Why Use a Golf GPS? 

Ownership of a golf gps will not only enhance your enjoyment of the game but can also help you achieve lower scores. Let's review the top reasons to own one of these devices. The number 1 reason is game management. A golf gps will show you not only the basic distances to the green, but will display for you yardages to hazards, layups, and other targets. Your ability to make the safest shot depends on your knowledge of this information. Avoiding trouble around the course will lead to lower scores. Number 2 reason is learning how far you hit your clubs. Using the distance feature will allow you to learn how far you hit every club in your bag. This will translate to confidence in every shot you make. Number 3 is an increase in the speed of play. You will appreciate being able to make the proper decision quickly.

With the ultimate goal of less strokes and lower scores, the well prepared golfer needs to be able to see the whole picture. In this case, the entire hole. Advanced golf gps's have the precision gps and course data to be able to show the player yardages from anywhere on the hole and from that point to the center of the green. You will have the ability to move this point around the hole and receive real time yardages for a number of different ways which you may decide to play the golf hole. Let's look at 2 great ways to use this feature. This is the perfect function to use on par 5's where you need to decide on a layup strategy. As long as you know your club distances you can play your shot perfectly and know the distance for your next shot. With some units you will even be able to create custom fairway targets.

The digital scorecard makes it easy to keep up with your scores and statistics throughout your round of golf. Let's first talk about why it is important to keep up with scores and statistics. The main reason is too improve your game and lower your scores. By analyzing your data you can see the areas of your game that you need to work on. Let's say you notice a trend where you are three putting 5-7 greens per round. This shows you a very specific area that you can concentrate your practice on. Get that down to 1-3 per round and if all else is the same you are shooting 4 strokes better. There are a few other crucial statistics you can record for further analysis. You can track fairways hit, tee shot distance, sand saves, and numerous more.

When you next hit the links your mindset will be to have fun and shoot the lowest score you can. Obviously a smooth consistent swing is very important. A great swing will do you no good if your club selection leaves you 20 yards short of the green. You need to know accurate distances for your clubs in order to achieve your best scores. This will not come overnight but you need to learn your club distances if you are able to play consistently. The easiest way is to use a golf gps. Most golf gps's have a feature which allows you to mark the spot you hit the ball from, and then mark again when you arrive at your ball. The gps will then display the distance between the 2 marks. Use this while you play your rounds and you will get an accurate gauge of how far you hit each club.

Let's continue on the importance of knowing how far you hit your clubs. Do you really know your golf clubs? If you ask most golfers how far they hit their clubs, they probably only know the distance for 1 club: the driver. While the driver is important, most strokes are taken from 150 yards and in. It is important to know the distance you hit each club in your bag. On holes in which you don't blast your drive and are left with a 100 yard shot, you must know your clubs to score better. Ideally if you are not at a distance that you can consistently reach the green, then a layup will be necessary. A shot to within 100 - 125 yards is preferable. You will find it is easier to hit a full club from 115 yards than trying to finesse a half club from 60 yards. A laser rangefinder or a golf gps will assist you in learning how far you hit your golf clubs.

Golfers know that one of the best ways to shoot lower scores is to think their way around the course. Decisions have to made on most shots in regards to just hitting it all out or laying up. You also need to be conscious of where you want to position your ball for the next shot. While most courses have yardages marked for 100, 150, and 200 along with most sprinkler heads, a golf gps will provide you with yardages from any point on the hole. Let's say you hit a poor drive short and to the right. With a good lie your natural inclination would be to hit the ball as far down the fairway as possible. Even with a good lie, a full swing out of the rough is a risky shot. A better way will be to use your device to find the distance to the middle of the fairway at the 100 yard marker. With a controlled layup shot you will be more likely to pull the shot off. This will leave most players with a club for a full swing into the green. Hitting your shots as hard as you can all the time most likely won't yield you the lowest scores.

While a golf gps won't improve your swing, it will assist you with course management and statistic tracking. Analyze the statics to learn what to practice. Improving your swing along with better game management equals more consistent and lower scores.