If you’re not trying to empty your wallet but still want to improve your golf game, one of these budget golf rangefinders is a must-have in your golf bag. Any golfer will tell you that knowing the distance to the pin is crucial for lower scores. While the yardage markers that line the fairways are certainly helpful, sometimes they don’t accurately reflect the precise distance to the flag. Greenskeepers are constantly moving the placement of the holes around the greens to keep residents, regulars and repeat-players on their toes. This also helps maintain the quality of the greens by reducing the erosion and impact that occurs around the hole.
Why Use A Rangefinder?
Using a rangefinder will provide you with much more accurate distances when measuring how far away you are from a given hole. They can also be more convenient than a phone app since not all golf courses receive the best cell phone reception.
A rangefinder is a handy, reliable tool that can give a player quite an edge both in casual and match play. While the PGA does not allow the use of them on tour, local tournaments do allow players to access various tools and technologies that may help them play their best round. However, there are limitations. Features such as slope readings and weather conditions are NOT allowed to be used to help a golfer with their shot choice.
Most advanced features are available with more expensive rangefinders, but here are some great alternatives that are lighter on your wallet and still get the job done.
Discolure: To be fair, if you really want a golf rangefinder that’s going to work exactly as you expect it to, you’re going to have to shell out between $200-400. I personally own this one and can attest to its quality. But if you want to take your chances with a lower-priced version, these are the five best rangefinders I could find that will do the job. I also recommend pairing any one of these with the use of a free golf GPS app.
Factors:
- flag lock feature
- accuracy
- ability to switch between meters and yards
- ease of use
1. BEASPIRE Laser Golf Hunting Rangefinder 1100 Yards 7X, Laser Range Finder Rechargeable with Flag-Lock, Speed, Range, Scan Fast Measurement for Golf Hunting Hiking and Engineering
Get It Here – $79.99
You’re probably going to have to recharge this one every five rounds or so, but this red beauty under $80 will get the job done. With features like flag lock, this low-cost option is accurate to within 1-3 yards, not bad for what feels like a lightweight plastic toy. It also serves the dual-purpose of providing accurate distances for hunting. The mini-USB port lacks a cover, though, so keep it dry.
TIP: press and hold the MODE key to switch between meters and yards.
2. AOFAR HX-700N Hunting Range Finder 700 Yards Waterproof Archery Rangefinder for Bow Hunting with Range Scan Fog and Speed Mode, Free Battery, Carrying Case
Get It Here – $86.00 (updated Jan/2021)
Don’t let the camouflage fool you: this combo hunting/golf rangefinder is good to use at both the shooting and driving ranges. Also, a buyer reported that it is, in fact, solid black in color. So if you don’t care about how it might look, you’re in luck. With 6x magnification, it’s accurate to about 2 yards or so on the golf course. It’ll also automatically power-off after 10 seconds of non-use, a handy battery-saving feature.
TIP: The battery comes packaged in a clear plastic wrap. If you install the battery and the rangefinder doesn’t turn on, the battery is probably still wrapped. 😉
3. MOESAPU Laser Golf/Hunting Range Finder 650Yards Distance, Speed, Flag Lock with High-Precision Laser Binoculars 7X Magnification Rangefinder
Get It Here – $67.41 (updated Jan/2021)
If slope is something you don’t care about, this rangefinder is for you. You won’t find more than 3 yards difference in accuracy between the MOESAPU and other expensive models out there. Also, the laser works pretty well through fog, so don’t be surprised if it turns out you can hit farther than you’ve thought.
4. TACKLIFE Golf Rangefinder 600 Y,Adjustable Eyepiece,6X Magnification with Slope/Flag-Lock/Distance/Continuous Measurement,Ideal for Golf, Hunting, Hiking, Outdoor Using- MLR04
Get It Here – $87.99 (updated Jan/2021)
Here’s another great rangefinder that simply gets the job done. This one weighs a little more than the others, so it feels less like a toy. It’s also tournament ready, so it has two different changeable golf modes: slope and non-slope (tournaments do not allow the use of slope). Parents with little ones who plays junior golf will love this inexpensive option.
5. BIJIA Golf Rangefinder with Slope – 6X Laser Range Finder 650 Yards with Pinsensor, Flag Lock, SlopeCorrection, Distance Measurement,Vibration and USB
Get It Here – $82.99
This waterproof BIJIA comes with a charging cord and pin-seeking technology. Buyers have reported that this model can take quite the beating and works better than a Bushnell 1500 slope edition. Simply press the POWER button to turn it on and press again to measure. Wait for the small vibration to indicate you’re locked on your target. If you need to switch between meters and yards press the MODE button. Can’t get much easier than that.
BEWARE THESE MODELS:
Despite their popularity, you may actually want to avoid the following rangefinders:
