Simply guessing the distance isn’t good enough, to be a pro golfer, a the best golf rangefinder is a necessary item to add to your kit.
Stop wasting time trekking back and forth across the golf course trying to find a distance marker, only to spend more unnecessary time trying to pick the correct club for the shot.
Rangefinders are commonplace nowadays, so in order to keep up with the newest golfing trends, consider purchasing an updated model and take the guess-work out of golfing.
We’ve taken it upon ourselves to take the guesswork out of finding a great rangefinder as well, below are 5 possible modern designs that are effective and affordable.
Best Golf Rangefinders For 2020
- Best Overall Golf Rangefinder - Callaway 200
- Best Value Rangefinder: Nikon Coolshot 20
- Most Expensive Rangefinder: Bushnell Tour V4
- Most Accurate Rangefinder: AOFAR GX-2S
And if you want to learn more about each model, keep reading below.
Improve your game with the Callaway 200 Golf Laser Rangefinder which assures you superior accuracy of finding the pin from up to 275 yards (825 feet) away.
The Pin Acquisition Technology (PAT) developed by Callaway means that you can lock onto the pin with outstanding precision even when there are trees or other distractions in the background.
The rangefinder allows you to lock onto and determine distances to multiple targets like bunkers and hazards. The range is between 5 and 800 yards (5-275 yards to the target).
The accuracy of the Callaway Rangefinder is to within 1 yard (3 feet). It has a magnification ability of 6 times, which lets you lock onto pins a long way away and to scan the landscape with better vision.
The unit has a comfortable to hold and sleek design which features an easy to read LCD display which shows distances in both yards and meters.
It also shows zero-in aiming technology and has a PAT indicator. Being waterproof and fog proof you can use the Callaway 200 Golf Rangefinder in any conditions. It is a compact golf rangefinder which is light and easy to carry around.
Operation of the device is very simple: you aim at the flag or other targets, press the button located on top of the rangefinder to bring up the crosshairs and then press again to measure the distance. If you’re wanting to locate and measure multiple targets you just hold the button down while you scan.
Overall the Callaway 200 golf laser rangefinder is an inexpensive and useful asset to less experienced golfers who are not needing a more expensive and sophisticated unit.
Bushnell’s JOLT Golf Laser Rangefinder gives you exactly the same experience as the pro’s have out on the course. This is a serious rangefinder with many fantastic and amazing features you’ll fall in love with!
From the outside, the Tour V4 is a lovely piece of engineering. The Tour V4 comes in a smaller, lighter and more ergonomically thoughtful package than previous versions.
It’s a good size for handling and portability. The carry case it comes with attaches to your golf bag so you can slip the rangefinder into its case when not in use.
Next, and more importantly, the Tour V4 has JOLT technology, the latest innovation in rangefinder evolution. It sends out short bursts of vibration to alert you that it has found and locked on to the flag.
The range of the Tour V4 is between 5 – 1,000 yards with an accuracy of 1 yard. It has accurate yardage to a flag up to 400 yards out. It has a magnification factor of 5 times and a fast focus system which allow you to see your target so clearly so quickly.
The Bushnell Tour V4 is a Pro level Certified rangefinder which is legal for tournament play.
With the purchase of the Bushnell Tour V4, you receive free access to the Bushnell Golf App which allows you to see 3D hole flyovers with front/centre/back and hazard distances.
Accessories include a carry case and battery. The Tour V4 is waterproof.
With over 20 years of R&D behind them and the manufacture of outdoor sports products including rangefinders and compasses, AOFAR markets world-class products. Their GX-2s Golf Rangefinder is one of them.
This rangefinder features Flagpole Lock with Pulse Vibration technology to let you know when the target ie the pin has been located and fixed.
It also has Slope Compensation which allows you to see two distances: horizontal (as the bird flies) and actual hitting distance (including slopes).
The minimum scan range required for pulse vibration is 30 metres. The measurement distance range is 5 to 600 yards. Measurements are in either yards or meters with a simple M button to switch between the two. Accuracy is to 0.5 yards, with the ability to locate and fix on small objects.
The GX-2s also has magnification to 6X, making it easy to find most things on the landscape.
The AOFAR GX-2s is a high precision range finder which uses centimetre reading accurate to two decimal places.
Lightweight and portable, this model suits use by women as well. It measures 121x72x43mm and weighs only 180gms.
The design is streamlined with a rubber outer for non-slip handling. It’s dustproof, fog proof and waterproof. The unit comes with its own pouch, rope, carabiner (wrist strap), microfiber cleaning cloth and user guide.
Anything released by Nikon is bound to be a pretty great product. This COOLSHOT 20 binocular rangefinder is certainly that.
The COOLSHOT 20 offers brilliant clarity of vision with the rapid pickup of the target pin.
The technical details are that the Nikon has a 6 to 550-yard range capacity. It has a 6X20mm monocular lens and displays to one metre.
It employs First target Priority technology to quickly and accurately pick out the flag from its surroundings. The famous Nikon optic technology is integrated into the 6-power monocular in the COOLSHOT which allows you to view what lies ahead, behind, above or below you.
You can also access 8-second continuous measurement scanning to locate and measure the distance to multiple targets.
The viewfinder is bright and clear, and the crosshairs assist you to quickly scope your target.
The rangefinder can be used to measure your drives too. And to find other important targets like bunkers, water traps, etc. And it’s very fast.
A quick aim and shoot and you have your distance. By knowing the distance of your shot you can more accurately choose your club and control your swing.
The COOLSHOT 20 is small and light and easy to put in your pocket or attach to your golf bag. The unit is rainproof. Although at the price it is a fairly basic range finder it is great value for money from a highly regarded brand name which gives everything most golfers want and need from a rangefinder.
In short, it will enhance your golfing experience and improve your game.
Callaway is the brand that most golfers think of when talking about golf rangefinders. They have several on the market to choose from. This Callaway 300 Pro features all of the functions one would expect to find in a golf rangefinder and some more on top.
The ‘extra’ features are Slope Technology which gives you distances which compensate for elevation changes between you and your target point. That means that you have an accurate idea of how far your drive needs to be in real terms, rather than as a straight horizontal distance.
Slope measurements are not permitted in tournaments but they’re fine for everyday golfing. This function can be switched off for playing in tournaments and Pro events.
And then there’s Birdie Technology which makes the device chirp when it locks on to the target.
The Callaway 300 Pro employs PAT (Pin Accuracy Technology) which allows the device to lock onto the target pin from a distance of up to 300 yards with an impressive accuracy of +/- 1 yard.
The presence of a busy background of trees etc doesn’t affect the accuracy of this rangefinder. The 300 Pro can measure 5-1000 yards and you can scan the area for multiple targets including hazards and bunkers, or to locate lost balls.
The magnification factor of 6X allows you to clearly see objects far away (up to the 1000-yard range). The range to the pin is 300 yards.
The compact unit has been thoughtfully designed and is ergonomically comfortable to handle. It’s lightweight and has a sleek, soft casing for grip.
It’s waterproof and fog proof. An easy to read LCD screen shows all the measurements in yards or meters.
All in all, the 300 Pro range finder from Callaway is a well- designed unit at a good price. The feature which sets it apart from other similarly priced rangefinders is the Slope Technology.
What To Look For In A Golf Rangefinder?
The best golf rangefinder for you is going to come down to a few preferences including:
- Price
- Performance
- Features.
All of the rangefinders we've reviewed above will glady show you the distances, some will do it faster than others, while some will have limited ranges.
Some questions you should ask yourself before purchase include:
- What is your budget?
- How long do you plan to have a golf rangefinder?
- Do you need a slope feature?
- Will you be using it professionally?
- Do you need all those features or is price the main factor?
Final Thoughts On Best Golf Rangefinders
The good news for all you golfers is that there's plenty of golf rangefinders on the market. Using sites such as Amazon.com.au, you can also shop from the vast USA marketplace too, without paying shipping fees or import duty.
For $200 - $400 you can get a suitable, budget friendly, device capable of finding distances well.
If you've got a steeper budget, you can get more features such as slope readings, faster readings and higher yardage on targets.
Nearly all models are weatherproof and come with a carry case when not in use.
Do you have a rangefinder suggestion? Let us know in the comments box.
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Last Updated: December 2, 2021 by Rhys