Using a rangefinder - are you conscious of it?

[d2cko]

At the risk of sounding sensible,
I think a 15 handicap golfer will be unable to hit consistant distances to gain any advantage.
What is the point of knowing it is 173 yards 10 inches to the flag if you are incapable of hitting 10 shots of that distance within a 20 yard varience.
Only you will know this, perhaps it is because you are the worlds worst putter that you play off 15.

So to answer the OP's question......yes you probably will.
Wait until you get to a low handicap when the device may be helpful.

Swing and a miss on the sensible front!

If he's next to the 150 marker and he guesses that the flag is in the middle then he'll take the club that he believes will get him 150 yards. But if he guessed wrong and the flag is at the back then it could be 170 yards! He's never giving himself a chance! He could hit his 150 yard club perfectly but he'll leave a 20 yard putt!

The rangefinder would've told him how far it actually is without guess work and if he hits a good shot then he'll get rewarded with a short putt. If he's doesn't hit at good shot then at least he gave himself the chance!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Reasonably serious question........how would a 28 handicapper know how far he can hit a 4 iron?
If he hit 20 shots I would think they would be scattered over a fairly large area.
He will then chose the furthest/straightest shot and call it his '4 iron distance'. He will then chose a 4 iron for that distance every time irrespective of whether he is playing up/downhill or into/against the wind.
What benefit would a rangefinder be?

 

[brendy]

Reasonably serious question........how would a 28 handicapper know how far he can hit a 4 iron?
If he hit 20 shots I would think they would be scattered over a fairly large area.
He will then chose the furthest/straightest shot and call it his '4 iron distance'. He will then chose a 4 iron for that distance every time irrespective of whether he is playing up/downhill or into/against the wind.
What benefit would a rangefinder be?

Novelty ball marker?

 

[d2cko]

I have to disagree with you on that. I play with a lot of 28 handicappers and they aren't daft. Yes they'll take the club that will go the required distance only if they nut it but then so does everybody else, we all hit bad shots and you'll never improve if you don't go for shots! Most of the lads I play with will always take wind and slope into account, they might not hit a great shot but they have a golfing brain and when their talent catches up they'll get much better!

A rangefinder will mean that on the odd occasion that they hit a great shot then it'll land next to the flag rather than 20 yards short, resulting in disappointment!

Don't get me wrong though, I don't work for Bushnell! I'm not trying to say that all golfers should rush out and spend £200. I'm just saying that atitudes like 'You're not good enough for one of those' make our sport look a little elitist and everybody should be encouraged to better themselves wherever possible.

 

[Imurg]

Reasonably serious question........how would a 28 handicapper know how far he can hit a 4 iron?
If he hit 20 shots I would think they would be scattered over a fairly large area.
He will then chose the furthest/straightest shot and call it his '4 iron distance'. He will then chose a 4 iron for that distance every time irrespective of whether he is playing up/downhill or into/against the wind.
What benefit would a rangefinder be?

The benefit is knowing how far it is to the pin.
Do you honestly expect any golfer to not want to know how far they have to hit the ball..? Regardless of whether they can accomplish the feat...?
Even a 28'er knows approximately how far they hit a club - of course any 28'er with any sense will have a hybrid rather than a 4 iron - or do you just want them to pick a club at random..?

The starting point of any shot is the distance you want/need to hit the ball.
Why shouldn't a 28'er - or any other handicap for that matter - at least know that?

 

[CMAC]

Could not disagree with this guy more. For starters, why does it matter what his handicap is? Everybody has the right to improve and if a LRF helps him get pin high more often then he will definately improve.

Secondly, If you've ever played on a golf on a course then you should know that there can be 3-4 clubs between the front of the green and the back so having a LRF will allow you to establish the exact yardage to the flag without the need to pace up the fairway to the 150 markers and then guess where the flag is on the green.

A LRF can only make his life easier and trust me, he'll find he is pin high a lot more which means he'll be closer to the flag when he hits the greens and will probably have a shorter chip when he misses the green!

You've missed the point! He wants to use a laser and a dmd and the course yardages, my point was he was overloading himself with too much information and was posting as he was worried about a potential ribbing. Nothing wrong with a dmd, I use one myself sometimes.

 

[Warbur]

So, used the laser this morning and couldn't be happier. The gps was left behind, for sale in the pro shop.

I was a little apprehensive at first (daft, I know) and used it of the first time for the 2nd shot on the 2nd hole. Don't know what I was worried about.

Forget my thoughts on the watch and laser - that was just daft and would be information overload.

Please don't misinterpret my reasons for going laser instead of gps. I used my Skycaddie for 3 years and was very happy with it. I didn't want the greater accuracy of measurement but the greater flexibility of the unit. The gps gives a degree of information on fairway hazards but is limited for things like end of fairway on slight doglegs (where driver would probably be too much). I also felt myself after a bit more info on the 2nd shot of our par 5, which is a dogleg left - if the tee shot is a bit left then the lay-up needs to be aimed at some bushes but I never knew how far away they were so had to guess the club.

I now have the ability to get the distance to any point I want (so long as it doesn't slow things down of course). GPS vs laser is a very personal thing (as has been discussed many times before) but, for me, I'll stick with the laser (for now at least - sucker for new shiny things lol).

One thing I did notice was that the round felt less mechanical. I'd gotten used to looking at the gps for most shots as it was on a bracket by the trolley handle. The shot (particularly pitches etc) wouldn't have any degree of feel about it as I'd be thinking too much about what club to swing how hard to hit a certain yardage. That all went out the window today as the laser wasn't used inside about 90 yards and I relied on feel instead - much more enjoyable

 

[Steve In Spain]

Reasonably serious question........how would a 28 handicapper know how far he can hit a 4 iron?
If he hit 20 shots I would think they would be scattered over a fairly large area.
He will then chose the furthest/straightest shot and call it his '4 iron distance'. He will then chose a 4 iron for that distance every time irrespective of whether he is playing up/downhill or into/against the wind.
What benefit would a rangefinder be?

Reasonable question back...how many 28 handicappers even CARRY a 4 iron?

Got to be honest, you did kind of 'insult' the 15 handicapper by suggesting that a 15 handicapper doesn't hit the ball consistently. I play with quite a number of retired gentleman out here..many who were single or low handicappers but due to age, now play off of 17-21 or so. They will hit the ball far better than you will..maybe not as far, but by heck they hit the ball sweetly.

My actual "playing" handicap on the course I am playing on this Monday and Wednesday is 15....so I am one of "those who can't hit the ball consistently" in your eyes..I know within 5 -7 yards how far I hit my irons and woods. I also know that if my GPS says I am 95 yards to the front, 115 to the middle and 125 to the back and the pin is in the middle, then I take my 9 iron because that is my distance with it. If it's on the back, it's an 8 iron, depending on the trouble behind the green.

MY personal opinion is that if you think it will help you, then use it. I know, being a 15 handicapper :lol: they help me, especially as the shot savers and course markers are all in meters!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have no issues with anyone whipping out a GPS or laser. If it helps people feel more confident in their game then go for it.

 

[d2cko]

You've missed the point! He wants to use a laser and a dmd and the course yardages, my point was he was overloading himself with too much information and was posting as he was worried about a potential ribbing. Nothing wrong with a dmd, I use one myself sometimes.

Fair one. Sometimes you do need to disengage the brain!

 

[Robobum]

Being able to hit the ball a certain distance or not is irrelevent.
What is the first thing you need to know about a shot?
How far you need to hit it.
If a Laser tells you it's 168 yards then, once you take into account all the other factors, you pull the club that'll hit the ball 168 yards.
You might not be able to but at least you know how far you do need to.
Handicap has little bearing on this. Are you saying that 28'ers should just pull a number out of thin air because they're not good enough to hit the yardage anyway..? Complete Pish.........
As has been said, there can be 3-4 clubs difference on some greens. Guess that the flag is front 1/4 when it's actually back 1/4 and you're 30 yards from the pin. Ok it's on the green but more often than not it's a 3 or even 4 putt from 90 feet.
There is so much rubbish spouted about GPS and Lasers......
They're just a means of measuring a distance but quicker than pacing and more accurate than guessing.

This.

Regardless of 28 or +2.8, I find it incredible that you wouldn't want to start with a fact rather than a guess. Ah well, each to their own I'm happy with my legal cheater scope thing anyway.

 

[Hobbit]

The benefit is knowing how far it is to the pin.
Do you honestly expect any golfer to not want to know how far they have to hit the ball..? Regardless of whether they can accomplish the feat...?
Even a 28'er knows approximately how far they hit a club - of course any 28'er with any sense will have a hybrid rather than a 4 iron - or do you just want them to pick a club at random..?

The starting point of any shot is the distance you want/need to hit the ball.
Why shouldn't a 28'er - or any other handicap for that matter - at least know that?

Spot on.

I borrowed a Bushnell off the Pro yesterday, the one with the GPS on the side. Early on in the round I wasn't impressed with the accuracy of the laser, e.g. stood next to the 150yds marker and the laser reading is saying 192yds, whilst the GPS was spot on. I got better with it but didn't have total confidence in it. Although I did start taking readings off the guys in front as they were putting the flag in. I did find it useful for taking readings off the face of greenside and fairway bunkers. If I'd been visiting a strange course, and not had a good idea of the yardages, I would have lost total confidence in it early on and not bothered after a few holes.

Apart from the actual distance to the flag that the rangefinder gives I'd say a GPS is the better tool for the job. How many of us are good enough to hit actual yardages...? Middle of the green is a safer bet, and in truth you'll never be too far away from the flag anyway.