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- Jan 1, 2021
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Now I really don’t get any yardages as long as the one courses markers are semi accurate. I like to feel the yardage and seem to play better that way.
How much do you rely on your yardage device?
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2010
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- Location
- Liberty Lake, Washington
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- GHIN 7.1
I depend on my laser about as much as a club in my bag. Can I get through a round without it? Sure, but it has been uncomfortable. It also speeds my round up a lot. With it, I don't have to find yardage markers and pace off the distance to the middle of the green and then try to guess the total yardage allowing for pin placement.
So yea, I've been using the laser long enough to become pretty dependent on it.
So yea, I've been using the laser long enough to become pretty dependent on it.
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
I use it all the time. But, can play without it if there are yardage markers on the course somewhere.
Would be a bigger deal for me if the course had gotten lax with the yardage markers, which it seems like a lot of courses have since measuring devices have gone mainstream. I think I'd be pretty close to normal on my home course(s), but hard to say playing somewhere less familiar. If they have yardage markers, I feel like I'd be fine either way. May just take me an extra second to figure out my distance. Would definitely make yardage books important again when you're playing new courses.
I don’t know that my game depends on it, but I do depend on my Garmin S62. At this point it’s a habit that would be difficult to live without. I am constantly checking yardage before every shot. Once in iron range I’ll pull out the range finder to get a more precise yardage to my target.
I try to do this too when I'm in range of the green. Some days I'm pretty decent, others I'm waaay off.
I am likely too reliant on the tech I have available being full in with Arccos, or with my rangefinder. I could likely get by without either, but I enjoy having it available.
This is me as well. Home course, no issues. Unfamiliar course, my depth perception sucks and I absolutely want a yardage device. Whether it's a watch or a GPS, I want it.
- Moderator
- #60
I need to start doing this. Good practice for the times I forget the watch when I head out impulsively for a quick 9
I am very dependent on it. If I had to use just GPS versus laser that would be fine but if i was having to look at yardages on sprinkler heads I would struggle.
Annhl8rX
Well-known member
I've been late to the game on this and only got a laser range finder a couple of months ago. I'd say I rely on it a moderate amount. I use it on every par 3 tee box, occasionally to find the distance to a hazard, and on approach shots if I'm not near a known distance (usually the 150 marker). My distances aren't that consistent, so I don't care if I'm 150 or 157 yards out...I'm hitting the same club either way. I'm terrible at estimating distances, though. Left to my own devices I might hit an 8 iron when it should have been a pitching wedge, or vice versa.
People complain about DMDs affecting pace of play, but I can't imagine it's slower than having to find a sprinkler head and pace the yardage off. It takes me a fraction of a second to glance at my watch, or a few seconds to pull my rangefinder and shoot a measurement. Not to mention the times you're not on a fairway and there's no sprinkler head anywhere nearby (that happens quite a bit for some of us).
I played off sprinkler head measurements for years before rangefinders and GPS, no desire to go back to it. Old school just for the sake of being able to say I'm old school makes no sense to me.
Exactly. I feel like I would be much slower as I would have to walk off distances as I'm terrible at estimating distances.
jt2929
Equipment Junkie
I rely heavily on my ShotScope V3 for yardages to greens and some hazards. I’m not that good at estimating yardage, so it comes in handy on every hole.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2015
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- 7,641
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First, true confessions: So my battery unexpectedly failed in my rangefinder a couple of weeks ago. I stupidly forgot I put a replacement battery in my bag, so I ended up playing 3 rounds before replacing it.
I've worked really hard on knowing my distances with different clubs and techniques, so it really bugged me not having the exact yardage to the flag. I paced it off. But you are out there looking at the flag and while you can easily see the color of the flag you can easily be 5 yards off or more depending on the depth of the green.
I found I had to be disciplined about committing to the short because of the uncertainty and accept that I was going to be further from the pin on some holes, because of what I didn't know.
I think it cost me 2-3 shots per round.
I've worked really hard on knowing my distances with different clubs and techniques, so it really bugged me not having the exact yardage to the flag. I paced it off. But you are out there looking at the flag and while you can easily see the color of the flag you can easily be 5 yards off or more depending on the depth of the green.
I found I had to be disciplined about committing to the short because of the uncertainty and accept that I was going to be further from the pin on some holes, because of what I didn't know.
I think it cost me 2-3 shots per round.
I could probably get around my home course halfway decently without it because I've played from just about everywhere on it at one time or another and know what clubs I usually hit from where - but put me on an less familiar course and it would be an entirely different story.
- Moderator
- #68
So much this
links_slayer
Well-known member
i remember feeling like a fish out of water when my laser's battery died.
now that i've played almost all my rounds at my home course this year i have a general idea what club to use off every par 3 tee (depending on which box it's on that day) and most approaches without the laser but for some reason i still use it.
now that i've played almost all my rounds at my home course this year i have a general idea what club to use off every par 3 tee (depending on which box it's on that day) and most approaches without the laser but for some reason i still use it.
As a comment it’s remarkable how many people are reliant on the technology to dictate distance and would be lost with out its display and accuracy . Equally how many people play same course , and know where to hit etc due to distance . Would love to take all those devices away and then see how skill full the golfer is without the aids , just them the course ( and could even make it a unfamiliar course too just to improve degree of difficulty ) and clubs = result .... l would suggest some blow outs in scoring , as its human judgement not device or books etc driven.
I use the GPS app all the time. The only time I do not is when the cart has a unit on it that give distance to the actual flag from current location.
Some sort of distance device is important to shooting good numbers, IMHO. I only carry a hand held laser for distance and plenty of spare batteries.
Outthere
Well-known member
When ever I forget to charge my wife’s garmin watch , I am playing without my garmin watch. i find my score really isn’t much different without my watch . Must admit I was terrified the first time without my watch it turned out ok.
Not too much. It's nice to know exact numbers, but not necessary. I'm usually aiming fat part of green anyway.
However, on a new course sans GPS carts, it becomes a bit more important.
However, on a new course sans GPS carts, it becomes a bit more important.