Handheld golf rangefinders use a laser to measure the distance to an object. In most golf situations, it’s the pin. They can also measure distance to things like trees, water hazards, and more.
A rangefinder is an advantage. It is a tool that will improve your golf game. Guessing golf club distances is difficult and inaccurate. Rangefinders used to be an expensive luxury. Thanks to improvements in technology and more brands producing them, they are affordable.
In a nutshell, this is a great way to summarize the question of what does a golf rangefinder do. In this post, we will walk through our top rangefinder options and why they should be used!
Also, it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a PGA professional, a rangefinder will help dial in your game overall. You can use one at the driving range to track your average club distances or out of the golf course during a round.
- Review Of Our Top Rangefinder Picks
- Best Rangefinder Overall
- Best Golf Rangefinder Under $100
- Best Golf Rangefinder with Slope
- Best Golf Rangefinder for Shaky Hands
- Best High Tech Golf Rangefinder
- Best Budget Rangefinder
- Golf Rangefinder Accessories
- Is a rangefinder worth it?
- How much does a rangefinder cost?
- What should I look for when picking out the best golf rangefinder?
- Slope vs No Slope?
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Before we dive into the details, here is our breakdown of the best golf rangefinders for every type of player!
| Best Overall Rangefinder | BUSHNELL GOLF Tour V5 Patriot Pack |
| Best Golf Rangefinder Under $100 | Gogogo Sport Vpro |
| Best Rangefinder with Slope | Precision Pro NX7 Golf Rangefinder |
| Best Rangefinder for Shaky Hands | Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED |
| Best High Tech Golf Rangefinder | Garmin Approach Z82 |
| Best Budget Rangefinder | WOSPORTS Golf Rangefinder |
Option 1: Best Overall Rangefinder
BUSHNELL GOLF Tour V5 Patriot Pack
Option 2: Best Golf Rangefinder Under $100
Option 3: Best Rangefinder with Slope
Precision Pro NX7 Golf Rangefinder
Option 4: Best Rangefinder for Shaky Hands
Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED
Option 5: Best High Tech Golf Rangefinder
Garmin Approach Z82 – Golf GPS Laser Range Finder
Option 6: Best Budget Golf Rangefinder
Which Golf Rangefinder Should I Buy?
There are a lot of things to consider when you’re picking a rangefinder to purchase. Price, features, slope technology, and so much more. That’s why we’re going to go through the best products to help your decision. Let’s dive in…
Review Of Our Top Rangefinder Picks
Best Rangefinder Overall
Bushnell is one of, if not, the most popular brand of rangefinder. Every product they make is high quality, and the Bushnell Tour V 5 is no different.
Possibly the best magnet in the golf world ensures your rangefinder isn’t going anywhere. A little vibrate lets you know when you lock onto the pin. A high-quality picture gives you a clear idea of what’s ahead. A simple display lets you know exactly what your laser is picking up.
We wanted the best golf rangefinder to be easy to use, offer as many features as possible, and provide accurate measurements. The Bushnell Golf Tour V5 does all that without breaking the bank. It’s closer to the expensive side, but the Bushnell name means it will last for years.
Pro
- Middle of the pack price point with the accuracy and features of rangefinders much more expensive.
Con
- Does not come with a slope function. (If you are competing in tournaments, you cannot use this feature anyway….)
Best Golf Rangefinder Under $100
You play a few rounds a year, maybe just in charity scrambles. Every time you take the clubs out, you’re estimating distances. At this point you’re sick of guessing how far away from the flag you are and decide to buy a rangefinder. But you don’t want to spend too much money give how infrequently you play. This is where the Gogogo Sport Vpro comes in.
Fun Fact: This rangefinder is not just used for golf. It can also be used for hunting!
One question I have seen come up – can you use a hunting rangefinder for golf?
The answer is mostly yes. As you can see with the Gogogo Sport Vpro, many customers have also used this for hunting and it is advertised that way. The same is true for the opposite. The goal of a rangefinder is the same – weather you are looking for a golf flag pole or hunting a buck!
Without sacrificing quality, you can stop guessing distances and know exactly what club to hit. The Gogogo Sport Vpro provides accurate distances and will last several years, but not quite as many as a Bushnell or Nikon.
This rangefinder can measure a flag from 300 yards out, will vibrate when it locks on, and can measure slope as well. All the major features of a more expensive rangefinder, at only a fraction of the price.
Pro
- Extremely lightweight, great for walkers.
Con
- Susceptible to damage if dropped without a case. Be sure to take care with this rangefinder.
Best Golf Rangefinder with Slope
A lot of rangefinders do slope, but none make it as easy to switch on and off as the Precision Pro NX7. A well laid out display also makes it easy to understand what you’re reading as you look through the scope.
One other thing we need to highlight is the exterior of the rangefinder. Even the most careful golfers will ding their rangefinder a few times throughout the year. The protective case on the Precision Pro NX7 guards against this, or at least from damage coming from it.
TIP: Take your rangefinder to the driving range. You can easily see exactly how far you are hitting the ball for more productive swing practice.
For the same reasons we discussed and that it is so easy to use makes this a great first rangefinder. When you’re buying your first rangefinder, you want something accurate and intuitive. This Precision Pro NX model rangefinder is both.
Pros
- Easy to use and understand. Can start using this one without ever looking at directions.
- Slope mode you can toggle on or off
Cons
- This version does not have a magnet.
Best Golf Rangefinder for Shaky Hands
The Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED could have easily been the best overall. But we wanted to highlight it as the top option for a specific group of players as well. This rangefinder uses much of the same technology Nikon cameras do and it makes all the difference.
It provides a clearer image than most rangefinders and does not require a steady hand for a stable view or locking onto objects. Shaky hands, bad eyes, the Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED is ready for it all.
If you are a junior golfer or have a kid that wants to leave to golf, starting off with a stabilized range finder is probably the best option. If your junior golfer is getting to the point where they know what the yardages mean, they will love using a tool like this!
I can’t even see the pin half the time I’m playing in the fog. Having a rangefinder that cuts through fog and provides accurate measurements might be the difference between starting pars instead of bogeys. If you’re an early morning golfer, this feature should weigh heavier than most others.
Pro
- Fast distance readings, a benefit for not only those with shaky hands, but everyone.
Con
- Does not vibrate when locked onto the pin, but there is a notification on the display and audio chirp.
Best High Tech Golf Rangefinder
Are you one of those people that needs the latest and greatest technology when it comes out? This Garmin might be one of the best GPS rangefinders for you!
Pros
- Great for courses with elevation change. Feature called PinPointer will detect a “plays like” distance to really give you an advantage.
- For more features and details, this full review has it all.
Cons
- The price is a bit steep
- Because of all the high tech features, the battery life is slightly less than some of the others
Best Budget Rangefinder
If you’re new to golf, you may not want to spend that much money. You can still get one of the best budget golf rangefinders within your price range. The WOSPORTS Laser Rangefinder is under $70.00 and has all the features you will need.
Pros
- 800 yard range – you won’t need much more than that for golfing
- Great value for the price making this one of the best cheap golf rangefinder options
Con
- The vibration feature must be turned on each time to use it
Golf Rangefinder Accessories
You may want some additional accessories to go along with your new rangefinder. Some of these include…
- Rangefinder Strap
- Cart Attachment
- Magnetic Case
Is a rangefinder worth it?
Is having the best golf rangefinder in your bag and saving strokes every round worth it? The obvious answer is yes. Not to mention, there is a rangefinder for every budget, making it an affordable and useful accessory.
Your rangefinder doesn’t have to come from any one specific company. There is a wide variety of brands that produce quality products. Exploring different options for the best fit is easy thanks to Golf with Luck guides.
How much does a rangefinder cost?
A rangefinder varies in price anywhere from ~$50 to over $500. If you are new to the game of golf, starting off with a simple and budget friendly rangefinder is probably your best option.
For the avid golfer or someone who plays competitively, a higher priced rangefinder may have more features that would get used often.
What should I look for when picking out the best golf rangefinder?
Like you, we rely heavily on the opinions of others to decide what products to feature or buy ourselves. A company will always say their product is great. Golfers won’t.
Read reviews. Not just our reviews, but from the product page as well. There you can hear from people using a rangefinder you’re interested in. These reviews will be somewhat biased. But the large sample size will give you a pretty good idea of what the golf community thinks of it.
Besides this, here are a few other things to look at:
Quality
Finding the best rangefinder for the money is no easy task. Some brands are more affordable than others, but when it comes to the best golf rangefinder, you pay for what you get. Spending an extra $50 is well worth it as it can add years and dozens of rounds to the lifespan of your rangefinder.
Case
If you drop things, look for a rangefinder with a case. If you toss your rangefinder into the cart after measuring your shot, look for a rangefinder with a case. People who are rough on products know who they are. Be responsible and buy a rangefinder that won’t get ruined due to recklessness.
Magnet
Cart golfers can benefit from a rangefinder with a magnet inside. Instead of wasting a cupholder that bangs your rangefinder around with every bump, look for one with a magnet. You can stick a rangefinder with a magnet onto the windshield frame making it easier to access. This also gives it more protection on a shot-to-shot basis.
Slope vs No Slope?
Distance measuring devices are allowed according to USGA rules. What’s not allowed, however, are rangefinders that actively incorporate slope.
If you plan on playing in tournaments, make sure to choose a rangefinder without slope functionality, or at least one where you can turn it off.
Tournament play will normally only allow a golf rangefinder without slope readings.
If you’re a casual player on the course strictly for fun, having a rangefinder that measures slope is fine.
Let’s recap our top 5 rangefinders for golf one more time!
| Best Overall Rangefinder | BUSHNELL GOLF Tour V5 Patriot Pack |
| Best Golf Rangefinder Under $100 | Gogogo Sport Vpro |
| Best Rangefinder with Slope | Precision Pro NX7 Golf Rangefinder |
| Best Rangefinder for Shaky Hands | Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED |
| Best High Tech Golf Rangefinder | Garmin Approach Z82 |
| Best Budget Rangefinder | WOSPORTS Golf Rangefinder |
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