Heard rumors that one of the major companies is working on a small GPS position transmitter that fits onto the top of existing flagsticks. They also work on a universal software interface so that the position signal can be picked up by GPS watches, smartphone golf apps and GPS screens on electric trolleys to show the exact pin position on the green. That would be a fantastic feature!
Mark, I know I'm late to the party here but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your videos and your channel. Legitimately one of the top 5 golf channels on TH-cam.
Had a watch for 5 years and would get another, they are SO simple, quick look at your wrist and its done. VERY funny when I occasionally forget to take my watch and spend the round looking at a bare wrist! Great vid.
Nice video again, Mark. I asked it around a year-and-a-half ago already, but I would like to give it another go: Could you do a review on some affordable launch monitors?? You have a lot of experience with them and I was wondering if you can check some of these portable launch monitors. Personally, I care a lot about my dispersion long and short but with a driver, for instance, it's very difficult to get any reading on the carry that I have. Same for the 3-wood etc, meaning that I mostly know where my wedges are going but further up it gets more unreliable. Perhaps some of these things can help me do that, as I still don't have the resources for a full membership anywhere (or the time to play regular rounds and test it that way). Hope you can help me out, if others mind find this interesting as well of course!
you prolly dont give a shit but does anyone know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb forgot my password. I would love any assistance you can offer me.
@Noel Dakota thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Had them all but will never go on course without watch ever again And I have watched you guys for years and you do not need more than the watch gives .That is just pure honesty ⛳️🏌🏼♂️🇨🇦🤪
I have a TomTom Golfer 2 GPS watch and love it, quick and easy to use, glance and hit. Amazing how quickly you become reliant on it though, even round my own course.
I’ve got the Phantom and I love it. Really helped my game this year after not really knowing my yardages. Takes the guess work out of it. Wish I got the Ryder cup special!!
You boys, are the best. Be it on course, to club testing to GPS/Laser range finders. Always honest, always fun. Always personal. Always great FREE content.
I have a Garmin watch and love it. It shows a picture of the hole, zooms in, tells you the distance to 200, 150 and 100 yards out from the hole. You can touch the screen to see distances to anything, even touch the green at the pin position to make more accurate. It measures shot distances. With it on your wrist, it takes zero time to get your distances. You can keep score on it and even track shot types such as left rough on drive or missed green long.
i have a watch and laser - had them long time now - like the watch for quick check and from longer distances as you said doesn't matter to me if flag is 161 yards away but better to know back edge so know won't go long but when get closer to flag i like having laser to give more accurate distance - good review
I use Arccos golf and fund the gps really accurate (my friends use Garmin watches and seldom more than a yard out). Knowing the hole layout is easy. Calculating distances to bunkers is easy. Known how far to his to say a 100yrd layup is so easy. If you are not playing in a competition then you can use the caddie function and get advice based on your accumulated stats. Really useful stats on where your game is strong or weak and what you need to practice to improve. Simply the best IMHO. Worth a proper on course evaluation Mark. 😉
My OpenMind Absolutely! When I had my first iPhone (probably iPhone 3), I played with someone and we were both using our phones with the Golf Logix GPS app. Our yardages were 10 yards apart, and I wondered if it were due to us having different service providers (AT&T as opposed to Verizon).
I have a fairly basic watch but love it, front, middle and back are fine for my skill level. What I miss and am considering buying a laser for is distance to hazards or doglegs, or perhaps I just need a new watch?!
I have the nano and love it. At a glance it just confirms my suspicions. I don’t need to know the exact distance, 2-5 yards makes no difference when you’re into the wind 190yrd out. It also shows hazards and bunker distance and auto changes the holes as you go. The biggest bonus though... you don’t look like an absolute tool lasering every shot on the course only to miss the green left or right 🙄
Love your comment about lasering and then ballsing up the shot. I intend to buy the square magnetic model tomorrow - that'll give me the opportunity to just glance, and know the distance before hitting my carefully planned shot into a lake/wood/bunker etc etc Seriously though, a playing partner uses one, plays off 11 - no heroics, just measured and accurate.
Great video guys, I use s60 by Garmin which gives you all the usual info plus you can look at hole view which is great if you have bunkers to carry you can touch the screen and it tells you how far they are and then you can go ahead and top your drive knowing you won't go in them
Neo Ghost Bushnell here. Its a great little device, accurate enough, its small enough to keep in my pocket during the round and it was cheap. Only issue is it can take a little while to find you so I usually turn it on when I arrive at the course.
I use a Garmin x40 find it quick and easy with the added bonus of being able to tag your shots (choose the club) and then see your round plotted (from tree to tree) on the Garmin golf app. Pretty cool.
In actually own the older bushnell neo ghost. It's simple and easy and frankly its inexpensive. I'd love to get a laser...quite pricey but I'm sure it could help. I'm a mid to high hdcp so maybe I'm not good enough yet for a laser. Great video regardless. Cheers Mark....and as for a slope GPS laser look into the Garmin Z80 it has all three
I have the one up from that watch, it’s great, easy to use, and has an analogue dial when not in gps mode, the lads I play with love the fact we don’t have to do anything other than look at the watch, gives us more time for a cheeky beer.
Not sure if you brought this up or not, but the Hybrid GPS also allows you to measure off every shot you make so you can know your true distance for every Wood and iron based on the current weather conditions of that day and not through a launch monitor that one perfect day with no breeze or slope or adrenaline kicking in.
I use a GPS watch, but I use the Garmin Fenix 5. Main reason I like this watch over the Bushnell is, day to day, it looks more like a normal watch. It also has running, cycling, swimming, general exercise, and step counter, so it works for everything. If Lockey is in the market now, that's what I would recommend. In addition to that, I use a £10 app on my phone for yardages to hazards etc. I only play socially, so competition rules aren't a worry for me.
Where I golf, we, very often have "cart path only" restrictions. A GPS device is mandatory for this situation and others where line of sight isn't available. I guess you're supposed to land the ball in some area that can be considered part of the golf course property. Anyway, we now have a range finder in our group which is good for exact distance to the pin and slope. And the guy doesn't even charge us that much to use it! My favorite bit of info amidst all this tech is distance to the front of the green. My real question is when will they give us a device for knowing the wind?
I own the GPS and it’s been well worth the investment. You forgot to mention it also give distance to hazards, all bunkers, and end of fairway by hitting the red button. All Bushnell devices come with a free pairing to their app which also include 3D flyover animation of each hole of the course you’re playing, given they have that in the 36,000 course library. Would love to see a review of the new Garmin that does GPS, layout, and Slope alll in one. Think it’s selling for $600 in the states.
Switched from Skycaddie to Bushnell range finder with slope this year. Slope, battery life, no yearly subscription, and exact yardage to the pin is why I switched. That and my pro friend got a free rangefinder from his club he works at so he gave me a great deal on his.
Love the Hybrid idea, being able to tag the flag with the finder and then work out where it is in relation to the front and back of the green or over a bunker or water is brilliant. Then again, as you say with your mum, do I really need to know anymore then where the front, centre and back of the green are. Am I that good. I know I'm not that rich.
My Garmin S60 gps watch has slope adjustment on it (which can be disabled for competitions). The preloaded course data must include details about the terrain as well to work that out.
Tried the GPS watch Garmin S20. Safe to say, extremely beneficial. Knowing that the front, middle asnd back of green yardage is key. First round, I tested it, I was hitting the right club everytime, because I knew the yardage. This factored in with the fact, I can see I'm hitting uphill, is it steep, club up, is it shallow, try to get a little more out of the short. Same for downhill, it's great. If I'm with friends, I'm usually walking wityh them and just say you're x yards away, and that helps them hugely too. This gps watch is pretty much replacing my normal watch at thius point.
I've used both a Bushnell rangefinder (with slope) and a GPS watch. The Bushnell will always win on accuracy but I just prefer the convenience of simply glancing at the watch, rather than picking up the Bushnell and zapping the flag/target. The watch gives me a "near enough" reading and I'm happy with that. If I were a better player and more accurate with my game I'd definitely start using a Bushnell again. For now, the watch is perfectly adequate. Great vid though chaps 👍
Good video Mark, tend to agree with you Mum I just need a device to tell me how far to the middle of the green. I have a small GPS I clip onto my bag or my belt and I have a quick look and am ready to go. Not keen on wearing g a watch device although Matt may have converted me.
Excellent review guys. As always. Has to be laser/GPS hybrid. Good to know carry-on to green. Lots of amateurs come up short when just lasering just the flag. Myself included.
Great review gents. I have a range finder and a watch but generally use the watch more in comps as I’m conscious of slowing up play. Also I tend to play my home course most of the time and a watch is enough. Cheers Bruh
Have you looked at the many gps phone apps that are out there. It'd be great to see how they stack up compared to the much more expensive Bushnell type devices.
I have a skycaddie touch and a bushel jolt. I tend to use the range finder for 150 yards and in. On courses I have not played the maps on the GPS are a real advantage as it is often better to hit a portion of green rather than a straight yardage. Eg, with a range finder it is too easy to be suckered by a front or back pin
Gps front middle and back is plenty good enough for the majority of golfers but the combined unit does give more accuracy for distance wedges and scoring situations. That said you have got to have practiced your half and three quarter shots beforehand and know how far they fly to really reap the benefit of accurate measurements.
I use the Bushnell phantom and love it’s simplicity, can’t compare to exact flag accuracy, but just trying to get a ball on the green, it’s perfect. Great comparison
I use a GPS which sits in a cradle on my trolley, have done for years. It shows the layout of the hole, distances to hazards, doglegs etc, as well as front, middle and back of the green. Quick and easy to use, but can't swear to the accuracy, but It's close enough for me to "guess" which club I need.
What about App's? I use Golfshot and i'm really impressed so far. If you already have the hardware its probably the cheapest option. It works really well with my apple watch. You can even score your round on it, and track a shot (not tracked a shot yet though, only had it a few weeks). It then sends you you score card, and records each round.
I have the Garmin watch, V3, and the Hybrid. I like the Hybrid for the GPS showing the distances to and to clear hazards, water, etc. Downside is that though the hybrid uses a 3V battery for the traditional distance measuring you have to charge it to use the GPS portion of it. The Garmin App is nice as it shows a flyover view of the holes. I also have a Garmin Approach 8. Not sure why you guys did not compare it as it does everything the non-optical devices do, plus it shows the map of the hole and does slope. My wife likes to say that I have 6 devices that all give me slightly different distances resulting in me missing the green.
GPS Garmin with map and hole layout, but use the Nikon 80i VR for pin position distances. The Nikon also stabilises the viewing for us old fellers with the shakey hands. I thought that phone apps were not legal in competition as the same as the slope reading, ok for the casual round though.
Laser for me every time. Takes all the guesswork out. Doesn’t matter about front, middle, back as you know exactly how far. Only issue is when you don’t have line of sight. I have the tour v4 but my playing partners have the v3 which is better in my opinion. Any light mist or fog and the v4 fails, v3 still works.
Great Video! I would like to see Bushnell add features to their app to allow this device to track your shots and round. So theres a button that I can hit that will GPS tag the shot then after the fact I can see fairways, greens, etc. Then I can get Strokes Gained and things after the round!
Been playing golf for a while now and never used a range finder, always looked at the red blue or white markers on the course and guessed from there. Now I use the 18 birdies free app for my phone.Works great and is 100% free.
Nice rounded review bruh’s. I’ve not stopped using my Garmin vivoactive watch since buying it 3 or 4 years ago. I’d be lost without it now especially on a course I’ve never played before. Cheers guys
I use my Apple Watch as my range finder and I love it. It gives me the distance on how far I hit my driver, woods and irons so I can keep track of my yardages gives me my yardages to the flag front middle and back and it even counts my strokes for me. What else could I ask for, I flip the crown to the inside of my wrist too so it’s not poking my hand like lockey said he doesn’t like
I wear GPS at the mo, ha down it a few years now, requires replacement, I will be going Bushnell type thingy as the watches are great if your going for the green, however lack flexibility when you want to lay up short of or fly a hazard. I’m not good enough to worry about two yards but defo want to know if my 7 is gonna fly a bunker or I fancy I can lay up.
Great review thanks for posting... one question with the bushnell hybrid... does it need to be kept out of the case in between shots for correct gps numbers to kick in quickly? when you put it into the case in between shots I’m assuming the gps cuts out and takes a bit of time for it it to kick back in again? I really like the idea of the hybrid but I am thinking this could be a problem and not ideal for pace of play? Thanks for any advice on this
Did a little google and found that the Garmin Approach S60 Golf GPS Watch has a slope ("Plays Like") feature. There you go, Coach, everything you would want on your wrist.
Have you done a video review on the Gps Apps like Hole19 that work with the Apple Watch similar to the GPS watch in this review? Would be interesting to see how accurate they are!
Bushnell. Hmm. I had a Bushnell watch and sent it back. Their software was so hit and miss. Couldn’t update the damn thing. I do have a Z6 Jolt rangefinder though and that is really good.
How accurate did you find the GPS portion of the device? Were there times when the laser provided a range to the pin that was outside the front back range of the GPS? Thanks.
I swear by my Garmin G6 GPS, with touchscreen, hole map, shows all bunkers/hazards etc. plus has a significant range of additional features that I highly rate.
Curious, have you ever used your iPhone for GPS, Mark? Ive used two apps which both have features the other doesnt, but, both are great in their own ways, IMO. "Golf Shot" is my favorite assistant for playing golf, but, "The Grint" is almost as great an assistant for playing, but includes a free USGA compliant handicap...I have much more to say about these apps, but something tells me they arent "legal" for Amateurs or Professionals to use....as Im just a semi serious hobby player. I also use my iWatch paired with iPhone...really useful IMO
Chris Coates standard positioning service GPS (what you have in cars and these devices ) is accurate to around 10 metres. Usually better than that, but not guaranteed. I’d trust a good quality laser over a GPS, but have used both with good results.
Great video, as always! My question for the watch and clip on devices, how does that stand up against, say, GAMEGOLF? Are they much different? Are the Bushnell products more accurate than a phone app?
I've had one Range Finder and access to others, and I just can't get a reading, I just keep shaking to much for a good count, its a pain in the ass. GPS is the way I've ended up going, I have two Izzo units I switch back and forth with as the other is charging via battery pack, as most of those I play with, I just want the back, front and middle of the green, it's all I ever need. Good video post Mark, thanks.
Love the watch simplicity BUT, if the pins are not color designated (front/middle/back), or if your depth perception isn’t good, or if you don’t have a pin sheet, then you won’t know exactly where the pin is sitting to match it up with the front or middle or back reading.
Rangefinder always. Precise to bunkers and pins. I don’t even think about the flag colour. Whereas the Watch relies on green keepers putting the right colour flag on the stick.
+1 for Swing by Swing. Inexpensive as you can use a free version, it cheap subscription that has even more useful features. My guess is that apps are not overpriced as they don't need hardware sales, and some of them do features that like Game golf or Arccos. Swing by Swing for the win!
I believe it's fine unless the club had a local rule preventing it. If the device has a slope facility you can't use that during a competition round. So make sure you can switch it off if it does.
I Love my GPS watch so easy to use. However I may have a bias as I have a hatred of watching people who use rangefinders. They measure the distance, then miss hit the ball walk 10 yards and then they measure again. So much timewasting. I don't need exact pin distances because your more than likely not going to hit that distance and only need a guide to the distance to the front, back and middle of the green so I can pick the right club to hit the middle of the green and carry any hazards in front of it.
I have a laser GPS and the Neo watch. Initially I used the range finder a lot, but as the watch (includes hazard for each hole) proved so accurate, I now use the watch all the time and maybe the Lazer GPS twice a round for shots I can't see the bottom of the flag. The dual range finder is far too expensive for what it is.
Happens all the time. Magnetic case for my laser, forget to take it off all the time. Now have a cheap gps that clips on. On the whole it works much better.
I now need glasses for distance and reading and cannot see pin from 170 yards out but cannot play with glasses as I keep hitting fat shots unless ball is teed . Therefore it is easier for me to use my v4 than put glasses on and off as I could not read GPS without them. I can see pin and read distance on v4 clearly without glasses this is best option for me with its magnification.
Just hitting the green is hard enough for me, let alone the yardage for the pin. I love the hybrid + gps because of the options it gives when drives offline and can’t see the green let alone the flag ( like in the trees)
Great job on this. Interesting to get the various perspectives. I love Bushnell as well, although the Nikon might better priced. I have the Pro x7, so tell Dan that I have the big one too...lmbao! I am too stupid. Get up, Dan!
I would have to say I'm torn, a rangefinder is great if you have the time but can be a bit of annoyance getting it out every time whereas the GPS is much more efficient. If I was to use a watch, however, I'd rather have an app on a smartwatch that does it rather then spending so much on just a golf GPS watch. Might as well spend more on a smartwatch that gives me more.
I am so on the fence. I have a gps watch (love it) but trying to dial in my wedges and short irons. Thinking maybe getting the V4 and using with my watch so save on paying for the GPS hybrid Bushnell.... who knows 🙄
I have a Tom Tom GPS watch that cost me £115. It gives yardages to green front/centre/rear and hazards. This combined with my Golf Course’s Red/Yellow/White flag system works an absolute treat. Plus it’s never more than 1-2 yards out from my playing partner’s £300 Range Finder. So a no brainier really. In my opinion Range Finders only really give an advantage to very low handicappers who can pin point their wedge accuracy to within 1-2 yards otherwise a waste of money.
I think I am correct in saying that it would be a local rule, or a competition rule. You can use rangefinder in top amateur comps now, but not GPS, for some reason. Our club, and most clubs in UK allow both. The Rules of Golf outline what you can and can't use, but still subject to local rules and or rules of individual competitions, for example neither allowed in any pro competitions
Great video as always brah! Loving the Rolex, first "clocked" it (sorry!) a few vids ago. You probably already know this but you aren't doing your lovely wrist ornament any favours by hitting shots while wearing it. Eventually the impacts will have an effect on all the little bits whizzing around inside and it may cause it to under perform. Perhaps you don't mind but I thought I'd share a bit of friendly advice from one brah who likes shiny things to another. Keep up the good work👊
I have the watch, and like it. But the HUGE problem comes when courses make changes to tee box positions - the readings can be well off vs a laser to the flag. Iv'e had it be off by over 10 yards.
You've got it the wrong way around there mate. It doesn't matter where the tee box is because the reading is from where your current position is to the green. The problem comes when the greens are moved, such as when you're playing on winter greens. It pretty much makes the watch unusable in this situation.
Guess these would be cool for comps where phones aren’t allowed, but I don’t play in comps anymore and use the game golf app on my phone. Gives me an yardage I want to anywhere, and tracks my stats, and free.
Heard rumors that one of the major companies is working on a small GPS position transmitter that fits onto the top of existing flagsticks. They also work on a universal software interface so that the position signal can be picked up by GPS watches, smartphone golf apps and GPS screens on electric trolleys to show the exact pin position on the green. That would be a fantastic feature!
Mark,
I know I'm late to the party here but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your videos and your channel. Legitimately one of the top 5 golf channels on TH-cam.
Had a watch for 5 years and would get another, they are SO simple, quick look at your wrist and its done. VERY funny when I occasionally forget to take my watch and spend the round looking at a bare wrist! Great vid.
Nice video again, Mark. I asked it around a year-and-a-half ago already, but I would like to give it another go: Could you do a review on some affordable launch monitors?? You have a lot of experience with them and I was wondering if you can check some of these portable launch monitors. Personally, I care a lot about my dispersion long and short but with a driver, for instance, it's very difficult to get any reading on the carry that I have. Same for the 3-wood etc, meaning that I mostly know where my wedges are going but further up it gets more unreliable. Perhaps some of these things can help me do that, as I still don't have the resources for a full membership anywhere (or the time to play regular rounds and test it that way). Hope you can help me out, if others mind find this interesting as well of course!
4golfonline yes please
you prolly dont give a shit but does anyone know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb forgot my password. I would love any assistance you can offer me.
@Raylan Ian Instablaster :)
@Noel Dakota thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Noel Dakota It worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out!
Had them all but will never go on course without watch ever again And I have watched you guys for years and you do not need more than the watch gives .That is just pure honesty ⛳️🏌🏼♂️🇨🇦🤪
I have a TomTom Golfer 2 GPS watch and love it, quick and easy to use, glance and hit. Amazing how quickly you become reliant on it though, even round my own course.
I’ve got the Phantom and I love it. Really helped my game this year after not really knowing my yardages. Takes the guess work out of it. Wish I got the Ryder cup special!!
You boys, are the best. Be it on course, to club testing to GPS/Laser range finders. Always honest, always fun. Always personal. Always great FREE content.
I have a Garmin watch and love it. It shows a picture of the hole, zooms in, tells you the distance to 200, 150 and 100 yards out from the hole. You can touch the screen to see distances to anything, even touch the green at the pin position to make more accurate. It measures shot distances. With it on your wrist, it takes zero time to get your distances. You can keep score on it and even track shot types such as left rough on drive or missed green long.
I wear a Neo Watch and have slope lazer for shooting as well !! That Hybrid looks awesome, best of both worlds !!
i have a watch and laser - had them long time now - like the watch for quick check and from longer distances as you said doesn't matter to me if flag is 161 yards away but better to know back edge so know won't go long but when get closer to flag i like having laser to give more accurate distance - good review
I love my GPS watch. Different brand but does give you all the important information. Great review of all the different types
Snap!! I couldn't play without it now
I use Arccos golf and fund the gps really accurate (my friends use Garmin watches and seldom more than a yard out).
Knowing the hole layout is easy. Calculating distances to bunkers is easy. Known how far to his to say a 100yrd layup
is so easy.
If you are not playing in a competition then you can use the caddie function and get advice based on your accumulated stats.
Really useful stats on where your game is strong or weak and what you need to practice to improve.
Simply the best IMHO.
Worth a proper on course evaluation Mark. 😉
I use Arccos as well, and would chalk the accurate GPS up to the fact that the GPS feature in smartphones has been getting better in leaps & bounds!
Joe Perez fair point. I do have a new phone so GPS likely a lot better than previous phones . They used to be out by 10-15 yards. 👍🏌️
My OpenMind Absolutely! When I had my first iPhone (probably iPhone 3), I played with someone and we were both using our phones with the Golf Logix GPS app. Our yardages were 10 yards apart, and I wondered if it were due to us having different service providers (AT&T as opposed to Verizon).
I have a fairly basic watch but love it, front, middle and back are fine for my skill level. What I miss and am considering buying a laser for is distance to hazards or doglegs, or perhaps I just need a new watch?!
I have the nano and love it. At a glance it just confirms my suspicions. I don’t need to know the exact distance, 2-5 yards makes no difference when you’re into the wind 190yrd out. It also shows hazards and bunker distance and auto changes the holes as you go. The biggest bonus though... you don’t look like an absolute tool lasering every shot on the course only to miss the green left or right 🙄
Love your comment about lasering and then ballsing up the shot. I intend to buy the square magnetic model tomorrow - that'll give me the opportunity to just glance, and know the distance before hitting my carefully planned shot into a lake/wood/bunker etc etc
Seriously though, a playing partner uses one, plays off 11 - no heroics, just measured and accurate.
Great video guys, I use s60 by Garmin which gives you all the usual info plus you can look at hole view which is great if you have bunkers to carry you can touch the screen and it tells you how far they are and then you can go ahead and top your drive knowing you won't go in them
Neo Ghost Bushnell here. Its a great little device, accurate enough, its small enough to keep in my pocket during the round and it was cheap. Only issue is it can take a little while to find you so I usually turn it on when I arrive at the course.
Love the little product reviews. Lasers are great. Never used a GPS watch, but used an app tracker that uses my phone GPS. Fairly good...
I use a Garmin x40 find it quick and easy with the added bonus of being able to tag your shots (choose the club) and then see your round plotted (from tree to tree) on the Garmin golf app. Pretty cool.
In actually own the older bushnell neo ghost. It's simple and easy and frankly its inexpensive. I'd love to get a laser...quite pricey but I'm sure it could help. I'm a mid to high hdcp so maybe I'm not good enough yet for a laser. Great video regardless. Cheers Mark....and as for a slope GPS laser look into the Garmin Z80 it has all three
I have the one up from that watch, it’s great, easy to use, and has an analogue dial when not in gps mode, the lads I play with love the fact we don’t have to do anything other than look at the watch, gives us more time for a cheeky beer.
Not sure if you brought this up or not, but the Hybrid GPS also allows you to measure off every shot you make so you can know your true distance for every Wood and iron based on the current weather conditions of that day and not through a launch monitor that one perfect day with no breeze or slope or adrenaline kicking in.
I use a GPS watch, but I use the Garmin Fenix 5. Main reason I like this watch over the Bushnell is, day to day, it looks more like a normal watch.
It also has running, cycling, swimming, general exercise, and step counter, so it works for everything. If Lockey is in the market now, that's what I would recommend.
In addition to that, I use a £10 app on my phone for yardages to hazards etc. I only play socially, so competition rules aren't a worry for me.
Where I golf, we, very often have "cart path only" restrictions. A GPS device is mandatory for this situation and others where line of sight isn't available. I guess you're supposed to land the ball in some area that can be considered part of the golf course property. Anyway, we now have a range finder in our group which is good for exact distance to the pin and slope. And the guy doesn't even charge us that much to use it! My favorite bit of info amidst all this tech is distance to the front of the green. My real question is when will they give us a device for knowing the wind?
I own the GPS and it’s been well worth the investment. You forgot to mention it also give distance to hazards, all bunkers, and end of fairway by hitting the red button.
All Bushnell devices come with a free pairing to their app which also include 3D flyover animation of each hole of the course you’re playing, given they have that in the 36,000 course library.
Would love to see a review of the new Garmin that does GPS, layout, and Slope alll in one. Think it’s selling for $600 in the states.
Switched from Skycaddie to Bushnell range finder with slope this year. Slope, battery life, no yearly subscription, and exact yardage to the pin is why I switched. That and my pro friend got a free rangefinder from his club he works at so he gave me a great deal on his.
Love the Hybrid idea, being able to tag the flag with the finder and then work out where it is in relation to the front and back of the green or over a bunker or water is brilliant. Then again, as you say with your mum, do I really need to know anymore then where the front, centre and back of the green are. Am I that good. I know I'm not that rich.
My Garmin S60 gps watch has slope adjustment on it (which can be disabled for competitions). The preloaded course data must include details about the terrain as well to work that out.
Tried the GPS watch Garmin S20.
Safe to say, extremely beneficial. Knowing that the front, middle asnd back of green yardage is key. First round, I tested it, I was hitting the right club everytime, because I knew the yardage. This factored in with the fact, I can see I'm hitting uphill, is it steep, club up, is it shallow, try to get a little more out of the short. Same for downhill, it's great.
If I'm with friends, I'm usually walking wityh them and just say you're x yards away, and that helps them hugely too. This gps watch is pretty much replacing my normal watch at thius point.
I did use the Garmin s1 watch after a couple years the strap broke and there not replaceable I believe, now using the Bushnell v4 jolt
I've used both a Bushnell rangefinder (with slope) and a GPS watch. The Bushnell will always win on accuracy but I just prefer the convenience of simply glancing at the watch, rather than picking up the Bushnell and zapping the flag/target. The watch gives me a "near enough" reading and I'm happy with that. If I were a better player and more accurate with my game I'd definitely start using a Bushnell again. For now, the watch is perfectly adequate. Great vid though chaps 👍
I’ve got a watch coach and I love it fella 👍👍👍
Good video Mark, tend to agree with you Mum I just need a device to tell me how far to the middle of the green. I have a small GPS I clip onto my bag or my belt and I have a quick look and am ready to go. Not keen on wearing g a watch device although Matt may have converted me.
Garmin G8 for me...a colour screen that shows you the whole hole with distances to bunkers, front/middle/back of greens etc.
Excellent review guys. As always. Has to be laser/GPS hybrid. Good to know carry-on to green. Lots of amateurs come up short when just lasering just the flag. Myself included.
Great review gents. I have a range finder and a watch but generally use the watch more in comps as I’m conscious of slowing up play. Also I tend to play my home course most of the time and a watch is enough. Cheers Bruh
Have you looked at the many gps phone apps that are out there. It'd be great to see how they stack up compared to the much more expensive Bushnell type devices.
I have a skycaddie touch and a bushel jolt. I tend to use the range finder for 150 yards and in. On courses I have not played the maps on the GPS are a real advantage as it is often better to hit a portion of green rather than a straight yardage. Eg, with a range finder it is too easy to be suckered by a front or back pin
Gps front middle and back is plenty good enough for the majority of golfers but the combined unit does give more accuracy for distance wedges and scoring situations. That said you have got to have practiced your half and three quarter shots beforehand and know how far they fly to really reap the benefit of accurate measurements.
I use the Bushnell phantom and love it’s simplicity, can’t compare to exact flag accuracy, but just trying to get a ball on the green, it’s perfect. Great comparison
I use a GPS which sits in a cradle on my trolley, have done for years. It shows the layout of the hole, distances to hazards, doglegs etc, as well as front, middle and back of the green. Quick and easy to use, but can't swear to the accuracy, but It's close enough for me to "guess" which club I need.
I have the Tour v4 shift, would be lost without it. Especially around courses I havent played.
What about App's? I use Golfshot and i'm really impressed so far. If you already have the hardware its probably the cheapest option. It works really well with my apple watch. You can even score your round on it, and track a shot (not tracked a shot yet though, only had it a few weeks). It then sends you you score card, and records each round.
I have the Garmin watch, V3, and the Hybrid. I like the Hybrid for the GPS showing the distances to and to clear hazards, water, etc. Downside is that though the hybrid uses a 3V battery for the traditional distance measuring you have to charge it to use the GPS portion of it. The Garmin App is nice as it shows a flyover view of the holes. I also have a Garmin Approach 8. Not sure why you guys did not compare it as it does everything the non-optical devices do, plus it shows the map of the hole and does slope. My wife likes to say that I have 6 devices that all give me slightly different distances resulting in me missing the green.
Love my Bushnell watch i get 4 rounds out of mine between charges ,all the info need with out over completing things, as golf is hard enough
GPS Garmin with map and hole layout, but use the Nikon 80i VR for pin position distances. The Nikon also stabilises the viewing for us old fellers with the shakey hands. I thought that phone apps were not legal in competition as the same as the slope reading, ok for the casual round though.
Laser for me every time. Takes all the guesswork out. Doesn’t matter about front, middle, back as you know exactly how far. Only issue is when you don’t have line of sight. I have the tour v4 but my playing partners have the v3 which is better in my opinion. Any light mist or fog and the v4 fails, v3 still works.
Great Video! I would like to see Bushnell add features to their app to allow this device to track your shots and round. So theres a button that I can hit that will GPS tag the shot then after the fact I can see fairways, greens, etc. Then I can get Strokes Gained and things after the round!
Been playing golf for a while now and never used a range finder, always looked at the red blue or white markers on the course and guessed from there. Now I use the 18 birdies free app for my phone.Works great and is 100% free.
Nice rounded review bruh’s. I’ve not stopped using my Garmin vivoactive watch since buying it 3 or 4 years ago. I’d be lost without it now especially on a course I’ve never played before. Cheers guys
Good vid👍.
I have the Phantom, my only negative is you can't use while charging. Or maybe I haven't figured out how?.
I use my Apple Watch as my range finder and I love it. It gives me the distance on how far I hit my driver, woods and irons so I can keep track of my yardages gives me my yardages to the flag front middle and back and it even counts my strokes for me. What else could I ask for, I flip the crown to the inside of my wrist too so it’s not poking my hand like lockey said he doesn’t like
I've tested GPS watches and Lasers quite a bit, and my recommendations are:
1) Garmin Approach S60 - GPS Watch
2) Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized - Laser
3) Garmin Approach Z80 - Hybrid Laser & GPS
I wear GPS at the mo, ha down it a few years now, requires replacement, I will be going Bushnell type thingy as the watches are great if your going for the green, however lack flexibility when you want to lay up short of or fly a hazard. I’m not good enough to worry about two yards but defo want to know if my 7 is gonna fly a bunker or I fancy I can lay up.
never used a range finder had Garmin watches now on S60 love it (lasts 2 rounds easily and also has slope reading)
Great review thanks for posting... one question with the bushnell hybrid... does it need to be kept out of the case in between shots for correct gps numbers to kick in quickly? when you put it into the case in between shots I’m assuming the gps cuts out and takes a bit of time for it it to kick back in again? I really like the idea of the hybrid but I am thinking this could be a problem and not ideal for pace of play? Thanks for any advice on this
Did a little google and found that the Garmin Approach S60 Golf GPS Watch has a slope ("Plays Like") feature. There you go, Coach, everything you would want on your wrist.
Have you done a video review on the Gps Apps like Hole19 that work with the Apple Watch similar to the GPS watch in this review? Would be interesting to see how accurate they are!
Bushnell. Hmm. I had a Bushnell watch and sent it back. Their software was so hit and miss. Couldn’t update the damn thing.
I do have a Z6 Jolt rangefinder though and that is really good.
How accurate did you find the GPS portion of the device? Were there times when the laser provided a range to the pin that was outside the front back range of the GPS? Thanks.
Very good and informative video. Sent me straight to check the price on the Hybrid one. Is it called marketing influence?
I swear by my Garmin G6 GPS, with touchscreen, hole map, shows all bunkers/hazards etc. plus has a significant range of additional features that I highly rate.
That understated rolex is getting bigger and bigger cameos isn't it. Ha
Came on here to point out that he finally got a Rolex.
Mark’s got a Rolex!! Stop it brahhhhh
Curious, have you ever used your iPhone for GPS, Mark? Ive used two apps which both have features the other doesnt, but, both are great in their own ways, IMO. "Golf Shot" is my favorite assistant for playing golf, but, "The Grint" is almost as great an assistant for playing, but includes a free USGA compliant handicap...I have much more to say about these apps, but something tells me they arent "legal" for Amateurs or Professionals to use....as Im just a semi serious hobby player. I also use my iWatch paired with iPhone...really useful IMO
I use a garmin watch, my bro an apple watch and my friend has a view finder. They never give the same distances. Can be upto 15 yards difference
Chris Coates standard positioning service GPS (what you have in cars and these devices ) is accurate to around 10 metres. Usually better than that, but not guaranteed.
I’d trust a good quality laser over a GPS, but have used both with good results.
How do you find using the laser wearing glasses Mark? I’m thinking of buying a laser and wear glasses too.
Love my Garmin Approach3 but would try the Bushnell Phantom GPS.
You should try out some of the iPhone apps for gps. Would be interesting to compare the results of the two
I wondered what kind of watch Mark wears. Finally got to pause it. Rolex!
Great video, as always! My question for the watch and clip on devices, how does that stand up against, say, GAMEGOLF? Are they much different? Are the Bushnell products more accurate than a phone app?
I've had one Range Finder and access to others, and I just can't get a reading, I just keep shaking to much for a good count, its a pain in the ass. GPS is the way I've ended up going, I have two Izzo units I switch back and forth with as the other is charging via battery pack, as most of those I play with, I just want the back, front and middle of the green, it's all I ever need. Good video post Mark, thanks.
Love the watch simplicity BUT, if the pins are not color designated (front/middle/back), or if your depth perception isn’t good, or if you don’t have a pin sheet, then you won’t know exactly where the pin is sitting to match it up with the front or middle or back reading.
Rangefinder always. Precise to bunkers and pins. I don’t even think about the flag colour. Whereas the Watch relies on green keepers putting the right colour flag on the stick.
I use Swing By Swing app on my phone. Gives me an overview of the hole, I can pinpoint hazards, keeps my score and tracks club distances.
+1 for Swing by Swing. Inexpensive as you can use a free version, it cheap subscription that has even more useful features. My guess is that apps are not overpriced as they don't need hardware sales, and some of them do features that like Game golf or Arccos.
Swing by Swing for the win!
Not a member anywhere but thinking about it next year. Can you use these in club competitions and medals or is that against the rules?
I believe it's fine unless the club had a local rule preventing it. If the device has a slope facility you can't use that during a competition round. So make sure you can switch it off if it does.
Hello what would be a good Rangefinder for a driving range with more than one people
I Love my GPS watch so easy to use. However I may have a bias as I have a hatred of watching people who use rangefinders. They measure the distance, then miss hit the ball walk 10 yards and then they measure again. So much timewasting. I don't need exact pin distances because your more than likely not going to hit that distance and only need a guide to the distance to the front, back and middle of the green so I can pick the right club to hit the middle of the green and carry any hazards in front of it.
GPS watch all the way, since I'm too lazy to zap everything. Also, for the coach, Garmin S60 does slope.
I have a laser GPS and the Neo watch. Initially I used the range finder a lot, but as the watch (includes hazard for each hole) proved so accurate, I now use the watch all the time and maybe the Lazer GPS twice a round for shots I can't see the bottom of the flag. The dual range finder is far too expensive for what it is.
You need to do more of these types of videos.
Yeah how many people would leave that on the buggy and not realise till their next round it’s gone 😂
i’m sure i would!!😂
Happens all the time. Magnetic case for my laser, forget to take it off all the time. Now have a cheap gps that clips on. On the whole it works much better.
I did that with my Lazer about a week after i bought the magnetic strap... Got an upgraded Lazer and spent the money for the strap on slope 🤣
I now need glasses for distance and reading and cannot see pin from 170 yards out but cannot play with glasses as I keep hitting fat shots unless ball is teed . Therefore it is easier for me to use my v4 than put glasses on and off as I could not read GPS without them. I can see pin and read distance on v4 clearly without glasses this is best option for me with its magnification.
My cart driving ability will send that neo flying ain't no magnet strong enough!
Bushnell sponsorship review🤔. I had a Bushnell not great after a night on the beer. I got a Garmin g8 now.... now that’s a great gps device!
Not allowed a buggy on my course bra... Do I need to carry a metal bar to 'magnet' it to ?
K.A It comes with an attachable clip
Just hitting the green is hard enough for me, let alone the yardage for the pin. I love the hybrid + gps because of the options it gives when drives offline and can’t see the green let alone the flag ( like in the trees)
Great job on this. Interesting to get the various perspectives. I love Bushnell as well, although the Nikon might better priced. I have the Pro x7, so tell Dan that I have the big one too...lmbao! I am too stupid. Get up, Dan!
I would have to say I'm torn, a rangefinder is great if you have the time but can be a bit of annoyance getting it out every time whereas the GPS is much more efficient. If I was to use a watch, however, I'd rather have an app on a smartwatch that does it rather then spending so much on just a golf GPS watch. Might as well spend more on a smartwatch that gives me more.
im surprised at how many courses still do not have gps units in the carts,, even some nice higher end courses.
I am so on the fence. I have a gps watch (love it) but trying to dial in my wedges and short irons. Thinking maybe getting the V4 and using with my watch so save on paying for the GPS hybrid Bushnell.... who knows 🙄
Love my GPS watch. Except for the times I forget to charge it and the battery dies three holes in!!!
I wanted to hear what ray had to say about them but sadly he didn’t get a chance ! I use game golf on iPhone and iwatch
I like watching one of my playing partners completely airmail the green because they tagged a tree behind it and not the flag.
I have a Tom Tom GPS watch that cost me £115. It gives yardages to green front/centre/rear and hazards. This combined with my Golf Course’s Red/Yellow/White flag system works an absolute treat. Plus it’s never more than 1-2 yards out from my playing partner’s £300 Range Finder. So a no brainier really. In my opinion Range Finders only really give an advantage to very low handicappers who can pin point their wedge accuracy to within 1-2 yards otherwise a waste of money.
Would the hybrid be allowed in competitive rounds due to the gps function?
I think I am correct in saying that it would be a local rule, or a competition rule. You can use rangefinder in top amateur comps now, but not GPS, for some reason. Our club, and most clubs in UK allow both. The Rules of Golf outline what you can and can't use, but still subject to local rules and or rules of individual competitions, for example neither allowed in any pro competitions
Apple Watch..... Hole 19 app... all I ever need!!
Exactly what I use!
Great video as always brah! Loving the Rolex, first "clocked" it (sorry!) a few vids ago.
You probably already know this but you aren't doing your lovely wrist ornament any favours by hitting shots while wearing it. Eventually the impacts will have an effect on all the little bits whizzing around inside and it may cause it to under perform. Perhaps you don't mind but I thought I'd share a bit of friendly advice from one brah who likes shiny things to another. Keep up the good work👊
Thanks. I now take it off when playing 👍👍👍
I have the watch, and like it. But the HUGE problem comes when courses make changes to tee box positions - the readings can be well off vs a laser to the flag. Iv'e had it be off by over 10 yards.
You've got it the wrong way around there mate. It doesn't matter where the tee box is because the reading is from where your current position is to the green. The problem comes when the greens are moved, such as when you're playing on winter greens. It pretty much makes the watch unusable in this situation.
Guess these would be cool for comps where phones aren’t allowed, but I don’t play in comps anymore and use the game golf app on my phone. Gives me an yardage I want to anywhere, and tracks my stats, and free.
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