Rangefinders are great tools, but they can do more harm than good if used incorrectly.
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Welcome to Play Smart, GOLF.com's regular game improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Rangefinders are wonderful tools that are a good investment if you are serious about golf. With the ability to laser pin, bunkers and other obstacles on the course, you can take the guesswork out of your game and really dial in your shots.
But while distance filters are great tools, they can be used incorrectly – and do more harm than good.
Recently while scrolling through social media, I came across a video from Jon Sherman about this topic. Sherman is one of the brightest minds in golf when it comes to course management, so it immediately piqued my interest. Check it out below.
Sherman makes an excellent point about how rangefinders can really be pain your game. If you have your laser in your hand, you may only be shooting the distance to the pin. However, this is often the wrong strategy.
Shooting straight at the flags might be good news fodder for the 19th after the round, but it's not the best tactic if you want to post a low score. If you only focus on the flag, you are ignoring the important yards needed to be successful.
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How can yards cover a living space? How far is it behind the green? How much room do you have on either side of the flag? Questions like these need to be answered before every shot you hit.
“Sometimes they'll choose a yard that doesn't give them enough room to move,” Sherman said.
If you only get a yard on the flag, it can lead to poor strategic decisions that lead to big costs. Instead, you should focus on the yards that give you the most margin for error. Once you start doing that, you are sure to see your scores go down.
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