What Is a Golf Rangefinder?

A golf rangefinder uses a laser beam to accurately measure distance and slope to a target on the golf course. The laser beam hits the target and is reflected back to the rangefinder, providing an accurate measurement.

As the laser beam travels at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) this all takes no discernable time.

The target is typically the pin, a hazard or simply just where you want your golf ball to end up next, such as a dog leg on the way to the pin.

When Should You Add a Golf Rangefinder to Your Kit?

The Best Two Budget Golf Rangefinders

In a moment, I'll reveal the best two cheap golf rangefinders (both exceptional value) but first I want to tell you a story about how my golfing buddy Jim introduced me to the whole rangefinder concept.

Is My Mate Jim a Cheat?

That's the question I was asking myself after he beat me by 5 strokes, even though we had the same handicap and I'd beaten him comfortably in 8 of the last 10 rounds we'd played together.

Jim and I were golfing buddies of many years and had that friendly rivalry that usually develops from that.

We often had a bet to make a round that little bit more interesting.

But never money. We'd seen too many friendships ruined that way.

It would be something more like who bought the first round at the 19th or whose turn it was to host a barbecue at home for our two families.

Nice, friendly stuff (but I usually had the better of it).

Until he walloped me by 5 strokes.

And it would have been more if I hadn't sunk two 15 foot birdie putts on the back nine!

So What Was Different?

The Best 3 Golf Rangefinders for 2022

All three of these golf rangefinders have any number of 5-star reviews from verified Amazon purchasers.

But they are aimed at very different price points.

Bushnell Pro XE Golf Rangefinder

The Bushnell Pro XE Golf Rangefinder is "simply the best" (but with a price tag to match). It's the one to get (whether for yourself or as a gift for your significant other) when only the best will do. Or if you're willing to amortize your cost over the many years of playing pleasure that it's going to give you.

This is what it looks like. To find out more about the Bushnell Pro XE Golf Rangefinder and to read its 5-star reviews, click on its image below.

More Bushnell Pro XE Golf Rangefinder Images

Gogogo Pro GS-22 Laser Rangefinder

From a beginning as a high end and expensive electronic toy, golf range finders have become an essential piece of kit for any golfer looking to improve their score. Before we talk about our recommended golf range finders, we look at some of the features that have made golf range finders so popular.

One of the most significant advantages added to all our recommended golf range finders in recent years is the ability to measure slope and take into account its effect on how far the golfer needs to hit the ball and, as a consequence, the correct club to use for the shot as well as how hard to swing.

Slope

The Top 6 Father's Day Gifts for the Golfing Dad

If your Dad's a keen golfer (and is there any other kind?) you're in luck for a Father's Day gift for golfers that he'll really appreciate.

Golfing has gone very high-tech in the last few years, and there's no doubt that your golfing Dad would just love

• A new driver to hit off the tee further and straighter
• A new putter to sink more long putts just like the pro's
• A new laser rangefinder so that he knows exactly which club to use for every shot on the course
• A new set of irons, including a couple of hybrids incorporating the latest technology
• Some nice golf books
• Lots of other stuff to choose from, including golf bags and carts, sand wedges, fairway woods and golf clothing to look good on and off the golf course.

All of these Father's Day Gifts for golfers are sourced from Amazon, so that you know there will be no problems with timely delivery.

Countdown to Father's Day

Father Day Gifts

You may be wondering why this paragraph is headed Father Day Gifts instead of Father's Day Gifts.

The reason is that apparently more people search for "father day gifts" than search for "father's day gifts". I guess they just can't be bothered typing the 's. So I'm using that term to help those people to find my "father day" gift suggestions.

Inspirational Book

You don't have to be a golfer to appreciate the late Arnold Palmer's book A Life Well Played.

This book is Palmer’s parting gift to the world -- a treasure trove of entertaining anecdotes and timeless wisdom that readers, golfers and non-golfers alike, will celebrate and cherish. No one has won more fans around the world and no player has had a bigger impact on the sport of golf than Arnold Palmer. In fact, Palmer is considered by many to be the most important professional golfer in history, an American icon.

"A wonderful compilation that reflects who he was as a person, as a golfer, and as someone who believed in giving back. He was a champion at each turn, and it was an honor not just knowing him and competing against him for nearly 60 years, but also being his friend." ―Jack Nicklaus, from the foreword.

A great gift for any Dad on Father's Day.

Gogogo Pro GS-22 Laser Rangefinder

We look at the 5 best budget (under $200) golf rangefinders with the emphasis on value for money without sacrificing performance or quality.

These are our recommendations for the best budget golf rangefinders available. They are all under $200 and have a 4 star or better rating from actual Amazon purchasers.

You can be confident that all of these best budget golf rangefinders represent excellent value for money.

In addition, we review the best cheap laser golf rangefinder. Fully featured, yet under $100, it's rated number 2 in the Amazon best seller list.

Callaway 300 Pro Golf Rangefinder with Slope Measurement

At $199.99, the Calloway 300 Pro is the most expensive of the rangefinders reviewed but as measured by Amazon ratings it's the best budget golf rangefinder available today. But if budget is your main consideration, we have others available at a lower price, and all with good ratings.

We tested the top 3 (measured by Amazon customer ratings) golf rangefinders and have no hesitation in nominating our best of the best. Our pick for the best golf rangefinder is the newest offering from Bushnell, the Pro XE. Here's our review.

Bushnell Pro XE Best Golf Rangefinder Review

Here's what Bushnell say about their new Pro XE Golf Rangefinder:

SIMPLY THE BEST

GOLF LASER

EVER MADE

A big claim, but we think it stacks up.