# Advice please - Laser scope or GPS



## OO7MrBond (Jan 8, 2011)

I am looking for some advice. I have 3 months to save and would like to get a laser rangefinder or a GPS rangefinder. I have been doing some research on the web and at Amazon. But I would like the advice of golfers that have used both. Which would be the better option? I will probably have $300-$400 to spend. Or do I get both and spend around $200 for each? Everything I have read says there is pros and cons to both. I am leaning torwards a Bushnell laser rangefinder only beacuse the driving range in my area totaling sucks for figuring out distances and is not marked well. Help!!!

CO


----------



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I have both. That said I use my gps more than the lazer. I run across too many blind shots for the lazer to be of primary use. It has been my experience that the lazer is more accurate than the gps. Now, I have found it just as easy to not purchase the extra whistles, and bells that come with some gps models. Too many times I have seen golfers with one of those gps models that give so much info, it is confusing to the golfer, and does help to set up that "slow play" scenario on the user's part. I use my gps for the most part to know how far I hit a particular shot/club. What I do is set it to measure a shot's distance. If the hole measures 450 yards, and I I hit my drive 250 yards, I know I have 200+/- yards left. Then I need to factor in the terrain, and whether it's up hill or down hill for my next shot to choose the right club for the situation. Do i need to get out from behind a tree, or something else that is in my way. I don't have any courses other than my (1 free) home course programmed into mine. Once I get close to the green, I use my lazer to spot the pin. Personally, if it were not for the blind shots, I would just use a lazer, and forget about the gps. Since the "hype" of owning one of these tools has worn off, more times than not, I don't use either one, even though both are in my bag. Just depends what you want out of which ever one of these tools you decide to purchase.


----------



## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

I use a gps. Got it early August but really only got confidence in Oct/Nov. I use it for distance to hazards, laying up, and distance to greens. For shots to the green it really comes into its own for deciding between wedge, sand wedge & lob wedge. Its good for the other irons too but not quite so critical.


----------



## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

I have both and I use the laser more than the GPS. I also work as a rules official at state tournaments, and at high level competitions, the lasers outnumber the GPS's more than 10 to 1. Better players want the dependable accuracy of the laser. Your choice all depends on how accurate you want your data to be. 

The laser is always accurate within +/- 1 yard to anything you can bounce the beam off of (which is just about anything with a surface you can see, even a small slope in the fairway). The GPS is only at its best accuracy within +/- 3 yards about 60% of the time. The rest of the time the GPS can be off up to 7 or 8 yards. Even at it's best the GPS still has to rely on its programming, which was plotted either by another GPS or by satellite imagery. This means that even the program you are working with can start out a yard or 3 off. I know that my GPS is off by 5 yards (checked with my laser) on the distance to the center of the green on the first hole of my home course, but the rest of the course is very well mapped.

It isn't necessarily off that much, but it can be, and you can never tell how much it might be off. A lot depends on how many satellites are visible to the unit at any given time, and that can vary with weather, terrain, forest cover, or just how many satellites are overhead that day. A weak battery can also give very erratic results. These are all just from observations I've made from my own experience. 

Anyway, when I want to know the real distance, I use the laser. When I"m just playing casually or when I'm far enough out that accurate data isn't important, then I just glance at the center of the green distance on my GPS.


----------



## OO7MrBond (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks for all for the input. My main goal is to tune in my club yardage. I think the laser scope will really help me at the driving range as well on the course. I guess the next question is how much should I spend and which one? I can get a really nice Busnell laser scope for around $280-$350 or do I not have to spend that much? The GPS I was looking at was Skycaddy for around $150-$200. Should I get both?

CO


----------



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I actually have two GPS units. One is an older sky caddie, which I never use anymore. I got tired of paying the yearly use fee for it, and purchased a Golf Logix at a "demo days" for $49.00. After the first year, Sky Caddie cut off my GPS util I renewed my yearly subscription for $59. This after paying $400 for the unit in the first place. The Golf Logix works as good, probably better than the Sky Caddie with out any extra fees for the way I use it. All I really want are yardage numbers of the shots I hit. If you go the GPS route, be sure to check on any reoccurring fees the manufacturer might attach to the sale a year later. The link below is the type of Lazer I use, and I am quite happy with it. Nothing wrong with owning both, (GPS/LAZER) if you can afford it, and can use both. If I had to use just one, I'd go with the Lazer.  

pin seeker lazer - Bing Shopping[CommerceService+scenario%3d%22o%22+docid%3d%221F73CF58E6DA4AE6E86C%22]&wf=Commerce






OO7MrBond said:


> Thanks for all for the input. My main goal is to tune in my club yardage. I think the laser scope will really help me at the driving range as well on the course. I guess the next question is how much should I spend and which one? I can get a really nice Busnell laser scope for around $280-$350 or do I not have to spend that much? The GPS I was looking at was Skycaddy for around $150-$200. Should I get both?
> 
> CO


----------



## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

OO7MrBond said:


> Thanks for all for the input. My main goal is to tune in my club yardage. I think the laser scope will really help me at the driving range as well on the course. I guess the next question is how much should I spend and which one? I can get a really nice Busnell laser scope for around $280-$350 or do I not have to spend that much? The GPS I was looking at was Skycaddy for around $150-$200. Should I get both?
> 
> CO


Look at the Bushnell Medalist if they are still making it. It was the lowest priced laser which included the Pinseeker logic technology to help pick the flag out of the background clutter. I've seen good reports about it. 

Also, Bushnell is coming out in February with a new unit which is a laser scope and a GPS all in one. At about $499 it sounds like the best of both worlds.


----------

