range finders

[valkcro]

Anybody use them on the course? I know the're illegal for tournament play but I'm just interested in a fairly accurate distance from the tee to basket without having to drag a 100-300' tape through the course or use a measuring wheel that's not going to fit in my bag. Google earth works sometimes but it's limited when brushy. I'm amazed at how inaccurate some courses are measured and am wondering if a $120 range finder will pick up a basket from the tee.

 

[Technohic]

I been thinking the same thing but I dont know that I would spend that much on a range finder. Gotta be a cheaper way.

Saturday, I threw on a hole that was marked 432' and I parked it with...my putter. I am just awesome I guess. (to be fair, that course was under construction and I think things had been moved)

 

[toothyfish]

Saturday, I threw on a hole that was marked 432' and I parked it with...my putter. I am just awesome I guess. (to be fair, that course was under construction and I think things had been moved)

See...all that putter and disc-down work is paying off.

I just blew 40' past a 655' basket with my Teebird on Sat. Never thought I'd yell at a disc to not go too far. Of course, it was a ski slope course....

I've been trying to go more and more on feel and sight than actual printed/posted distances as I'm seeing that courses have been modified over time. My last three outtings have been on courses with no footage listed at the tee.

 

[Cgkdisc]

It's tricky to pick up the basket but you can sometimes consistently read off the number plate on baskets that have them. Most of the time you can get the distance off a nearby tree or bush and just pace the difference if needed. I've also just followed a group and scoped a player near the basket. Bushnell Yardage Pro 450 or 500 models are what several course designers use.

 

[Technohic]

Hmm what about for us who dont like to pay a lot?

Anyone ever try one of these?

 

[SirRaph]

I think it would be a nice tool to have. But the cost and dork factor are both a bit high for me.

I can't stand the idea of playing with a group, heading up to the tee, pulling out a rangefinder, pulling out a disc and grip-locking it into a tree 20 feet away...

 

[valkcro]

Hmm what about for us who dont like to pay a lot?

Anyone ever try one of these?

I don't think those would be very accurate. I believe they would require a known flag height. They might be decent for a rough ball golf distance.

 

[Technohic]

I don't think those would be very accurate. I believe they would require a known flag height. They might be decent for a rough ball golf distance.

Yeah but for $20, I could stand a rough estimate. Probably would be able to get as good of idea as Google Earth and definately better than just guessing.

 

[agapedad]

Techno- the way those typically work is there are lines inside, and when you put the bottom line on the base of the flag in ball golf, the top of the flag will be at a line, and that line indicates the distance.
Those rangefinders wouldn't even give you close to an accurate reading because of the height difference in a ball golf flag and a disc golf basket.

 

[Kwick]

OutdoorGB.com 14 seller ratings New No tax + Shipping: $33.74 $72.72

$33.74 for shipping. seems a little excessive, must come with a caddy

 

[jrawk]

Kachtz, the dude who threw 500ft after 6 weeks, was using his ball golf rangefinder to measure yards. when i met up with him, his range finder measured 551. My 100ft tape layed out 6 times measured 549.5.

Not sure what brand it was.

 

[valkyrie]

Just woundering, why are they illegal for tourny play? YOur not allowed to know how far your throwing ????

 

[Technohic]

Kachtz, the dude who threw 500ft after 6 weeks, was using his ball golf rangefinder to measure yards. when i met up with him, his range finder measured 551. My 100ft tape layed out 6 times measured 549.5.

Not sure what brand it was.

An optical one or a laser one?

 

[Technohic]

I think I could do with an optical one and just find out how high the standard is for a bolf hole-pole flag and measure out a piece of string to that length and just carry it with me. If I want to measure, I can just have someone hold the string up and go from there.

 

[mashnut]

I think I could do with an optical one and just find out how high the standard is for a bolf hole-pole flag and measure out a piece of string to that length and just carry it with me. If I want to measure, I can just have someone hold the string up and go from there.

Or just find a friend who's exactly as tall as a bolf flag and make them go stand by every hole.

 

[Technohic]

Or just find a friend who's exactly as tall as a bolf flag and make them go stand by every hole.

Haha "your job for today is to stand by the basket until I use this range finder. Then, I need you to hurry and get to wherever my disc goes so I can measure my throw. Make sure you stand on your tip-toes for that part; I want this to look good!"

 

[ejvogie]

Just woundering, why are they illegal for tourny play? YOur not allowed to know how far your throwing ????

No, you're not allowed to know how far you need to throw the next shot

Seriously though, it's probably more along the lines of having an unfair advantage over your competitors.

 

[djjeremiahj]

call me foolish, but i would assume any professionally designed course would have fairly accurate Tee distances. Any course with any sort of competitiveness and with a large community, should have fairly accurate tee distances also.

(Wondering out loud) A lot of you might not be factoring the "true" distance based on elevation changes or how far you want/need to throw. 300' uphill might realistically be a 400' throw, and a 400' downhill throw may be a 300' throw (in DG terms).

I am very conscious about my throwing distances (with all discs), enough so that i frequently throw in a field to verify current throwing distances. when i am on the course i am very keen to gauge my drive against the pin distance, etc. (almost every course i play has marked distances)

I'm also one to ask others about distances when i take a 2nd (or 3rd shot). "The hole is about 75 feet past that hill crest, 15 below it, and just a touch left of that tree....right?" As a result, by estimating the distances, i can make my disc selection based on consistent throwing results.

i only care about the pin position and distance IF i think i can throw that far. Otherwise, my only distance concern is how far the distance is to where i want to put the disc.

 

[valkcro]

I'm not sure what you mean by "true" distance. Are you talking about the power level that would be required throwing on level ground to compensate for an uphill or downhill shot?

There are many courses that or way off on the posted distances. When you see several holes listed at 400', 350' or 420' I question their measurements(if any). That 420' seems to pop up often and I think there is some questionable rounding to make it a smoking hole. There is course that I play that has a hole listed at 420' that I measured at 356' with survey equiptment.

 

[Ale 8]

I count my steps

I have almost a perfect 3 ft stride and so I count my steps in between throws. I just do the math and come pretty close to being accurate. I would like a cheap $15 rangefinder for those days when water or some other wooden object is in my way. I don't see anywhere in the rules about that.