Golf GPS vs GPS Watch vs Golf Laser Rangefinder
As a golfer, if you are equipped with the right tool, it will immensely help in improving your game and overcoming handicaps.
In this technological era with so many products in the market, one must be technically sound enough to pick the most suitable gadget for playing his game.
The choice of a correct golf rangefinder can make or break the game.
Also one would like to consider all the pros and cons of the available technology before parking his funds in any equipment.
After all, it is a matter of personal choice whether you like a golf GPS, GPS watch, or a laser rangefinder.
There are many factors that you can consider before you make a choice between the two. Let us have a detailed view of how it appears:
GPS over Lasers:-
GPS stands for Global Positioning System and it navigates your position on the earth with help of orbiting satellites.
This technology is now widely used in our loved sport to give us accurate distances of objects on the course.
Non-lasers are quite a hit with golfers for many reasons.
They use GPS technology and are widely accepted in all competitive games and are very reliable in measuring distances.
Smartphones Use
- Any smartphone with a GPS feature can be easily used as a rangefinder to measure accurate distances on the course as it carries no breach of the rule of the game.
- Most of the smartphones are now equipped with GPS and hence can be easily used as a distance-measuring device to give you a cheaper option than a laser model.
- Non-lasers are quite cheaper than the laser version and most favorite with the beginners who do not want to shell a lot of money in the initial stages and still like to own a gadget to improve their skills.
Preload Maps
- The GPS system comes with a variety of offline maps preloaded in it so you can create your own distance points by having access to the correct information on the golf course.
- They can give you the distance to the middle, back, or front of the green which are even beyond your vision, and help you play a safe shot if the hole is surrounded by hazards and are easy to use due to its focus feature.
- However one must ensure that the maps are not obsolete. This feature is missing in lasers as they can easily gauge any distances on the course without a map.
Blind Shot Assistance
- With a GPS rangefinder, one can accidentally play blind shots on mountain courses which is not possible with laser rangefinders which give accurate distances even on alleviations with its slope adjustment feature.
Measuring shot
- The GPS can be used in many other distance-finding tasks other than golfing games. The versatile functioning of GPS rangefinders can be a handy tool for a variety of tasks.
Beyond Sight
- The GPS can give you the distance to the middle, back, or front of the green which is even beyond your vision while lasers need to get the view of the target to calculate yardage. If the target is hidden or the flagstick is not visible, the laser will be unable to calculate the accurate distance for you.
Cons
- The main downside of a non-laser is its limited range confined to only 200 yards as compared to a laser.
- The results are not accurate and precise as desired if the satellite signal is weak for efficient working of GPS.
- They can be risky to use in an event if the mapping of the course is not available on your device as you might have to pay extra to download it.
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Golf Laser Rangefinders over GPS Rangefinders:
Why should you choose a laser rangefinder over say a GPS watch or a GPS handheld device?
The rangefinder is a necessary equipment to be owned on the golf course without which you will lose the edge over other players.
The choice between laser and non-laser rangefinder can be better answered by a player on the basis of his needs and abilities.
It is a matter of personal preference as each has its advantages and disadvantages over the other.
Well, there’s a number of reasons first of all laser rangefinders tend to be a lot more precise than GPS unit.
So you can give you specific points to the flag and also points on the course where a GPS device often just gives you generic front middle and back distances.
If you’re after really specific distances to pins a laser rangefinder it’s going to deliver that for you.
Obviously, laser rangefinders have their limitations, and that they only work on a line of sight so if you are blocked out by a tree say or you’ve got a blind hole a laser rangefinder is going to have difficulty in giving you the distance that you want.
but generally speaking, rangefinders are very quick to use they’re very easy to use and also they come in a similar price point to GPS handheld devices.
With a little bit of extra accuracy and speed, another thing that lasers offer you is slope-adjusted distances.
So either built into the same unit or a separate unit that costs a little bit more they’ll give you slope-adjusted distances based on the elevation.
As this costly gadget is going to stay with you for a significant time and has the ability to decide your fate on the field, a thoughtful buying decision must be made after analyzing its features.
Laser equipment uses the latest technology of sending laser rays to objects to measure distances that are even hundreds of meters away.
They are easy to use as a point-and-shoot camera and workable on any kind of golf terrain with long battery life.
In order to choose the best golf rangefinder, one must study how these features outshine the GPS rangefinder:
Convenience
- It is very easy to use a laser as it only requires you to point and shoot at the target and can be conveniently used on any type of golf course on the planet.
- While for GPS you need to first have a downloaded map for it to navigate and assess distance and if the map is obsolete it can lead to inaccurate results.
No Hassle of Maps
- The preloaded map feature required in GPS makes it a risky proposition if the map is old or not updated. Also one needs to purchase maps by paying fees annually if any course map is missing.
- There is no need for any such maps in laser as it can measure any yardage from an object by pointing at it. The only maintenance it needs is a set of batteries with long life.
Accurate Yardage
- When it comes to the preciseness of the distance, laser gives a better result as compared to GPS device over long ranges too as long as the object is able to reflect rays back.
Driving Range
- The laser can be easily used on a driving range as it does not require any downloading of the terrain and gives a better idea of every distance on the club.
JOLT Technology
- The recent feature in many branded lasers now reduces the chances of any inaccurate measurement by giving vibration feedback if there is any other object like a tree in the path of your flagstick.
- This ensures a golfer that the laser has pinned at the target only and not any other object in its path.
Accuracy
- Lasers are unbelievably accurate as the laser rays get reflected from the object of measurement giving its accurate distance from you.
- GPS works only on the satellite signals and if the signal is weak, accurate measurement cannot be assessed.
- One of the highlights of the lasers that have made them a high-demand gadget is their accuracy and consistency in measuring distances to the flagstick in seconds with little or no error to help you make the best shot in the first go.
Slope Measurement
- These lasers are available in two kinds of models- slope and non- slope or standard rangefinders.
- While the slope feature will assess distance and elevation both and may not be legally allowed in tournaments, it can be of great help in your practice sessions.
- It is quite user-friendly and there is no technical stuff to be learned here which makes it very handy to use.
Cons
- On the flip side, the lasers are quite expensive as compared to GPS rangers.
- Since you are not allowed to use few laser rangefinders in the competition, one must think twice to shell out his money for using it just for practice.
- One needs to have moderate steadiness while holding a laser rangefinder as any shakiness will yield inaccurate results.
- Another drawback is that lasers need to get the view of the target to calculate yardage.
- If the target is hidden or the flagstick is not visible, the laser will be unable to calculate the accurate distance for you.
It can be summarized that no playing equipment is foolproof to give you a complete edge over the other.
Each has its high and low points and it solely depends on the player’s preference as to which device he is more comfortable to settle with.
GPS Watch Vs Golf Laser Rangefinder
GPS-enabled devices have become quite popular in the market and are proving quite helpful in providing accurate distances.
GPS aka Global Positioning System uses satellite signals to locate your position on the earth and was widely used by drivers initially to navigate on unknown roads.
With its increased applicability in devices like smartphones, watches, and other gadgets, many people are reaping its benefits in different ways.
One of the popular sports Golf has realized its importance in making club selection accurately thus reducing the time of the player in manually gauging the distances between shots.
Golf GPS watches are widely used on the courses that have now greatly improved the pace of the game and is seen as an alternative to even the best Golf Laser Rangefinder one may find in the market.
Check out 5 Great Benefits of GPS:
Provides accurate distances
- Golf is all about distance measurement and making a long or short shot accordingly.
- It can be a distance to the target, distance to hazard, distance to back, front and center of green and distance of the club.
- GPS watches have greatly reduced the manual time players invest in assessing distances as it can give the accurate distance between you and the hole of the ground.
- It helps to improve the quality of your game by assisting in making correct hits.
Helps to reduce handicap
- Though it is not mandatory you use a GPS device, beginners have showcased a smaller learning curve in overcoming their handicaps and tend to enjoy more on-field with its help.
- You are spared from the stress of manual guessing and calculations on the field and concentrate more on the accuracy of shots.
- If you love to experiment and play on new courses and aspire to be a pro, it is a piece of must-have equipment for you.
- It will help improve your confidence in the game and helps you make precise shots with exact distances.
Extremely helpful for out-of-sight shots
- Your target may be out if sight or hidden behind trees or a slope or there may be water or a bunker as hazard, however with GPS watches you can make a safety shot on the greenway closest to the flagstick and avoid making blind shots.
Play faster yet with more efficiency
- Gone are the days when golfers have to walk around the course to measure yardages.
- With GPS watches it happens in few seconds and you are ready to make your shot.
- The availability of this technology in golf has increased its popularity and efficiency by providing accurate measurements.
Better understand your range with every golf club
- With every shot, you would like to know how far or short of the actual yardage you made a hit.
- If done manually, it may not give the exact measurement of your range as you may over or underestimate it and it will take you countless years to overcome this shortcoming.
- With a GPS watch, you can exactly measure how far you have hit the club so that you make the correct club selection next time close to the range you’re normally hit.
Golf GPS vs GPS Watch vs Golf Laser Rangefinder:- Conclusion
GPS watches are allowed in tournaments and you can now see every golfer having invested in this asset.
Studies show that once a player is used to the benefits of a GPS watch, he is unlikely to play without it.
This sports wearable makes you a better decision-maker and with its ease of use and affordability, many players have become better golfers.
There are many famous brands that offer GPS watches in varied price ranges and models depending on an array of features.
So go ahead choose the one that best suits your style and pocket and make a difference on the course.