Laser or GPS? | USHandicap Classic

Shawn Overley Professional Champion
Go to Last Reply 182 Views 48 Replies 3 Likes
I have a great GPS iPhone app for golf but I cant get through a round on a full charge. Now i am looking at a golf GPS or a laser rangefinder. Which do you prefer, why and what model? I am leaning towards GPS since I play a lot of courses I dont know and having all the yardage to hazards, etc... Would be helpful.
tothetop777 Legend
# 1 7/25/2012 10:18:22 PM
Had the SkyCaddie SG4 for 6 years. Just recently bought the SkyCaddie SGX and love it. It allows you to toggle to target areas of the course for yardages to those spots. It gives you yardages to front, middle, & back of green. If you get your annual membership you can toggle to approx. locations of pins as well for those yardages. I like the fact it does make the round much faster when guys are not looking around for a marker for yardages. I have friends that have Lasers and yes they are very accurate, but it is very difficult to get fronts and backs of bunkers or greens. GPS is my choice.
armygrunt47 Professional Champion
# 2 7/25/2012 10:21:36 PM
I keep atleast one gps app on my phone but I prefer a laser any day over a gps. Both types have their pros and cons so you should weigh them and see which one will best suit your needs. You could also just do like I do and have both. As for which models, I like the V2.
cogolfer1 LowIndex
# 3 7/25/2012 10:28:58 PM
I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot.
Mark Simmons Legend
# 4 7/26/2012 12:11:07 AM
Shawn, there are lots of excellent iPhone GPS apps that won't drain your battery in a round. So you might want to try some of the others while you are looking at alternatives. I use FreeCaddie Pro. Others advocate SkyDroid or GolfShot. Stay away from GolfLogix. It's a fine app, but a known battery hog.
Nathan Smith Professional Champion
# 5 7/26/2012 12:15:19 AM
Skycaddie, I love mine. I don't play without it.
njgolfer Legend
# 6 7/26/2012 5:35:40 AM
I have both. I play with a SkyCaddy SG3, which I have had for a number of years, but also carry a Leopold laser. I tend to use the laser to check on certain distances on a new course but also to help me gauge an exact distance from some of my OMG shots.
Racer888 Legend
# 7 7/26/2012 6:35:58 AM
I have used a Sky Caddie for more than 10 years and love it.
BUCKNUT Legend
# 8 7/26/2012 6:47:10 AM
I have a Red Hot laser I just bought and I love it. It gives you the exact distance to the pin with no brain usage required. My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy. With the laser though you have to have a clear shot to the pin. Trees, hills, elevated greens will throw it off. There have been times where I have had to step onto the golf cart seat or step out to the side 20 ft. so I can get a clear line of sight to the pin where as the GPS you don't have to do that.
Docraider Professional Champion
# 9 7/26/2012 6:49:54 AM
A Laser is ar supperioir to a GPS. The accuracy on a GPS is not as advertised believe me I am an Engineer that deals with Navigation systems. A laser can also tell you how far your shots are going when on the range and measure to an exact location that may not be on the aerial maps on the GPS systems.
BUCKNUT Legend
# 10 7/26/2012 6:50:50 AM
I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot. I'm curious Cofish...........when I played H.S. golf 20 years ago we didn't have the technology available to us that they do now so we had to go by yardage markers during matches. Do they allow you to used GPS's and Laser's during H.S. matches? I don't think they do here in Georgia.
Racer888 Legend
# 11 7/26/2012 6:51:32 AM
I have a Red Hot laser I just bought and I love it. It gives you the exact distance to the pin with no brain usage required. My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy. With the laser though you have to have a clear shot to the pin. Trees, hills, elevated greens will throw it off. There have been times where I have had to step onto the golf cart seat or step out to the side 20 ft. so I can get a clear line of sight to the pin where as the GPS you don't have to do that. Yes, it makes a difference where you play. Most of the courses I play in the mountains of NC have a lot of holes where you can't see the pin from the fairways so my GPS works better.
Mongo68 Legend
# 12 7/26/2012 7:15:47 AM
My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy. AMEN! Each has is advantages and disadvantages. You need to decide which you prefer based on those advantages. I personally use a Garmin Approach G6. My feeling is that since I don't need "dead on" accuracy that laser users claim (they're only as accurate as the person pointing it). Just give me a view of the green on the GPS and I can move the flag to where it looks like it is on the green and that's close enough for me. I feel like laser users take more time getting their distance also.
Duckhunter Legend
# 13 7/26/2012 8:21:25 AM
I don't have one yet but when I get one it's going to be a GPS. I want to see how far bunkers and water ect are at the same time.
BUCKNUT Legend
# 14 7/26/2012 8:30:48 AM
I don't have one yet but when I get one it's going to be a GPS. I want to see how far bunkers and water ect are at the same time. You can do that with a laser also. Just shoot the bank or a tree on the bank or by the bunker. Like I said ^^^^^ up there though. If you don't have a clear line of sight to whatever your trying to shoot it'll give you a false reading.
cogolfer1 LowIndex
# 15 7/26/2012 8:42:53 AM
I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot. I'm curious Cofish...........when I played H.S. golf 20 years ago we didn't have the technology available to us that they do now so we had to go by yardage markers during matches. Do they allow you to used GPS's and Laser's during H.S. matches? I don't think they do here in Georgia. Nope. I haven't played in a junior tournament (H.S or not) that will allow them.

Professional Champion

182 Views 48 Replies 3 Likes

I have a great GPS iPhone app for golf but I cant get through a round on a full charge. Now i am looking at a golf GPS or a laser rangefinder. Which do you prefer, why and what model? I am leaning towards GPS since I play a lot of courses I dont know and having all the yardage to hazards, etc... Would be helpful.

tothetop777

Legend

# 1 7/25/2012 10:18:22 PM

Had the SkyCaddie SG4 for 6 years. Just recently bought the SkyCaddie SGX and love it. It allows you to toggle to target areas of the course for yardages to those spots. It gives you yardages to front, middle, & back of green. If you get your annual membership you can toggle to approx. locations of pins as well for those yardages. I like the fact it does make the round much faster when guys are not looking around for a marker for yardages. I have friends that have Lasers and yes they are very accurate, but it is very difficult to get fronts and backs of bunkers or greens. GPS is my choice.

armygrunt47

Professional Champion

# 2 7/25/2012 10:21:36 PM

I keep atleast one gps app on my phone but I prefer a laser any day over a gps. Both types have their pros and cons so you should weigh them and see which one will best suit your needs. You could also just do like I do and have both. As for which models, I like the V2.

cogolfer1

LowIndex

# 3 7/25/2012 10:28:58 PM

I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot.

Mark Simmons

Legend

# 4 7/26/2012 12:11:07 AM

Shawn, there are lots of excellent iPhone GPS apps that won't drain your battery in a round. So you might want to try some of the others while you are looking at alternatives.

I use FreeCaddie Pro. Others advocate SkyDroid or GolfShot. Stay away from GolfLogix. It's a fine app, but a known battery hog.

Nathan Smith

Professional Champion

# 5 7/26/2012 12:15:19 AM

Skycaddie, I love mine. I don't play without it.

njgolfer

Legend

# 6 7/26/2012 5:35:40 AM

I have both. I play with a SkyCaddy SG3, which I have had for a number of years, but also carry a Leopold laser. I tend to use the laser to check on certain distances on a new course but also to help me gauge an exact distance from some of my OMG shots.

Racer888

Legend

# 7 7/26/2012 6:35:58 AM

I have used a Sky Caddie for more than 10 years and love it.

BUCKNUT

Legend

# 8 7/26/2012 6:47:10 AM

I have a Red Hot laser I just bought and I love it. It gives you the exact distance to the pin with no brain usage required. My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy. With the laser though you have to have a clear shot to the pin. Trees, hills, elevated greens will throw it off. There have been times where I have had to step onto the golf cart seat or step out to the side 20 ft. so I can get a clear line of sight to the pin where as the GPS you don't have to do that.

Docraider

Professional Champion

# 9 7/26/2012 6:49:54 AM

A Laser is ar supperioir to a GPS. The accuracy on a GPS is not as advertised believe me I am an Engineer that deals with Navigation systems. A laser can also tell you how far your shots are going when on the range and measure to an exact location that may not be on the aerial maps on the GPS systems.

BUCKNUT

Legend

# 10 7/26/2012 6:50:50 AM

I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot.

I'm curious Cofish...........when I played H.S. golf 20 years ago we didn't have the technology available to us that they do now so we had to go by yardage markers during matches. Do they allow you to used GPS's and Laser's during H.S. matches? I don't think they do here in Georgia.

Racer888

Legend

# 11 7/26/2012 6:51:32 AM

I have a Red Hot laser I just bought and I love it. It gives you the exact distance to the pin with no brain usage required. My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy. With the laser though you have to have a clear shot to the pin. Trees, hills, elevated greens will throw it off. There have been times where I have had to step onto the golf cart seat or step out to the side 20 ft. so I can get a clear line of sight to the pin where as the GPS you don't have to do that.

Yes, it makes a difference where you play. Most of the courses I play in the mountains of NC have a lot of holes where you can't see the pin from the fairways so my GPS works better.

Mongo68

Legend

# 12 7/26/2012 7:15:47 AM

My partner that usually rides with me has a GPS and 95% of the time they are within 5 yards of each other so unless your a PRO and can dial your shot to within 5 yards I don't see an advantage with either one as far as accuracy.

AMEN! Each has is advantages and disadvantages. You need to decide which you prefer based on those advantages. I personally use a Garmin Approach G6. My feeling is that since I don't need "dead on" accuracy that laser users claim (they're only as accurate as the person pointing it). Just give me a view of the green on the GPS and I can move the flag to where it looks like it is on the green and that's close enough for me. I feel like laser users take more time getting their distance also.

Duckhunter

Legend

# 13 7/26/2012 8:21:25 AM

I don't have one yet but when I get one it's going to be a GPS. I want to see how far bunkers and water ect are at the same time.

BUCKNUT

Legend

# 14 7/26/2012 8:30:48 AM

I don't have one yet but when I get one it's going to be a GPS. I want to see how far bunkers and water ect are at the same time.

You can do that with a laser also. Just shoot the bank or a tree on the bank or by the bunker. Like I said ^^^^^ up there though. If you don't have a clear line of sight to whatever your trying to shoot it'll give you a false reading.

cogolfer1

LowIndex

# 15 7/26/2012 8:42:53 AM

I've had a GolfBuddy GPS for 2 1/2 years now and love it. Really accurate and has helped my game out a lot.

I'm curious Cofish...........when I played H.S. golf 20 years ago we didn't have the technology available to us that they do now so we had to go by yardage markers during matches. Do they allow you to used GPS's and Laser's during H.S. matches? I don't think they do here in Georgia.

Nope. I haven't played in a junior tournament (H.S or not) that will allow them.

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