short game
Gadget
O say can you see better by GPS or laser? Google the words “golf and GPS” and you’ll get hit with more than 21 million entries. Another 5 million come up for “golf and laser.” What’s best for you? Well, it depends. One golf executive said he sees most competitive golfers, especially in state championships, using Bushnell laser rangefinders. “The best players, maybe 99 out of 100, use lasers versus SkyCaddies,” said Ed Mate, executive director of the Colorado Golf Association. “They laser bunkers, how many paces from the left edge of the flag, the front edge to the hole.” High-handicappers, meanwhile, seem to be just the opposite. “They want something simple. SkyCaddies and smart phones give them a simple number and you don’t have to look through a laser.” Beth Lobdell, a 9 index who plays several times a week, and boyfriend Jeff Labarge, a 3 18 I october 2010 I GottaGoGolf
index, prefer lasers. “I like being able to look through the laser and point and shoot how far I need to carry something,” Lobdell said. “And Jeff likes it because if he hits an errant shot, he can still point and shoot the flag (from well off the fairway).” They also like the feedback they get when playing true doglegs. Dave Lagarde, meanwhile, is a low-handicapper who prefers a SkyCaddie for one simple reason.
“I’m not interested in new technology,” he said. “And with lasers, I find them too hard (to hold steady) to hit the pin.” SkyCaddie gives him all the info he needs, even if it’s off a yard or two. “What difference is that gonna make in my game?” he quipped. At one women’s league, lasers were a rarity. The reason: the women wanted instant numbers, rather than relying on a steady hand to point a laser at a distant flag or bunker. The downside to laser devices and Skycaddies is a price tag that ranges from $150 to $400 plus a subscription cost upwards of $35 a year. Apps that one can download onto a smartphone seem to be gaining the most attention, and they’re cheaper - $30 yearly for GolfLogix and $30 up front for GolfShot with no yearly subscription. Both also track stats. With those, the key often is having enough