GPS = Faster Golf

[Diane]

One of our dinner conversations yesterday was about GPS's for golf. My brother and father both say that they have enabled people to play faster rounds because they're not looking for sprinkler heads and counting off. Overall, I tend to agree, but also think there are people who are fumbling around with their GPS, trying to choose a club and taking a bit longer. What is your experience - do you think people play faster with them? Do you think once all golfers carry them that overall play will speed up?

 

[Smallville]

I agree with your father and brother. If people take a little bit longer to pick a club from the fairway because they now know their yardage, I think it cuts down on the number of times they leave their shot short or hit it too far (because before they may have guessed their distance wrong). But come on, how long does it take to look down at the device and get your yardage?

It won't eliminate picking the wrong club, but knowing your yardage is never a bad thing. I think you play faster, and if everyone had one, sure it would speed things up. But it won't get to the point of everyone having one, and even if they are on every cart, there is still the cart path only rule that precludes you from being able to use the cart GPS when you have to walk across the fairway to get to your shot.

 

[JB]

There is no question that they speed up play. I also believe that they are faster than rangefinder. With most GPS units, all you do is glance down.

 

[ketch_90]

i would have to go with the faster side of the arguement too. it has helped my game which speeds you up and mine is so easy it doesn't take any time. if you use it to collect stats or have a complicated one it might slow it down. but it helps even in trouble, b/c you know the distance and don't have to go figure it out.

 

[JPsuff]

One of our dinner conversations yesterday was about GPS's for golf. My brother and father both say that they have enabled people to play faster rounds because they're not looking for sprinkler heads and counting off. Overall, I tend to agree, but also think there are people who are fumbling around with their GPS, trying to choose a club and taking a bit longer. What is your experience - do you think people play faster with them? Do you think once all golfers carry them that overall play will speed up?

I'm glad you've brought this up Diane, because I've been thinking along similar lines in regard to all of the inevitable and questionably useful "bells and whistles" which seem to be added to an invention as a requirement under law even after the invention has solved the problem for which it was created.

In the world of GPS, everyone marveled at the fact that they could get accurate distances to various targets around the course and with things like SkyCaddie's "Intelligreen" feature, distances to the green from anywhere on the course as well.
For a few years, that seemed to be about all anyone needed to know until the Bells and Whistles department took over. Now, GPS units feature realistic photographic overviews, "flyovers" (just like on TV), green contours, fairway contours, as well as commentary, club selection advice and I wouldn't even be surprised to find out that they now offer detailed histories of the course, it's founders, it's architect and it's day by day construction progress.

So once again, we have a perfectly sensible tool which saves us from having to locate sprinkler heads or other yardage markers and having to march off additional yardages ourselves and we've begun to turn it into a source of entertainment (can commercials be far behind?).

Most golfers play a handful of the same courses week after week and know them like the backs of their hands and the only thing that actually changes week to week are the specific yardages encountered and for that, a GPS device is quite valuable. But do these same people really need a full color flyover complete with commentary describing a hole that they've played at least 100 times before?

So now, instead of just glancing down at a GPS device to obtain a yardage to a given target, I picture people standing for minutes now in the fairway analyzing slopes, textures, grass types, and listening to some headless voice describing the nuances of the hole as they watch the helicopter flyover and begin to channel Peter Kostis or some other television talking head as they try to become one with the hole and imagine themselves faced with the shot of their career with the Wanamaker Trophy at stake.

There seems to be a paradoxical condition of invention these days; that the invention itself is meant to streamline our existence, but the "extras" that follow will ultimately place even more burdens on our lives than those which existed prior to creation of this new time-saving device.



Just hit the damned ball already!



-JP

 

[Badger_Golfer]

I dont think a GPS would make play any faster. Instead of looking around for yardage markets, people would be fumbling around in their pockets for their GPS.
I could see a GPS making play faster if it were mounted in the dashboard of a golf cart, because then you could just glance at it and know your yardage.
People need to learn how to judge yardage just by looking at their target. I seldom use yardage markers because I know just by looking how far away something is.
Granted, Im not exactly dead on accurate, but I know about how far I hit each club.

 

[Smallville]

I dont think a GPS would make play any faster. Instead of looking around for yardage markets, people would be fumbling around in their pockets for their GPS.
I could see a GPS making play faster if it were mounted in the dashboard of a golf cart, because then you could just glance at it and know your yardage.

I got a cart mount a couple months ago.It works on my push cart as well as a riding cart. Before that, I hung it on the plastic piece that hangs down at the front of the cart in the middle of the roof on most carts (the place where they put their signs). When I walked, I clipped it to my belt. No digging through bag pockets or pants pockets.

 

[JB]

I got a cart mount a couple months ago.It works on my push cart as well as a riding cart. Before that, I hung it on the plastic piece that hangs down at the front of the cart in the middle of the roof on most carts (the place where they put their signs). When I walked, I clipped it to my belt. No digging through bag pockets or pants pockets.

Im with you. I dont have a mount, but keep it in the cart cup holder when I ride. Even with the walkers at our course, I have never seen anybody fumbling around their pockets for it. They glance, get the measurement, and prepare.

The thought of having to learn to measure correctly by depth is absurd in my book. Before GPS, there were yardage books and markers. Why should anybody have to tell based on looking? That makes no sense whatsoever. Technology has made this game easier for beginners to learn what club to hit.

 

[StLCardsFan]

They are good for pace, GPS or Rangefinder, as long as the people who are using them, know how to use them.

 

[Harry Longshanks]

I dont think a GPS would make play any faster. Instead of looking around for yardage markets, people would be fumbling around in their pockets for their GPS.
I could see a GPS making play faster if it were mounted in the dashboard of a golf cart, because then you could just glance at it and know your yardage.
People need to learn how to judge yardage just by looking at their target. I seldom use yardage markers because I know just by looking how far away something is.
Granted, Im not exactly dead on accurate, but I know about how far I hit each club.

There's no fumbling. I walk and I just clip it on my stand bag and glance at it when I go to pick a club. If I'm riding, I clip it on my belt.

Distances are difficult to judge. Just look at how many people think they drive 300 yards. And look at how many stories there are of people who got a GPS and then used the shot distance function (hit a button to mark where the shot was taken and hit the button again where the ball landed) and realized how much shorter they are than they thought.

And if pros methodically map out distances before a round and still have their caddies step of yardages, what chance do us mortals have of knowing a distance just by looking?

 

[Esox]

Is there any one comprehensive thread here that discusses the pros and cons of rangefinders vs GPS vs whatever else is out there? Is there a slam dunk winner brand out there? If what JPStuff says is true perhaps one that shows Twilight movies?

I've always just played by feel and sprinkler heads, but I think a lot of junior golfers carry them, and there is most likely one in Jr. Lancer's near future.

I'm sure if used correctly they would have to speed up play.

Kevin

 

[Harry Longshanks]

Is there any one comprehensive thread here that discusses the pros and cons of rangefinders vs GPS vs whatever else is out there? Is there a slam dunk winner brand out there? If what JPStuff says is true perhaps one that shows Twilight movies?

I've always just played by feel and sprinkler heads, but I think a lot of junior golfers carry them, and there is most likely one in Jr. Lancer's near future.

I'm sure if used correctly they would have to speed up play.

Kevin

Kevin-

I can give you the Clif's Notes version of GPS vs. Laser:

• If you can hit your shots within 2 yards and you need absolute precision, get a Laser Rangefinder. Lasers have an average error of under 1 yard. GPS is +/- 3 yards.

• If you frequently need distances to things that aren't going to be mapped on a GPS, like driving range targets, certain trees or fences, etc. on a course, get a Laser Rangefinder.

• If you play in tournaments, probably get a Laser. Or at least check to see if GPS is allowed.

• If you never remember to recharge/replace batteries, get a Laser.

• If you have shaky hands, get a GPS.

• If you need distances when you don't have a line of sight, get a GPS.

• If convenience (i.e. glance and go) is your primary need, get a GPS.

• If you want extra features like scorekeeping, views of the hole, etc, get a GPS.

• If you want to be able to check the distance of a single shot after you hit it, get a GPS.

 

[dynarider]

No question GPS speeds up play, I take a quick glance & grab a club. I know my max distance on every single club in my bag. No fumbling around either since the GPS is either clipped to my bag when I take a cart or it's on a holder on my pushcart when walking.

 

[madmike]

Think GPS has the POTENTIAL to speed up play. I would likely play slightly faster if I could just walk up behind my ball, put my bag down, and glance down on the bag to see the distance before grabbing club.

I doubt it really speed stuff up in practice though, at least on public courses. Almost all slow play I see is just due to people not knowing how to play ready golf, flat out sucking excessively, not caring, or just plain sloppiness. Very little is due to looking for a yardage marker of pacing it off.

 

[dynarider]

As far as replacing batteries, I have used sevral types in my Golflogix. Rechargeables are horrible & last 1 rd at best. Some of the various energizers & other top brands can be good for 3+ rds before they are tossed.

But lately I have some of the new Energizer ultimate lithiums & while more expensive that standard batteries these things are freakin great. I have at least 4-5 full 18 rds on a pair right now & they actually have more juice left than a brand new set of regular energizers. Typically those will have around 3.0 volts brand new for the set whereas these are reading 3.45 volts right now.

 

[Esox]

Kevin-

I can give you the Clif's Notes version of GPS vs. Laser:

• If you can hit your shots within 2 yards and you need absolute precision, get a Laser Rangefinder. Lasers have an average error of under 1 yard. GPS is +/- 3 yards.

• If you frequently need distances to things that aren't going to be mapped on a GPS, like driving range targets, certain trees or fences, etc. on a course, get a Laser Rangefinder.

• If you play in tournaments, probably get a Laser. Or at least check to see if GPS is allowed.

• If you never remember to recharge/replace batteries, get a Laser.

• If you have shaky hands, get a GPS.

• If you need distances when you don't have a line of sight, get a GPS.

• If convenience (i.e. glance and go) is your primary need, get a GPS.

• If you want extra features like scorekeeping, views of the hole, etc, get a GPS.

• If you want to be able to check the distance of a single shot after you hit it, get a GPS.

Thanks, Mr. Longshanks. We're heading to a couple golf stores tonight for
Christmas inspiration. I'll poke around. I need to know what features she'll be allowed to carry for high school golf.

Carry on.

Kevin

 

[JB]

Thanks, Mr. Longshanks. We're heading to a couple golf stores tonight for
Christmas inspiration. I'll poke around. I need to know what features she'll be allowed to carry for high school golf.

Carry on.

Kevin

We have reviewed almost every one on the market, so if you have questions, after you take a look, ask away. Some offer more features than others, some work better, and some have bells and whistles that are fun.

 

[cwill]

We have reviewed almost every one on the market, so if you have questions, after you take a look, ask away. Some offer more features than others, some work better, and some have bells and whistles that are fun.

JB, have you guys done a review on the GolfLogix for Smartphones? I couldn't find anything on the homepage during a search on GolfLogix. I'm curious to know the pro's and con's of this option vs. a dedicated golf GPS device. I think the biggest con's I've heard so far are battery life and display issues in sunlight.

 

[JB]

I have tried them quite a bit. Some in the forum love them and for the money, they are hard to beat. I had some accuracy issues with the. I had MAJOR battery issues with them. To get around the battery issues some put them to sleep and then "wake" them back up to conserve battery life. The problem then for me was waiting the 5 seconds to get them up to speed. That seems trivial, but waiting was a pain. Im not all that patient.

But again the biggest concern for me was that during our testing not a single round went by that the GPS units on smart phones, comparing them to stand alone units, were not off by 10 yards or more atleast 1 time. They will get there soon, but for me, they are just not there yet.

The battery life is a major problem as well. two out of the four we tested, struggled to make it through a single round.

 

[Smallville]

Distances are difficult to judge. Just look at how many people think they drive 300 yards. And look at how many stories there are of people who got a GPS and then used the shot distance function (hit a button to mark where the shot was taken and hit the button again where the ball landed) and realized how much shorter they are than they thought.

I've always wondered about people who sank a 50 foot putt that was really 2/3 of that because their steps really aren't one yard long.

(Not that a 34 foot putt is commonplace, but I think putt length is overestimated as much as drive length)

 

[v3.0]

I have probably seen the GolfLogix infomercial a few too many times..... They that claim an independent lab determined that it shaved off 7 minutes per nine, in their test. That would be ~ a quarter of an hour per round. Not spectacular, but it all helps!

I haven't won a GPS yet, but, for me, I don't think it would save me much time in determining distances. I can decide on the club to hit pretty quickly, either based on the view off the tee, or on the yardage markers for the approach or layup. And for the short pitches, I can eyeball it.

A GPS might help me in making wiser (more conservative) decisions off the tee though, thus make me play better, and faster....

 

[JPsuff]

I've always wondered about people who sank a 50 foot putt that was really 2/3 of that because their steps really aren't one yard long.

(Not that a 34 foot putt is commonplace, but I think putt length is overestimated as much as drive length)

I have a very good one-yard pace. I often check my pace against markers and sometimes even with a measuring wheel (like when I'm measuring a job) and I'm usually right on the money.

As far as putts go, I have never measured a putt and I don't really understand why anyone would. I mean, putting is all about feel and stuff so there's no way to decide on a swing length or firmness based solely upon distance, especially since slope, grain, moisture and other things like that all come into play as well.

I guess some people measure putts, but I can't see why they would bother. But as long as they're not holding everybody else up, I don't care what they measure.


-JP

 

[Fourputt]

Im with you. I dont have a mount, but keep it in the cart cup holder when I ride. Even with the walkers at our course, I have never seen anybody fumbling around their pockets for it. They glance, get the measurement, and prepare.

The thought of having to learn to measure correctly by depth is absurd in my book. Before GPS, there were yardage books and markers. Why should anybody have to tell based on looking? That makes no sense whatsoever. Technology has made this game easier for beginners to learn what club to hit.

I don't walk any more, but I still just clip my GolfLogix to my bag, then when I walk around to get a club, I just have to glance at it. If I have to leave the cart, it unclips in a 1/4 second to take with me to the ball. There is absolutely no doubt that it takes less time than pacing from a sprinkler or yardage marker, and even less time overall than just guesstimating because you will hit more accurate shots more often, ultimately resulting in fewer strokes taken.

The only time that this isn't true is when you get the idiot who has to play with all of the unnecessary features on his top of the line, $500 toy. That sort of jumping from screen to screen and any associated screwing around will just go to reinforce the naysayers arguments. That player is the same one who will be slow no matter what aids he does or doesn't have.... he just doesn't have a clue and never will unless somebody wakes him up with a 9I upside the head. He isn't slow because of his toy, he's just slow, period.

 

[ClairefromClare]

Well said, Fourputt!

 

[C-Tech]

JB, have you guys done a review on the GolfLogix for Smartphones? I couldn't find anything on the homepage during a search on GolfLogix. I'm curious to know the pro's and con's of this option vs. a dedicated golf GPS device. I think the biggest con's I've heard so far are battery life and display issues in sunlight.

I heard the same thing about battery life and they are obviously concerned with it since the sell auxiliary batteries. I tried the free download just to see if I liked it. I did like it and if I didn't already have a Skycaddie, I would probably go with this one. I didn't have the issue with battery life. I turned off WiFi, turned off "auto brightness" and set the brightness to the mid-point. I put the iPhone to sleep between readings and when I finished 18, I had 2/3rds of my battery left. I am sure if you leave it on all the time, it will eat up battery, but just putting it in sleep mode worked great. It took a few seconds for it to re-acquire the satellite when awakened, but that is a small price to pay for battery life.