What is a Golf Rangefinder? (2023 Update) • Honest Golfers

Joining the realm of golf is a combination of excitement and relaxation as you put along the 18-hole course. But when you’re first starting out, it can be challenging to get the ball in the hole. That’s where golf rangefinders come into play. You’ve probably heard of them, but were too afraid to ask what is a golf rangefinder used for? in front of your snobby golf friends :-)…

So, what is a golf rangefinder? A golf rangefinder is designed to take the guesswork out of golf. With a rangefinder, you will know exactly how hard to hit the ball and which clubs to use to make it into the hole. There are two kinds of rangefinders on the market, including GPS and laser. Both are designed to improve and speed up gameplay, which is ideal for beginners on the green.

A golf rangefinder is a nifty device that uses a laser or GPS to estimate how hard a player should hit the ball to make it into the hole. By doing so, a player’s accuracy is improved with each shot.

If you’re a golfer looking to improve your game, investing in one of the best golf rangefinders on the market is a smart move.

What is a Golf Rangefinder?

GPS rangefinders are notably faster than laser rangefinders and work with signals from satellites to estimate distance. However, they tend to be a bit less accurate in the grand scheme of things.

Laser rangefinders, on the other hand, equip the use of lasers to determine distance and accuracy. Due to the laser technology, laser rangefinders tend to be far more accurate than GPS systems, although it may take a bit longer to retrieve results.

What is a Golf Rangefinder Used For?

A golf rangefinder serves many purposes on the green. Some of its most important uses include:

Accurate distance estimation. When you’re playing a game of golf, an experienced user can simply use the flag markers to determine how far away the hole is. New players may find this a major challenge. That’s where the golf rangefinder comes in. These handy devices provide an accurate reading of the exact distance between your club and the hole. In turn, you can learn to estimate distances yourself and hit the ball as hard as necessary.
Club recommendations. Different clubs (wood, iron, putter) are used for certain situations while golfing. A new golfer might not know when to use each one. Well, a golf rangefinder will estimate the distance between you and the hole, providing you with the proper club recommendations for a perfect shot every time.
Speeds up the gameplay. Trying to determine distances and choose the correct club can be time-consuming, especially as a newbie at golf. With a golf rangefinder, all the guesswork is taken out of gameplay. This speeds up the overall process, which is great for you and your golfing buddies.
Improves gameplay. In the beginning, a golf rangefinder can help you learn which clubs to use and how hard you should hit the ball, and that’s great. But when you’re starting to get the hang of things, don’t ditch the rangefinder! There’s always room for improvement in your gameplay, and a rangefinder is an excellent tool to help.

How do Golf Rangefinders Work?

As mentioned previously, there are two types of golf rangefinders: GPS and laser. But how do they actually work? Let’s take a closer look at how these types of rangefinders operate on the green.

GPS Rangefinder

A GPS rangefinder works much like any other type of GPS device: it receives signals from several satellites and calculates them to determine distances.

Before playing, golfers will need to download (free or paid) the course map. More expensive models will likely have the course map pre-loaded.

High-end models may also have additional benefits, such as:

Showing distances to hazards
Location of the green (front and back)
Certain landmarks amongst the course
Defined points

The biggest upside to using a GPS rangefinder instead of a laser rangefinder is that it relies on satellites instead of having to point and aim the device every time you want to determine the distance between you and the hole, even if there are obstructions in the way.

Laser Rangefinder

The second option is a laser rangefinder. As you may assume, laser rangefinders use a laser that is pointed at the target. The time it takes for the laser beam to reflect to the device is what determines how far you are from the hole. Laser rangefinders can come with lenses that magnify up to five times for more accurate results.

More expensive laser rangefinders have additional features, such as an internal inclinometer that will determine slopes and pin seekers, allowing the rangefinder to focus solely on the pin rather than obstructions and background objects.

The biggest plus of using a laser rangefinder is that there is no need to fiddle with downloading maps or searching for courses on the device. They are also far more flexible and provide a more defined distance – as long as nothing stands in the way of the laser and the pin. If so, the laser will not function properly, rendering it useless.

Conclusion: What are Golf Rangefinders?

A golf rangefinder can be a game-changer, especially if you’re a new golfer. Whether using GPS or laser, you can easily determine how far you are from the hole and how hard you need to hit. This improves overall gameplay while also speeding up the game, which are two imperative things when you are first starting in golf.