Tag: GPS

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Golf Equipment

Golf GPS Systems vs Laser Rangefinders

By Shooting 90

There is no reason for amateur golfers to continue to rely on on-course yardage markers in today’s world. Marking off the actual yardage from your ball to a yardage marker is inaccurate and time consuming. There are two distinctly different devices available on the market to help you determine yardage on the course; the golf GPS system and the laser rangefinder.

Which one is right for the beginner or high handicap golfer?

First, let’s take a detailed look at each.

Golf GPS systems utilize the same GPS satellite system that a car navigation system does. GPS coordinates must be mapped for each course that the manufacturer offers on the device. This is primarily done through the use of satellite images but Sky Golf, maker of Sky Caddie systems, prides itself on walking every course. The accuracy of a golf GPS system is usually within a few yards with the Sky Caddie systems claiming even better accuracy. Using these GPS coordinates, the device can tell you the distance from your ball to various points on the hole. The most basic of systems tell you the distance to the center of the green. Most tell you at least the distance to the front, center, and back of the green while some offer more including the distance needed to carry hazards. An overhead view of the hole is another feature on some systems. Most of the touchscreen models offer the ability to drag to any point on the hole and see the distance to it.

A laser rangefinder shoots a laser off an object to determine the distance to it. By far the biggest benefit of a laser rangefinder is its accuracy in measuring the distance to the flag. Several rangefinders boast of accuracy within one yard or less. A secondary advantage of some rangefinders is the ability to determine the slope from your ball to the target and factor it into the distance. So if the actual distance is 150 yards but the target is uphill, the device would also give a longer “play-as” yardage. Rangefinders are also able to lock onto targets other than the flag, although this can sometimes be trickier and take more time. The major drawback of a laser rangefinder is the fact that it cannot measure the distance to a target that it cannot see. So any blind shots are not measurable.

So which device is better for the high handicap or beginner golfer?

A golf GPS system is the best choice for the beginner or high handicap golfer. There are several reasons why.

  • The goal of a high handicap golfer is to hit greens in regulation – not to go for every flag. Many times holes are guarded by hazards and the safe play is an area of the green away from the hole. A golf GPS system that tells you the distance to the front, center, and back of the green will help you think of the distance remaining to the green as a yardage range instead of a specific yardage, helping you hit more greens.

 

  • Many golf GPS systems show an overhead view of the hole. Visualization is a crucial component of being a successful golfer. An overhead view of the hole is highly beneficial in utilizing course management to plan out your shots on each hole.

 

  • A golf GPS system is quicker than a laser rangefinder. Slow play is becoming an increasingly larger problem in golf. It takes time to zero in on a target with a laser rangefinder. A GPS will instantly tell you the remaining yardage to the green.

 

  • You can keep score and track stats on many golf GPS systems. In addition to determining yardage left to the green and hazards, many golf GPS systems allow you to keep score and track stats.

 

While hopefully someday your golf game will progress to a level that requires the accuracy of a laser rangefinder, it is simply not necessary at the high handicap level. The added benefits of a golf GPS system make it the easy choice for the beginner or high handicap golfer.

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Categories
Golf Equipment

A Golf GPS System Will Improve Your Game

By Shooting 90

I’m a firm believer in every amateur golfer owning a golf GPS system. Depending on the model, a golf GPS system can provide the distance to the front, center and back of the green along with the distance to carry hazards and various layup distances. Some provide a visual overview of the hole allowing you to drag a target to show the distance remaining to the center of the green from any spot on the hole. Many will even provide distance of your last shot, keep your score and track your stats. The model you decide to buy will largely come down to personal preference and budget.

The biggest function of a golf GPS system is to assist you in hitting more greens in regulation. Many people say high handicap golfers should concentrate on hitting the middle of the green. I do not believe you should use the exact yardage to the middle of the green. I feel it is more beneficial to look at the distance as a range from the front to the back of the green. I find it easier and faster choosing the right club when looking at a range of 130 to 160 yards instead of a single yardage of 145 yards, especially after factoring in elevation, wind and hazards surrounding the green. Looking at a range helps you look at multiple clubs to start and then narrow it down to the correct one after evaluating all the factors.

A golf GPS system can also help high handicap golfers correctly play par 5’s. Many golfers do not play par 5’s as effectively as they could. A lot of amateur golfers do not have the distance to reach a par 5 in two shots. They’ll bomb their driver off the tee and then hit a fairway metal as far as they can. This often leaves them with 30 to 50 yards left for their third shot which is arguably the most difficult shot in golf. The better approach is to layup with your second shot and leave a full wedge shot to the green. A full wedge shot for many golfers is around 100 yards. To layup for a 100 yard third shot, simply subtract 100 yards from the distance to the center of the green on your second shot. This gives you a shorter, more accurate second shot and a full swing wedge shot for your third shot. Although your third shot will be longer, doing this will give you a better chance of hitting the green in regulation.

One thing I do not use my golf GPS system for is measuring the distance of my last shot, keeping score or tracking my stats. I like to concentrate on my most important shot, my next one, when I am on the course. Trying to do too much with my GPS quickly becomes a distraction and takes me away from my game.

Using a golf GPS system is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to immediately improve your game. Check out golf GPS systems for every budget in our equipment section!

Categories
Hit More Greens

Selecting the Right Club Every Time

By Shooting 90

Proper club selection is required to increase the number of greens you hit in regulation. Hitting more greens is the fast track to improving your scores. It reduces the reliance on pitching and chipping which are arguably the most difficult areas of the game to master. There are several factors that go into selecting the right club for each shot.

The most important thing is to know how far you hit each club when making a good shot. This might sound obvious but it is something you need to accurately know. It is also something that can change from time to time. New clubs, swing changes or getting stronger can all change the distance you are hitting each club. The best place to find the distance you are hitting each club is at the practice range. Many ranges laser sight distances so you know they are accurate. If you are unsure of the distances and there is no one else on the range, you can use a GPS to measure the distances to the flags or walk them off manually. Pick a day with little or no wind. Hit ten or so balls with each club throwing out any bad shots and take the average as the distance for that club. I suggest doing this every year or after any of the factors mentioned previously.

Knowing the distance of each of your clubs is crucial for selecting the right one for each shot but there is another piece that is just as important. You also need to accurately know how far you have left to the green. The best way to know this is to use a GPS system or app. It is not enough to judge the distance using yardage markers and sprinkler heads. You could be several yards away from any of those. Besides accuracy, there is another huge benefit gained from using a GPS. Almost all GPS systems will not only tell you the distance to the center of the green, but they will also tell you the distance to the front and back of the green. Start thinking of the distance left to the green as a range and not a single distance left to the center. There will be times when it will be to your advantage playing to the front or back of the green.

Here are a few more reasons to use a GPS system or app if you are not already sold on one. GPS systems are not only used to find the distance left to the green. Many of them will give you an overhead view of the hole from which you can drag the target and determine the distance to any point on the hole! This is great for knowing how many yards you have to carry water and sand hazards. Par 5’s present another area where a GPS is highly beneficial. Many of us do not have the length to reach many par 5’s in two shots. We are laying up with our second shot instead of going for the green. I would rather have 100 yards left for my third shot than 50 yards. 100 yards is a full swing gap wedge for me. A 50 yard shot would be around a three quarter sand wedge. With a GPS system, we can know exactly how far to hit our second shot to leave 100 yards for our third shot. Using a GPS system or app will improve your game.

Knowing the distance you hit each club and the distance you need to hit your next shot are big factors in determining which club to use. Wind, the slope of your lie, and change in elevation will also all affect the distance your shot will travel. Just how much your shot will be affected by each of these factors is difficult to calculate. It is a case of the more you play, the more experience you will have to better judge the affects.

The wind can affect both the length; shots will be shorter into the wind and longer with the wind, and the direction of your shot. How much your shot will be affected depends on the wind speed and the trajectory of your shot. Lower trajectory shots will be less affected by the wind than higher trajectory shots. In other words, your driver will be less affected than 9-iron. The wind could affect your distance by up to three clubs in extreme cases.

The slope of your lie also affects how far your shot travels. Generally your shot will travel less far when you have an uphill lie. This is because an uphill lie adds more trajectory to your shot. Conversely, your shot will generally travel farther when you have a downhill lie due to it giving your shot less trajectory.

Finally, a change in elevation from where you are hitting your shot to the landing area will also affect the distance. A drop in elevation will add distance to your shot. Similarly, a rise in elevation will decrease the distance of your shot. The trajectory of your shot also determines how much of a factor this is. Low trajectory shots, your driver for example, will be affected more than higher trajectory shots such as your 9-iron.

Work on taking into consideration every factor when choosing the club for each of your shots. Diligence in this area will be rewarded with hitting more greens in regulation.