GPS or laser – which is more accurate?
The pros and cons of GPS devices and laser rangefinders seem fairly even, but we wanted to see which was more accurate. As such, we pitted two of the best new models – the Skycaddie SX400 GPS and the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift laser – against each other and used a 50m tape measure to validate the accuracy of each.
Methodology
We put our golf bag on the front of a green and measured back 50 metres. We then lasered the distance to the bag with the Bushnell and measured to the front with the Skycaddie, before repeating this process from 100m.
Accuracy
At 50m, the laser was telling us it was 51m, but allowing for the slight downward elevation, the adjusted distance was exactly 50m. The GPS wasn’t quite as accurate, showing 56m to the front of the green. From 100m, the laser was bang on again and the GPS eventually settled on 105m.
Verdict
It may appear that the SX400 hasn’t come off well here, but the front of the green might have been different to when it was mapped owing to variances in the greenkeepers’ cut lines. Also, in reality, you wouldn’t be able to get distances to the front of the green with a laser, unless it has GPS built in. So while lasers appear to provide more accurate distances to specific points you can see, GPS devices are more useful in getting distances to points you can’t, like hazards from the tee or the middle of greens. You just need to consider what information is most important.
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