Range Finders: Laser vs GPS

[cobra]

I'm leaning towards a Bushnell laser range finder and I'm wondering if anyone has used and could give a review?

Thanks

[jvincent]

Which model?

Any of the Pinseeker models will be a good buy. I have a pre-pinseeker model that I have been using for 5(?) years now and I don't go anywhere without it.

Lasers are more accurate at picking out flags than GPS. I used to use a GPS and find the laser more useful.

[MIKE55]

Hello,

I've got the 1500 Pinseeker slope model and love it. You can get a cheaper machine but you won't get a better machine. If your golfing tournaments a rangefinder with slope might not be legal so you should check it out.

No disrespect to people with GPSs, they have their pros and cons but my preference is a laser rangefinder, it's more accurate than a GPS as far as locating the exact yardage to the pin and it works anywhere and anytime.

Regards!!!

[Shreen]

Saddly, I generally use both. GPS is great for tee shots, with landing areas and the distance from those areas to the green (on most models). Also is great when there is no line of sight. The laser is best for accurate measurements to flags. I like the combo for more info on pin positions. If its a back pin, for example, its great to know the distance exactly to the flag (laser) but its also great to know how much room is behind the flag (back yardage on gps). Not necessarily a big deal, but sometimes it makes a club diff if you know you have very little room long, you may opt for the shorter club. Generally I use the GPS 90% of the time for casual rounds, but use the laser much more closer to the green and in tournament rounds. My $0.02

[nokids]

only thing i hate about the laser is trying to steady my hand. other than that it's great. i've compared distances stated on the scorecard or markers with what my rangefinder is telling me and they can be off by as much as 20 yards. but most of the time they're accurate within 5 yards.

never tried a gps but i've played with some pple and their gps was just as accurate as my rangefinder. gps is more expensive i believe.

[XTOUR]

Saddly, I generally use both. GPS is great for tee shots, with landing areas and the distance from those areas to the green (on most models). Also is great when there is no line of sight. The laser is best for accurate measurements to flags. I like the combo for more info on pin positions. If its a back pin, for example, its great to know the distance exactly to the flag (laser) but its also great to know how much room is behind the flag (back yardage on gps). Not necessarily a big deal, but sometimes it makes a club diff if you know you have very little room long, you may opt for the shorter club. Generally I use the GPS 90% of the time for casual rounds, but use the laser much more closer to the green and in tournament rounds. My $0.02

Well said!! Another point is that a gps speeds up the game. There is no extra time required to zone in on pin placements (as we should for the most of us be aiming at the centre of the green) and having to put on and off the covers.

[john8888]

What GPS would you recommend?

[quinner]

I picked up a Callaway uPro over the winter and have used it about 6 times and I love it. The yardages to the front, middle and back to the green are all I need. I know I can't control my distance well enough to fly to the exact number of the flag, so a general number for me works just fine. It has an option that you can measure intermediate points from where you standing and where the pin is or any mark spot for that matter, this is significantly helpful with layups and such. It really comes down to preference IMO.

[john8888]

Thank you
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Can your GPS “learn” your distances? Can the machine recommend a club based on your past performance?

[quinner]

No it can not. I believe Skycaddie might be coming out with something like that where you place a sensor on your club and it tracks distances or something. You can certainly measure distances on your own though. It has a measuring tool where you just push the button from where you hit it and again where you finish.

[Goshawk]

When on vacation in Texas, I used a Bushnell with pinseeker alongside my iGolf Triton GPS. In the 8 rounds played, there was never a difference of more than 2 yards for any of the measurements taken. Granted, the GPS won't give you exact yardage to pins, but for my game I don't need yardages down to the exact yard....I'm not that good! If I know the depth of the green (front to back) and can see the colour of the flag (front, middle or back), I can figure pretty well within a couple of yards what the yardage is to the pin. I did this in Texas several times and verified it with the laser, and in all but one time I was within 3 yards. Close enough for my game.
iGolf was bought by Bushnell and they've re-named the Triton as the Yardage Pro XG. The colourized version is the Yardage Pro XGC. Gives instant readings for front/middle/back of the green, distance to the front hazards and to clear it, end of fairways on doglegs, tracks your score per hole and putts, you can add custom points (such as the beginning corner of doglegs) and stores up to 20 courses. For the $25 membership fee per year, you can download up to 100 courses, and they remain on your PC until you delete it.

[sensfan63]

If you don't TRY to learn exact distances with your clubs, then you'll never learn them.

Aim small, miss small.

[gbower]

I've had a rangefinder for a number of years and have really enjoyed using it. Late in the fall I bought a Skycaddie SG5 and have only used the Pinseeker 1500 a couple of times. There are definitely advantages to both. The rangefinders can be used anywhere without any kind of membership and will get you exactly to the flagstick if you can see it. I've been able to get a flag at 500yds with the 1500. The gps units allow me to measure distances of shots which is actually an eyeopener. People I've played with don't drive as far as they say. Things I like about the gps is that I don't need to see the flagstick and love having the distance to the front and back of the green. I also like knowing distances to water and bunkers which I can't get with my rangefinder. I've used the two together on a number of rounds to compare distances and have always been within a couple of yards. The other thing I do like about Skycaddie is that they actually walk the course for their measurements where a number of other ones use satelite mapping.

[scooby103]

Frankly, unless you are able to control your shot to within a few yards a GPS will always be better:

Front / Back of green distances
Speeds up game
Bunker and water shot distances

And, many of them (especially those for smart phones) will sync your games to your computer and show you progression (or regression) game over game. Good ones will allow you to measure club distances as well.

I have used Intelligolf over the years on the Blackberry and it was effective. However, since courses are generally mapped by those who use it some of the course information - on some courses, is incorrect. You can fix this on the fly though and upload the changes to the golf course DB.

I have switched from the BB to the Motorola Milestone and have also switched to the Golflogix software and let me tell you it is awesome. Of the 2 courses I have played this year it was very accurate (Vieux Moulins and Irish Hills), quick to get readings or you can setup for constant readings. I keep it on all the time, use it to measure club lengths and score and still have around 50% of battery power left at end of game. Obviously, going in with full charge battery, and having a car charger would be key. However, you can get a cart package at Golf Logix if you would prefer a stand / external power source.

For me - and I would say 95% of the golfers on here who can't put their shot within 2 yards of where they are aiming GPS FAR outweighs the benefits of a range finder.