Rangefinder, GPS watch or app: what measures what, and what is allowed in competition
A laser measures precisely, GPS measures quickly, an app costs nothing. The differences, which one suits you, and the slope rule that catches players out in competition.
In this article
Knowing how far it is sounds like a detail, but it is one of the few aids that measurably improves your score without changing your swing. Most amateurs misjudge their distance and consequently play short again and again.
In short: a laser is the most accurate, GPS the fastest, an app the cheapest. Measuring distance is allowed in competition; measuring slope is not, unless the function is switched off and visibly so.
The three types
|
Type |
How it works |
Strong at |
Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Laser rangefinder |
You aim at a target and measure |
Precision to the metre |
Needs line of sight and a steady hand |
|
GPS watch |
Satellite position against a course map |
Fast, hands-free, front, middle and back of green |
Only what the course map contains |
|
Phone app |
Same principle as GPS |
Free or cheap, detailed maps |
Phone in hand, battery, slower to use |
For most recreational players a GPS watch or app is the logical choice. A laser earns its place once you play at the flag itself or want exact carry distances over bunkers and water.
The rule you must know
Measuring distance is permitted, unless the committee prohibits it by local rule. Measuring slope is not: devices that adjust distance for elevation may be carried, but the function must be switched off and visibly so. A breach brings the general penalty, and repetition means disqualification.
Practically: switch slope off before a competition, or use a device where that is visible. Also not allowed: using wind measurement as an aid for your stroke, or a device that recommends which club to hit.
What you measure matters more than what with
Most devices give the distance to the middle of the green, and that is exactly the number you want. A green is twenty to thirty metres deep; aim at a back flag and come up short, and you are in the bunker in front. And a measured distance only helps once you know which club delivers that carry for you.
Do beginners need this?
Honest answer: not immediately. Learn your distances first, use the course markers at 100, 150 and 200 metres, add a free app when you want more precision, and only then buy a laser or watch.
Frequently asked questions
May a fellow player tell me the distance? Yes. Distance information is not advice and may be freely shared.
Is a laser more accurate than GPS? Yes, a laser typically measures to about a metre on the target you aim at; GPS gives approximations to fixed points on the course map.
What if it is foggy? Then a laser is unusable and GPS has the advantage.
May I measure the wind during a round? No, not as an aid for your stroke.
At Zalm Golf our professionals work with launch data, so you know your own distances before investing in equipment.