The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Of course what I mean by asking “Is your golf rangefinder ‘legal’?”, is does it conform to the rules of golf? To get a full understanding, let’s explore the joint USGA / R&A rule and decision that allow or disallow GPS and laser rangefinders to be used.

Rule 14/3b prohibits a player from using any artificial device or unusual equipment for the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play. That alone would make all golf GPS and laser rangefinders against the rules and the penalty for the breach is disqualification. However, in 2006, Decision 14-3/0.5 was created to give tournament committees the option of adding a local rule that allows “distance-measuring devices”.  If this local rule is in effect, then artificial devices that measure distance ONLY, are permitted. Any device that measures anything other than distance is prohibited even if you’re not using those other features.

Most organized golf tournaments utilize the local rule, but it’s always a good idea to read the rules sheet or check with the tournament organizer before using your golf rangefinder. Elite professional events and some high level amateur events do not adopt the local rule. You won’t find these devices being used during a PGA or LPGA tournament, but if you’re out there during the practice rounds, caddies and players will be using laser rangefinders and taking notes diligently.

So if you know that your golf tournament or golf group has adopted the local rule, then there is only one question remaining. Did you buy a GPS or laser that measures ONLY distance? If you laid out more cash for the laser binoculars that measure “slope”, they won’t be allowed. Also, if you’re using your smartphone with a GPS app, you are probably in violation of the rule because smartphones have weather and compass apps built into them. Golf’s ruling bodies (the USGA and R&A) may have to modify or clarify this further in the future, but that’s where it stands right now.

If you’re playing a friendly game, then it probably won’t ever come up and if your playing partners are really your friends, they probably won’t care if you use your smartphone or your rangefinder with slope. With regards to posting scores for your handicap, the local rule is in effect. You should post all scores when using your distance-only measuring device.

I hope that explains it, but if not, please post your questions below.

Tags: r&a, usga

One of the questions we get asked the most is “Where are the best deals on golf rangetfinders?”. Most of the time, the answer is Amazon.com.

Of course it’s not true in every instance, but our experience tells us that it’s hard to find a lower price most of the time on most rangefinders.

What’s interesting though is that even Amazon’s prices on golf rangefinders fluctuate frequently. We try to take a look at prices on the most popular product on a daily basis to see where the great deals are, so you can bookmark this page and check back often, or we offer three ways we can make it even easier for you to find out about the best deals of the day…

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The Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC+ was introduced in October 2010, but there still are only a small number of user reviews. We’ve read everything we could find for our Bushnell XGC+ Review and in spite of its mediocre GRS score, there are still some users who might want to consider buying this model.

Bushnell XGC+ Plus Review Score: 7.29 out of 10 (17 reviews)

We believe the Bushnell XGC+ offers the lowest price by a good bit of any golf GPS device with full hole views and NO membership fees. There is a small caveat to the membership fees issue… Basically, Bushnell includes a one year membership to iGolf so you can download course maps and course updates. After the first year, you don’t have to pay membership fees unless you want to download additional courses with full maps. The course maps you already have on your XGC+ will remain there. If you do decide you need more course maps, iGolf annual membership fees have typically been very low.

The Bushnell XGC+ Plus comes preloaded with basic information to over 16,000 courses. That means you can open up the box when it arrives and take it out to play without syncing it with your computer. Even better than that, it means that you can show up at a course when you haven’t had time to download it and still benefit from having your Bushnell GPS with you. Within 45 days of starting up the XGC+ for the first time, you’ll need to register it on your computer. You can then select up to 50 golf courses to download with full maps to store on your unit. Whenever you sync your device, any updates that have been made to any courses, will be downloaded. The Bushnell XGC+ also includes scorecard, statistics and shot measuring features.

Conclusion: if you’re on a tight budget and you want more than just numbers on the display, this may be the golf GPS for you. If you have a bigger budget, we suggest checking out the GolfBuddy World.

Remember there were not many reviews to consider, so most of the pros and cons listed were mentioned only two or three times each.

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of of mentions high to low):

Bushnell XGC+ Features and Specifications

Model	Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC+
Type	GPS
Height	3.85 in.
Width	2.15 in.
Depth	.75 in.
Screen Size	2.2
Resolution	hi-res
Display Type	color
Weight	N/A oz.
Battery	Li-ion recharge
Battery Life	16 hrs max
Rainproof	Yes
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	50 Full
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	N/A
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	N/A
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	16,000+
Add Courses Manually	No
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	No*

Bushnell XGC+ Plus Golf GPS

Tags: Bushnell yardage pro xgc+ review, golf rangefinder, XGC plus

Photo Credit Keith AllisonBased on performance alone, Yani Tseng should be to the LPGA what Tiger Woods was to the PGA in the early years of his career. Not yet 23 years old, Tseng has 22 professional victories to her credit, including five major championships. No player of either gender has accomplished so much so early. There are a few LPGA events in other parts of the world (closer to Yani’s homeland in Taiwan) that benefit greatly from her celebrity, but  it’s not the case for LPGA venues in the United States. In fact, the LPGA is struggling mightily to get tournaments and sponsors in the U.S.  Sponsors of course are driven by the people who consume their products, so you have to ask “Why is American interest in women’s professional golf dropping off when one of the most talented players ever, is on the rise?”

Based on personality alone, Yani Tseng should be to the LPGA what Arnold Palmer was to the PGA in the prime of his career. 60,000 fans came to see their beloved superstar play in the LPGA Taiwan Championship last year – she has mass appeal at home for sure.  Despite her much lower profile in the U.S., Yani Tseng chooses to live in Florida and make competing on the LPGA Tour her main focus. Like Woods, her golf game speaks for itself and she could rest on that, but like Palmer, she wants to be a part of the bigger picture. Yani has worked hard over the last few years to learn to speak English. She seems to like those in the media and gives them full access. She communicates with fans on Facebook and Twitter and often in two languages. She is determined to help the LPGA thrive in this country. If you follow Tseng for a little while, you have to ask “Even if it takes a little longer, can she be the one to put the LPGA back on the map in the U.S.?

Based on the history alone, Yani Tseng’s performance and personality may be enough to make her a superstar in America. Perhaps it’s human nature that dictates our desire to cheer for those who are most like us  – you know, the three ‘L’s of location, language and looks. It’s also human nature and very American to remove those barriers as we come to know someone better.  Hopefully, Yani will get some help in this quest to spur the LPGA in the U.S…. If Lexi Thompson, the 17-year-old American phenom lives up to expectations, the 2012 rivalry between these two could set the LPGA on fire!

Recommended Reading:
Celebrated in Asia, Little Known in America – NY Times
Tseng’s spectacular year ranks fourth in AP voting – Waggle Room

Tags: LPGA, Yani Tseng

Here’s our “quick and dirty” Golf Rangefinder Buyer’s Guide…

Plain and simple, it’s starts with budget. If you are hoping to spend less than $100, the Izzo Swami 3000 GPS golf rangefinder is a terrific choice. It’s preloaded with over 19,000 golf courses and there are no additional fees. The Swami 3000 only gives yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, but reportedly does that very well. Although it’s nice to have alternate targets, at less than $85, this is a terrific tool that can help lower your scores in no time. If you can spend just over $100, consider the Bushnell neo+, which is very similar to the Swami 3000, but also provides distances to many hazards.

If your budget allows you to get closer to the $200 mark, you’ve got to consider a laser rangefinder. They are more accurate than GPS as long as you have a fairly steady hand. The only downside is that you can’t get distances to targets you can’t see. The Bushnell Medalist is a strong performer in this price range. It only has a 4x magnification, which is lower than some of its competitors, but the reviews are still very strong and at this price, it’s hard to complain.

The choice gets a little more difficult if you’re able to spend between $200 – 300. Due to accuracy, we tend to favor laser over GPS and would pick the Callaway LR550 because we like the 6x magnification. The Leupold GX-1 also has the 6x magnification and gets even higher ratings, but tends to run a little higher in price. If steady hands are an issue, or you just prefer the idea of GPS, the Golf Buddy World would be our top pick. The ratings are high and the price is right! It’s preloaded with over 35,000 golf courses and has lots of bells and whistles.

If the sky is the limit where budget is concerned, we would definitely choose the Bushnell Hybrid which combines laser and GPS. It’s pretty much a combination unit of the Bushnell neo+ and the Bushnell v2 which are both highly rated by customers.

Tags: buyer's guide, golf rangefinder, gps rangefinder