jfurr wrote:

I mentioned I like my laser rangefinder, but I'm seriously thinking about a GPS unit as well. 1. One of the par 5's had a collection of fairway bunkers, pot bunker-ish, right in the layup zone of one of the par 5's. You can't see them from where I was in the fairway. I lasered the flag and it said ~250 so I decided to lay up. Hit a nice 5 iron only to find it went in one those bunkers!

Just a heads up, I can't tell you how many times my GPS has failed to show me bunkers and other obstructions that are on the course, but not in the overhead illustration on screen. I often wonder if these un-shown obstacles were added after the GPS illustration was made, but I know for a fact at a few of the courses I play that they were there long before GPS existed. I think, when playing courses for the first time, a $5 yardage booklet from the pro shop is a good investment. Much more so than relying on a generic GPS image.

But, just to reiterate my thoughts on GPS vs. rangefinder, I think both are great to have and use to your advantage. Both bring a lot to the table, with a rangefinder bringing the most, IMO.

Even using both, as I do, I always buy a yardage booklet IF one is available when I play a new course, just for situations as you describe above.

I know the local courses dont have yardage books, but like yourself Douge, the more the merrier I think.

Knowledge is power.
And if I have more info, my game will only get better.

If you want to know how the hole looks like, including bunkers and everything, you've got 2 options: either go forward and take a look or bring a Parrot AR.Drone. Though I seriously doubt that would be within the rules

DougE wrote:

I think, when playing courses for the first time, a $5 yardage booklet from the pro shop is a good investment. Much more so than relying on a generic GPS image.

Good idea, I didn't think of that...

I looked around at them some, kind of like the looks of the Callaway UPRO MX+ (think that is the name)... you can use either illustrations or aerial imagery.

JRV check out this golf competition eliminator.http://gizmodo.com/5904277/this-quadrotor-flying-machine-gun-would-kick-serious-ass-some-day

merlin3driver wrote:

JRV check out this golf competition eliminator.http://gizmodo.com/5904277/this-quadrotor-flying-machine-gun-would-kick-serious-ass-some-day

Merlin - I think you found THE solution for slow play.

merlin3driver wrote:

check out this golf competition eliminator.

Yeah, I've seen that before - all CGI and tricks. Still funny though .

Back OT: I played the PGA of Sweden national yesterday. They provide the best yardage book I've ever seen, not to mention a fully customized scoring card complete with strokes per hole and everything. If you ever are near Malmo, Sweden, do seize the opportunity and play the links there!

gpickin -- did you decide if you are going to get a laser unit yet? And if so, which have you chosen?

I'm likely going to purchase a GPS unit this month. Leaning towards the Golf Buddy or the Callaway UPro MX+. I can't figure out the differences between the Golf Buddy units. I like the Callaway as the graphics look good. But Golf Buddy has some high praise. Which one, though? Sorry Nathan, I cannot consider the Sky Caddie with the fees. I have friends who love it, though. (ClubSG members...)

I'm using the oobgolf gps mobile app, so I decided to go for the Bushnell V2 Patriot Pack.

I used it for the first time the other day.
It worked well. I know the course well, so I can read it pretty well... and with the gps, I was happily surprised it was pretty good.

The laser was more accurate of course, but the gps was pretty accurate, so it was nice to confirm those things.

I like having both options, and I can't wait to try it from a new course.

The bushnells had loads of good reviews, on amazon and all over the web... so I decided to go with that.

So far so good.

Good choice. You won't be disappointed. Use it on the range too. You will become much more secure in your distances with it.

gpickin wrote:

I'm using the oobgolf gps mobile app, so I decided to go for the Bushnell V2 Patriot Pack. I used it for the first time the other day. It worked well. I know the course well, so I can read it pretty well... and with the gps, I was happily surprised it was pretty good. The laser was more accurate of course, but the gps was pretty accurate, so it was nice to confirm those things. I like having both options, and I can't wait to try it from a new course. The bushnells had loads of good reviews, on amazon and all over the web... so I decided to go with that. So far so good.

Definitely the V2 is the best way to go financially and technically. I'm curious, is the patriot pack still cheaper than the actual laser?? when i bought mine the PP was about $50 cheaper than the regular V2. I wonder if they just had a surplus? The only difference is the "skins" they give you.

Amazon pricing

The white v2 is 295 right now
The silver v2 is 270 or so

I got the patriot pack for 299
I didn't know what you got with the v2, but i got the 2012 patriot pack, to make sure it was the latest model, and i didn't know if you got the cart clip with the standard v2, the skin and the tees and the extra battery was just a bonus.

Plus, donation goes to a good cause.
Good enough for me

I'm an avid user of gps. The biggest detractor for laser, and why I will never use one on a course, is that you need a direct line of sight. Also, I'm only 46 but I have a hard time keeping my hands steady long enough to sight in my target. The only reason I might use a laser is while at the range to sight the flags to get a true measure of how far I hit my individual clubs.

I you can't see the flag you don't need a laser, you need a safari guide. The laser is for getting exact distance to the flag for the one putt.

I'm trying out a Golf Buddy Platinum. I like the data it gives me. The software interface is a little slow, seems like a bunch of forcing it to go on to the next hole or whatever. I wanted the Callaway UPRO+ and in retrospect should have held out to at least look at it.

One difference I see so far in the GPS vs Laser front: you gotta remember to charge up the batteries in the GPS! I wanted to use it yesterday but battery was flat. Whereas the little battery in laser lasts about a year ~.