comes into its own for approach shots and to hazards etc.......in my opinion.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Still using the rangefinder from 120 yards and in as I've worked on my distance control but other than that the GPS gives me enough information, especially in terms of carrying hazards etc and gives a good overview of the hole if its a course I haven't played

 

[Redtraveller]

Rangefinder and a GPS on my phone. I use the gps about twice in a round. The laser is spot on

 

[HampshireHog]

I am happy with just a GPS unit. Gives me all my hazard yardage’s and the hole layout, which is great when playing new courses.

I play with a couple of lads with Range Finders who can give me an exact yardage if I need it, 90% for the time I reckon my estimate based on GPS and flag position is within 3yds. Also I feel range finders slow down play compared with GPS.

 

[guest100718]

I am happy with just a GPS unit. Gives me all my hazard yardage’s and the hole layout, which is great when playing new courses.

I play with a couple of lads with Range Finders who can give me an exact yardage if I need it, 90% for the time I reckon my estimate based on GPS and flag position is within 3yds. Also I feel range finders slow down play compared with GPS.

it only takes a few seconds to get a distance with a range finder. hardly slow

 

[PJ87]

Range finder come into there own on temp greens lol

 

[richbeech]

Without sounding like I'm sitting on the fence, my personal opinion is that if you take your golf seriously and want to be as accurate as you can you really need both. And that does come at a price obviously but the reasons for this are:

A GPS watch is better for:
- when you just want a quick yardage to the middle of the green and aren't going for a flag
- if you're faced with a blind shot and can't see the flag in order to use a rangefinder
- Want to see different lay-up options and dog legs which are also sometimes blind
- want yardages to hazards such as bunkers/ditches which might be blind
- get a rough idea of what shape a green is

A rangefinder is better for:
- accurate yardages for approaches into the green and when you're attacking a flag - say from 150 yards and in, depending on ability
- yardages to things that aren't on the watch such as trees, steaks or any part of a course you want to hit /avoid

So my view is that they actually compliment one another and fill in the gaps the other doesn't.

 

[User101]

Without sounding like I'm sitting on the fence, my personal opinion is that if you take your golf seriously and want to be as accurate as you can you really need both. And that does come at a price obviously but the reasons for this are:

A GPS watch is better for:
- when you just want a quick yardage to the middle of the green and aren't going for a flag
- if you're faced with a blind shot and can't see the flag in order to use a rangefinder
- Want to see different lay-up options and dog legs which are also sometimes blind
- want yardages to hazards such as bunkers/ditches which might be blind
- get a rough idea of what shape a green is

A rangefinder is better for:
- accurate yardages for approaches into the green and when you're attacking a flag - say from 150 yards and in, depending on ability
- yardages to things that aren't on the watch such as trees, steaks or any part of a course you want to hit /avoid

So my view is that they actually compliment one another and fill in the gaps the other doesn't.

Excellent posting, I now have both and will use them in tandem, problem for me and I suspect most on here is accurate yardage, it's all good having the info, it's hitting it, strike is king.

 

[duncan mackie]

Without sounding like I'm sitting on the fence, my personal opinion is that if you take your golf seriously and want to be as accurate as you can you really need both. And that does come at a price obviously but the reasons for this are:

A GPS watch is better for:
- when you just want a quick yardage to the middle of the green and aren't going for a flag
- if you're faced with a blind shot and can't see the flag in order to use a rangefinder
- Want to see different lay-up options and dog legs which are also sometimes blind
- want yardages to hazards such as bunkers/ditches which might be blind
- get a rough idea of what shape a green is

A rangefinder is better for:
- accurate yardages for approaches into the green and when you're attacking a flag - say from 150 yards and in, depending on ability
- yardages to things that aren't on the watch such as trees, steaks or any part of a course you want to hit /avoid

So my view is that they actually compliment one another and fill in the gaps the other doesn't.

Yes and no

The only time a rangefinder has any significant edge is when the relative position of the flag on the green is unknown, but the flag is in sight.

At all other times the visual information (or known information such as the colour of the flag or other delineation of the flags relative position) combined with just the distances to front, centre and back of the green are all that's needed to be able to plan the shot (and an accurate estimate of the pins actual position within a couple of yards or less is a simple matter for those wanting that).

Even better still is a graphical representation of the greens underlying contours, any hazards or risks in the vicinity and the same basic distance data, as found on most GPS screens (and even some watch devices). Without that information you are unlikely to be able to sufficiently accurately predict the balls motion after landing ...which makes knowing the distance to the flagstick to the nearest mm a rather mute point!

However, a rangefinder is IMO quicker and easier to use to establish distances to defined features than scrolling the more basic GPS devices, but not as good as the best graphical interfaces out there....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Without sounding like I'm sitting on the fence, my personal opinion is that if you take your golf seriously and want to be as accurate as you can you really need both. And that does come at a price obviously but the reasons for this are:

A GPS watch is better for:
- when you just want a quick yardage to the middle of the green and aren't going for a flag
- if you're faced with a blind shot and can't see the flag in order to use a rangefinder
- Want to see different lay-up options and dog legs which are also sometimes blind
- want yardages to hazards such as bunkers/ditches which might be blind
- get a rough idea of what shape a green is

A rangefinder is better for:
- accurate yardages for approaches into the green and when you're attacking a flag - say from 150 yards and in, depending on ability
- yardages to things that aren't on the watch such as trees, steaks or any part of a course you want to hit /avoid

So my view is that they actually compliment one another and fill in the gaps the other doesn't.

Good post and one I agree with and why I use both