12 Reasons to Use a Golf Laser Rangefinder

Can you use a golf laser rangefinder to improve your game? Whether you're new to the game or you're just looking for a way to level it up, the benefits of one of these unique golf gadgets could certainly help.

First and foremost, these devices are designed to give you distance to the green and help you make more accurate shots. The numbers you get will help you understand how hard you should hit the ball and, therefore, what club in you should use.

Laser rangefinders use a laser beam to determine the distance between you and your target. It uses the time it takes for the laser to reflect back to the unit to determine the yardage. Laser rangefinders are more accurate than GPS watches and handhelds, which specialize in course management.

There are, however, very impressive hybrid golf rangefinders that use laser and GPS technology, like the Garmin Approach Z82 and the Voice Caddie SL2 in our PlayBetter rangefinder collection.

In this article, we've lined up 12 benefits of using a golf laser rangefinder. All golfers, from amateurs to pros, want to play better golf. If you're interested, we welcome you to visit our collection and let us show you the unique experience of each of these golf rangefinders.

1. Remove the Guesswork from Your Golf Shot

Sure, you can walk off the yardage on your approach shot or consult a yardage book or the markers. But a golf laser rangefinder will accurately measure the distance between you and the hole, eliminating a great deal of the guesswork required to determine how you should hit the ball.

2. Golf Laser Rangefinders Are Fast and Accurate

Point. Click. Done. If you can see it, you can shoot it and get distance you can rely on fast. No waiting for GPS or settling for a 5-6-yard variability. Many rangefinders now measure in tenths. And some, like the Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED with Hyper Read, are so swift you'll never waste your time on a wild guess again.

3. More Accuracy with Slope Rangefinders

How do you get even more accurate distances out of a golf rangefinder? You get one that has slope-compensation or "plays like" distance. Slope features cost more, but for technology that calculates how much longer an uphill shot or how much shorter a downhill shot will play in a nanosecond—we think it's worth it. Math might be the key to the universe, but do you really want to do it on the golf course?

For a golf laser rangefinder that factors elevation and temperature into the slope distance, you should check out the Bushnell Pro XE and the Precision Pro R1 Smart Hybrid.

4. Get Even More Information with GPS Hybrid Rangefinders

So, we've already hit on the advantages of rangefinders over GPS devices: accuracy and speed. Unlike with a rangefinder, a golf GPS doesn't require that you see anything. This means getting assistance on blind shots, knowing characteristics about the green, and course-mapping. So, if you'd like to see what happens when a golf GPS watch gets dropped inside a laser rangefinder, you should check out the Voice Caddie SL2, the Garmin Approach Z82, and the Precision Pro R1.

5. Avoid Hazards

You're on the fairway, making that trasition to your short game. What's in your way? Rangefinders can help you not only know the distance to the hole, but to hazards as well. Both the Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED and COOLSHOT 50i have a continuous measurement feature that lets you survey your surroundings, showing you the exact distance of trees, water features, sand traps, and other hazards.,

6. Speed Up Game Play

You want to be on the course. But so do the Joes and Janes behind you. The point, click, and done nature of golf rangefinders ensures that your golf tech won't bog you down, and when you eliminate guessing and take swings off your game—well, that's results worth moving along for.

7. Take Swings off Your Game

Drafting off the previous benefit of a golf rangefinder ... when you get more accurate distances, you take swings off your scorecard. We can't make it sweeter than that.

8. Make Better Decisions on Which Golf Club to Use

With reliable distances, you get to know your clubs better and develop a consistency with your bag. The precision you get with a laser rangefinder translates to a precision in your club choice. The Precision Pro R1 Smart Hybrid golf rangefinder will even give you ball data, including Launch Angle, Spin Rate, Altitude, and Ball Speed and combine it with slope and environmental factors. And the Garmin Approach Z82 Hybrid laser GPS rangefinder will measure shot distance with the option to save shots.

9. Laser Rangefinders Are Convenient to Use and Carry

Most rangefinders are compact, ergonomic, and come with a carrying case or carabiner that can stow or clip easily onto your bag or belt. And many have magnetic mounts that will stick to your golf cart, such as the Bushnell Pro XE, the Bushnell Tour V5, and the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i.

10. They're Tournament Legal

Tournaments typically do not allow slope-compenstion during play. The slope rangefinders in our PlayBetter collection have indicators that show whether slope is on or off, making them tournament legal devices.

11. Golf Laser Rangefinders Are Fun

If you like tech and golf, a golf laser rangefinder will no doubt bring an extra buzz to a bright day walking the links. Many of the rangefinders in our collection have unique features that can take your experience on the course to a whole new level. Some of these devices can literally turn a bummer into a blast. For example, if you suffer from shaky hands or often find yourself playing in the wind, the Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED reduces shake by 80%, turning a disavdvantage into an advantage.

12. Improve Your Golf Game!

At the PlayBetter Golf Store, we only offer golf devices that we believe will elevate your game from the most trusted brands in golf like Bushnell, Voice Caddie, Garmin, Nikon, Shot Scope, and Precision Pro. If accuracy, especially for you short game is where you're looking to level-up, we highly encourage you to visit our golf laser rangefinder collection. We're confident that you'll find the one that has the features that fit your style and budget and can help you improve your game!