Range Finders..

[Ginker]

I just saw a commercial stating that this year they have been approved for tournament play... My understanding was that they were illegal in tournament play unless an exception was made through a local rule?? Anyone have more info? Thanks..

[Big Johnny69]

From what I heard, Ontario and Quebec tourney entrants will not be allowed to use them. And I think you are correct, the only they are allowed is if the tourney organizers implement the exception rule. Ask 1dash1 or spidey, they'll know for sure.

[Ginker]

I think thats right.. should know better the commercial was for Bushnell.. some course prob. made it legal so they are taking advantage of it..

[Colby]

Actually they are legal on a number of the mini tours in the US.

Here's an interesting article:

http://www.arnoldpalmer.com/en/conte...ce_measur.aspx

The Tennessee Golf Association is allowing them:

http://www.golfhousetennessee.com/fw/main/Status_of_Electronic_Measuring_Devices_in_Tennesse e_Events-1.html?ModKey=mk$cmsc&LayoutID=&CntID=66

Tight Lies Tour:

http://www.tightliestour.net/2005_pr...nouncement.htm

And the Pacific Northwest Golf Association:

http://www.thepnga.org/championships...ce_devices.asp

It's coming...

[gbower]

Rangefinders are legal if it is made a local club rule to allow them. In the Ottawa Valley Golf Association they will not be allowed this year in any of their tournaments. The main reason that I was given for this is that they will be slowing play down and their tournaments are already very slow. I have been using one myself for the last two years and find that it speeds my play up in that I don't have to do any pacing from yardage markers. If I'm way off line I can now get a good distance to the flag or an obstacle. I think the big problem is if someone starts figuring distances to all kinds of trees, bunkers and whatever they decide needs to be measured. Another problem is that some of the devices don't have a scan mode so it can take some time to zero in on a flag that is 200 yds away. Mine does have a scan mode and is very simple to use if you read the manual. You are now also allowed to give a distance to a fellow competitor as this becomes public knowledge and not advice.

You still have to hit the shot even with a known distance and that's the problem I'm having.

[Chieflongtee]

Rangefinders are legal if it is made a local club rule to allow them. In the Ottawa Valley Golf Association they will not be allowed this year in any of their tournaments. The main reason that I was given for this is that they will be slowing play down and their tournaments are already very slow. I have been using one myself for the last two years and find that it speeds my play up in that I don't have to do any pacing from yardage markers. If I'm way off line I can now get a good distance to the flag or an obstacle. I think the big problem is if someone starts figuring distances to all kinds of trees, bunkers and whatever they decide needs to be measured. Another problem is that some of the devices don't have a scan mode so it can take some time to zero in on a flag that is 200 yds away. Mine does have a scan mode and is very simple to use if you read the manual. You are now also allowed to give a distance to a fellow competitor as this becomes public knowledge and not advice.

You still have to hit the shot even with a known distance and that's the problem I'm having.

Gerry. Which model do you have? Thanks.

[1972Apex]

I just started using a rangefinder and although I was uneasy at first I'm starting to like it. I really only use it if I'm not sure of the yardage or don't trust the markers, and on the range to calculate my club distances.
I don't find any affect whatsoever on speed of play. For the most part I only use it if I have to wait to hit a shot anyway. Much easier to zoom it in on someone on the green than to a flag .

[gbower]

I have the Bushnell Yardage Pro Tour.

["Richard"]

For those of you who are against range finders or don't see the use of them... how do YOU calculate yardage to the flagA guy I played with could tell you the yardage within a yard or so by pacing steps from yardage markers to the ball forward, backward, left or right of the centre of the fairway (a² + b² = c²) (so could I but I never tought about it) BUT, lets say I'm 40 yards above the hole, shooting to a 140yard to the flag, no wind... from the elevated Tee box (par 3)?? How about to an elevated green? This to me is the hardest yardage to accurately guess. I'm either way short or way long and rarely hit the green on this. I wish I would write the clubs I used town so next time I play the hole I know what to use but I never do that. Anyway, discuss (please)

[Colby]

Ahh, first you need to know how far you hit each club on average. Knowing the carry is really helpful. That's why you record your games in GStat using the shot tracker sheets

If you know your distances, then it's just a matter of calculating how many extra clubs for wind, elevation etc. But until you know how far you hit each club, you are really guessing.

["Richard"]

yes but when you do know your yardage... how do you calculate for elevation? If you know your carry and there is no wind...

[Big Johnny69]

I can't remember what I heard once, but something like an extra club for every 15-20ft of elevation. It might be more or less, but something along those lines.

["Richard"]

I'm guessing you mean an extra club if you are hitting to an elevated green... would the reverse be true for an elevated tee box then? one club down for 15-20 yards up?

[Big Johnny69]

Not yds, feet. As an example, the tee for the 12th hole at Greensmere is about 60ft above the green or so. I think the hole is about 160ish yards or so. For that distance I usually hit 7 or 8 iron. At this hole I always hit 9 or PW depending on what tee I am playing that day.

For me I find I don't have to go down as many clubs for an elevated tee as I have to go up for an elevated green. If that makes sense to you????

For example a tee/fwy 30 ft above a green I only have to go down one or two clubs, but for a green 30 ft above the tee/fwy I will go up two maybe three clubs. Always harder going uphill than down.

[Kilroy]

Pretty sure it was mentioned before but just a reminder that rangefinders with elevation indicators are not permitted for handicapping. Just yardage alone.

["Richard"]

yeah, thats why i returned mine. I bought the pine seeker 1500 and returned it when i read that slope wasn't allowed. Thats why I'm asking who the heck do you figure out what club to use when you are above the hole, below to the hole??

Geoff, that makes perfect sense. If you are hitting up to an elevated green your carry till you hit the green is going to be a lot less cause the green is elevated. If you are are hitting from an elevated tee box then your carry is going to be more than what is lost on the carry from the same distance to an elevated green because of a² + b² = c². Where did you hear that rule of thumb? anyone else have one?

[Big Johnny69]

Heard it on an instruction show on TGC or in a magazine. Can't quite remember. But its served me well using that rule of thumb. But when I'm not sure about the elevation I always grab for more club. Its always easier to try and get up and down from the flat portion than the slope. Don't like coming up short on elevated greens.

[Colby]

If I remember correctly, it's normally 1 club for every ten feet of elevation up. Cross or head wind will also add a club. Downhill, I notice very little difference unless it is extreme. Also be aware of where the pin is on the green. I've played some greens where it is an extra club if the pin is at the back of the green.

[Big Johnny69]

Sounds about right Colby. Figured I was close. Good point about pin position, forgot about that one.

["Richard"]

If I remember correctly, it's normally 1 club for every ten feet of elevation up. Cross or head wind will also add a club. Downhill, I notice very little difference unless it is extreme. Also be aware of where the pin is on the green. I've played some greens where it is an extra club if the pin is at the back of the green.

There is a hole like that at DON valley where I'm playing today at 2

[Colby]

Sounds about right Colby. Figured I was close. Good point about pin position, forgot about that one.

Remember it at Le Sorcier...

I used it today at Talon 35 on the front, followed by a 9 on #10, hahahahaha

[Big Johnny69]

Ouch, that won't help the score. Nice front nine though.

[Colby]

Ouch, that won't help the score. Nice front nine though.

Thanks. It was a great day for golf.

[BC MIST]

I have been using one myself for the last two years and find that it speeds my play up in that I don't have to do any pacing from yardage markers.

Aha. If they have only been "legal" starting this year, and you used one last year, add two strokes to your daily score for each time you used it. You have gone from an 8 handicap to an 80.

Interestingly, when we played last week you scoped the distance to the pin on 8 and I asked you not to say what the RF indicated. I said 132, and your RF said 132. I just saved myself $500 big ones.

[Colby]

Aha. If they have only been "legal" starting this year, and you used one last year, add two strokes to your daily score for each time you used it. You have gone from an 8 handicap to an 80.

Actually they were legal for handicapping last year according to the handicap manual. Just not for tournament play.

[gbower]

The rangefinders weren't allowed in competition of any kind but were allowed to be used for scoring regular games. The pros have been using them for years in practice rounds so all my rounds were practice rounds.
I can also guess most of the distances at our course but it sure is handy when the pins aren't in the centre of the green or I'm playing a course that isn't marked very well and that's a lot of them.

Today playing with CP we did a test to check length of time on a couple of holes which was interesting. He paced to the 150 marker and then checked his reference card of distances to front and back of green and guessed that the pin was 5 from the back and gave me a distance. By the time he had done this I had measured, put it away and was ready for my shot before he had everything figured out. Both distances did come out within a yard.

[BC MIST]

Today playing with CP we did a test to check length of time on a couple of holes which was interesting. He paced to the 150 marker and then checked his reference card of distances to front and back of green and guessed that the pin was 5 from the back and gave me a distance. By the time he had done this I had measured, put it away and was ready for my shot before he had everything figured out. Both distances did come out within a yard.

Those were my paced distances that I gave him two years ago. Can't figure why I am a yard out.

I am going to compare my paced distances to the ones determined by my GPS Garmin Forerunner and then decide which to use. In my 5000 m races the Garmin is out by about 2%.