Have you ever played golf with your friends at various clubs? If you have, then you probably have a fair bit of knowledge about the sport. In order to become a great player of the game, you have to know it like the back of your hand. How to accurately judge the distance to your next flag, how to avoid large obstacles standing in between the next hole and your golf ball, and how to tackle the wind direction and speed, are some of the questions you need to answer in order to become successful in the sport. Without proper skills, knowledge, and experience, mastering golf is almost impossible.
Golf Rangefinders – What Is It All About?
If you have watched great players of golf playing the sport on television, you must have noticed them using a special electronic devices just like a pair of binoculars. This device is known as golf rangefinders. This small device helps a golfer get the perfect idea about the distance to various fixed objects on a specific golf course. This may include trees, flag, or any other obstacles. A golf rangefinder is also sometimes referred to as golf laser rangefinder due to the fact that these devices use laser technology.
Benefits of Using a Golf Rangefinder
Many of you may wonder about the importance of using a golf rangefinder while playing the sport. Well, there are a couple of benefits of using the device while playing. These have been mentioned below for your knowledge.
- Can Speed Up The Game: Playing golf can be a time consuming task. It can get more serious if you often end up in the water or rough hazards. Using a golf rangefinder can easily help you overcome such hazards and quicken the pace of your game.
- Help You Play More Professionally: With the help of a golf rangefinder, you can easily gauge the distance to various stationary objects on a golf course. This can easily help you avoid them and also play like a professional.
Why Use A Golf Rangefinder Instead Of A
GPS Rangefinder?
Most of the players use GPS rangefinders while playing the sport. However, there are several advantages you can enjoy if you use a golf rangefinder instead of the GPS rangefinder. Read on to know more about these advantages.
- Gauging The Distance Is Faster: As compared to a GPS rangefinder, the golf rangefinder can easily gauge the exact distance to any standing obstacle in a golf course. This can prove to be of great importance to any golfer. After all, playing golf is all about avoiding obstacles tactfully and moving on to the next flag.
- Improved Accuracy: If you use a golf rangefinder, you will notice that it provides a better accuracy than any GPS rangefinder in the market. This makes a big difference for a golfer on a golf course. Inaccurate readings in terms of distances can prove to be bad news for any golfer.
- No Need of Any Type of Updates: When you use a GPS rangefinder, you have to download or even upload and update different golf courses in order to get a proper reading of the distances to various obstacles. However, when it comes to using a golf rangefinder, such requirements are not at all necessary.
Points To Ponder While Shopping For a
Golf Rangefinder.
You will find a wide array of golf rangefinders in the market. Which one to choose and which ones to avoid, is a major question to answer. There are certain factors to consider while hunting for the best golf rangefinder. Some of the key factors are mentioned hereunder to help you with your future purchase.
- Features of The Product: The true value of a golf rangefinder is largely dependent upon its features. This makes it very important for you to consider this factor while searching for a good quality rangefinder. Almost every rangefinder will come with the basic features. However, if you are searching for something with additional features, then you should go for those devices which are usually priced a bit on the higher range.
- Distance Range: If you play golf, you will know that some holes may be several yards away from you. If the golf rangefinder you use cannot measure the distance of such faraway flags, then it is of no use to you. This is why it is said that before you buy a rangefinder, always find out the maximum distance range of the device. Usually, the normal distance range of a rangefinder is above 400 yards. However, there are some high end ones, which have a range of around 900 meters.
- Weight and Size: If you are an experienced golfer, then you will probably walk around the entire course with your rangefinder. If the device is heavy and big, then it can get quite tiring to carry it around all the time. The best option is to choose a rangefinder which will be compact in size and quite light in weight.
- User Friendly: When it comes to using a rangefinder, professional golfers will not face any difficulties. However, the main challenge lies with newbies. There are several rangefinders in the market, which can get in your nerves when it comes to usability. User friendly devices are always welcome with golfers of all levels.
- USGA Approved: When you buy a rangefinder, it is crucial to find out whether it has been approved by the United States Golf Association or USGA. You will be allowed to carry only USGA approved rangefinders for various golf tours. However, if you play golf just with your friends, then any rangefinder will be suitable for you.
- Your Personal Budget: How much you can shop is primarily determined by your own budget. This is also true when you speak about golf rangefinders. You will come across numerous brands and types to choose from for your personal use. It is always advisable to stick to your budget. However, if you are searching for a rangefinder of a better quality, then shopping on a tight budget may give you just a handful of options.
- Battery Life: Golf rangefinders run on batteries. Always check whether the battery in a rangefinder is capable enough to allow you to complete an entire game of 18 holes. There are many buyers who complain of bad quality batteries of pocket friendly devices. If you find the battery dead after a few holes, then you may easily get discouraged from continuing the game.
Some of the Best
Golf Rangefinders.
The stores are practically flooded with a wide array of rangefinders. If you do not know what to look for in such a device, then you may get confused very easily. Here are some of the best and highly popular rangefinders, which will fulfil your needs and also fit within your budget.
- VPRO500 Rangefinder: Are you searching for a pocket friendly rangefinder, which will also be efficient and accurate at the same time? Then the VPRO500 Rangefinder is the best bet for you. It has a distance range of 550 yards and can easily pinpoint targets on a golf course. Solid materials and modern technology is used in this device. The exterior body also has a sleek and superficial coating, which adds onto the beauty of the rangefinder. It is well within your budget and is extremely user friendly. There are 3 different modes which users can use to gauge the distance to various obstacles or targets. These are First Target Priority, Distance Target Priority, and ProScan. The best feature of this device is its auto-target acquisition technology. This helps the rangefinder to focus solely on the primary target and ignore the signals received from other solid objects on the course.
- Bushnell Tour X Rangefinder: Whether you need a rangefinder to practice or to participate in professional tours, the Bushnell Tour X Rangefinder is the safest option available for you. Users can easily interchange between 2 modes on this device, Competition and Standard Modes. It also uses Dual Display Technology which allows users to view in either bright red or crisp black displays. This is obviously dependent upon the light conditions. The product is very easy to carry around whether in bare hands or in gloves. It has a sufficient magnification range, starting from 5 to 1300 yards.
- Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt: If you are not on a tight budget and wish to buy one of the best golf rangefinders in the market, then the Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt is the answer to your question. It uses PinSeeker Technology, as well as, Jolt Technology. The former allows the device to locate the flag very easily on a golf course. On the other hand, the latter makes the rangefinder vibrate the moment it locks on to the target. It has a distance range from 5 yards to 1000 yards with a 5X magnification. Although the magnification is not that great, the product combines it with Fast Focus Feature, which allows it to acquire a target faster than normal.
- Nikon CoolShot 40 Golf Rangefinder: This is one of those rangefinders in the market which is ergonomically designed and fits very neatly in your hand. It is quite light in weight and acquires a target faster than many other rangefinders in the market. Once it provides the distance, the device shuts off in order to save battery power. Since it is basically a multi-use laser device, you can also use it for hunting, hiking, or even bird-watching.it has a distance range of 600 yards and comes with a 6x magnification. You may even change the distance from yards to meters with the help of the Mode button on the device.
- Leupold Gx-3i Series Digital Golf Rangefinder: This is one of those tour certified rangefinders available in the market. It uses PinHunter Technology and prism lock feature. Since most of the golf courses are prism reflector equipped, this combination of PinHunter technology and prism lock feature helps the device to lock onto a flag very easily and quite fast. The distance range of this product is 800 yards for prism reflectors, 600 yards for trees, and 450 yards for any other targets or obstacles. There is a fog mode in this rangefinder, which helps the device to give accurate readings even if it is raining or if there is any type of interferences from the atmosphere.
- Bushnell Tour Z6 Rangefinder: Probably the best golf rangefinder in the market, the Bushnell Tour Z6 is one of the user friendly devices available at stores. It is highly accurate, locks onto a target very fast and gives a jolt the moment a target gets locked. The display is vivid red, which makes it very simple to view the reading even on a rainy day. It comes with a 6x magnification and provides accurate readings faster than most of the costly rangefinders in the market.
You must have guessed the large varieties of rangefinders available in the market. This is why it is always advisable to take your own time, compare a few products, determine your budget, and make a note of the features you need in your golf rangefinder before you finally go out to shop for one. Do you know a friend or anyone else, who plays golf at a higher level? Seeking help from such a person will of great importance to you. It will help you save some time and effort in finding the best rangefinder as per your needs.
The internet is filled with websites, which will give you a good idea about some of the best and worst rangefinders in the market. There will also be comparison charts of various rangefinders, which will be of utmost assistance to you. In short, it is better to do your homework on some of the top rangefinders at stores before you venture out to find one. After all, a good quality rangefinder will mean a good investment of your hard earned money.