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Rangefinders? Seriously?!?

SuperStroke
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dciccoritti said:
I agree with this. IMO, it's all about execution anyways.
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I doubt Tour players are going to change what they already do. It may help every once in a while, but I don't think it would make a big impact. Some Tour players have said it would slow play down. I don't agree with that either.

I'm not sure there is an issue here that needs to be addressed by allowing rangefinders. Guys are finding their numbers and they are still going to have to walk yardages off in order to feel good about how far it is to certain ridges on the greens, so I'm not sure it will really save time.
 
awass17 said:
From the tee I definitely cannot always tell the difference between a 250 carry and a 300 carry. Plus, the bigger issue is whether it's a 250 carry (don't really have to worry about that) a 265 carry (better hit it solid) or 275+ (better have a solid breeze at my back).

Now, one can argue that a yardage book is every bit as effective for those numbers. But a yardage book requires some quick mental math (and walking off yardages) in certain instances when you're taking about layup shots on par 5s or approaches into par 4s. Certain GPS devices are good for this, but are not quite as flexible when you want or need to target a different spot.
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If you're good enough to consistently juice up your drives if you need an extra 15 yards than by all means go for it...definitely worth it and will save time.

For guys like me, that ain't happening. Whether it's a 250 or a 265 bunker makes no difference, I'm not trying it. Even though I can, sometimes, crank the ball out there 280+, I can't do it consistently (hence my handicap).

For better players who have that kind of control over their game, they're definitely worthwhile and speed up the game.

For guys like me they aren't necessary in most situations because we don't have that kind of control. A GPS watch plus pin sheet has the level of accuracy necessary for me. A yardage book also works.
 
I feel that using a range finder speeds up the pace of play - also, when on the tee box for a par 3 its nice to know the exact yardage.

I personally also laser the front portion of the green and then the flag to see how much room I have to play with...
 
I've also seen both faster and slower options in the way it's used. I have no need to walk to my ball and get a distance...from the cart is just fine. Unless it's cart path only and then I take the finder with me...ALONG WITH SEVERAL CLUBS. Even though most of the readers here are more in tune with the in's and out's of the game, we've always been directed at events to not go shoot a flag without clubs. Just takes too much time walking back and forth, those little seconds/minutes add up if the whole group is doing it. If I played one course a lot, I don't think it would be as important. With playing several different courses and being in several different places on said course most of the time...it's pretty important for me to have one.

I think it's all in how you use it and when.
 
HBirdman80 said:
For guys like me they aren't necessary in most situations because we don't have that kind of control. A GPS watch plus pin sheet has the level of accuracy necessary for me. A yardage book also works.
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A GPS watch, pin sheet and yardage book combination would work for me, too. But it wouldn't make me faster.
 
HBirdman80 said:
If you're good enough to consistently juice up your drives if you need an extra 15 yards than by all means go for it...definitely worth it and will save time.

For guys like me, that ain't happening. Whether it's a 250 or a 265 bunker makes no difference, I'm not trying it. Even though I can, sometimes, crank the ball out there 280+, I can't do it consistently (hence my handicap).

For better players who have that kind of control over their game, they're definitely worthwhile and speed up the game.

For guys like me they aren't necessary in most situations because we don't have that kind of control. A GPS watch plus pin sheet has the level of accuracy necessary for me. A yardage book also works.
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I am a big fan of the GPS watch, especially when courses provide the pin information on the card. The course I play league at doesn't do a great job of distinguishing front/middle/back with the flags - they use the collars on the flags, but those seem to move over the course of the day during the tournaments they have there in the morning. I much prefer red/white/blue flags or something that distinguishes more. Because of that, the rangefinder has been helpful, especially on shots into elevated greens where you can't really see where the pin is relative to the rest of the green.
 
My last round my playing partner was using a GPS watch which has front middle and back distances. I like the watch for this reason as it really is all I am looking for. It gave me a better chance to score better and I did. I am in a serious ponder for a GPS unit but unsure on which one. He was using a Garmin s3 I believe so something along these lines.

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I mean, until this year, I didn't use GPS, unless it was already on the cart or something. Sure, I could estimate the yardage, as I had done it for years, but having a GPS watch sure has sped up my decision making and therefore, my confidence in the shot I was about to hit.

~Rock
 
PetuniaSprinkle said:
If there's a 150 mark, and you can't tell how far you are from that, what good is a rangefinder going to do you?
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Point your rangefinder at the 150 mark, push the button. Done.

Rangefinders can find more than just flags.
 
Fast players will use rangefinders, etc., to speed up play, slow players will use them as yet another tool to further their passive-aggressive reigns of terror.

I forgot about one thing - triangulation (and just as I said that in my head, someone on TV said 'triangulate'). I never learned how to do it and there would be pacing.
 
And finally reading through the thread, didn't realize this was another rabble rabble about the old days.

I guess some folks just miss hickory shafts.

:bulgy-eyes:
 
There are quite a few posts in here that just crack me up. It takes about 5 seconds to pull out my rangefinder, shoot the pin, and get an accurate yardage (not just an estimation). The rangefinder in my opinion has been one of the single most helpful golfing aids I've ever bought, and yes I will sometimes use it when under 50 yards. I can play by feel and estimations, but I prefer to know my exact yardages.
 
Pretty handy devices when you are in another fairway, or carrying a dogleg. They figure out the yardage faster than my ability to solve the pythagerean theorem for that particular situation.

1:05 Mark on this


 
Dave Alvarado said:
And finally reading through the thread, didn't realize this was another rabble rabble about the old days.

I guess some folks just miss hickory shafts.

:bulgy-eyes:
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I just bought X2 Hot irons about 2 months ago, so no, or I would've stuck to my old blades. Admittedly, I didn't make the point very clear, at all, but it was more like 'is your swing really finely calibrated enough to warrant a rangefinder, blah, blah, blah...' That was sort of the original thought and it was based on a limited experience with people who were more in need of a swing than a rangefinder. In the meantime, lots of good points have been made in their favor, including my own realization about how they might eliminate triangulation.
 
I will say I have played many courses where I would be 2 clubs short or long based on rangefinder vs stated distance on scorecard or tee marker. Especially on Par 3s. I have noticed some big tee boxes can lead to massive differences where the marker would tell me I need to hit a 6, but my rangefinder say 8, or vice versa. I don't use it much inside 100 yards, and I certainly don't think I am precise enough to notice 3-5 yards, but when we start talking 10+ yards that is a whole different club.
 
I shoot everything I have the worst depth perception in the world.

Hopefully the 15 seconds doesn't bother my playing partners.


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PetuniaSprinkle said:
I just bought X2 Hot irons about 2 months ago, so no, or I would've stuck to my old blades. Admittedly, I didn't make the point very clear, at all, but it was more like 'is your swing really finely calibrated enough to warrant a rangefinder, blah, blah, blah...' That was sort of the original thought and it was based on a limited experience with people who were more in need of a swing than a rangefinder. In the meantime, lots of good points have been made in their favor, including my own realization about how they might eliminate triangulation.
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you are right, courses are for A players and everyone else should stick to the ranges and munis, so the good player can play like the game was intended to.

damn hackers....
 
dhartmann34 said:
Seems to me there's very few yardage plates out on courses and walking to pace off distances would certainly slow things down.
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This. Not only does my home course not have a single marked sprinkler head, most of the fairway markers are off by as much as 5 yards.
Some of our greens are up to 20-25 yards deep, too, so pin placement means two clubs possible difference.
JRod said:
I shoot everything I have the worst depth perception in the world.
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I might be a challenger in that dept.
 
I'm trying to figure out if this thread or the "large ball mark" thread is more confusing.
 
MPlefty said:
you are right, courses are for A players and everyone else should stick to the ranges and munis, so the good player can play like the game was intended to.

damn hackers....
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Huh?

...
 
I think the biggest benefit is par 3s. Since not only does the pin fluctuate front to back but the tees do as well (and could be placed on an entirely different tee box for that matter)

I also use it to laser hazards from the tee. Gives me a better idea if that creek that crosses the fairway is at 230 or 260 out on, let's say, a course I've never played before.

I've been on the extreme of lasering too much and, relative to handicap, I do agree it's sometimes better to just play to hit the green not stick it next to the pin (as your skill may not allow you to do with any consistency). Same reason I tend to play to a distance off the tee. Then I have a full wedge shot in vs a long half swing.


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JRod said:
I shoot everything I have the worst depth perception in the world.

Hopefully the 15 seconds doesn't bother my playing partners.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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While we're young!
 
The 150 pole might be 30 yards off depending on where the pin is, plus I laser bunkers , etc... So I know where to miss. Why not have exact yardage?
 
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