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GPS Systems vs Laser Rangefinders

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Drew Z

Drew Z

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I am sure there has been a thread about this already, but I am having trouble searching for it.

I am in the market for either a GPS or Laser Rangefinder. I want to find the best option for what I need.

The main feature I want is to gauge hazards. For example, "how far is it to the brook?" Other features such as help judging elevation would be a perk but not necessary

As far as budget goes, I would like to spend under $300, but I will spend more for a "one time purchase."
 
Bushnell Hybrid gives you both. Why settle for one or the other?
 
I used both a skycaddie and bushnell Z3
 
I have a GPS Bushnell watch, and I like it. My brother and a few other friends have lasers and what we have usually found is my GPS is within a yard or two of what they laser just about every time. So, I don't think you can go wrong really, either way. I'd love to have a laser though, just as back up when I'm playing courses that are NOT downloaded on my watch, or when the GPS lock gets lost and doesn't give me distance changes as I walk.
 
As long as there are no sight issues (dogleg or elevation changes that block out target) then hands down rangefinder for me.

I have a GPS watch that sits in my living room, and cell phone (app) that stays in my golf bag since adding my rangefinder.
 
I started with a GPS (Callaway uPro MX+) but having to remember to charge the dang thing every time I got back from a round got to be a big hassle (and a task I kept forgetting to do). With my rangefinder, it sits in my bag waiting for the next round. I may have to change batteries in like 2017. So yeah, rangefinder for me.

Not to mention with my rangefinder I don't need to connect it to my computer and download course map updates and the like.
 
I've had both, I will never be without a laser rangefinder again.
 
Laser rangefinder.

I don't entirely trust GPS's. Some times they're off and I'm usually looking for a sprinkler head to confirm yardages. So what's the point? They're good if you're deep left or right off the course haha. Also good if it's your first time on a course, but thereafter, it sort of loses the need to have a map or know distances to everything.
 
I've never had any problem with my Golf Buddy World Platinum or World before it. Easy to use and you can move the pin around in the green view to get a more accurate distance to the pin. I can consistently set the pin to with in a yard or most of the time dead on when comparing it to a rangefinder. You also don't have to have line of sight to gauge a distance to a hazard or trap. It is also mostly water proof. I dropped it in a stream once and 20 seconds later managed to fish it out and it was still working like nothing happened. Golf Buddy also does not have a subscription service. All the updates are free and there are no yearly or monthly fees.
 
deuce said:
With my rangefinder, it sits in my bag waiting for the next round. I may have to change batteries in like 2017. So yeah, rangefinder for me.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you were sarcastic about your battery, but what rangefinder do you have? I have a Bushnell V2 and have to change batteries probably 4 times a year. It's not a huge deal, but it is a little annoying.
 
Jank said:
I'm sure you were sarcastic about your battery, but what rangefinder do you have? I have a Bushnell V2 and have to change batteries probably 4 times a year. It's not a huge deal, but it is a little annoying.
Click to expand...
Not really.

I have a Nikon Monarch Gold 1200. It uses 1 CR2 Lithium Battery. I have had it for over a year and haven't changed the battery yet, and the battery indicator hasn't moved off of "Full"*. It's not golf specific, but the guy I golf with regularly has a Bushnell V2 and we get similar yardages every time we compare the two so I'm not worried about using a non-golf specific rangefinder for golf purposes.

I was reading about the V2 and it claims that a single battery is good for 5,000 laser readings and the battery shouldn't need to be changed but once a year. Not sure if the V2 turns itself off automatically but the Monarch does after about 10 seconds. Not sure if this helps battery life or not.

*If the next time I go to golf, my rangerfinder has a dead battery, I'm sending you the bill. ;)
 
Thanks!

The V2 does turn off automatically after 15-30 seconds... I take out my battery after each round, which seems to help, but still 3-4 times per year it is changed. It is a CR2 battery, as well.
 
GPS Systems vs Laser Rangefinders

I got a bushnell watch and perfectly happy. I'm not good enough to hit a number exactly so "center of green" is good enough for me. I'd love to have a laser too but I think I made the right choice to start with
 
Never have used a laser but have plenty of friends that do, and i have tested my Bushnell NEO XS GPS watch against them all, and it's within a yard or three every time. I am starting to see where a laser would be great on the range, and i may look for a deal on one soon, and heck use ti as a back up on the course just to double check.
 
Jank said:
Thanks!

The V2 does turn off automatically after 15-30 seconds... I take out my battery after each round, which seems to help, but still 3-4 times per year it is changed. It is a CR2 battery, as well.
Click to expand...
Are you buying cheap batteries on amazon? hehe.

I played, likely, close to 100 rounds last year. I only had to change twice and I use the v2.
 
I have a Leupold range finder and wouldn't play golf without it. Laser are very useful, but have their limitations. If you can't see it you can't laser it. I play some hilly courses and it can get difficult to know where things are at times.

I also use Golfshot GPS app on my phone for finding those hard to see hazards, doglegs, etc. It has a fly over feature which I really like. I find the GPS to have a few yards of error at times though.
 
sleuth said:
Are you buying cheap batteries on amazon? hehe.

I played, likely, close to 100 rounds last year. I only had to change twice and I use the v2.
Click to expand...

Haha, no. Duracell and Energizer.
 
I think if you want accuracy, laser rangefinder will be the only choice.... Gps not so accurate sometimes, and if courses undergoes some minor changes, map doesn't update instantly


Sent from my iPhone5s using Tapatalk
 
Drew Z said:
I am sure there has been a thread about this already, but I am having trouble searching for it.

I am in the market for either a GPS or Laser Rangefinder. I want to find the best option for what I need.

The main feature I want is to gauge hazards. For example, "how far is it to the brook?" Other features such as help judging elevation would be a perk but not necessary

As far as budget goes, I would like to spend under $300, but I will spend more for a "one time purchase."
Click to expand...

I have a difficult time trusting a number when it travels 1000s of miles up to space through clouds etc and back down to my gps handheld rather than direct line to what I need to distance too. I downloaded GPS app on my phone for $10 a year that I use for new courses but I rely more on rangefinder. I feel gps has given me many wrong yardage so I have a trust issue
 
I have been using Shot by Shot gps on my android phone for 3 years now. Very accurate and if you get the pro version for $14/ yr it has scoring and club tracking. The pro version also gives you greenside views with 5 yardage markers starting from the front to back of the green. Very useful and accurate. It also is useful because you can get yardage from where you are to a certain point. I'm new to the forum do I can't post a pick off it, but if you go to the play store you can see screen shots of it. I love it.
 
Sounds like useful info.
 
I trust the laser more than any GPS.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I use both now, off the tee on par 4 and 5s its nice to see total distance of the hole, then shots into green it is always laser for me. I like knowing distance to bunkers or possible areas I could miss
 
I use both a laser and a GPS phone app as there are a few pins, even with the pin seeker technology, that I just cannot get a read on with the laser. Some of the flagsticks were replaced recently and the new ones do not have reflectors on them. Those are the ones I can't get a read on.
 
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