GPS / Laser range finders [Archive]

v205

7th July 2008, 09:35 PM

Picked up the latest copy of The Golfer and Social Golf today and noticed that sureshot was advertising the approval of VGA and NSWGA to use these equipment for competition rounds.

Anyone here using them for their comp rounds for handicapping?

Courty

7th July 2008, 09:57 PM

A guy I played with last week was using one (QLD). That said, the committee are behind the times, so even if they knew about these things, they wouldn't know what to do about them.

v205

7th July 2008, 10:22 PM

So did the guy shoot under his handicap with more accurate knowledge?

Courty

8th July 2008, 06:17 AM

He had -1 nett. Hard to say if it was because of the GPS though. He did tell me that sometimes it's too accurate (ie. it gives an exact distance which can be right in between clubs).

Wrong Fairway

8th July 2008, 03:44 PM

Yes I use one.

It did help and I won a few comps and a monthly medal since using it.

Cant say if it helped then, but I have a strained tendon in my arm so the game has gone to s#@t the last 6 weeks.

It sure is handy to know the yardage when you are on the wrong fairway though.

scratcher

8th July 2008, 04:35 PM

I also use one, and have found that it helps with confidence more than anything. You are more sure of the club you are using, and it definitely helps if you are on the wrong fairway, where there are no distance markers (I tend to spend a lot of time where there are no distance markers). I also believe it helps with the pace of play because you are not looking for distance markers. I guess it depends whether the course you play is mapped or mapped correctly, as I have been to some courses that haven't been mapped correctly and you end up playing the wrong club, but that hasn't happened much.

I don't know it has helped me a huge amount, but I love gadgets and it has some advantages.

virge666

8th July 2008, 04:59 PM

Love my little bushnell yardage thingy.

It just speeds up play... I will get the yardage anyway, this way it just takes a couple of seconds.

Boonie

8th July 2008, 06:04 PM

Love my little bushnell yardage thingy.

It just speeds up play... I will get the yardage anyway, this way it just takes a couple of seconds.

Which one do you have Virge? I see them for sale a bit in BST forums, but the model numbers don't mean much to me.

We have made them legal in all comps at K.Heath from July 1st. Not much point disallowing them when state associations are allowing them in all their events.

Personally, I'd probably prefer they didn't exist, but that is a personal preference only. All the evidence seems to suggest they can only speed play up. A few of us on match committee trialled a few and no-one saw any reason not to allow them, so we added the local rule.

The only down side I can see is if people start using the stats recorders in the GPS systems, that could add time. I'm thinking of getting the laser range finders as I still play quite a few events on other courses. Seems easier than getting a GPS and worrying about software and downloads.

LarryLong

8th July 2008, 06:10 PM

adlo

8th July 2008, 07:02 PM

Which one do you have Virge? I see them for sale a bit in BST forums, but the model numbers don't mean much to me.

We have made them legal in all comps at K.Heath from July 1st. Not much point disallowing them when state associations are allowing them in all their events.

Personally, I'd probably prefer they didn't exist, but that is a personal preference only. All the evidence seems to suggest they can only speed play up. A few of us on match committee trialled a few and no-one saw any reason not to allow them, so we added the local rule.

The only down side I can see is if people start using the stats recorders in the GPS systems, that could add time. I'm thinking of getting the laser range finders as I still play quite a few events on other courses. Seems easier than getting a GPS and worrying about software and downloads.
Also, a common complaint with GPS is they are weather affected, whereas the Laser Range finders do not have this problem. I have been looking into them, and the range finders seem a good option. Especially when visiting other courses.

virge666

8th July 2008, 07:26 PM

Also, a common complaint with GPS is they are weather affected, whereas the Laser Range finders do not have this problem. I have been looking into them, and the range finders seem a good option. Especially when visiting other courses.

I really don't understand why you would ever bother with a GPS system... Loading data. pin locations nothing but front of green.

total crock.

Get a range finder.

kev

8th July 2008, 07:57 PM

Also, a common complaint with GPS is they are weather affected, whereas the Laser Range finders do not have this problem. I have been looking into them, and the range finders seem a good option. Especially when visiting other courses.

Laser is affected by localised weather. They don't like rain (or fog, but you're not too likely to be playing in fog).

virge666

8th July 2008, 09:40 PM

Laser is affected by localised weather. They don't like rain (or fog, but you're not too likely to be playing in fog).

Agreed but all the new ones have settings for Rain and Fog and high grasses.

It ain;t gong to be perfect - but still better than GPS.

singleoneday

9th July 2008, 12:05 AM

Just out of interest, do any of those in-car satellite navigation systems also include software to give you distances on the golf course? I need to buy one for the lovely wife's car, and I figure I could get away with a golf GPS into the bargain if it doesn't cost too much more.....
No.
The cheapest way to get gps is to download a program called mscorecard onto your gps enabled phone. Costs $20, but the demo version is still usable which is free.

singleoneday

9th July 2008, 12:08 AM

I really don't understand why you would ever bother with a GPS system... Loading data. pin locations nothing but front of green.

total crock.

Get a range finder.
I think most of the gps systems have front, middle, and back green locations, not just the front. Also on some you can have hazard locations.

virge666

9th July 2008, 12:21 AM

I think most of the gps systems have front, middle, and back green locations, not just the front. Also on some you can have hazard locations.

That's cool, but with a range finder - I can pick out trees, bunkers, hazards, gardens, in fact, anything at all.

and most importantly - THE PIN ! :)

And the new ones can even do slope for you !!!

I really am struggling to why would you pick GPS over a rangefinder ? Rangefinder is $350 SureShot is $795.

Bruce

9th July 2008, 11:18 AM

Wow! If KH is giving blanket approval can the rest of the world be far behind.

I've been an early implementer of a Laser range finder but I sometimes find it hard to get it to lock on to what I want.

Boonie

9th July 2008, 03:07 PM

So Virge,

Which Bushnell do you have?

virge666

9th July 2008, 05:58 PM

No idea - Yardage pro I think.

It will be in the Pro Shop soon as I have just bought a 1500 slope model

v205

9th July 2008, 07:21 PM

The latest generation of products from Bushnell have a Pinseeker function that's easy to lock on to pins up to about 200m.

Grunt

9th July 2008, 07:23 PM

Virge, can you turn the slope setting off? The slope setting is still illegal. Only Distances are legal any other info is not.

v205

9th July 2008, 07:24 PM

Sureshot was $488 at Golf Universe a few mths ago. Never seen a price tag of $795 as I thought the RRP is $599?

GPS is more of a convenience thing compared to a laser range finder which is more of a precision tool.

That's cool, but with a range finder - I can pick out trees, bunkers, hazards, gardens, in fact, anything at all.

and most importantly - THE PIN ! :)

And the new ones can even do slope for you !!!

I really am struggling to why would you pick GPS over a rangefinder ? Rangefinder is $350 SureShot is $795.

v205

9th July 2008, 07:27 PM

Slope models are not allowed in US for competition play even if it can be turned off. That's their rule, pretty silly but then Bushnell came out with a 1500 Tournament model which doesn't have slope.

Also look at the smaller Bushnell Tournament V2.

jaybam

9th July 2008, 07:38 PM

How much are we looking at for one of those and what would be the best place to source one??? Cheers Jaybam

Boonie

9th July 2008, 08:10 PM

Thanks guys. I need one without the extra functions. FYI our local rule reads:

�A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. However, if, during a stipulated round a player uses a distance measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (eg: gradient, windspeed, temperature etc), the player is in breach of rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such features are actually used.�

Moe Norman

9th July 2008, 09:40 PM

I was dead against these things only 6 months ago, but I'm now coming around too - especially after trying to solve the teory of relativity when trying to get a yardage at Barnbougle

singleoneday

9th July 2008, 09:45 PM

virge666

9th July 2008, 11:28 PM

Its easy.....

$20 gps program on my nokia phone
v's
$350 rangefinder
or
$450 for other gps units

Illegal to have mobile phones on a course !!

:)

So Slope is not allowed huh . . . bugger. Oh well keep the old war horse.

I only really use it from about 180m in and it is pretty easy to use with both hands keeping it still.

I always use the scan function...

v205

9th July 2008, 11:40 PM

Virge, you prefer the scan over the pinseeker??

virge666

10th July 2008, 12:17 AM

Virge, you prefer the scan over the pinseeker??

not used Pin seeker - i just hold the button down and hover it over the flag or tee marker. It flashes up the distance.

markTHEblake

13th July 2008, 08:23 PM

Illegal to have mobile phones on a course !!

Illegal to use em to make calls :lol:

Google earth images - free
GPS software - free
Bluetooth GPS receiver - $100
Existing PDA/Phone - free
Calibrating map - 20 mins

LarryLong

13th July 2008, 09:53 PM

Google earth images - free
GPS software - free
Bluetooth GPS receiver - $100
Existing PDA/Phone - free
Calibrating map - 20 mins
That sounds like a pretty interesting solution, but I'd have to buy the PDA since I changed jobs and had to give mine back.

I wonder what the cheapest PDA/phone you could buy would be to be able to use that kind of setup?

virge666

13th July 2008, 09:55 PM

That sounds like a pretty interesting solution, but I'd have to buy the PDA since I changed jobs and had to give mine back.

I wonder what the cheapest PDA/phone you could buy would be to be able to use that kind of setup?

DELL Axim X50 and a bluetooth GPS receiver. I use it for Tom Tom.

But the problem is the batteries just don't last, and my stand bag doesn;t have a ciggy lighter.

markTHEblake

13th July 2008, 10:05 PM

I wonder what the cheapest PDA/phone you could buy would be to be able to use that kind of setup?

anything that you can install 3rd party software on. Symbian, Windows, and proabbly anything that runs Java stuff

singleoneday

14th July 2008, 11:36 AM

nokia 6110 is the cheapest phone you can get with a built in gps receiver. Around $28 on contract, but includes around $50 credit for phone calls/messages per month.

Golfast

2nd September 2008, 11:26 PM

That's cool, but with a range finder - I can pick out trees, bunkers, hazards, gardens, in fact, anything at all.

and most importantly - THE PIN ! :)

And the new ones can even do slope for you !!!

I really am struggling to why would you pick GPS over a rangefinder ? Rangefinder is $350 SureShot is $795.

I bought an iGolf Caddie GPS out eBay a couple of weeks back for only $309.00 This is the standard sell price. Some guys in Melbourne import them from the USA. They have over 400 Australian maps. The Caddie unit is very accurate to within 1 meter. I am very impressed. I love this unit.