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What laser range finder would you recommend?

SuperStroke
cmoors

cmoors

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I have an old Bushnell that works but has a few problems for me:

-the viewfinder is a large square that doesn't pick up flags well
-sometimes i have to take the battery out get it to turn on
-requires steady hands, and is a bit slow to register

I know some of the new ones have tiny circles that can pick up flags easily. I don't care about slope functionality (I rarely play serious tournaments), but was just curious what you folks recommend and like to use.

Thanks in advance.
 
Check out the home page as we have reviewed both of the new Bushnell models. I love the Tour V2.
 
I use the Tournament Edition 1600 and just love it.
 
SeeMoreGuy said:
I use the Tournament Edition 1600 and just love it.
Click to expand...

How easy is it to judge distance on things besides flags, water, bunker, etc?
 
I am in the market for either a GPS or a rangefinder and wanted to get a few opinions before I purchased one. I'll give a little background first.

I usually play the same 3-4 courses during the season, with the exception of when I go on vacation or on trips to play. Usually those courses I play at are nicer courses and in some instances have GPS in the carts, things like that. The courses I usually play have yardage markers on the scorecard and on wooden posts by the tee box, but they change the location of the pin and/or tee box without updating the yardage, which is why I am interested in either a rangefinder or GPS.

Because I play the same courses, I know where most of the hazards are. The exceptions are when I play those courses on vacation or on trips. I know the rangefinder would probably be more useful on the normal courses I play, but is a GPS a better buy for long term use and to have on the courses I am unsure of? I am just unsure if the GPS would update locations on smaller courses in my area, and if it would work as well and as easily as a rangefinder.
 
I got a Leupold GX-1 last year and it has been awesome............now I can't play without it. Picks the pin out with no problems at all.
 
My TE 1600 is just great. It can pick up any flag and the scan option makes this even more enjoyable to use. I highly recommend the Bushnell brand. I rarely use my GPS anymore.
 
JB said:
Check out the home page as we have reviewed both of the new Bushnell models. I love the Tour V2.
Click to expand...

Another vote for the Busnell Tour V2. Great unit. Been using it for 2 years now and I couldn't be happier. :golf2:

Schweitzer_07 said:
I am in the market for either a GPS or a rangefinder and wanted to get a few opinions before I purchased one. I'll give a little background first.

I usually play the same 3-4 courses during the season, with the exception of when I go on vacation or on trips to play. Usually those courses I play at are nicer courses and in some instances have GPS in the carts, things like that. The courses I usually play have yardage markers on the scorecard and on wooden posts by the tee box, but they change the location of the pin and/or tee box without updating the yardage, which is why I am interested in either a rangefinder or GPS.

Because I play the same courses, I know where most of the hazards are. The exceptions are when I play those courses on vacation or on trips. I know the rangefinder would probably be more useful on the normal courses I play, but is a GPS a better buy for long term use and to have on the courses I am unsure of? I am just unsure if the GPS would update locations on smaller courses in my area, and if it would work as well and as easily as a rangefinder.
Click to expand...

I have and use both a GPS and a laser. I find the rangefinder to be more useful even on strange courses because I can shoot any object I can see. I find that very useful for planning layups, for planning carries, etc. With a GPS I don't always know just what point on a hazard or bunker was plotted for those purposes. If the hazard is set on an angle, or I'm approaching it from an angle which the GPS plotter didn't envision, then the rangefinder is money. On my home course I almost never use the GPS, only the rangefinder.
 
Fourputt said:
Another vote for the Busnell Tour V2. Great unit. Been using it for 2 years now and I couldn't be happier. :golf2:



I have and use both a GPS and a laser. I find the rangefinder to be more useful even on strange courses because I can shoot any object I can see. I find that very useful for planning layups, for planning carries, etc. With a GPS I don't always know just what point on a hazard or bunker was plotted for those purposes. If the hazard is set on an angle, or I'm approaching it from an angle which the GPS plotter didn't envision, then the rangefinder is money. On my home course I almost never use the GPS, only the rangefinder.
Click to expand...

I really like the Patriot Pack, hopefully it might be on my father's day list!!!
 
Fourputt said:
Another vote for the Busnell Tour V2. Great unit. Been using it for 2 years now and I couldn't be happier. :golf2:



I have and use both a GPS and a laser. I find the rangefinder to be more useful even on strange courses because I can shoot any object I can see. I find that very useful for planning layups, for planning carries, etc. With a GPS I don't always know just what point on a hazard or bunker was plotted for those purposes. If the hazard is set on an angle, or I'm approaching it from an angle which the GPS plotter didn't envision, then the rangefinder is money. On my home course I almost never use the GPS, only the rangefinder.
Click to expand...

I too use both, but I must say that many of the newer GPS units do exactly what you are talking about. With my Bushnell GPS I can get a distance to anyplace on the course with use of a cursor. Including doglegs and I cannot do that with my rangefinder.
 
JB said:
I too use both, but I must say that many of the newer GPS units do exactly what you are talking about. With my Bushnell GPS I can get a distance to anyplace on the course with use of a cursor. Including doglegs and I cannot do that with my rangefinder.
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So JB here's the million dollar question if you could only choose one, a GPS or a rangefinder, which would it be?
 
GPS. Its faster and does more things. I like both but nothing right now will replace my Bushnell GPS.
 
What laser range finder would you recommend?

JB, which bushnell gps do you use? I use airvue on my iPhone now.
 
I use the Yardage Pro XGC
 
Ok I got the Patriot Pack Tour V2...but one question: do I upgrade to the version with slope for $100 more?

I don't play tournaments, I'm a weekend hacker. Seems like its worth the extra dough...thoughts?
 
cmoors said:
Ok I got the Patriot Pack Tour V2...but one question: do I upgrade to the version with slope for $100 more?

I don't play tournaments, I'm a weekend hacker. Seems like its worth the extra dough...thoughts?
Click to expand...

Just because you don't play competitions now doesn't mean that you won't want to in the future. The slope feature really isn't all that big a deal anyway. I'd just get the regular model and then you are prepared for anything. Any one who plays very much golf should be able to estimate the elevation adjustment as close as the rangefinder can anyway. I can certainly guesstimate at a one club or two club adjustment. Even with the slope feature, it's still you who is choosing the club.
 
I see your point. Thanks for the feedback Rick, I'll stick with the regular. Who knows when I'm going PRO! ;)
 
JB said:
GPS. Its faster and does more things. I like both but nothing right now will replace my Bushnell GPS.
Click to expand...

sorry if i missed this somewhere else in another post:

JB - im trying to decide on the following:
Only able to test the skycaddie sgx instore - as the others are not available for display.

Skycaddie SGX -
Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC
Garmin Approach G5

I hear you rave about the bushnell - have you reviewed the skycaddie? I think i remember you saying you used an older skycaddie model.. Search didnt work too well for me - kept pointing me to tcalloway lol.

I have a laser now - which i use for accurate pin placement - and like to use at the range when im tuning my clubs.

But i like the gps features i saw on my buddies when we played last - the ability to see yardage to any spot on the hole - scorekeeping - etc.



****i just found the post i was looking for - sorry for the added thread!
 
How do I find if a certain course is available for the course mapping for this model GPS JB?
 
JRod said:
How do I find if a certain course is available for the course mapping for this model GPS JB?
Click to expand...

Their website in most cases.
 
I told my story to a Golfsmith manager and they offered me the slope version for $50 more (and took back the Patriot Pack).

I was curious and really wanted to try the slope out on the course since I live in San Diego and many courses are quite hilly.

Long story short: its awesome. The slope part is fun but the sheer fact that it can pick up pins so easily is amazing...even with my shaky hands.

Takes one second to get my distance where in the past it could take 5, and its so much easier.
 
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