Rangefinders, GPS's, watches, oh my!

[Germerican]

I mentioned this before in an old post of mine that I am looking for a GPS of sorts when im out on the course, or even the practice range. With so many toys out there to tell you how far to go, how far you hit, hole overlays, green dimensions, it's a lot to take in at once.

• What I am looking for in a device is something that will tell me how far I am from the pin, whether it is pin location or center green. Prefer pin placement over center green.
• GPS accuracy. Don't want to get a 140 reading use my PW, and wind up 20 yards short.
• If possible, a device that can accommodate elevation differences from ball to pin. I don't know if that technology exists yet.
• I want to know how far I hit the ball from the tee, mainly because sometimes I get a hold of a drive and want to get a reading for my ego. There is a par 4 here that if you catch the downhill, you get serious distance.
• I want something that will help on the range to dial in distances. (Guess this will rule out a watch)
• I don't want to pay monthly/annual fees.
• I want to be able to download courses that may not be already pre-installed. I play on a local par three course regularly that may not be in most devices.
• I don't want to pay $250 for something when a $150 device does the same thing, but then again, I like options and may want to pay for those additional options.
• I want something that will last possibly five years before newer technology has advanced far enough to get a new device.
• Something that is easy to use. I don't want to bring up a menu, push five buttons, install an addon, triangulate, and then do a cartwheel for a reading.
• Durability. What good is a device if you drop it once and it breaks?
• It needs to make a sandwich upon request. One can only dream.

So THP, what do you recommend?

 

[Cobb]

Cheapest route would be a smartphone app + a laser rangefinder. You would get exact measurements to the pin locations, then on your app, front/back/center readings as well. This is what I use currently.

 

[MrMoFo]

I would recommend the Voice Caddie 300.
It will provide front, middle and back pin placement.
Accurate GPS.
You can measure distance of your hits.
I am not sure what exactly you mean by this: I want something that will help on the range to dial in distances.
No monthly dues.
Downloadable courses. You can view course list on their website.
Easy to use.
It is totally up to you to decide as to when newer technology warrants a new device. 5 years is a very very long time, technology wise...

 

[OITW]

Cheapest route would be a smartphone app + a laser rangefinder. You would get exact measurements to the pin locations, then on your app, front/back/center readings as well. This is what I use currently.

+1

I use the Golfshot App on my Iphone - I purchased it 3 years ago - one time $29.99. I really like it, lets me keep score and stats as well as giving me yardage to the front and back of the green and carry distance on drives.

I usually use my buddy's rangefinder for specific yardage to the pin (hoping to get a rangefinder for Xmas).

 

[Shook]

App for sure. I use Tour Caddie on my iPhone. Free GPS and distance tracking for tee shots. Plus scorecard and stats analysis. For a $30 fee it also gives distances to hazards and recommends clubs.

I'm not sure there's a standalone device for everything you want. You'll need a laser range finder if you want exact pin distance. GPS doesn't work that way. And to my knowledge there's no technology to account for elevated greens.

Good luck!

 

[og512]

I use an App on my smartphone and a range finder on the range. When on the course, I will take out the rangerfinder every couple of holes just to make sure I'm getting accurate yardages. and the range finder is a must have for me on the range to know my yardages on my clubs... The app is free in most case and I got a used Nikon range finder for $100... about as cost friendly as I could get.

 

[Spud]

My local clubhouse let me use the Voice Caddie 200 a few weeks ago, just to try it out. I loved it. Will be getting the 300 for Christmas. Never used a laser rangefinder though. Those things are just a little too pricey for me.

 

[Germerican]

I am not sure what exactly you mean by this: I want something that will help on the range to dial in distances.

Basically the range has flags and since each stall is at a different yardage to a certain flag than the next one, I'd like to pin point to the flag and get a yard reading so I can use the distances to dial my irons/wedges.

Right now I'm seeing a lot of laser rangefinders and the VoiceCaddy. I have the Swing by Swing app on my phone and that does help a lot to see the hole and has a great feature to see green distances when you are close.

 

[JPR1959]

 

[Bullitt5339]

I use smartphone GPS and a rangefinder. In fact, since I bought the rangefinder, I rarely even look at the yardage on my GPS anymore because I typically walk most of my rounds and the phone is in the cubby. I will look at it occasionally to figure out my layup distance on Par 5's. I have been thinking about getting a GPS Watch so that I don't have to worry about pulling out my phone at all in those situations.

The rangefinder is one of the best things I've ever bought for playing golf. It's always accurate, no matter how bad the signal is on the course and is invaluable for finding out your club distances. Go out on the course when it's dead, hit 5 decent shots off a tee box with an iron, leave your bag on the tee box and walk down to the average of all your shots and shoot back to your bag for the distance. Too easy, no guesswork involved.

 

[jdub]

I have a Skycaddie SG5, a Nikon rangefinder, and the Tour Caddie app for iPhone. The one I trust the most is my Nikon rangefinder. I love and use the Tour Caddie app for measuring tee shots, layup distances, keeping score, and statistics (GIR, FIR, putts per round, etc.), but I could not live without my rangefinder. GPS distances to front, middle, and back of green are just not good enough for me. I never use my Skycaddie.

 

[Mmaynard11]

I have a SkyCaddie Watch and Bushnell V2 Rangefinder. I find each to be valuable for different reasons. I will use the SkyCaddie on the course as it gives me distances to center if green while also provide me the distance of my tee shots. I use the laser rangefinder solely when practicing allowing me to dial in distances with my clubs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[OITW]

I have a SkyCaddie Watch and Bushnell V2 Rangefinder. I find each to be valuable for different reasons. I will use the SkyCaddie on the course as it gives me distances to center if green while also provide me the distance of my tee shots. I use the laser rangefinder solely when practicing allowing me to dial in distances with my clubs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

how do you like your v2? Do you have any issues with the battery life?

 

[Germerican]

Bit out of my price range

Makes what I am looking at a lot cheaper.

 

[AoxomxoA]

I bought my son an Expresso Satellite Networks WR62 for about $100 this spring after he was driving me crazy asking his yardage (he was just starting). I was old school… start counting steps from the 200/150/100 markers.

I tried an app for my phone, but too much trouble. Slowed me down too much.

I borrowed the watch one day when I went to a new course, and was quite pleased at how conveniently easy and quick it was to give me the one piece on info I cared about. Distance to center. I can adjust in my head quick enough from there, just let me know front/CENTER/back in a glance.

It has no fees, always finds the course I'm at. I am a fan.

 

[golf red]

I got the Garmin G3 it has a pin location mode you can move the pin on the screen to where the pin is on the green. Very easy to use you can keep score , shot distance ,lay up yardage. And under $200.00 No yearly fee. I think you would need a laser range finder for on the practice range.

 

[JPR1959]

I found one of these for $285 NIB on e-Bay. There are cheaper laser rangefinders, but I liked the idea of both in one.

 

[MPlefty]

I mentioned this before in an old post of mine that I am looking for a GPS of sorts when im out on the course, or even the practice range. With so many toys out there to tell you how far to go, how far you hit, hole overlays, green dimensions, it's a lot to take in at once.

• What I am looking for in a device is something that will tell me how far I am from the pin, whether it is pin location or center green. Prefer pin placement over center green.
• GPS accuracy. Don't want to get a 140 reading use my PW, and wind up 20 yards short.
• If possible, a device that can accommodate elevation differences from ball to pin. I don't know if that technology exists yet.
• I want to know how far I hit the ball from the tee, mainly because sometimes I get a hold of a drive and want to get a reading for my ego. There is a par 4 here that if you catch the downhill, you get serious distance.
• I want something that will help on the range to dial in distances. (Guess this will rule out a watch)
• I don't want to pay monthly/annual fees.
• I want to be able to download courses that may not be already pre-installed. I play on a local par three course regularly that may not be in most devices.
• I don't want to pay $250 for something when a $150 device does the same thing, but then again, I like options and may want to pay for those additional options.
• I want something that will last possibly five years before newer technology has advanced far enough to get a new device.
• Something that is easy to use. I don't want to bring up a menu, push five buttons, install an addon, triangulate, and then do a cartwheel for a reading.
• Durability. What good is a device if you drop it once and it breaks?
• It needs to make a sandwich upon request. One can only dream.

So THP, what do you recommend?

the only way this could work is for you hire a caddy

 

[Germerican]

I think I am going to settle on the Bushnell v2. Use that in conjunction with my Swing by Swing app for GPS location and I should be set. Thanks for all the input!