How often do you use a golf range finder?

[sirchunksalot 10,599]

I like to use mine mainly on approach shots from 160 and in. Those are the shots I feel I might have a chance to at least hit the green. I have Arccos that tells me the distance to the center, but I find that a rangefinder makes a huge difference in knowing pin location.

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[fozcycle 12,742]

I reverted back to my Laser after dumping Arcoss…...

[HardcoreLooper 5,333]

Played my first round with my Bushnell Phantom yesterday.  I loved pulling it out of my pocket and instantly having a yardage.  I've paired it with my phone and installed the app, but the course I played yesterday I've probably played at least 50 times, so I didn't use the app.  I'm looking forward to trying that out on an unfamiliar course.  If the maps are anywhere near as good as SkyCaddie maps, this could be as good as the SX400/500 for a fraction of the cost.

[NRJyzr 609]

Apologies for mild threadomancy...

Have a rangefinder, use it constantly.  Not every hole, as I've found my course is well mapped for yardage markers, but nearly every hole.   

FWIW, Precision NX7, non-slope version, switched from an old Nikon Laser Caddie that was showing its age.

Really don't like GPS due to the inherent innaccuracy; it's only as good as the person who's mapped the course, and sometimes dicey for slow update reasons.  A few too many whiskey-tango-foxtrot readings and I went laser with no looking back.

[Siamese Moose 411]

On 1/8/2020 at 3:46 PM, NRJyzr said:

Apologies for mild threadomancy...

Additional apologies for threadjack...

Hi Ed! I hadn't noticed you here before, though I see you've been a member for sometime. My username here is different, but you know me as RobGW, aka My Greens Stimp At 2. Have you fled GEA (like me), or are you two timing?

[NRJyzr 609]

10 minutes ago, Siamese Moose said:

Additional apologies for threadjack...

Hi Ed! I hadn't noticed you here before, though I see you've been a member for sometime. My username here is different, but you know me as RobGW, aka My Greens Stimp At 2. Have you fled GEA (like me), or are you two timing?

Rob!

Nice to see you, virtually speaking. 

Not entirely gone from GEA, but nearly so.  Your not noticing me earlier is probably because I've only recently added a couple posts, I've really just been lurking here.  Decided in the last few days that I would inflict myself on the good folks here.  LOL

Hope things are well with you and yours   

[chisag 12,393]

On 11/18/2019 at 9:21 AM, Quigleyd said:

I don't own a rangefinder, but I think it is probably the one piece of equipment I need. When I play with someone that owns one it really does make a difference. I could understand how the use of them could get out of hand at times, but I have never witnessed it happen. If anything it speeds up the round because you can get your number so fast. 

 

... Posted this before but it never hurts to repeat. Before range finders I played a course where my friend was the GM so I played free, which meant a LOT. A couple holes always caused me problems but one in. particular. Trees guarded the left side so right side or even right rough was a better play. As an example, I was about 5 yards short of the 150 marker in the right rough just off the fairway to a back pin placement. So I added 5 for the distance from 150, another 5 for being in the right rough and 10 for a back pin. So about 170 and I would come up short, landing in a bunker or front of the green. Rangefinders became popular and I picked one up. Playing that hole, I lasered 197 to a back left pin from the right rough!?!?!   

... Testing further, it turns out the geometry of right rough to back left pin was more extreme than I calculated. Who would have thought 5 yards from the 150 marker would translate to 197? But the green is situated just a little left of the fairway, the green was the deepest one at the course not wide but deep. And best I could tell the 150 marker was closer to 155. After that day I could not imagine playing without a rangefinder. So stop procrastinating and buy one.  

[Quigleyd 712]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Posted this before but it never hurts to repeat. Before range finders I played a course where my friend was the GM so I played free, which meant a LOT. A couple holes always caused me problems but one in. particular. Trees guarded the left side so right side or even right rough was a better play. As an example, I was about 5 yards short of the 150 marker in the right rough just off the fairway to a back pin placement. So I added 5 for the distance from 150, another 5 for being in the right rough and 10 for a back pin. So about 170 and I would come up short, landing in a bunker or front of the green. Rangefinders became popular and I picked one up. Playing that hole, I lasered 197 to a back left pin from the right rough!?!?!   

... Testing further, it turns out the geometry of right rough to back left pin was more extreme than I calculated. Who would have thought 5 yards from the 150 marker would translate to 197? But the green is situated just a little left of the fairway, the green was the deepest one at the course not wide but deep. And best I could tell the 150 marker was closer to 155. After that day I could not imagine playing without a rangefinder. So stop procrastinating and buy one.  

This makes complete sense. especially if you think measurements are in straight lines not curved. Or elevation changes etc etc etc. Its no wonder I miss so many greens, either coming up short wondering how in the world that could be, or going long thinking there is now way I hit that club that far. When in reality you just never knew how far to hit the ball to begin with. 

 

luckily, Mygolfspy was wonderful enough to select me for a skycaddie review. Looking forward to trying it and seeing what a difference course knowledge will make. Even on courses I play regularly. 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Quigleyd

[dbdors 83]

Every approach shot and par 3's.  Everything else I rely on GPS (which is basically tee shots).

[revkev 23,051]

Occasionally for approach shots and often for targets on the driving range.

I use ACCROS on my phone and it’s proven accurate enough for my game.


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[CarlH 5,529]

As a tester for the SkyCaddy SX400, I'm using one much more often than I have ever before.  It's a different process for me, as it's been years since using GPS on the course.  More to come in the pending review!

[THEZIPR23 5,505]

1 hour ago, revkev said:

Occasionally for approach shots and often for targets on the driving range.

I use ACCROS on my phone and it’s proven accurate enough for my game.


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Have you used new caddie feature on Arccos? If so how do you like it? If not give it a shot, I have only used it once but it proved very accurate. 

[bens197 7,121]

Between 90-250 and it’s often in my hands. Inside of 90 I trust my instincts and have a good feel of my club.


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[Kor.A.Door 5,842]

I think it depends on the golf course. I’ve played many golf courses where you can see everything in front of you, and they have yardages marked pretty clearly. I may not need to have one in that case. I use it at my home course all the time. Our greens are large but also segmented. You need to have a good yardage in order to know where to miss. I use it when going to places I’ve ever been as well. I suppose having something that shows back middle front will work, but it’s just simple and quick to just shoot it with the range finder to know exactly what the yardage is. 

[Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob 7]

I use it for every shot. Just part of the routine now.

[SlowNLow 383]

I use it on almost every shot outside of 30 yards of pin.     It has helped with those feel shots.   Actually, I'm getting dependent on it.

Mine has slope too.   In SE Michigan, there aren't many large elevation changes, but a lot of small ones, mostly man-made.  Comes in handy up north though.

It is also good to use on tee to get idea of distance to targets, good targets, and bad ones too.

However, when tee shots go into those really tall green things, a laser rangefinder here is like peeling an apple with spoon, no can do.

My friends like to play "name that distance", they guess, I shoot,  if they get within 3 yards, free drink.   You can never have too much fun.

[Golfspy_CG2 26,799]

Since most yardage markers don't go past 250, I use mine on any par 5 to see if I'm 260 or 280 out and need to hit a 3w or 5w to reach the green     J/K of course. 

  But sad to say, I think we've all been  behind "That Guy" at a time or two!

[StrokerAce 11,389]

I'd be curious to find out how many people use a LRF to get distances to things other than the flag.

For example, if I'm playing a course and it's a dogleg I'll typically shoot to a tree or hill or something and get a gauge on what club to hit; I've also done it to bunkers to see what's needed to carry them off the tee.

I find a LRF very useful in these situations.  A lot of things can tell you distance to a pin.  Of course I still use it for that as well...

[THEZIPR23 5,505]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy Stroker said:

I'd be curious to find out how many people use a LRF to get distances to things other than the flag.

For example, if I'm playing a course and it's a dogleg I'll typically shoot to a tree or hill or something and get a gauge on what club to hit; I've also done it to bunkers to see what's needed to carry them off the tee.

I find a LRF very useful in these situations.  A lot of things can tell you distance to a pin.  Of course I still use it for that as well...

Every time I play a course other than my home course. It might look funny carrying a LRF to the tee with driver in hand but it is very useful. 

[Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob 7]

I'd be curious to find out how many people use a LRF to get distances to things other than the flag.
For example, if I'm playing a course and it's a dogleg I'll typically shoot to a tree or hill or something and get a gauge on what club to hit; I've also done it to bunkers to see what's needed to carry them off the tee.
I find a LRF very useful in these situations.  A lot of things can tell you distance to a pin.  Of course I still use it for that as well...

I use the laser for that all the time. I think the handheld gps works a bit better because you get an overhead view and can pinpoint the spot you want to hit to. Only problem sometimes is that the shape of the fairway or lack of sight points on the gps makes it tough to pick the perfect spot.


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