Are those distant range finder useful? GPS or the view finder better?

Are those distant range finder useful? GPS or the view finder better?
Always tempted to buy, but worried it will become a white elephant.
I have a iphone GPS and find it quite a hassle to use it.

I use it on my HTC, only think is have to do homework before taking it to the course... have to do all the markings using google map.

seebayho wrote:

Are those distant range finder useful? GPS or the view finder better?
Always tempted to buy, but worried it will become a white elephant.
I have a iphone GPS and find it quite a hassle to use it.

Here my experience. I have a distant range finder 1st and bought a GPS "Golf Buddy Pro" later. It is the black and white sheen that is cheaper than a color sheen vision. I have American friend brought it from the States. Golf stuffs is much cheaper in the States compared to Asia.

Distant range finder was rather slow in giving you information as you need to look through it as you are playing. I like this GPS of mine .. It can tell all distance of hazard from whatever you are standing on the course. I like it when I can mark and check how far I hit for each shot too when on the course.

I do not know about other brand of GPS but this one I have now, no problem in downloading all the courses (you need to do it one time only after you open the box). I understand it have 20,000+ golf course available. If they do not have the course you want, just email them a score card and you can download it from their website within a week .. Easy. If it work for me in Indonesia, China and Vietnam. I am sure it work in Singapore.

Here the website : http://www.golfbuddyglobal.com/ ... Go the this site and check courses map already available before you buy.

I hope this infor help

Pak Slicer

How much you bought your device?

Hi Slicer,

Thanks for the info. DO you by any chance know how regulary they update the library?

went to the Vietnam website but the updates seem to be quite old. I know that the Song Be link is old as the club added a new 9 hole extension to the course.

I am considering buying something like that for myseef here in Vietnam.

SBH, u can borrow my Bushnell V2 to try first vs using a distant range finder or GPS. so that you can make a better decision as to making a purchase or not.

No horse run... laser better

Once, I was in a flight where one was using his GPS and I was using the laser rangefinder. Although I dun have the convenience of constant updates on the phone, but the phone took a while to get a decent yardage. However, witht the laser finder, gotta take a couple of secs to view, aim and fire the laser. But after tt, dist was accurate.

The laser rangefinder will set u back a couple of hundred dollars. Really, it what suits ur needs.
Hope tt helps.

eiji wrote:

SBH, u can borrow my Bushnell V2 to try first vs using a distant range finder or GPS. so that you can make a better decision as to making a purchase or not.

I have bought a gps but quite problematic to use.
After a while I become lazy to use it.
Eiji, do you find it useful?
How often do you use it?
After a while , do you tend to be lazy to use it?

Thanks for the offer.

i think its very useful, i am still very new to the game and i haven't got all the yardage in my clubs down very well, so it helps with that for now and also gives me confidence when i stand over my ball knowing the exact yardage to pin or hazard. for the short shots, it helps with club selection and approximate backswing distance for those half wedge shots.

the v2 is very light and u can wear it around ur belt or put it in your back pocket or just place it in the buggy. just grab it as u get off the buggy, walk to your ball, point and shoot, takes like 20secs? i work it into my preshot routine

jurongtiger wrote:

Pak Slicer

How much you bought your device?

JT, I do not remember how much I bought mine but the same on line shop that I bought from is selling them cheaper now

Black & white sheen Golf buddy Pro for Usd 240.00
Color sheen golf buddy Tours for Usd 290

https://www.golfsmith.com/ps/browse/accessories-gps-systems

Winston wrote:

Hi Slicer,

Thanks for the info. DO you by any chance know how regulary they update the library?

went to the Vietnam website but the updates seem to be quite old. I know that the Song Be link is old as the club added a new 9 hole extension to the course.

I am considering buying something like that for myseef here in Vietnam.

Bro Winston,

I do not know how regular they update the library but I am sure all USA courses are updated since it is an American product.

However, as I say in my message, it is not a problem at all to get them updated. I would suggest that you do not buy one yet but email them by sending the address of the golf course and a score card of Song Be and see how fast they get it updated. You do not need to be a unit owner to do this.

In fact, you can have all Vietnam golf courses updated before you buy the GSP unit.

Furthermore, if you buy one and encounter any problem, just pm me and I will try to help since I am using the same unit without any problem.

Btw, I played Song Be before, nice course. I will in HCM sometime in begin of July, maybe we can play. If not, at least have a Vietnamese Pho

seebayho wrote:

Are those distant range finder useful? GPS or the view finder better?
Always tempted to buy, but worried it will become a white elephant.
I have a iphone GPS and find it quite a hassle to use it.

i have the GPS in iphone and the Bushnell V2 (without slope).
while i have more or less stopped using the iphone, i am still using the rangefinder.

I use the rangefinder mostly on par3s, approaches and to determine hazard distances.
like what eiji has mentioned, V2 is light and small...you can keep it in your pocket too.
aim and shoot...very simple, very fast.

GPS on iphone is slow but I can't comment on those dedicated Golf GPS handhelds as I do not have one. If it is like those GPS mounted on buggies then it is actually very fast and useful as you can use it to measure your drive distance (which is difficult using rangefinder as you need line of sight) and it displays all hazards distances; which should speed more decision making.

Maybe someone can comment how they determine the pin position distance using the GPS?

I have used various GPS (Intelligolf, some google map thingy, etc etc) and a friend of mine has a Laser Range finder (Bushnell Tour V2 I think)

Laser Range finders are typically good on courses which fairly flat (or when you are not behind any trees) as you will require line of sight to obtain your distance read. The pinseeker technology on my friends bushnell seems to work pretty well for people who do not have steady hands; you can probably google how the technology works.

On the other hand, a GPS will not require line of sight to your target. It also is alot quicker to obtain your required information since it does require you to aim at anything. However, I realised most GPS will require some fee to download the course information or you will be required to do some "homework" to pre-mark your greens say from Google map. My personal view should you get a GPS is not to use the ones for phones as running the GPS on your phone is rather power intensive and unlikely sustain a round of 18 holes. The dedicated GPS systems will last alot longer!!

My 2 cents
Lionel

eden wrote:

Maybe someone can comment how they determine the pin position distance using the GPS?

The GPS systems I have used provides distance in relative to where you are to
1) Front of green (example 100m)
2) Middle of green (example 115m)
3) Back of green (example 130m)

TITW wrote:

No horse run... laser better

Once, I was in a flight where one was using his GPS and I was using the laser rangefinder. Although I dun have the convenience of constant updates on the phone, but the phone took a while to get a decent yardage. However, witht the laser finder, gotta take a couple of secs to view, aim and fire the laser. But after tt, dist was accurate.

The laser rangefinder will set u back a couple of hundred dollars. Really, it what suits ur needs.
Hope tt helps.

I am unable to comment since i have not use a laser rangefinder before but you appear to miss understood the GPS unit that I am talking about. When you mention using phone and "dun have the convenience of constant updated on the phone " I think you are talking about GPS software that iphone or other phone has.

The GPS unit is just a unit by itself that search for the best satellite signal. The one that I am using, take about 1 min to search for the best satellite signal. Once you are lock on, it show all information on the course as you travel from hole to hole ( the distant measurement change as you are walking toward the green ).

As for prices, I understand most GPS unit are cheaper than laser rangefinder now. Please understand that I have nothing against laser rangefinder but just sharing and exchange information. No offense Bro

lionelho wrote:

I have used various GPS (Intelligolf, some google map thingy, etc etc) and a friend of mine has a Laser Range finder (Bushnell Tour V2 I think)

Laser Range finders are typically good on courses which fairly flat (or when you are not behind any trees) as you will require line of sight to obtain your distance read. The pinseeker technology on my friends bushnell seems to work pretty well for people who do not have steady hands; you can probably google how the technology works.

On the other hand, a GPS will not require line of sight to your target. It also is alot quicker to obtain your required information since it does require you to aim at anything. However, I realised most GPS will require some fee to download the course information or you will be required to do some "homework" to pre-mark your greens say from Google map. My personal view should you get a GPS is not to use the ones for phones as running the GPS on your phone is rather power intensive and unlikely sustain a round of 18 holes. The dedicated GPS systems will last alot longer!!

My 2 cents
Lionel

Very soon, everyone will think that I am a golfbuddy GSP salesman but I am not. Golfbuddy course are provided and download free of charge from their website. The only thing you need to do is to download their program in your pc .. plug in your GSP into a pc than download or update whatever courses you need. Do not need to pre-mark your green whatsoever. One full charge will be good for at least a 54 holes play.

Using it for almost a year now with no problem at all.

lionelho wrote:

eden wrote:

Maybe someone can comment how they determine the pin position distance using the GPS?

The GPS systems I have used provides distance in relative to where you are to
1) Front of green (example 100m)
2) Middle of green (example 115m)
3) Back of green (example 130m)

lionelho,

If you do not mind, may I add.

As what you say, GPS provide you the distance in relative to where you are .. front, middle and back green distance. Of course it also provide the distance of the front and back bunker if there is a bunker protecting the green.

Since pin position always change by the golf course management daily or weekly. We just need to know whether the pin position is in front, middle or back of green on that day ... look at the GPS for information, cross your fingers and hit the ball as close as possible to the pin

Slicer51 wrote:

As for prices, I understand most GPS unit are cheaper than laser rangefinder now. Please understand that I have nothing against laser rangefinder but just sharing and exchange information. No offense Bro

No worries mate.. no offense taken

Although I's a techie and owns one of these gadgets, somehow I feel that all these gadgets remove something 'magical/unique' about the game; the human element in judging distance. (But I won''t give up my 'toy').. just my pov

seebayho wrote:

eiji wrote:

SBH, u can borrow my Bushnell V2 to try first vs using a distant range finder or GPS. so that you can make a better decision as to making a purchase or not.

I have bought a gps but quite problematic to use.
After a while I become lazy to use it.
Eiji, do you find it useful?
How often do you use it?
After a while , do you tend to be lazy to use it?

Thanks for the offer.

SBH,
I know this question is not for me but if you do not mind that I share my view.

Forget about the GSP on phone. Yes, it is indeed too troublesome. Do try to get a GSP hand held type. As for me, I do find it lazy sometime using GSP specially when you are playing in a familiar courses. There were color marker in the fairway showing 200m, 150m and 100m to the green (with caddy in Indonesia too). I do not look at my GSP when I am on the tee box. I use it more during my approach shot to the green when it give me more details.

However, GSP will be good when you play in unfamiliar courses. I remember a incident when I play in China once. I asked my caddy the distance of the par 3 that I am going to tee off. She says 140, I asked for my 7 irons and my ball over shoot the green. I found out the caddy really mean 140 YARDS. I though it in meters where all Indonesia curses are in meter.

With a GSP, you can change the setting for yards or meters .. Isn't it great

TITW wrote:

Slicer51 wrote:

As for prices, I understand most GPS unit are cheaper than laser rangefinder now. Please understand that I have nothing against laser rangefinder but just sharing and exchange information. No offense Bro

No worries mate.. no offense taken

Although I's a techie and owns one of these gadgets, somehow I feel that all these gadgets remove something 'magical/unique' about the game; the human element in judging distance. (But I won''t give up my 'toy').. just my pov

I agreed with your though bro .. fortunately, all these gadgets are not allow to be use during a tournament. If not, we will soon have players carry computer, satellite disk mount on the cart ... etc. It will look more like a computer show than a golf game Haaaa If that happened, I will be the 1st to quit golf

Slicer51 wrote:

Very soon, everyone will think that I am a golfbuddy GSP salesman but I am not. Golfbuddy course are provided and download free of charge from their website. The only thing you need to do is to download their program in your pc .. plug in your GSP into a pc than download or update whatever courses you need. Do not need to pre-mark your green whatsoever. One full charge will be good for at least a 54 holes play.

Using it for almost a year now with no problem at all.

Hi Slicer51 !!!! Even if you are the sales person from golf buddy .. I would still like to thank you for sharing such great information !!! I think it is fantastic that we can use such a platform to share such great products. Cheers to you and all great contributors to this forum !!

Might see myself with a golfbuddy soon ... shame the cheaper golf buddy is sold out ...

Laser Rangefinder hands down.

I have played with tons of people here in US who use GPS units like Skycaddie, GolfLogix etc and they always end up asking me for the exact yardage after a few holes when they see me with the Bushnell .

Also, some of the nicer courses here have in-built GPS units in their carts and I have found the difference in yardages can be as much as 15yds. The problem is that they sometimes have the wrong pin positions loaded. It is a frustrating guessing game when u see the pin is in the front left but the distance given by the GPS is based off a back right pin.

Which boils down to the question of why guess the yardage to the pin by using those figures to the front, middle and back of the green when u can have it pretty much exact with the laser? U are already using a piece of equipment for greater accuracy so thats pretty much LPPL.

Also, I dun have to bother about downloading courses and doing 'homework' the night before. I play a different course every week / time I tee up here and that will be tiring and troublesome. My buddy who uses a GPS unit has turned to me a few times because some courses here in US that we play cannot be found in their directory.

Other that Phil Mickelson who is endorsing Callaway's UPro, you will not see alot of GPS units in Pro's bags during practice rounds at PGA events.

Bushnell is the choice of the top players.

Hi All,

My question is, after a while will you tend not to use it because you are too familiar or just don't be bother to check the distant.
So all user , do you use your ranger finder at every hole? Or only new broom sweep clean?

i cant remember when i got it..maybe 6-12 months and i am still using it.
pin position is always different, no matter whether it is a par 3 the tee box or approach into the green.
so yeah...i use it for every hole.

Its the next best thing to a personal caddy. Can't live without it.