Trying to decide on laser rangefinder

[marter]

Getting back into golf at 73 after 2 shoulder and 2 knee replacements. My Leupold GX-3 display has failed, can barely see the target, no numbers. Leupold says "sorry, here's a small discount...", no thanks. And my Skycaddie SG2.5 is no longer supported.

 

I've been using GolfPad GPS with my Samsung phone and Galaxy watch, pretty happy with it so far for front/mid/back, but I'd like to get more precise distances at 100yds in. Don't need slope at that distance. Leaning towards Bushnell but open to other suggestions. Just want an easy to read/accurate reading and something that won't fail, don't care about companion speakers, GPS, "ecosystem", etc.

 

Budget is not really an issue, but I'm not sure I need the Pro X3, although 7x magnification would be nice. The Tour V6 looks pretty attractive at half the price of the X3. Any recommendations?

 

 

[LUMA]

Absolutely love my Pro XE. I found mine in Edwin Watts open box for $100 less than retail. It was in brand new never used condition.

Edited June 3 by LUMA

[Sp4zRX]

I have the Nikon CoolShot Pro with the stabilization. It is a very nice rangefinder that you can’t go wrong with but from 100ish yards I don’t see stabilization to be a super useful feature. 
 

If I was in the market for a rangefinder today, then I think I would be looking at the Shotscope Pro L2. 

[Pepperturbo]

If Budget isn't an issue, Garmin's Approach z82.  It has both GPS and Laser functionality. 

 

How the user benefits from both, blind pins.  Point it in the direction, it provides yardage to the pin, even when I can't see the pin.  Also, gives a full hole image with various yardages inside left of viewer, and if you have the Garmin Golf app (free), provides windage inside.  Tournament or not, switch, and internal scoring which later uploads to Garmin Golf app.  Highly accurate too.  Downside, takes some time getting used to all its functions.

[marter]

47 minutes ago, LUMA said:

Absolutely love my Pro XE. I found mine in Edwin Watts open box for $100 less than retail. It was in brand new never used condition.

Thanks. I keep looking at the X3. It's really tempting.

 

20 minutes ago, Sp4zRX said:

I have the Nikon CoolShot Pro with the stabilization. It is a very nice rangefinder that you can’t go wrong with but from 100ish yards I don’t see stabilization to be a super useful feature. 
 

If I was in the market for a rangefinder today, then I think I would be looking at the Shotscope Pro L2. 

Thanks. I'm deep into Nikon cameras/lenses so no doubt on the optic quality. I'll take a look at the Shotscope.

 

10 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

If Budget isn't an issue, Garmin's Approach z82.  It has both GPS and Laser functionality. 

 

How the user benefits from both, blind pins.  Point it in the direction, it provides yardage to the pin, even when I can't see the pin.  Also, gives a full hole image with various yardages inside left of viewer, and if you have the Garmin Golf app (free), provides windage inside.  Tournament or not, switch, and internal scoring which later uploads to Garmin Golf app.  Highly accurate too.  Downside, takes some time getting used to all its functions.

Interestingly enough I have a golf buddy who wants to sell me his Z82 for $325. I've used it and wasn't impressed with the view screen vs. glass optics. A lot of information on the screen, probably more than I want to deal with, but I haven't ruled it out.

[Pepperturbo]

11 minutes ago, marter said:

Interestingly enough I have a golf buddy who wants to sell me his Z82 for $325. I've used it and wasn't impressed with the view screen vs. glass optics. A lot of information on the screen, probably more than I want to deal with, but I haven't ruled it out.

These things are as personal as golf clubs…understand.  Once I adjusted the optical viewer, it works fine for me.  I use it in conjunction with Garmin Fenix 6X watch.  Good luck

[nsxguy]

34 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

If Budget isn't an issue, Garmin's Approach z82.  It has both GPS and Laser functionality. 

 

How the user benefits from both, blind pins.  Point it in the direction, it provides yardage to the pin, even when I can't see the pin.  Also, gives a full hole image with various yardages inside left of viewer, and if you have the Garmin Golf app (free), provides windage inside.  Tournament or not, switch, and internal scoring which later uploads to Garmin Golf app.  Highly accurate too.  Downside, takes some time getting used to all its functions.

 

Sorry ? How does it do this ?

 

TIA

[Sp4zRX]

24 minutes ago, marter said:

Interestingly enough I have a golf buddy who wants to sell me his Z82 for $325. I've used it and wasn't impressed with the view screen vs. glass optics. A lot of information on the screen, probably more than I want to deal with, but I haven't ruled it out.

I used to play with a guy that had the Z82. I used it once and I can understand why people like it but it was not for me. It was over a year ago but I remember the image being like a computer generated image and not the real thing in front of me. It was very different than I’m used to. It also had loads of information. I just want to see what I’m actually looking at, zap, and get a number. 

[marter]

19 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

These things are as personal as golf clubs…understand.  Once I adjusted the optical viewer, it works fine for me.  I use it in conjunction with Garmin Fenix 6X watch.  Good luck

Believe me, as much of a tech geek as I am, it's tempting to go with the Z82 and get the S70 watch. My Galaxy is an AMOLED screen but I don't have the hole view, just scroll down for hazards. And I'm guessing I didn't have the eyepiece adjusted for me, I was sharing it with him. One of the main things I want to avoid is a distraction during my round, and it's probably a learning curve issue. I had a similar learning curve with Golfpad GPS.

 

So that combo is really tempting. I'd be interested in your technique on the course, do you track your shots? Does the Fenix prompt you for the club? Do you enter your score on the Z82 or the Fenix?

 

Thanks again.

Edited June 3 by marter

[boyscout]

Im in the optics business and am very critical of glass. The aforementioned  Nikon is what i bought. Is it perfect no, but of the ones i could test it was the best of all mentioned. The Nikons image stabilization really works in the real world, but i find when i push the button on any range finder i come off target just a bit. The Nikon stabilizer will try to hold the aim at that point, you almost have to force it back to target.

 I think i could be just as happy with the pro xe i find the jolt feature nice in actual use. But I feel the Nikons image is just better. 

[Pepperturbo]

1 minute ago, marter said:

Believe me, as much of a tech geek as I am, it's tempting to go with the Z82 and get the S70 watch. My Galaxy is an AMOLED screen but I don't have the hole view, just scroll down for hazards. And I'm guessing I didn't have the eyepiece adjusted for me, I was sharing it with him. One of the main things I want to avoid is a distraction during my round, and it's probably a learning curve issue. I had a similar learning curve with Golfpad GPS.

 

So that combo is really tempting. I'd be interested in your technique on the course, do you track your shots? Enter your score on the Z82 or the Fenix?

 

Thanks again.

No, don't let it chose clubs.  Clubs are not even listed.  I don't use the scoring function in Z82 either.  It takes too much time through the viewfinder, and distracts.  Easier and quicker to input score using Fenix watch.  If I want a club distance I use the yardage calculator in the golf app on the watch.  Though I can adjust pin position in my watch golf app, I don't, again too distracting.  I use watch GPS to F, M, B, and use Z82 for exact yardage to pins, to hazards and cover yardages though viewfinder, easier.  Some things I am just lazy about, so I figured out how to use the easiest n the quickest functions of each unit.  Z82 really comes in handy when playing a difficult course with a lot of blind obstacles - as most of them show up in the viewfinder.  Only major hazards and layup yardages show in Fenix golf app.

 

Play well.

[BostonWRX]

I’ve pretty much tried them all. Found the best overall one to be voice caddie tl1. I don’t use the slope but optics and lock on are great. Had the nikon cool shot 2. Kept shooting things behind the flag 

 

https://voicecaddie.com/product/tl1-laser-rangefinder-with-slope/

[marter]

8 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

No, don't let it chose clubs.  Clubs are not even listed.  I don't use the scoring function in Z82 either.  It takes too much time through the viewfinder, and distracts.  Easier and quicker to input score using Fenix watch.  If I want a club distance I use the yardage calculator in the golf app on the watch.  Though I can adjust pin position in my watch golf app, I don't, again too distracting.  I use watch GPS to F, M, B, and use Z82 for exact yardage to pins, to hazards and cover yardages though viewfinder, easier.  Some things I am just lazy about, so I figured out how to use the easiest n the quickest functions of each unit.  Z82 really comes in handy when playing a difficult course with a lot of blind obstacles - as most of them show up in the viewfinder.  Only major hazards and layup yardages show in Fenix golf app.

 

Play well.

Exactly my concern. Your approach makes sense. But it seems like I can get most of those (F, M, B, even blind, hazards, layups, and "plays like") from my Galaxy and GP GPS. Lacking hole view, which would be nice to have on unfamiliar courses. So I think the decision is Bushnell for through glass optics and longer reliability vs. a good deal on the Z82 but more potential for failure of electronics. And then look at a watch down the road when the Galaxy starts to die.

 

I'm tracking my clubs now in Golfpad GPS to learn my distances after my surgeries. I seem to have lost a club in distance, which is fine as long as I know it. I think I can get back to where I was in time but again it's knowing what I can plan on. So club tracking is not something I'm planning on long term.

 

Thanks for the input.

[marter]

To put a wrap on this for now, I ended up buying the used Z82 from my buddy. Too good a deal to pass up. I'll use it for awhile as a rangefinder only (no tracking, scorecard, etc.) but get the benefit of the hole view with hazards without a lot of fiddling, and continue to use Golfpad GPS with my Galaxy watch. I'm 50/50 on whether I'll keep the Z82 or sell it and get a Bushnell, but figured at that price I can always get out of it at a small "rental fee" (loss) if not break even.

 

Thanks all for the input.