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Should you use a golf GPS? Is it just a gimmick or passing fad? Or is it something that will improve your game, and thus worth the investment? There are thousands of golf gadgets and gizmos out there that claim they can make you a better golfer. There are countless books and videos and training aids that promise to shave umpteen shots off your score. You’ve read, saw, or heard of these over the years, and as an avid golfer you have probably given many of them a try. Let’s face it, if one percent of all the articles you’ve read or gimmicks you’ve tried worked at least one percent of the time, you’d now be shooting in the 50’s. Is the golf GPS rangefinder any different?

Well, I think it is; and here are 10 solid reasons why you might consider using one.

1. The obvious one

The device will tell you how far it is to the green (usually front, center, and back), as well as distances to major hazards. It will also usually let you know where to lay up, and most allow you to pick any spot on the course and mark it for future reference. With it you can draw up your own custom map of each hole you play.

2. It will tell you how far you hit your clubs

Most amateur golfers overestimate how far they hit their shots. It is only natural, especially when you see Tiger Woods and the other pros hit a 9-iron 180 yards, that you want to avoid the embarrassment of admitting to yourself that your "pathetic" 9-iron shot can barely make it to 130 yards. Beyond the self-delusion in the mind of the weekend golfer, it is also rather difficult to accurately determine shot distances on a regular driving range. With a golf GPS, it is simple and effortless to figure out the average shot distance of any club in your bag. Most GPS devices have a shot distance function that you can use on the course to check the distance of each shot. This is invaluable information: All pro golfers have an accurate yardage range for each club.

3. It will help with those wayward shots

In the rare event that your tee shot veers slightly off course and ends up in a spot where determining distance to the green can be awkward (or impossible since the green is nowhere in sight), the handy GPS unit will give you the distance you need. No walking about, veering through trees, or jumping up and down in a hopeless attempt to get an accurate yardage: One glance at the GPS unit in your hand gives you all the information you need.

4. You will gain confidence

Golf is a mental game, perhaps more so than any other sport. If you know the precise distance to the target and know which club will get you there, you have improved, not only your physical chances, but also your mental chances of making a good shot.

5. Improve your course management

A GPS unit will allow you to maneuver your way through a course intelligently, avoiding all the hazards as you go. It will help you to avoid playing dangerous shots.

6. It does delivers on its promise

Unlike other golf gadgets, the golf GPS does not promise to improve your swing or any other physical aspect of your game; it will not make you a better player in that respect. But it will do what it says: As long as the satellites are working and it can receive signals, it will give you accurate readings on the course, guaranteed.

7. You can use statistical analysis

Golf is a game where abilities are determined by numbers: handicap, driving accuracy, sand saves, greens in regulation, etc. Keeping track of these can be a daunting task. Many golf GPS units will keep track of these statistics as you play, and you can simply analyze your results after the round.

8. It will speed up play

OK, this may not be the most important thought on your mind as you make your way around the course. But for the golfers behind you, it will be appreciated.

9. It will help you tame an unfamiliar course

If you travel to play golf or are playing on a course for the first time, it can be very difficult judging distances or determining the correct line of approach, especially on blind shots. Many golf GPS devices will show you the entire course (many with vivid color graphics), and allow you to set up just as if you were a club member and knew all the terrain like the back of your hand.

10. Because Tiger Woods would use one

Well, this is pure speculation on my part, but he might need one if he did not have a caddy to give him all the yardages and information on each hole. Professional golfer’s shoot low scores partly because they know the correct distance to their target and the correct club to use on each shot. And, believe it or not, even Tiger Woods would be at a disadvantage if he did not have that information.