Golf Laser Rangefinder Features

Now that you have figured out how a golf laser rangefinder works what features should you look for?  Review the common features and some special ones below.

Range (Distance) 
Rangefinders "bounce" a laser beam off the target in order to take a measurement, therefore their range is partially determined by the reflectivity of the target. In other words, hard or "reflective" targets – like a bunker or lake – can be measured at greater distances than soft surface targets – like a flag. Ranges for moderately reflective targets, like trees, fall somewhere in the middle.  All golf laser rangefinders will read as small a range as about 10 yards, maximum distance will vary by model up to around 1,500 yards.  Effective ranges for the flag generally range from 250 to 400 yards, certainly adequate for most golfers.

Reticle Pattern
The reticle, or eyepiece will show a range of information depending on the brand.  Here is an example of a Bushnell reticle pattern.

 

A- Indication of targeting mode (see below on targeting modes)

B- Range to identified target (all laser rangefinders can toggle between yards and meters)

C- Crosshairs for identifying your ranging target

D- Battery life

E- Quality of target response

Note: Not every reticle feature is available in every golf rangefinder.  This is an example only.

Targeting Modes
Targeting modes offer a number of ways to acquire and determine range to the selected target and include:

• Scan- As you pan the area the range will change automatically as you look for your target.
• Pinseeker- When looking at the flag the laser rangefinder will ignore trees and other targets at a greater distance than the flag.  An important feature especially for golfers.
• Rain- This will compensate for the reduced sensitivity in finding targets when raining or snowing.
• Brush- Will ignore clutter in the foreground when ranging targets beyond the clutter.  Helpful when looking through trees on a dogleg.
• Slope- A new feature for the higher end laser rangefinders.  Slope allows for the difference from ranged distance when a target is higher or lower than you are.  As a golfer we all instintevly allow a little more distance (more club) for a pin higher than we are, and less distance (club) when the target is lower.  The slope feature calculates the exact distance.

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What About Other Measuring Technologies

GPS
Global Positioning Satelite products are the sexy measuring devices.  Calling on orbiting satellites they can provide your location to within a few yards.  With a course fully mapped it is easy to determine distances to different locations on the course from your location.  Most of us are familiar with cart based GPS devices.  They have nice large screens and have a perfect map of the golf course to view.  Using a cursor you can identify the location you need the range to (such as a bunker or lake).  These units are great, however most courses do not have them and many times you have to play cart path only, which means it is hard to know the correct distance from your ball.

Handheld GPS devices are also available, in fact you can see Peter Jacobson and Natalie Gulbis pitching them on an infomercial on The Golf Channel.  A neat product, but not as useful as a golf laser rangefinder.  The handheld GPS needs to have a very well done course map.  These are not easy or cheap to do, and there are thousands of golf courses to map.  Some handheld GPS products have software tools to let you map the course yourself.  That's a nice feature but it is hard to map every loation on the golf course perfectly.  With a golf laser rangefinder you always can find the range from your point to any other point you can see.  Cart based GPS systems have a higher degree of accuracy, up to about +/- one yard, while handheld units come it about +/- 5 to 15 yards. That's a full club length which could easily cause a missed shot.  Lastly, a handheld GPS unit offers no help on the practice range.  One of the golf laser rangefinders greatest advantages is using it on the range, especially for short game practice.

LaserLink
LaserLink is a handheld golf laser rangefinder device being pitched by Jack and Arnie.  With those credentials it's got to be great, right?  Nope.  LaserLink requires the course have special reflective flag sticks.  So, the only thing you can range is the flag.  That's hardly enough!  What about distances to hazards, to lay up locations, and the practice range.  Also, if you own one what about a course that does not have the reflective flagsticks?  LaserLink has mostly been adopted by private courses for use by the members.  While it has gotten good publicity due to the sponsorship I think this product is useless for most everyone.

Articles
LookSmart's FindArticles - A Rangefinder In Your Pocket - Brief Article
Guns Magazine, Oct, 1999, by Jon R. Sundra