They are popular with players because of the significant game improvement they offer when it comes to golf club selection and golf course management.
The days of making an educated guess at your yardage to the green or that dreaded water hazard are gone. Golf rangefinders help you plot your way around the course without uncertainty over your distances.
We have tested the latest golf rangefinders on the market and have landed on six we recommend. They offer something for every golfing ability in 2022. Before looking in more detail at each product, it is worth understanding important rangefinder features so you know what we mean in our golf rangefinder reviews.
Magnification
Magnification refers to how much a rangefinder laser can zoom into a target. Rangefinders can zoom into a pin, a bunker or a hazard and the more they can zoom in, the more likely they are to receive an accurate reading.
Golf rangefinders have up to seven times magnification which is a main selling point. Rangefinders such as the Shot Scope LX+ and the Motocaddy Pro 3000 laser have seven times magnification, which contributes to the overall quality of the product and ultimately, the price.
Water resistance
To golf clothing and golf bags, weatherproofing is very important. This applies to golf rangefinders too. If your rangefinder laser can perform in harsh conditions, this will help you pick up shots against your competition and help lower your golf handicap.
The Motocaddy Pro 3000 laser prides itself on poor-weather performance, as does the Blue Tee Series 3 Max laser which also sports a shock-proof design. As we enter the cold and wet winter months, water resistance is an important feature to consider when buying a golf rangefinder.
Distance range
The distance that a rangefinder can reach is another key feature. For example, the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift laser can reach targets up to 1,300 yards away. That high distance range is a key selling point for brands like Bushnell.
To tie in with distance range, many rangefinders have jolt vibration which confirms the distance to the target that you’ve picked up. This feature ensures that you pick up the correct target rather than the landscape in the background.
Slope technology
Slope technology is a helpful feature but one you should be aware of has a bearing on the rules of golf. In 2021, professional golfer Brett White was disqualified from a tournament for accidentally using slope mode on his golf rangefinder.
Rangefinder lasers should let you turn off the slope mode easily. But for non-competitive rounds, rangefinder lasers use slope tech to adapt the yardages they give you by analysing slopes and changes in gradients.
