How Much Could a Golf Rangefinder Improve Your Game?

If you are looking for a way to take your golf game to the next level, you may want to add a rangefinder to your bag. Today’s rangefinders come in two basic types—laser rangefinders and GPS rangefinders. Which one is best for you will depend on the type of courses you play most often. The extent to which a rangefinder will improve your game will be related to your current skill level. Let’s take a closer look at this potentially game-changing golf accessory.

Golf is a game of distance. Rangefinders can improve your game by providing more accurate measurements from your lie in the fairway to the flag on the green. Knowing the distance to the pin takes the guesswork out of which club to use.

The ability to carry an accurate rangefinder in your pocket is definitely a modern development. In fact, you now have a choice between GPS rangefinders and laser rangefinders. GPS rangefinders access satellites to determine your precise location and then compare that to stored maps of the golf course to calculate distances. A laser rangefinder shoots pulses of light at your target and then measures the time it takes for them to bounce back.

There are pros and cons for each device. GPS rangefinders can provide distances to intermediate points as well as the green. They also have measurements for different parts of the green. They are perfect for hilly courses or courses with many dogleg holes and trees. However, they do require that the golf course you’re playing be loaded into the device, usually by internet download. Sometimes course conditions can affect the accuracy of your position.

Laser rangefinders provide an instantaneous reading of distance and there is no need for subscriptions or downloads. However, your target must be visible. Laser rangefinders don’t provide distances to other parts of the green or fairway.

For a rangefinder to really improve your game, you need to be consistent with your clubs. If you still can’t predict how far the ball will fly with a particular club, then knowing the exact distance you need to hit the ball doesn’t matter much. But once your fairway shots are consistent and predictable, you will probably see a big improvement in your scores by adding a golf rangefinder.