Both players who have been golfing all their lives and beginners who have just stepped foot on the course for the first time can drastically improve their scores and become a better player overall with the proper rangefinder in their golf bag. After all, golf is a game of numbers and pinpoint accuracy. Ensuring you have one of the best golf rangefinders that gauges distances to pins, greens, hazards and other features can lower your score significantly. At the end of the day, using a rangefinder is extremely simple and can do wonders for your game.
Here are the best golf rangefinders on the market right now for every price point and handicap.
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Rangefinders are equipped with different features to fit each golfer’s individual needs and price points. The most expensive rangefinder models can connect to apps, provide you with slopes and distances to a variety of targets and some can withstand inclement weather conditions. We’ve rounded up the best rangefinders on the market that are sure to bring a whole new level of precision to your game.
Best Overall Golf Rangefinder
A Variety Of Easy To Use Features For Every Skill Level
Slope: Yes Housing: Water resistant Apps: Yes Vibration technology: Yes
Bushnell Golf makes various golf tech products. From rangefinders to watches and speakers, their technology makes them the leading brand in the golf industry. The Tour V5 Shift is one of the brand’s more affordable and multifunctional rangefinders. It calculates precise distances to pins or other targets, uses PinSeeker technology with visual jolt, slope and detailed magnification and clarity. This device is water resistant and holds up against tough weather conditions.
The slope feature can easily be toggled on or off for tournament use. Most tournaments do not allow players to use slopes to calculate their distances, and the Tour V5 Shift remains within the guidelines of tournament standards. Buschnell’s signature Bite Technology allows the rangefinder to mount to your golf cart for easy access throughout your round. This rangefinder is quick and comes with 7x magnification for crystal clear use.
Best Value Golf Rangefinder
All The Desired Features At A Low Price Point
Slope: Yes Housing: Water resistant Apps: Well | Vibration technology: Yes
If you want all the bells and whistles but are cost conscious, the Prism rangefinder from Pinned Golf is a steal. Winning a few extra points for style, it comes in six different colorways to match your outfit, and the water-resistant design keeps light moisture at bay. Unlike some rangefinders that require batteries, this one is rechargeable via USB-C and the battery should last for approximately 60 rounds on a single charge. In addition to these unique features, the Prism comes with slope technology, a built-in magnet that secures to your cart, pinned lock vibration and an auto optimized display.
The auto optimized display senses brightness and changes the display to red or black based on the sun’s intensity. It also ships with a two-year warranty, so you’ll enjoy it for the time to come without worry.
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Best Golf Rangefinder For Beginners
Novice Golfers Need Advanced Features Too
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Slope: Yes Housing: Water resistant Apps: Well | Vibration technology: Yes
Using a rangefinder as a new golfer can help you drastically lower your score. Beginners aren’t nearly as familiar with gauging distances, especially in terms of yards, but an entry-level rangefinder can help resolve any confusion. Affordable and complete with many top-of-the-line features, the Blue Tees Series 2 rangefinder is designed to round out any amateur golfer’s quiver of tools that will help them improve their game.
It has the ability to calculate slope and lock onto targets via haptic feedback, while the HD display and adjustable EZ Optic Focus clears up targets in bright or dark conditions. It’s water resistant, and the device ships with a CR2 battery and carrying case.
Best Golf Rangefinder For Shaky Hands
Lock In On The Target Easily And Quickly
Slope: Yes Housing: Water and dust resistant Apps: Well | Vibration technology: Yes
The ULT-S Pro rangefinder comes at a lower price point than most with easy to use technology, and it’s a great option for those with shaky hands thanks to the brand’s rapid stabilization technology. The insta-read technology delivers distances quickly with optical image stabilization and target lock vibration that alerts golfers when their distances are calculated and displays the distance in red.
The slope can be toggled on and off for tournament or recreational play. TecTecTec has four instant read settings of pin seeker mode, pin slope mode, fog mode and scan mode. This makes hitting any desired target quick and easy.
Best Golf Watch Rangefinder
All The Information You Need On Your Wrist
Slope: Well | Housing: Waterproof | Apps: Yes Vibration technology: No
Rangefinder comes in all shapes and sizes and golfers are in love with the latest golf watch technology. The Garmin Approach S10 is a simple, affordable watch for the everyday golfer. Featuring a long battery life of 12 hours in GPS mode, this watch gives distances to holes, hazards and doglegs. The screen is easy to read and it comes preloaded with 41,000 courses all over the world. The S10 also displays time and sunrise/sunset times when it’s in standard watch mode.
You can upload your scores to the Garmin Express software and accompanying app to keep track of your progress. The watch can automatically detect when you are moving to a new hole with its GPS technology and display the distances of your tee shots.
Best Budget Golf Rangefinder
A Low Price Point to Help You Lower Your Score
Slope: Yes Housing: Water resistant Apps: Well | Vibration technology: Yes
The Gogogo Sport Vpro GS03 golf rangefinder isn’t equipped with best-in-class features, but it still estimates distances with accuracy as any rangefinder should. Designed to gauge distances from 5-650 yards, it also promotes flag-lock technology, vibrations, slope mode, and multi-coated lenses that help with optimal light transmission. The pin seeking technology is quick and user friendly as it locks on to targets and notifies you via vibrations, and the one-button design is incredibly easy to use as well.
The company offers a one-year warranty and servicing as needed. Should you need assistance or servicing, Gogogo allows you to directly contact the company for help and responds within 24 hours, an assurance worth noting if you run into issues. At an affordable price point, the GS03 allows you to buy with confidence and start hitting shots with more accuracy.
Best Golf GPS Speaker
Play Your Favorite Music And Receive Distances To The Green
Slope: Well | Housing: Water resistant Apps: Yes Vibration technology: No
The Bushnell Golf Wingman is a unique speaker-and-GPS rangefinder combo designed to provide you with tunes and audible distances from the first to the last hole. Featuring 10 hours of battery life, its rechargeable battery should last for up to 36 holes, which is perfect for a couple of weekend rounds. If another device (like your phone) could use a little juice, the Wingman is also capable of sending a charge to other gadgets in your arsenal.
Of course, walking back and forth to your speaker for assistance is a little redundant, which is why Bushnell outfitted the Wingman with a detachable remote that, when clicked, provides front, center and back distances from over 36,000 courses worldwide. The speaker attaches to your cart and stays in place thanks to a strong magnet, and its IPX6 rating can withstand any unforeseen downpour.
Commonly Asked Questions About Golf Rangefinders
How Do Golf Rangefinders Work?
There are three main styles of rangefinders on the market, but the most common version—the laser rangefinder—uses a laser beam aimed at a target to determine its distance. The laser shoots out of the rangefinder, makes contact with the intended target, and reflects back to the device to calculate the distance. While some GPS rangefinders require you to download course maps, laser rangefinders work in any environment and they tend to be more accurate. Some laser rangefinders employ an inclinometer to determine the slope of a target area and others have a so-called PinSeeker ability that allows you to focus on the pin instead of objects behind the pin.
What Is the Difference Between Laser Rangefinders and GPS Rangefinders?
As its name implies, a laser rangefinder uses a laser to calculate distances to targets. Laser rangefinders can only gather distances of targets visible through the viewfinder. GPS rangefinders, on the other hand, use a network of satellites to calculate distances to the front, back and center pin locations. GPS rangefinders are typically less accurate than laser rangefinders, but still offer useful data on the course. GPS rangefinders can spot hazards, bunkers and other course features that the naked eye may not be able to see, depending on your position on the course.
What Should You Look For In A Golf Rangefinder?
Every golfer needs a rangefinder to take their game to the next level. The brain calculates a lot while playing golf, but knowing exact distances can be a game changer. It’s important to select a rangefinder that holds up in inclement weather. An easy to read display, pin lock vibration technology and magnetic mounting feature are all great features for the beginner and advanced golfer. Having slope on a rangefinder isn’t all that necessary, but can be helpful when playing courses with elevated tee boxes. Even the most budget-friendly of rangefinders provide distance accuracy within one percent.
What Rangefinders Do The Pros Use?
While many manufacturers offer reliable rangefinders, professional golfers on the tour and caddies alike rely on Bushnell when the time comes to break out a rangefinder. Independent testing concludes that the Kansas-based optics and outdoor products manufacturer designs the most accurate, reliable, easy-to-use rangefinders on the market today.
Are Expensive Rangefinders Worth The Money?
Investing in a product simply because it’s more expensive doesn’t always make sense, and the same logic applies to rangefinders. While laser rangefinders deliver the most accurate and reliable readings, options abound for less than $100, giving you an opportunity to purchase a quality rangefinder without breaking the bank. Before you invest in a rangefinder, consider your needs and your budget—doing so will narrow down your options and make it that much easier to find the model that will improve your game.