For most of us in the northern part of the U.S., February means yet another month of living-room putting, indoor simulators and dreaming of that first golf trip this summer. But the golf offseason is also a great way to get your game ready for the spring.
New balls? Check. Clothes? Good. Shoes? Got ’em. So what else do you need? Well, as someone who just grabbed their first-ever distance device at the end of last season, that’s what I’m here to recommend. I played only one round with mine before the fall gave way to the winter, but I fell in love with it. I got quick and accurate yardages, played well — which I’ll credit partially to my new gadget — and, most importantly, never had to be that annoying guy and ask my rangefinder-carrying playing partners for a number.
GPS watches and rangefinders come at a variety of price points, too. I got a cheap watch and it’s great for me. Maybe you want that too. Or maybe you want to splurge. Or maybe something in the middle? Fear not, our Pro Shop has nearly 30 different models to choose from, and all would do the trick. Here are six for every price point. Don’t like these? No problem. Check out the full lineup here.
6 GPS rangefinders and watches
Garmin Approach G10
The Garmin Approach G10 clip-on golf GPS is a highly compact and lightweight tool to measure yardages on the course. The GPS features an odometer and a high-sensitivity receiver to give you accurate distance data anywhere on the course. It comes with 40,000 pre-loaded courses and updates four times per year.
Callaway’s 200s Laser Rangefinder is a highly compact and super lightweight device that won’t weigh you down. It uses Pin Acquisition Technology to lock onto the pin from up to 275 yards away. You are able to scan the entire landscape and lock on to multiple targets like trees, hazards, or other aim points and can measure in both yards and meters depending on preference.
The aim L10V, GOLFBUDDY’s most compact and sporty laser rangefinder now comes with an added voice feature! The voice feature quickly and conveniently reads your distances aloud from your location to the intended target on the green. The aim L10V also includes three targeting modes: Standard, Scan and Pin with vibration that assures you when you have locked onto your intended target. The slope-adjusted distances help you incorporate the elevation of the hole, providing a better perspective of your shot and making club selection even more accurate.
Bushnell has afforded even more clarity and improved slope technology to their Tour V5 Shift. The all-new and improved slope algorithm offers a more accurate display of slope, giving each player a heightened understanding of the course ahead of them. The Tour V5 Shift comes with a built-in BITE Magnetic Cart Mount and a newly designed premium carry case. Each rangefinder also contains a CR2 battery. This device sports 6x magnification and can reach targets up to 400+ yards. Its equipped with Pinseeker because of the visual JOLT Technology.
The Callaway Tour-S Laser rangefinder sports a multitude of technology to provide an accurate yardage every time. Use the Slope technology for distances adjusted for elevation changes while the Laser mode scans the landscape to evaluate multiple targets. You can also flip into Prism mode to lock onto flag mounted reflectors. The rangefinder is water and fog resistant and can lock onto a pin-up to 400 yards away.
This is the most powerful golf laser of all time. It can shoot flags at 500+ yards within 1 yard and uses proprietary slope technology to factor in temperature and altitude as well. The Visual Jolt shows a red flashing ring that vibrates when you lock onto the flag. The exclusive BITE magnetic mount allows you to easily mount the Pro XE right on the cart bar for easy access.
As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing, editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.
