measure distance?

Does anyone know the best way to measure club distance? My club has a practice ground so I can fortunatly use proper golf balls not range balls - but is pacing it our really that accurate?

Thos e range finders look great, but it's a bit much just to use it for one day (I wouldn't want to use it on course)

It is if you can open your legs to a soldiers step, a full yard.

Are range finders alowed in competition play??

I can see arguments for and against.

 Pros have caddies telling them yardages , but may be an unfair advantage to the normal club golfer?.

Knowing the yardage is only a small part of what is needed to execute the perfect shot.

How many times have we seen on TV, the player deep in conversation with the caddie over what club is needed, only for them to put it back and take another, then change their mind again and go back to the original choice and after all that, then hit the ball over the green. Even the great Tiger does not always get it right and he knows the exact distance to the pin.

This is what is so wonderful about having played this game in the old days where distance had to be judged, wind assessed for strength and direction, decision made as to what kind of shot was required and then pick the club to do the job, and do you know, we used to score just as well, if not better overall than the players of today.

This must be so because they now allow handicaps over 24, which used to be the highest available.

We have these GPS buggies at my club and, when they are working, provide all these details, but I doubt very much whether they help the average player, whose striking is inconsistent at best and awful at worst.