How many times have you stood over a shot, squinted at a yardage marker that may or may not be accurate, made your best guess, pulled the wrong club, and watched your ball sail into a hazard that you definitely should have laid up in front of?
Every time. The answer is every time.
A rangefinder fixes this. Well, it helps with this. And you don’t need to spend $400 to get one that works. Here are four budget friendly options worth your consideration. One of them I personally use and can vouch for with my own questionable golf game.
GPS vs Laser — What’s the Difference?
Before we dive in, a quick explanation on the different types of rangefinders. A GPS rangefinder uses satellite data and preloaded course maps to give you distances to the front, center, and back of the green automatically as you play. A laser rangefinder works like a tiny targeting system, you point it at the flag, pull the trigger, and it gives you the exact distance to whatever you aimed at. GPS is simpler and hands free while the laser is more precise. Both are dramatically better than squinting at a sprinkler head that was labelled in the late 50’s and guessing.
1. Izzo Swami Kiss 2.0 — GPS — Around $100 on Amazon
Full disclosure, this is the one sitting in my golf bag right now and I genuinely like it. My Mommy bought it for me for Christmas and my Mommy can do no wrong! The Swami Kiss 2.0 is a GPS device that sticks magnetically to your cart frame so you don’t have to hold it or dig it out of your bag between shots. It comes preloaded with over 38,000 courses worldwide, gives you front, center, and back distances automatically, shows hazard and dogleg yardages, though those will take some getting used to, and it has a clever iCaddie feature that suggests clubs based on your distance. No annual subscription fees. Rechargeable battery lasts up to four rounds. Slim, simple design that doesn’t require a manual to operate.
For the recreational golfer who wants accurate distances without fussing with a laser every shot this is a fantastic option at a very reasonable price. I love it, just don’t forget to grab it off your cart before you head home. As of the writing of this article it’s on sale at Amazon for just under 90 bucks.
2. GoGoGo Sport Vpro — Laser — $72 – $150
Consistently one of the highest rated budget laser rangefinders on the market and the price is almost embarrassingly low for what you get. Depending on the model, you get six times magnification, pinseeker vibration that buzzes when you lock onto the flag, slope compensation mode, and accuracy within a yard. It does everything the expensive lasers do at a fraction of the cost.
The GoGoGo Sport is the answer to anyone who says you can’t get a quality laser rangefinder without spending serious money. You absolutely can. It just won’t have a fancy brand name on it. As of this writing you can find the GS03 on sale at Amazon for 60 bucks!
3. Shot Scope Pro L2 — Laser — Around $130-$150
If you want to spend a little more and get what most experts consistently rate as the best budget laser rangefinder on the market then this is your pick. The Shot Scope Pro L2 delivers 100% accuracy in independent testing, has a built-in magnet for cart mounting, slope compensation with a tournament legal toggle, and comes with access to a free GPS app. It regularly outperforms rangefinders that cost twice as much.
For the golfer who wants one device that does everything properly and lasts for years, the Pro L2 is worth the slight splurge over the GoGoGo.
4. Bushnell Phantom 3 Slope — GPS/Laser Hybrid — Around $140 – 170 (depending on time of year)
Bushnell is the most trusted name in golf rangefinders and the brand that some tour caddies actually use. The Phantom 3 brings that reputation to a price point that recreational golfers can actually justify. It’s a GPS device with slope compensation, hazard info, distance calculator, scorekeeping, and a magnetic mount. Touchscreen display, clean interface, and the Bushnell name on the side if that matters to you.
It’s the slight splurge on this list but for a brand with Bushnell’s track record it’s genuinely reasonable.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need to know your exact yardage to play good golf. You definitely don’t need to know it to play bad golf. But you do need to stop guessing. Any of these four devices will tell you where you are on the course with enough accuracy to make better decisions, hit more greens (then bounce off them), and stop blaming the yardage markers for shots that were definitely your fault anyway.
Your game won’t improve. But your excuses will get significantly weaker.
For more honest golf gear advice from someone who genuinely uses this stuff — subscribe to Wormburner Weekly here. Free every Tuesday. Rangefinder not included.