<p>Presents for DH are always a challenge made worse by his birthday coming soon after Christmas and the need for several non shirt/tie/golf shirt/golf ball ideas! Any recommendations for a good mid-price rangefinder watch would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I’m thinking of getting one of these for DS, too. There was an earlier thread with some recommentations on this - will look for it.</p>
<p>Found this thread: </p>
<p><a href=“Golfers, I could use your help! - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums”>Golfers, I could use your help! - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums;
<p>Not the one I was looking for, in that one, someone recommended a specific Garmin model for my son. I thought I’d always be able to find the post again, but I’ve been searching on “Garmin” and there are many, many posts, most in the weight loss thread. The thread I am looking for was on something like gifts for sons, or maybe deal of the day.</p>
<p>I assume you are talking about laser range finders and not gps range finders.</p>
<p>If it’s laser models, then Bushnell usually gets the highest ratings and I’ve come across a few while playing:</p>
<p>[Bushnell</a> Golf -](<a href=“http://www.bushnellgolf.com/laser/laser_rangefinders.cfm]Bushnell”>http://www.bushnellgolf.com/laser/laser_rangefinders.cfm)</p>
<p>Thanks for looking NYMomof2 will check out that thread and GolfFather thanks for recommendation. The few reviews I read about Bushnell mentioned something about having to become a member but I sort of stopped reading because I’m not even sure what I should be looking for. My DH is an avid golfer and I have almost the opposite amount of interest in it; don’t want to ask him as it would spoil the surprise.</p>
<p>I replied in the other thread. The garmin approach watches are amazing! Game changer</p>
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<p>No, sorry, not aware of what you’re referring to.
Just go to Amazon, pick one, and buy it.</p>
<p>The only thing I can think of is …</p>
<p>Rangefinders used to be against the USGA Rules of Golf.
But a few years ago, an opinion was handed down (like the Supreme Court) that said using them was ok.</p>
<p>The only “member of a club” requirement in golf is to obtain a handicap.
And, these days, it can be a virtual online “club.”
One does not need to join an actual country club.
Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Butting in here to ask exactly what a range finder does - does it precisely measure the distance to the tee so that a better club selection can be made? How does this device change the game? (I am like justforthis in that my son is crazy about golf and I know nothing about it.)</p>
<p>More questions! I see that some are laser range finders and some are gps. Am I correct that the laser range finder would only work if the course is a laser one? whereas a gps one will work anywhere. Also since they come with 20,000 or so courses pre-installed - what happens if your golf course is not on there?</p>
<p>A laser distance finder - aim the device at the flagstick (through a scope) and it tells the distance. In golf, yes, distance is the prime factor in choosing which club to use on a particular shot. </p>
<p>(Note: manufacturers say the devices work with other things being aimed at besides flagsticks, such as trees, lakes, hills, etc.)</p>
<p>A gps system uses a database of courses and measures the distance between the golfer and the hole, or other items.</p>
<p>Personally, don’t use either.</p>
<p>I have a garmin approach watch and love it! It gives you distance to the front, middle and back of the green but doesn’t help with hazards. There are no fees to keep it updated like with some of he models and you don’t have to have a steady hand like the bushnells you aim at the flag stick. I also like that since you wear it you can’t forget it in a cart (like my friend did). I got mine from world of golf dot com a few years ago and have had no issues with it.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone. I am leaning towards the Garmin approach S2 as it also has international golf courses loaded on to it…amongst other things.</p>
<p>My H has a Garmin watch rangefinder. He likes it. I’ve never seen a laser rangefinder as a watch. The watches are extremely convenient, much more so than the laser rangefinders that you have to take out of your bag and look through to get the information you need.</p>
<p>I got a golf buddy voice on amazon for $99. It was a lightening deal or something (I got lucky!). It’s small like a watch but you clip it on your hat or bag. It is GPS and you press the button and it tells you the distance so you don’t have to look at it. They sell a wrist strap for it too. It is an Xmas gift for hubby. It got good reviews.</p>