Get your golf game on target with a GPS Rangefinder

We’ve all been there before. Ball is in the middle of the fairway. You pick out your club, make a perfect swing. Your ball is headed right at the flag. This is going to be good. Until… The ball flies 20 yards over the green into the rough. Or 20 yards short of the green in a sand trap.

You did everything right, and now you’ll be lucky to swing a bogey out of the hole. Well, I take that back, you did ALMOST everything right. You didn’t use a GPS finder to ensure you were using the right club for the distance you had left to the hole. Gone are the days when golfers have to guess at distance to the green, to the dogleg or to the water. So many companies are making GPS devices and apps these days that the cost has gone down significantly. You may say that you don’t golf enough to warrant purchasing a GPS device for golf, but I’d argue that if you golf once or twice a month without knowing your distances, you may golf more often once you’re able to swing with confidence and without guessing.

And now products range from actual GPS devices to watches to smartphone apps. Let’s check out some of the options:

• For golfers looking for a smartphone app, GolfLogix is a nice option. You can search the app to see if your favorite courses are included in the app. But the app claims to cover 95% of the world’s courses, so odds are, your course will be included. Golfers are able to see aerial overviews and yardage distances to the center of the green. It’s about $20 per year for full access to the app.

• If the last thing you’re looking to do is have your phone out all round long, maybe a GPS watch is more your style. The Garmin Approach S1 GPS Watch is a solid, mid-price range option. Thousands of courses are preloaded into the watch. It also provides free lifetime course updates. The screen is also easily readable in sunlight, which is certainly important if you’re golfing in South Carolina sunshine.

• For the ultimate GPS option for the most serious golfer, you have to check out SkyCaddie® SGXw. This device uses patented GPS positioning technology and covers a total of 35,000 courses. What makes this traditional GPS rangefinder special is its enhanced accuracy supplied through wireless connectivity.

• If you’re looking for a GPS option that’s a little more low-key, the GolfBuddy Voice GPS might be a perfect option. You can attach the small square device to your belt. Then you simply listen to the voice to determine your distance to the hole. Who needs a caddy, right?

Distance control is one of the most important factors in the game of golf. Once you master your distances, you can really take your game to another level. If you’re simply relying on the white stakes on the course, you may be doing your game an injustice. A GPS device can actually help you determine if your game is getting better. Less guessing, less stressing, more fun on the course. If you like to golf, I’d definitely recommend trying out a GPS device.

(posted 9/19/14)
[photo courtesy Garmin.com]

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