GPS vs Rangefinder

Creasy_bear

Just wondering which is the better option to go for?

My mate had a rangefinder out for 9 holes tonight and he's of the opinion that it''s actually more accurate than the gps?

What do ye think?

Creasy_bear

One guys opinion on the rangefinder

1. There are not maps to download. Just keep it in your golf bag and pull it out when needed.
2. There are no yearly fees or maps to buy. The only maintenence needed is a new set of batteries every year.
3. You select the yardages you want hazards, bunkers, trees, doglegs can all be measured.
4. Distances are exact, no approximate middle, front, and back.
5. You can use it to get yardages at the driving range, improving your knowledge of your own game. This is possible with GPS but practically impossible unless you tresspass at night or risk getting hit by golfers during the day.
6. You don't have to wait for the company to map your course and make it available for your GPS unit. Any course will work as long as it has flags.

LostPassword

Creasy_bear wrote: »

My mate had a rangefinder out for 9 holes tonight and he's of the opinion that it''s actually more accurate than the gps?

It's not an opinion - it's fact - well as long as you make sure you're pointing it at the right thing. Bouncing a laser beam off an object a few hundred yards away is always going to be more accurate and reliable than bouncing radio waves off a satelite.

Jul3s

Creasy_bear wrote: »

Just wondering which is the better option to go for?

My mate had a rangefinder out for 9 holes tonight and he's of the opinion that it''s actually more accurate than the gps?

What do ye think?

Your buddy is correct laser is more accurate than gps for obvious reasons.

Creasy_bear

LostPassword wrote: »

It's not an opinion - it's fact - well as long as you make sure you're pointing it at the right thing. Bouncing a laser beam off an object a few hundred yards away is always going to be more accurate and reliable than bouncing radio waves off a satelite.

Have you got one? do you know a good one to be on the look out for?

LostPassword

Creasy_bear wrote: »

Have you got one? do you know a good one to be on the look out for?

Yep - the Bushnell tour v2 - http://www.bushnellgolf.com/laser/tourv2.cfm

The most expensive single golf thing I iever bought (about 250 yoyos) but I think it was worth it. I'd say it has helped to knock about 3 shots off my average score. Mostly because I now know pretty accurately how far I hit my wedges and am much better at getting close to the pin as a result.

Manach

For rangefinders, would I be right in saying that some clubs frown on their use?

whizbang

I have played with folks who use both : IMHO:
Rangefinders are only any use when you have a clear line of sight to the target.
Great if you only play the likes of Moyvalley: no trees, hills, valleys or obstructions of any kind.
But if you play real golf, your going to need to play over and around all the above. A GPS will show dogleg angles, size and shape of greens, etc.
So; if its a toy for your home course use a rangefinder. If you want to get the most out of new courses use GPS.

one ill cat

Golf Buddy devices come preloaded with maps, so you don't need to download them & there's no annual fees.
GPS devices are quicker to use if you have them mounted or conveniently attached to your golf bag.
I have a Golf Buddy Platinum, got it in April & love it.

The laser devices will always be the most accurate as you are taking your yardage to the actual pin as you play it. With the GPS I have, I can move the flag to any part of the green, so it's not just front, middle & back yardages.

GPS devices also allow for course layout etc, so you get to see the position of bunkers, water etc that may not be visible from the tee. This is awesome when playing courses for the first time.

If you're a good enough golfer that up to 2-5 yards could make a difference in how you play your shot, then go with a range finder. If you're happy with your yardage being close to but not quite perfect get a GPS.

GPS offers more, a lot more imo, all but exact accuracy to the pin.
They're both expensive enough though, so would suggest borrowing both & seeing what suits your game before buying. If you can though, borrow recent models of both as both have come a long way in recent years.

snowy666

So is that the No.1 thing that helped you take 22 shots (that's right lads, 22!) off your Hcap this year Cat?

I've used a laser (currently a Leupold, but have used Bushnells too) for years but last week took the plunge on a Golf Buddy World. Still awaiting delivery so can't do a comparison yet but the reasons for buying are;

- I play a few new courses and go to new courses abroad and seeing the hole layout on the tee is great. Especially blind tees obv.
- The feature of touching a point on the hole and seeing the distance to that point and from that point to the green, is very helpful imo. Stops banging away with unnecessary drivers when a 3-wood or gaybrid will do.
- I've pretty much dialled in my wedges at this stage so knowing the shot is 'about' 87 yards is fine.
- Tbh, getting the laser out, pinging the flag/tree/bunker and maybe doing it twice (to be sure), is getting to be a PITA. I know it's a small thing but I'm looking forward to taking a glance at the GPS and choosing the club.
- I like gadgets!

That being said, I still love the laser for the fact it doesn't need charging, sits great in the bag and can be very useful at the range. I am a little concerned over GPS accuracy - I play with Cat and her guestimates are sometimes 10 yards different to mine, but I'm going to use both devices for a couple of weeks to make my mind up.The laser I have now is the best I've ever had and it's definitely improved my game. Just a shame they can't make one for putting

championc

one ill cat wrote: »

GPS offers more, a lot more imo, all but exact accuracy to the pin.
They're both expensive enough though, so would suggest borrowing both & seeing what suits your game before buying. If you can though, borrow recent models of both as both have come a long way in recent years.

Nearly every half decent mobile now have GPS onboard so just get yourself a GPS Golf App. There are free versions or else ones which are reasonably cheap.

As said above in other posts, Rangefinders are good so long as you can see the pin. A GPS is good for giving the front, middle and back of the green distances but will only work if the course has been marked up while on-course and not by using Google Maps to create it. I found that Google Maps is about 5 yards off west of the actual position - at least for Dublin Maps



C

BraveDonut

Apps on smarphones are great because they are free! However, some courses do not allow you to use them because of the other information that a web-enabled device can provide.

Personally I think that you should be allowed to use a phone.
Are you really going to spend time on the web to get information about every shot?

Adiaga 2

Anyone used the Garmin S1 Approach watch?

Mizuno Man

one ill cat wrote: »

Golf Buddy devices come preloaded with maps, so you don't need to download them & there's no annual fees.
GPS devices are quicker to use if you have them mounted or conveniently attached to your golf bag.
I have a Golf Buddy Platinum, got it in April & love it.

The laser devices will always be the most accurate as you are taking your yardage to the actual pin as you play it. With the GPS I have, I can move the flag to any part of the green, so it's not just front, middle & back yardages.

GPS devices also allow for course layout etc, so you get to see the position of bunkers, water etc that may not be visible from the tee. This is awesome when playing courses for the first time.

If you're a good enough golfer that up to 2-5 yards could make a difference in how you play your shot, then go with a range finder. If you're happy with your yardage being close to but not quite perfect get a GPS.

GPS offers more, a lot more imo, all but exact accuracy to the pin.
They're both expensive enough though, so would suggest borrowing both & seeing what suits your game before buying. If you can though, borrow recent models of both as both have come a long way in recent years.

This is all spot on for me. Good post I think.

As cat says, if you need accuracy within 5 or 6 yards then a rangefinder is the only way to go. You can take a range from pretty much anything you can see - trees, bunkers, mounds, as well as the flag. You can also take ranges from tiers or slopes on the green if they are visible so you know how much to carry onto an upper tier or whatever.

I have the Tour V2 and I love it. Even on par 5's where I can't reach in two I can use it to help me lay up perfectly by taking a range from the flag and the subtracting my favourite wedge distance to find how far I need to hit my second.

I deal with an unfamiliar course by buying a strokesaver if they have one. One off cost for all future use! Combined with the rangefinder it is as accurate as you could possibly want.

Speeds up play significantly too I think. If I've out drove my partner, then while he's playing his shot I can stand behind or beside him and quietly get a range to the flag and then a range to my ball to figure out what I've got left so I'm working out which club I need before I even get to my ball.

But if convenience and approximate accuracy is all you require then GPS units will probably have more features and provide more layout information.

championc

BraveDonut wrote: »

Apps on smarphones are great because they are free! However, some courses do not allow you to use them because of the other information that a web-enabled device can provide.

Personally I think that you should be allowed to use a phone.
Are you really going to spend time on the web to get information about every shot?

If anyone starts complaining if you're using one, just stick it into Flight Mode. There can't be any complains then.


C

brian076

championc wrote: »

If anyone starts complaining if you're using one, just stick it into Flight Mode. There can't be any complains then.


C

Putting them in flight mode makes no difference, you can't use them in competition as they have the capability of providing other information whether you intend using that information or not. The GUI made it fairly clear in a document earlier this year.
Also the GPS coverage on a smartphone is quite poor so the yardage you get is not very accurate.

one ill cat

brian076 wrote: »

Putting them in flight mode makes no difference, you can't use them in competition as they have the capability of providing other information whether you intend using that information or not. The GUI made it fairly clear in a document earlier this year.
Also the GPS coverage on a smartphone is quite poor so the yardage you get is not very accurate.

This ^

iPhones etc can give you additional info like temperature etc which is not allowed under GUI rules. Personally, I don't think flight mode would save you should you get caught using a smartphone.

I did have an app on my iPhone last year. Granted it may not have been the best, I think it was called 'Golf Logix'. It was slow, I found it inaccurate & it killed my phone battery fairly quickly. Personally, I have no intentions of ever going down that route again.

Snowy referred to my GB Platinum being out maybe by 10 yards compared to his rangefinder. Tbh I would disagree with that - I'd say on recent comparisons I had it within 2 yards of his laser the majority of the time. But I would allow up to about 5/6 yards based on dragging the flag manually. When you can see the green in full view though, I find it easy enough to get decent yardage to the flag.

one ill cat

snowy666 wrote: »

So is that the No.1 thing that helped you take 22 shots (that's right lads, 22!) off your Hcap this year Cat?

Ha! I wish 22, but it has been 20 shots so far.
There were a few factors, new club, new pro for lessons, new comparable playing partners.
The GPS device has improved my confidence dramatically, course distance markers are good, but a GPS device makes it so much easier to commit to a shot knowing you didn't have to guess the distance between your ball & the nearest 100 or 150 yard marker. They're also great for giving you yardage to the far side of the lake etc. For me, it's the best birthday present I've ever been given

snowy666

one ill cat wrote: »

Snowy referred to my GB Platinum being out maybe by 10 yards compared to his rangefinder. Tbh I would disagree with that - I'd say on recent comparisons I had it within 2 yards of his laser the majority of the time. But I would allow up to about 5/6 yards based on dragging the flag manually

Erm, 'fraid not kiddo. I know of a few times we stood next to each other and the exact figure to flag - even in full view - would be at least ten yards difference, from your guestimate (prob your guestimate skills though )

I'm still undecided tbh. Used mine for the first time in today's medal. On one hole the flag was dead centre and the figure on the GPS said 172 to centre of green when it was actually 183. (laser'd it as well). Little worrying as that was a big carry over water so not the hole to be under-clubbing. Also a couple of holes' hazards/bunkers didn't even show on the hole view, even after hitting 'Targets', but I think that could be fixed with a gentle email to support or by adding the target yourself for future ref. It rained today too and having to continually wipe the screen to see it was a PITA. However, my biggest issue is the fact I carry my bag. This leads to having to put the bag down to see any distance (as there's no ideal place on the straps to place the device), whereas before I'd just reach for the laser, ping a target and replace. Much of a muchness I know, but it's the little things when you're a bit OCD

All that being said , the hassle-free ease of knowing the distance, without having to point and shoot all the time is very nice. I can also see how it will come into it's own on new courses and I bought it predominant;y for this reason. I'll give it a few more tries before I decide which one to sell!

GreeBo

championc wrote: »

If anyone starts complaining if you're using one, just stick it into Flight Mode. There can't be any complains then.


C

Can still use a compass I believe, which is against the rules.
Also, the ruling is not that you didnt use the facilities, but that they exist.

I uninstalled all the illegal functions and had it cleared by a GUI official so now use mine (Swing by swing) golf
lets you map your own course on google maps in about 5 mins and available the next day on the app.

championc

GreeBo wrote: »

I uninstalled all the illegal functions

What did you need to remove please ?

technodub

IV seen range finders on ebay for 100 e would they be worth an investment or do i need to really splash out?

rafared

I used an Android app this evening on my phone and it wasnt the best as regards accuracy. I checked it using a range finder and the distance markers on my home course, Seapoint. It did seem to get some distances correct but was miles off with others so it was way too inconsistant to use.
The app is a free one called FreeCaddie which I downloaded just to check out realy. Maybe some of the others, or the pay apps may be better....who knows.

Johnny_Fontane

I'm a golfbuddy guy, played in the pouring rain the other day and my mate with his bushell couldnt pick out the pins.....we were comparing distances the whole round and they were both deadly accurate.

newport2

I had a Bushnell and then got a Skycaddie, but couldn't bring myself to sell the Bushnell, so have both in bag. Use Skycaddie all the time and just occasionally take the rangefinder out of the bag.

If I had to choose one, I'd go with the GPS. It's great, expecially for courses you don't know. One thing it offers that a rangefinder doesn't is distances to front, middle and back of greens. On a new course this can be very useful, especially if you don't know the pin placement.

That said, if you haven't got either, whichever you choose to buy will be a big step up from the markers on the course. They're both great tools to have.

Redriddick

Anybody have or have any thoughts on the Garmin s1 watch.Thinking of getting one.

snowy666

snowy666 wrote: »

... before I decide which one to sell!

Selling this now; http://www.adverts.ie/golf/leopold-gx1-laser-rangefinder/800049

Apologies Greebo if this is out of order, but figured the readers of this thread may be the ones interested, so works for all. It's in the buy/sell section so obv remove if I'm a bad lad

championc

rafared wrote: »

I used an Android app this evening on my phone and it wasnt the best as regards accuracy. I checked it using a range finder and the distance markers on my home course, Seapoint. It did seem to get some distances correct but was miles off with others so it was way too inconsistant to use.
The app is a free one called FreeCaddie which I downloaded just to check out realy. Maybe some of the others, or the pay apps may be better....who knows.

A GPS App is only as good as the locations that were pinpointed in the first place. And it sounds like whoever mapped it in the first place made a bags of it. Have you had a look at the Seapoint map via the Freecaddie website ?

It sounds like someone built the course using Google Maps and then went wrong on some holes. I played St. Margarets earlier this year and the back 9 were screwed up. The 10th wasn't the 10th and after that, the 12th seemed to be the 11th, the 13th was the 12th and so on. Hadn't a clue what to trust for the 18th !!

With the Pro version (only US$10 I think), you can then mark the course when on-course so it will obviously be more accurate. You can also mark hazzards. The Pro version also allows you to keep stats of your round - Fairways Hit, GIR, Chips, Putts, Sand and Penalties.


C

rafared

championc wrote: »

A GPS App is only as good as the locations that were pinpointed in the first place. And it sounds like whoever mapped it in the first place made a bags of it. Have you had a look at the Seapoint map via the Freecaddie website ?

It sounds like someone built the course using Google Maps and then went wrong on some holes. I played St. Margarets earlier this year and the back 9 were screwed up. The 10th wasn't the 10th and after that, the 12th seemed to be the 11th, the 13th was the 12th and so on. Hadn't a clue what to trust for the 18th !!

With the Pro version (only US$10 I think), you can then mark the course when on-course so it will obviously be more accurate. You can also mark hazzards. The Pro version also allows you to keep stats of your round - Fairways Hit, GIR, Chips, Putts, Sand and Penalties.


C

Tried another app called "swing by swing" thursday evening. Much more comprehensive than the previous one and based on google maps so full colour rather than the 3 distance version. Curved distance lines on the greens, the ability to move a marker around to specific points the whole shebang, you get the idea im sure. Also had a good range finder with us to check between the two. Basically the same problems despite the bells and whistles, it just isnt relaible or accurate. It nailed some locations but others were 20 to 30 yards off on approach shots in and around the 150M marker for instance. We checked and double checked, both of us getting distances from the rangefinder and markers and there was no doubt about it the Android GPS wasnt relaible.
Given the choice or money I would be buying a rangefinder.

Johnny_Fontane

problem with apps is that if you're not 100% sure of the accuracy, its useless. If there is a shred of doubt on the distance, you'll probably still check via the on course markers.

with the world platinum I have, if it says its 159 to the front of the green and the on course marker says 150 to the front of the green, I'm going with the golf buddy every time.

I've used it in 25 different courses and its never failed me.

Holy Diver

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

problem with apps is that if you're not 100% sure of the accuracy, its useless. If there is a shred of doubt on the distance, you'll probably still check via the on course markers.

with the world platinum I have, if it says its 159 to the front of the green and the on course marker says 150 to the front of the green, I'm going with the golf buddy every time.

I've used it in 25 different courses and its never failed me.

+1

Tried my new golfbuddy last night for the first time and it leagues better that any of the apps. It was spot on with all the course markings.

The old fella got a new bushnell as well so it will be interesting to compare them at some stage.

Definitely found the gps very convenient - had it clipped to my belt and just needed to glance at it before my approach shots each time. The measuring the length of a given shot will prove extremely useful I think

championc

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

problem with apps is that if you're not 100% sure of the accuracy, its useless. If there is a shred of doubt on the distance, you'll probably still check via the on course markers.

with the world platinum I have, if it says its 159 to the front of the green and the on course marker says 150 to the front of the green, I'm going with the golf buddy every time.

I've used it in 25 different courses and its never failed me.

Something tells me that the course mappings done by golf buddy have maybe been done in conjunction with the course staff themselves. Some of the apps out there allow people (like me) to submit courses to their database, completely unverified. So you possibly pay for what you get. Some day, I'll go to my own course and simply walk the course and mark the points - but then again, it's on the basis that the GPS on my phone is 100% calibrated.


C