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Okay, I've been looking at GPS units to buy. If you've seen my other post you know I'm stuck between SkyCaddie and SureShotGPS I've read good reviews and bad reviews for each. Some being that if it's cloudy or something like that the GPS doesn't pick up as well. Some that SureShotGPS just doesn't pick up well anywhere regardless of clear or overcast skys. Along with some other pros and cons.

What I'd like to know about the PinSeeker is how it calculates distances to such things as water, sand, mounds, trees, etc...? I thought there needed to be a reflective surface for the laser to bounce off of? Seems that if that's so, water, sand, trees and the likes are going to be out. Can someone tell me how easy it is to use one of these things and am I going to need a super steady hand or else be standing on the tee box for 10 minutes trying to get a reading?

I guess if they are easy to use and actually calculate distances accurately to these types of objects like the website says, this might be the best route as it's a one time fee and no membership yearly fees, no worrying about downloads or if my course has been mapped, etc. The only downfall is not knowing how far I hit each club, but I can live with that I guess. I already know for the most part anyway.

Thanks

Also how likely is it that you could laser a golf ball? Say maybe from 200 yards and in to see your distances hit? Or maybe just laser the ground next to the golf ball? Is that possible with these?

Deron: I've been using a Bushnell Yardage Pro 500, it's a cheaper model than the Pinseeker, for the past 2 years. It's quite easy to get a reading off trees, the far edge of bunkers and the edge of a body of water. All I do is aim at the bank at the far side of a lake, and I get a reading of what I need to carry that lake. It couldn't be easier. Same thiing with a tree. If there is a tree at the corner of a dogleg hole, I just aim at the tree, hit the button, and I know how far it is to that tree, and what I need to get to the corner of the dogleg. I also pick out a tree that is on the far side of the fairway, and that way I know how far I can hit my tee shot and not run out of fairway. Again, this works quite well and is very easy to do. At the driving range, I can hit a ball with an iron, and aim the laser at the ground where the ball landed, and get a reading for carry yardage for that club. It will not always work for this, but if the ground has any small mounds to it, it works okay, or if the hitting area is above the landing area a little, it helps also. This spring I had a par 3, bunker in front, and pin at the back of the green. I aimed the laser at the back lip of the bunker, got a reading of 118 yards, pin reading was 130 yards. Because the greens were real hard and I knew the ball wouldn't hold well, I used my 120 yard club, landed the ball just over the back of the bunker, and it ran back to the flag, for an easy birdie putt. The ability to get a reading to the flag, and not just to the center of the green, as with a GPS, is one of the things I like a laser better than GPS. It's more usefull in my opinion, and as you say, there are no fees to use it. It works in any weather, at any course, and on the practice range as well. I used a Pinseeker one time, and it's a good bit more powerful than my Pro 500. I can get reading to maybe 200 yards with the Pro 500, and over 250 with the pinseeker. I think it should work out to 300 most of the time, but I didn't have a chance to try it that far away. If you go to the Bushnell website you should be able to find a list of specs for all the models they sell, with yardages they will work for you, to different objects, trees, flags, deer, reflextive objects, which means buildings and street signs and such. If you have any other questions, let me know and I'd be happy to answer them for you. Have a Happy New Year. Later, Don.

Hey Don,

Thanks for the info. After some in depth reading, I'm thinking the Pinseeker 1500 is the best option, mainly because I can use it at the range with ease and there are no yearly fees. I've only heard good things about it. GPS might be the way to go two or three years from now, but the ones I've looked at although they look SWEET they just don't have the courses I play regularly nor all the regular ones we play on our Myrtle Beach trip every year, so that's a downer. Of course I could map my own, but who wants to take the time to do that?

It's cool that you can shoot the ground next to the ball and get the distance, that helps in figuring out average distances with each club and that's a main reason for getting something like this.

When shooting a flag distance, do you shoot the flag pole or the actually flag itself?

I called the local golf store to see if they had a demo I could try and the sense I got from the guy was I was an idiot for asking such a question. I figured people might like to try these before buying so you'd think they'd have a demo model.

I'm thinking of ordering off of tgw.com. Nothing like a free 50.00 gift card when you purchase the pinseeker 1500.

I am thinking of TGW as well.

Most big chains at least have a demo that you can use in the store, or take to the parking lot.

Called another local golf chain and they said they'd match tgw.com's deal with a fifty dollar gift card, so I'm off to purchase one now I believe.

Dog!

I thought I was getting one for Christmas, but it didn't happen. I still got more than I probably deserved, though.

^^ Just picked my Pinseeker 1500 w/out slope up and it's SWEET! I've been lasering everything just testing it out and it seems to be very, very accurate.

Suppose to be 60 degrees Friday so I'm going to the range to test this baby out.

Let us know how it turns out.

What was the final damage for the 1500 with slope (if you don't mind)?

The one with slope is $450.00. I got the one without slope and it was $400.00 but with taxes it ended up being like $425.00, but I talked the golf store into giving me a $50 dollar gift card since edwin watts and tgw.com is offering 50 dollar gift card with Pinseeker purchase. So not to shabby. I'll get a dozen pro v's for free with it at least.

For anyone else reading this thread, I bought a Nikon 500G last Christmas from Amazon for $249 (US) and it works great also, (does not have the slope feature). Very compact, and durable. Like the others, on the course you can pick out trees, or trap perimeters and it works great. Although I do understand some of the intrigue of the SkyCaddie, etc., for my money I wouldn't change....IMHO

sorry for the late response, but i dont think it is very easy to pinpoint a ball 200 yards out w/ the pinseeker. unless there is something larger nearby. it is very easy to catch the ground before it or past it; giving it a mis-reading. what i do with mine is tee off, then go to my ball and zap something near the tee box. i got the slope edition, if i had to do it over again, i would buy the tournament edition for tourney use. but it is a GREAT investment.

referring back to the orig post, if you dont know your club distances, you now have the means of getting them at the range (btw many ranges ive been to have the yardages incorrectly marked, according to the pinseeker)

Cool, thanks for the info. Although, I'm not nessesarily worried about driver distance, so the only time I would be able to hit off of the tee and then shoot something back at the tee box would be on a par three or something. I'm more worried about nailing down closer to exact averages that I hit each club (driver doesn't really matter cause I'm just trying to hit it out there as far as I can anyway). But instead of having 155 yards according to yardage and I pull an 8 iron because it's my "150 - 160" club, I want to be able to know that I hit an 8 iron right at 156 or whatever majority of the time. Hopefully with some time and effort, this will allow me to do that.

Yeah I've always thought the ranges I go to are wrong, which could be because of bad yardage markers or could be because of terrible balls or combo of the two. I normally don't worry about distance on the range, but it would be nice to know the yardages to those 100 yards and in flags, that's where you score anyway.

If you are in the fairway waiting for the green to clear, take a reading off one of the players on the green. Works quite well. I've played a few courses that place a reflector on the flagstick, that's the ticket.

To get drive distance, go to your ball and get a reading from a cart back at the tee-box or someone back on the tee-box.

I'm probably going to get one soon. I can't make up my mind whether to get slope or not. I think it would be great for practice and playing a course for the first time.