I am looking to buy a laser range finder, particulary Bushnell Pinseeker 1500.
I searched (googled) for some testimonials by those golfers who actually had used one and came up with the following, which clearly answers my lingering question about the need to have one. I would like to hear other points of view, especially opposing views.
Quote:
From: jimda...@gmail.com - view profile
Date: Sun, Jun 4 2006 4:01 pm
Email: jimda...@gmail.com
Groups: rec.sport.golf
Not yet rated
Rating:
show options
Reply | Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse | Find messages by this author
I've used Bushnell devices while golfing and have also worked for a GPS
company where some of my duties included marking golf courses for GPS
service. Herer are a few things I can tell you:
1. Even the best private golf courses are poorly marked. I'm not sure
who marks sprinkler heads and places the standard 100, 150, 200 and 250
markers in the middle of fairways, but they are consistently wrong.
2. GPS is not very accurrate. When marking courses, we acquire global
positions of things like "center of the green" and then, in order to
most closely match the yardages marked on spriklerheads, calibrate the
global positions we've already acquired. (If the yardage on the GPS
device you're using doesn't match the sprinklerheads on the course
you're playing, you won't trust either yardages and assume the GPS
system is wrong.
3. After purchasing a rangefinder, you'll quickly find out it's the
most important piece of equipment in your bag. My uncle (who's a 5
handicap) thought it was ridiculous that I purchased a rangefinder a
few years ago until I took him to a course and demonstrated that he was
consistently over/under-clubbing due to his reliance on sprinklerhead
yardages. You cannot imagine how amazed he was to find this out.
4. You'll use the rangefinder for approach shots <100 yards. (You may
THINK you can tell the difference between a 55-yard shot and a 65-yard
shot, but (if you're like 95% of the population) you're wrong.
I have the Nikkon 500G...it's good, but I find it hard to use (hold steady), and get a reading much past 170 yds. If the course has "Laserlink reflectors" on the pin, then it works much, much better. I've been told that some courses are using "reflective tape" on the pins and that helps as well.
I think it helps, especially on new courses where your visual reference point aren't established. I also believe that it doesn't slow the game down....if anything it speeds up play.
You ought to look around, and think outside the box. I've had a laser rangefinder for two years. I bought mine at the Bass Pro Shop, and it is a Nikon. The thing is it says "Buckmaster" on the side of it, and was originally made for hunters. The same thing that has "pinseeker" or something similar on it cost $100 more.
How would those of you who use rangerfinders feel about someone who showed up your foursome and after every stroke picked up his ball, cleaned it, and carefully placed it back so he had a good lie. Then upon reaching the green the individual took out his special "putting" ball to use. Of course the individual didn't add any penalty strokes. How are these actions any different than using a rangefinder, which carries a penalty of disqualification according to rule 14-3?
A less extreme example would be someone in your group hits into an unrepaired divot on the fairway. If the person wanted to take free relief what would you say as you measured the distance to the pin with your illegal rangefinder?
How would those of you who use rangerfinders feel about someone who showed up your foursome and after every stroke picked up his ball, cleaned it, and carefully placed it back so he had a good lie. Then upon reaching the green the individual took out his special "putting" ball to use. Of course the individual didn't add any penalty strokes. How are these actions any different than using a rangefinder, which carries a penalty of disqualification according to rule 14-3?
A less extreme example would be someone in your group hits into an unrepaired divot on the fairway. If the person wanted to take free relief what would you say as you measured the distance to the pin with your illegal rangefinder?
I think that they changed that rule just before this season. What about it all you rules gurus ?
14-3/0.5 Local Rule Permitting Use of Distance Measuring Device
Q. May a Committee, by Local Rule, permit the use of distance measuring devices?
A. Yes. A Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. However, the use of devices that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player’s play (e.g. wind or gradient) is not permitted. In the absence of such a Local Rule, the use of a distance measuring device would be contrary to Rule 14-3. (New)
14-3/0.5 Local Rule Permitting Use of Distance Measuring Device
Q. May a Committee, by Local Rule, permit the use of distance measuring devices?
A. Yes. A Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. However, the use of devices that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player’s play (e.g. wind or gradient) is not permitted. In the absence of such a Local Rule, the use of a distance measuring device would be contrary to Rule 14-3. (New)
Consequently, they are legal many places so comparing it to improving your lie or switching balls during the course of playing a hole would be pretty poor analogies, no ?
You're talking to a guy who always figures his exact yardage on every shot outside of 75 yards. I don't see how pointing the device, pushing a button, getting an exact yardage is slower than finding the nearest yardage marker and pacing off the yardage. Our golf committee considered that question and adopted a local rule allowing range finders.
Consequently, they are legal many places so comparing it to improving your lie or switching balls during the course of playing a hole would be pretty poor analogies, no ?
It's a perfectly good analogy for those places where there is not a local rule and they are as illegal as they ever were. I cannot understand why they decided to make this change now that there are super accurate laser range finders but didn't allow it for simple golf scopes or other lower tech methods that have been around forever.
Well let us be totally frank and honest about it.... the average golfer cannot hit the ball consistently enough for their knowing the distance within 2 yards to help them any more than knowing it within 10 yards. So for the average golfer the rangefinder is not remotely analogue to getting a clean lie and change of ball any time you like. Many may well think that they gain advantage, but that is because they never made any effort whatsoever to judge distance without one.
For a good golfer, I can appreciate the analogy, but not a large percentage of the golfing population could be described that way.
How would those of you who use rangerfinders feel about someone who showed up your foursome and after every stroke picked up his ball, cleaned it, and carefully placed it back so he had a good lie. Then upon reaching the green the individual took out his special "putting" ball to use. Of course the individual didn't add any penalty strokes. How are these actions any different than using a rangefinder, which carries a penalty of disqualification according to rule 14-3?
A less extreme example would be someone in your group hits into an unrepaired divot on the fairway. If the person wanted to take free relief what would you say as you measured the distance to the pin with your illegal rangefinder?
Because after every pick, clean and lie, he's still have to figure out his yardage! BTW, how do you know when you get to pick, clean and lie when playing a regular (non-tournament) round of golf? Also, aren't rangefinders legal for rounds that you submit for your handicap? I think that rule applies to USGA tournaments, or would your really send someone from your casual foursome home saying they're DQed for using a rangefinder? I guess you would rather have someone in your group pace off the distance, so long as they don't exceed their limit, right?
And to answer your question about the free relief from the divot, I wouldn't care. Heck, kick your ball out of the trees, I don't play against anyone except myself.
Why should rangefinders be illegal whilst caddies are not?
Your caddie could pace out every shot for you giving the same result as the rangefinder.
Even if you were to ban them, what is to stop a golfer using one on a practice round and making detailed diagrams of all the distances? Again it achieves the same goal as using the rangefinder during the round.
Basically the rangefinder is a convenience device. Any idiot can measure and calculate distances perfectly well without one, a rangefinder does exactly the same thing but is less hassle.
July 25th, 2006, 06:08 PM
Laser Golf Range Finders
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
