Opinion & Analysis
I finally learned to embrace golf GPS technology, and so should you
Different people play golf very differently; some like to listen to music, while others keep the rulebook in their back pocket. When I started golfing, I embraced the sport as best as I could down to its roots. It was just me against the course, rejecting as much technology as I could. I thought technology was against the spirit of the game, so I would pace the course looking for red, white, and blue markers to guess my distance to the pin, bunkers and other hazards.
But is rejecting technology really upholding the nature of the sport? I’ve recently changed my stance, and here’s why.
115 or 95 to the center of the green?
So you just walked off a yardage, but already forgot whether you needed to add or subtract 10 yards from the sprinkler head. Wait, what did that sprinkler head say again? Was it to the front or the middle? Without a golf GPS, a laser rangefinder, a caddie, or yardage book, surely you’ve found yourself in this situation at least once, or maybe you’ve gotten into a habit of being lazy with picking yardages. And you’re not alone. Since most golfers are usually satisfied with the markers on the fairway, a guessing game ensues when they are planning our next shot.
“Should I hit a pitching wedge or a soft nine?”
Many golfers have at least moderate knowledge of the distances they hit each club, maybe even knowing how far a perfect shot will go and how short a poor shot will go. Unfortunately, most of us take a less-than-serious approach to picking an exact yardage of their target, not realizing that we’re leaving strokes on the course.
Enter the caddie
I was quick to say “I don’t need a digital caddy,” but I was wrong. Since the dawn of golf, using a caddie has been an encouraged practice. And if he/she does their job correctly, golfers get the yardages they need before each shot. Why then, just because golfers opt to take a cart or carry a bag, should we penalize ourselves by not getting access to that information? The game of golf is a measure of skill and mental fortitude, not depth perception.
A portable caddie
Using any type of GPS device, be it an app on your phone or a dedicated unit like SkyCaddie, will help you know the real distances to your targets, just like a caddie. A lot of golfers prefer laser rangefinders, but I like my golf GPS. It tells me the distance to the center of the green, as well as to the front and back. It shows me distance to hazards, as well as carry distances, which assists me in picking landing spots for doglegs and more. They’re super simple and straightforward, and I don’t even have to tip them.
Is there anything worse than hitting a perfect shot, just to see it fly over the green or land short in a bunker? Pulling the right club for the right distance is paramount to a clean scorecard, but as I was quick to learn, these new technologies offer more than just distance.
The bonuses
Now that we have reliable, safe distances right at our fingertips, what other benefits do these new tech caddies offer? Often we hear about someone’s short game or long game. These are areas of the game golfers can improve that carry over from course to course. Your score could go up or down, but your iron game is your iron game. And your game is what your playing partners are betting on (or against).
Related: The tragedy that your range session doesn’t count towards your score
So when I say that the new GPS app on your phone or a rangefinder can help your score, what I am really saying is that your improved score will be a byproduct of better understanding your game. Knowing distances to my targets has been key to proper course management and improving my score. Here’s a quick example: 75 percent of your strokes are made within 130 yards to the hole (this includes putting). So if we take a golfer who shoots 95, 71 of those shots are within 130 yards. If we can just reduce our strokes within this range by 5 percent, which is not substantial, we’re going to save almost 5 strokes. So now that I always have my golf GPS handy, I know my exact distance to the best landing zone, so I can actually make a proper decision and therefore save shots.
The improvement to your course management seems obvious: I know my distances therefore I can pull the right club. Now you not only know your distances, but also can make important decisions about the kind of shot you want to play because of your newfound wisdom. A common situation before might be, “I think I have 135 yards to the pin and I need to carry the shot over water.” At this distance, I would pull my pitching wedge, but there’s a problem I don’t know how far it is to carry the water, and I don’t want my ball to land pin high and release through the green. Referencing my golf GPS, I can see I only need to cover 110 yards to clear the water, so I can hit my 52-degree wedge with confidence knowing that given a solid shot, I’ll carry the water, but won’t fly the green.
The pros do it and you should, too
A golf GPS will quickly become your best friend, and you should practice using it often. You’ll lower your scores by adding the knowledge a caddy would give you.. without the added cost. Your ability to manage the course will also improve, and you’ll find yourself hitting different clubs and different shots thanks to better information. Chances are, you’ll stay out of trouble more often. So go out and get one so you can improve your game and shoot lower scores.
The only problem? You’ll have fewer excuses to tell your buddies when you hit the wrong shot.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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lazio
Feb 6, 2019 at 11:11 pm
Bushnell Excel,is also be batter for.Pairs via Bluetooth to the Bushnell Golf App to allow the golfer to book tee times, pay, confirm and set tee time notifications all from their smart phone. There is also the option for 3D course flyovers to give the golfer a birds-eye view of the hole. The Excel also has improved battery life
Read more at https://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/best-golf-deals/best-golf-gps-devices-2018-94809#kMBO4XSTM2XTpMlV.99
Gary
Apr 9, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Indeed, I think it’s very beneficial in the long run to get used to GPS on the course. Until recently I used to go manual, but now I’m looking to get a good GPS watch for myself. I’ve heard really good things about the Garmin Approach S20 – people are praising it left and right. I’m very close to deciding on the S20 at this point, although a few other models do interest me. This guide here (https://golfstead.com/best-golf-gps-watches) lists some interesting models. Does GolfWRX have any buying guides for golf GPS units?
Kyle @ TGG
Dec 17, 2016 at 5:44 pm
If you’re on the fence about embracing emerging technologies, you definitely should. Mike is dead on, these devices can help your game out a lot. They’re basically $150 caddies that you play with for 10 years who have walked every course you play 1000 times.
geoff
Jun 1, 2016 at 5:47 am
SimplyGolf GPS for Android, it’s free and works well and has a lot of Australian courses!!
Nick
May 6, 2016 at 4:27 pm
funnily enough, I went through almost exactly the same argument with myself not so long ago about gps/rangefinders and it being against the spirit of the game and came to exactly the same conclusion!
I was actually testing a lot of different devices for reviews and the key for me was just how much more enjoyable golf becomes when you know the distance. It really is incredibly frustrating to pure one and see it come up short because your ‘guesstimate’ was really 15 yards off (and mine usually is!)
Nick
Mike Puglielli
May 8, 2016 at 12:33 am
Nothing worse than that my friend it is a common story when you are guessing. I was doing that ALL the time.
Mat
May 4, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Here’s another endorsement for golfshot if you don’t have anything else. I use GameGolf Live now, and I’m happy enough with it. What I will not do without is a laser. GPS is fantastic for approximations, and you can certainly learn a lot – especially on a course never played before. But once you have an idea of the course, the laser is the thing that really inspires confidence.
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 6:41 am
My current “laser” is not very accurate and can’t target pins. What you end up getting is approximations, so for me right now, the GPS is more consistent and accurate. I am looking to get a new laser that actually can hit a pin.
TR1PTIK
May 5, 2016 at 9:06 am
Bushnell Tour V3 had a small price drop recently. It’s what I used to have and it’s a really good unit. Just found that I was constantly afraid of losing it or something because of the extra investment to get it.
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Cool, I’ll take a peak at it if the price is right. Thanks Tr1p!
Jarrod
May 6, 2016 at 6:42 am
If you are not in a rush, or are the patient budget type like myself, just search Amazon, Ebay, and Craigslist, almost daily. Last summer, I would look for golf related items all the time, and was able to pick up a Bushnell V2 with Slope, for $50 on Amazon. For those that are patient, and cheap, like myself, deals can be had, just by waiting and looking around often.
Josh
May 5, 2016 at 9:15 am
I also use GameGolf but I have started having issues with it.
It doesn’t appear very accurate, especially when you compare it side by side on a course. I have gamegolf on my iphone and my buddy uses gamegolf on his android. The GPS is almost always off. Mine will be short, and his will be long. We will tee off and he will be 10 yards short of me and his GPS says he hit the ball 20-30 yards further than my GPS tells me. Also recently they don’t have the most accurate scorecard, played a course where the score card was way off. Not to mention the yardage for holes is off to on some holes.
However; it is very handy and useful. I use it to figure out how far to front and back of the green and use that as my “which club to play” guide. For example on a Par 3 the front was 165 and back was 195, so I used a 4 iron knowing I can’t hit it past 195 and knowing that even the weakest hit is 165. Needless to say I put the ball in the center of the green. When the GPS is accurate it is really, really useful, and I wouldn’t even consider using a laser.
Mike Puglielli
May 8, 2016 at 12:36 am
Thanks for sharing your use cases—everyone keeps talking about game golf but I haven’t touched it before. I’ll have to check it out!
John Krug
May 4, 2016 at 8:44 pm
I recently purchased the Bushnell Tour V4 Slope Edition with Jolt. Incidentally, this is now legal as slope can be turned off if you are playing in a tournament. I have played with people who have watches and found that they are quite inaccurate compared to the V4. As well, if you hit a shot that lands on another fairway the watch does not recognize where you are. The V4 is also a third smaller than the previous version. The jolt is an added bonus for those with shaky hands.
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 6:39 am
Good point about the other fairway…I end up there sometimes 🙂 I heard the Bushnell V4 is amazing. Thanks for sharing how you use this new tech. The fact that they can calculate slope nowadays is amazing.
Egor
May 4, 2016 at 6:39 pm
I carry a laser and use Arccos.
The laser range finder is used most often to get distance to the pin on deep greens or from non-fairway locations. Arccos which has a GPS overlay of the course is used when I want distance to carry or to a layup spot before a water hazard.
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 6:37 am
Very cool, I’ll check out the Arccos. Its good to have both, you can then really dial in.
TR1PTIK
May 5, 2016 at 9:02 am
I use Game Golf, but I hate having to keep the phone nearby and sometimes the GPS won’t refresh right away or I have to go to a different screen and come back. I like being able to see distances to hazards, but I don’t really need that for the courses I play regularly. I like having the watch because I simply have to glance at my wrist. What’s your experience like using GPS on Arccos? Do you have any of the same issues with the app?
TCJ
May 4, 2016 at 5:49 pm
If you’re worried about a PW running through the green, perhaps more attention should be paid to properly striking the ball properly, and less attention paid to your doohickey.
TCJ
May 4, 2016 at 5:50 pm
Or in my case, english!
Miguel
May 4, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Golf Shot, cannot play without Golf Shot. I also use the free Game Golf app to track what I do on the course. 😀
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Two great apps Miguel and they go hand in hand. Do you have the game golf club “sensors”?
Scooter McGavin
May 4, 2016 at 2:54 pm
“Many golfers have at least moderate knowledge of the distances they hit each club”…. I think this is the main problem, in addition to golfers being lazy. If you polled a group of golfers and asked how far they hit their 5,7,9,SW, and then actually put them on a Trackman to check, I’d be surprised if even half of them were within 5 (maybe even 10) yards.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 5:18 pm
I would say, generally, average golfers are within 10 yards…even 15 is acceptable to get something out of a gps or laser device. These devices can also help golfers discover their real distances of they don’t know them already. Now…whether or not you find an honest golfer during a poll is a different story—the ego is tough!
Double Mocha Man
May 4, 2016 at 8:17 pm
I think, as a golfer uses a rangefinder and consistently finds he/she is short by 5-10 yards with a particular club they will make the adjustment. Ego takes you only so far. Or less far.
Jon
May 4, 2016 at 1:06 pm
What are some GPS apps I should look for if I have an Android phone?
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Hey Jon,
My favorite is Golfshot: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shotzoom.golfshot2 and they also have other great features for the app.You can try Golf GPS & Scorecard: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hole19golf.hole19.beta
GPS golf watches are also pretty affordable, check em out!
TR1PTIK
May 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm
Recently purchased a Garmin Approach S2 from TGW for $120. I used it for the first time yesterday and loved it. I’ve owned and used just about everything. Lasers are great for getting exact distances, but I do find that they are more time consuming than my watch and while it is nice to know where the pin is that isn’t necessarily what amateurs should be aiming for on every hole.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Exactly! Most players shouldn’t be going straight for the pin!
Blake
May 4, 2016 at 12:44 pm
Was this paid for by skycaddie or something? Interesting to hear use GPS when civilian GPS is +/- 5 yards. And also no pro is using GPS during a practice round. Its not accurate enough. They use lasers which are quicker and more accurate.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Hey Blake,
This was not a sponsored piece. I talk about other devices, not just GPS, you can use on the course. Lasers are great and ideal for finding pin position, but isn’t a perfect solution when you have blind spots. Its good to have both and use either when the correct situation arises.
Leon
May 4, 2016 at 10:58 am
Talk this to a dude who slices, fats and thins 90% of his shots, and lost 2 dozens of ball every round while find half dozen from the pounds to keep up the inventory. I am sure he will pop up a few nice words for the GPS
Philip
May 4, 2016 at 10:51 am
I think your preaching to the wrong crowd – I expect most on GolfWRX rely on some management system already – whether GPS, laser, course book, notes, Google maps, etc. Personally I dislike GPS apps on phones – interrupts my routine and often difficult to see the screens in the sun. For the majority of golfers a GPS app is only going to make the game slower for all – they have other more important things to figure out – like how to check their ego (you don’t HAVE to use driver on the tee) and make a decent swing for starters.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Haha Good points Phil! Have you checked out the GPS watches? They’re pretty great and don’t require you to use your phone. I’m with you though, I prefer to not use my phone while on the course.
Don’t you think having some kind of tech for high handicaps would improve pace of play? If they can reduce strokes because they have proper distances, shouldn’t that speed things up? 10 seconds to look at a GPS watch or something and maybe they save a stroke.
Philip
May 4, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Yes, I’m keeping my eye on the watches, almost got the new Microsoft one – waiting for v3. Thing is, I know my yardages and can hit them within 5-10 yards, unless I mishit. When I was a higher handicapper I was only accurate with my yardages to 20-30 yards. There was just too much variance due to my over swinging and setup issues to get any real use out of the GPS apps. I tried a few, but knowing you can hit a club within 30 yards of your target doesn’t help much with choosing a club. I just measured to the front of the green and went for it.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Yeah, you’re right. I guess it depends on how badly the player is hitting their clubs…at the end of the day, you still got to have a decent swing. I know players with a similar miss pattern, about 20yards, they can still benefit from the additional course knowledge that these devices provide: take a green that’s 30×30, and all of a sudden if this type of player were to aim in the middle, they could end up somewhere on the shed of the green, front or back. Still helpful I think! How’s the MSFT watch? Haven’t tried it.
Philip
May 4, 2016 at 7:30 pm
I still use the middle of the green quite often. If I can get on the green in regulation I have a shot at par, with the occasional birdie opportunity. There were a few things about the watch that I think shouldn’t be missing, and since we already know that next years watch is being prepared, I’ll just wait for those few things to get added eventually. In the meantime I may go for Game Golf, or more likely, just start going onto the course after work again with my laser and hit shots to the fairway/green.
Double Mocha Man
May 4, 2016 at 10:22 am
If you use a GPS device you still have to rely on your depth perception. How far forward is that pin from center??? Laser rangefinder is the way to go… until it comes to an uphill blind shot where you can’t see the pin.
Double Mocha Man
May 4, 2016 at 10:23 am
So to cover for both instances someone needs to come up with the Laser/GPS rangefinder, where you can switch between the two technologies in the same unit.
jim
May 4, 2016 at 10:46 am
http://www.callawaygolf.com/accessories/gps-rangefinders/gps-c70110-hybrid-laser-gps-rangefinder.html?gclid=CPWy6bzUwMwCFdgQgQodhpMPhA
Double Mocha Man
May 4, 2016 at 11:23 am
Dang! A guy just can’t keep up with the technology these days. Thanks Jim.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 12:35 pm
That’s sweet, never seen that before!
Scott
May 4, 2016 at 3:40 pm
I use a watch and range finder. The gps is nice for courses that you have not played before. If I have played the course before, I find myself using the laser most of the time. The hybrid range finder and gps is a really nice product but it does not have all the bells and whistles that the top range finders have or the top gps units have. I just just basically created my own by attaching my watch to the laser case.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Haha that’s a cool idea, with the DIY setup. I like the GPS most times, like you, even if I know the course. A big issue of mine is not knowing the size of a green and how much room I have to play woth (my depth perception isn’t good there).
BD57
May 4, 2016 at 11:43 pm
Vast majority of us would benefit from playing to the middle of the green 75-80% of the time – at least, with any club longer than a wedge / 9 iron.
Also, most GPS will give you yardage to front, middle & back, so you can get a reasonable approximation of where a “front” or “back” pin will be by dividing depth by “3” and then putting the pin in the center of the appropriate third.
P.S. Have a laser & use Golfshot both. so I’m not boosting one over the other. Just saying that, for those who can’t afford / choose not to bite the bullet for a laser, there are things they can do w/ GPS alone that are useful.
Mike Puglielli
May 5, 2016 at 6:36 am
All totally true.
ooffa
May 4, 2016 at 8:45 am
Welcome to the the party. Your 10 years late.
Mike Puglielli
May 4, 2016 at 8:59 am
Do we have jackets?