Rangefinders

[808nation]

At what yardage would you not use a rangefinder?

[Kenny B]

I don't use a range finder for anything longer than I know I can fly the ball, AND anything shorter than a typical LW.  If it's less than an LW distance, then I go by feel and will use most any wedge depending on the lie, location of pin on green, and what type of shot I want to play.

[MDGolfHacker]

I use the rangefinder as soon as I can see the green, the flag or a target near the green. Doesn't mean I can get there, but it can help when I am looking to get to a certain approach distance to the flag so I'm not in between clubs. I also use my sky caddie to do the same thing on blind shots/dog legs.

 

MDGolfHacker

[DiscipleofPenick]

On all second shots, even if i cant get there i still want a layup distance. And on driving holes that dogleg, I want to know how far to the corner

 

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[downlowkey]

My unit has a 400 yard range and I typically stop shooting inside ~50 yards (feel shot). But even then I will still sometimes use the laser for targets inside 50 yards (i.e. 45 yards to a hole cut over a bunker; I'll shoot the far bunker lip because having a minimum carry number helps me commit and accelerate through impact).

[cnosil]

Just off the green or putts. I would use a range finder off the tee or in the fairway for hazard carry distances and pin distances. I also would use it on the feel shots most people are describing because I am more of a this swing goes this far type of wedge player

[10shot]

I use my 80i vr to pick a spot at a specific distance 240 yards for me when off the tee and try and hit the ball that far. Nothing more then practice control. Then use for 150 and in

 

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[chisag]

... If it is a course I know, probably about 50 yards as that is a feel shot for me. If I do not know the course, I will use it on any shot I cannot see the entire length of the shot. What looks like 20 yards over a high lipped bunker or mound can have a low area just on the other side that disguises the length. Or a low area that drops a little in front of the green may be wider than it looks. 

[PlaidJacket]

I use mine in many different situations. For greens perhaps not less than 50 yds. Otherwise I like to shoot bunkers, trees, water, etc. to estimate a carry distance.

[Miboy62]

Usually I will stop at 50 yards, like PlaidJacket I use it for carry distance too.

[ga_pike]

I use mine as much as possible, even inside 100 yards if I'm hitting a full shot.  I do not use it for chips or pitch shots around the green (obviously).  

[cnosil]

I use mine as much as possible, even inside 100 yards if I'm hitting a full shot. I do not use it for chips or pitch shots around the green (obviously).

I am curious about your "obviously" for your pitches around the green. How accurate are you at judging 30, 40, 50, 60 yard shots.? This is the point where I really want to know distance.

[MDGolfHacker]

I am curious about your "obviously" for your pitches around the green. How accurate are you at judging 30, 40, 50, 60 yard shots.? This is the point where I really want to know distance.

That's something I've been working on throughout the years. Can't say I've done it well though. At the local ranges I do laser the flags or objects within wedge distance to see how close I get to them. Some days I'm throwing darts, and other days I'm just shaking my head wondering if I'm ever going to get this part of my game working consistently. Like this past weekend. I had a bunch of 50 to 85 yard wedges into the greens. A few I left 10 yards short and a few I just flat out shanked (truth be told though this is a backup set I leave in Fl for when I visit my MiL and the specs on the wedges are different enough to possibly cause these issues, but I tend to think it me more so then the equipment in this instance).

 

MDGolfHacker

[chisag]

I am curious about your "obviously" for your pitches around the green. How accurate are you at judging 30, 40, 50, 60 yard shots.? This is the point where I really want to know distance.

 

 

... Maybe were talking semantics, but I don't consider a 50+ yard shot a "pitch". For me it is more of a 1/2 Lw, Sw or Pw depending on the wind. This discussion is interesting because my playing pard is about a 10 index and very technical, while I play more by feel. He wants to know the yardage for everything and even walks off his putts. He has a clock in his head and takes the club back to say 8 o'clock for a specific distance, etc. For me, every 40 yd shot is different depending on pin location, wind, speed of greens and what kind of shot I want to hit. Low one hop and stop, high drop and trickle or whatever the shot calls for. I like to think about the shot, not the yardage. 

[cnosil]

I fall into the more technical side and I pace things off and have specifics for each club. I still play those shots that you describe just more analytical about my approach

[Kenny B]

 

... Maybe were talking semantics, but I don't consider a 50+ yard shot a "pitch". For me it is more of a 1/2 Lw, Sw or Pw depending on the wind. This discussion is interesting because my playing pard is about a 10 index and very technical, while I play more by feel. He wants to know the yardage for everything and even walks off his putts. He has a clock in his head and takes the club back to say 8 o'clock for a specific distance, etc. For me, every 40 yd shot is different depending on pin location, wind, speed of greens and what kind of shot I want to hit. Low one hop and stop, high drop and trickle or whatever the shot calls for. I like to think about the shot, not the yardage. 

Exactly!  Near the green the exact yardage doesn't matter that much to me.  It's almost TMI.  I am certainly not a pro which means I cannot land a ball exactly where I want and have it check up exactly so much so that the ball stops near the hole.  However, I'd like to think that having played for several years with my wedges, I can judge how each one will react to the many variables that I have to deal with depending on the shot I want to execute.  

[EthanSterlingPrice]

Inside 20 yards usually but it depends on what shot I'm trying. It's almost part of my routine to get a range now, bit reassuring for me.

 

 

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Having just got a NX7 Pro I intend on using it on everything from the tee to my final 1 footer. Lol

 

Serously. I would say I probably stop at around 20 yards. I actually intend on working a lot with it on wedge shots on practice holes this year.

 

That's one area I need to improve a lot on knowing my consistent distances with all my wedges.

 

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