Another year another no technological advance year for range finders.

[Frankensteins Monster]

Seems as if rangefinders have been stuck with the same tech for 10 years. $599 for X3 because it does slope and "barometric" pressure that is meaningless for nearly every person looking to buy a range finder? There are hybrids out there, but they've been stuck in a technology loop for years too. Thought the Z82 would be it, but with it's video feed screen, and abysmally off yardage arches for front, middle, and back, made it an instant return, I would routinely get yardages to the back that were less than what I shot the flag at. The SL3 looks like it could be a winner, but reviews have been less than stellar. 

[ShortGolfer]

I bought a Redtiger rangfinder from Amazon for just $85!  Which is great because they are easy to lose on the course!

Does what I need it to do.

Edited January 29 by ShortGolfer

[zap311]

Agreed. The only improvement in some models is image stabilization, but otherwise they are fairly unchanged. I would personally like to see more affordable options with 7x magnification.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

I spent $370 on the SS LX+ with the little (and I stress little) GPS tracker. It does the job I need it to do quite admirably. Though, the GPS tracker will take some practice as I'm not used to using a club tag gizmo.... 😄

Plenty of zoom, and was accurate enough to have me choosing the right club to land and roll to 5ft off the pin (admittedly the best best shot of the last 12 months LOL)... So, I guess my point is, if the tool does the job, just what are you really looking for?

This is not a technology problem, though, really. It is a cost problem. All of the stuff you may want would not only cost more money but require more power, which requires a bigger finder to incorporate the various arguably small but additional components..... which require more power and thus bigger batteries, and probably a charger and still yet more expensive "also includes" items in the box beyond the norm. So..... how's all you can handle for $1,500 sound?

Would that be more up the average golfer's alley? 😄

Probably not.

[TM_HOYER]

Skycaddie is releasing GameTrax 360 which will not only allow you to track each shot, it will track your swing. You will get the capability of their legacy product SkyPro but with a tag at the end of your grip. This will work with their new GPS along with the SX line GPS.

[Pepperturbo]

Back in late 2020, I bought a tournament ready Bluetooth Laser & GPS Garmin Approach Z82.  It's still, technologically advanced, above the rest. GPS yardage is darn close to my Garmin Sapphire 6X watch, and similar to my buddies golf watch.

 

In the finder, I see not only the yardage to the pin, plus elevation if desired, but on the left a full-hole diagram with various yardages to key spots and hazards, yardages to layup and doglegs and Pinpointer and windage in the lower left.  But maybe most appreciated is yardage to a pin that I can't see because something hides the pin.  Especially great playing new courses.  It provides club yardages and chooses clubs too, but never used.  Digital Scorecard to that talks to Garmin watch, and Garmin Golf app on my iPhone, but I don't use that latter function.  It's not cheap, but what else can be asked of such an item.

Edited February 6 by Pepperturbo

[dcmidnight]

Interesting, I've always wondered if the Z82 works as good on the course as it does in the reviews. I've been a watch guy for the last 5 or 6 seasons but a wrist issue means that I'm looking for other options.

[puresurfr]

Im waiting for the Bushnell X3+, it will have wind direction and adjustment through the eyepiece which is getting info from your smartphone.  Maybe in the future they will incorporate a launch monitor into the rangefinder and u can use your phone to view results

[TacoCarl]

On 1/28/2024 at 8:40 PM, ShortGolfer said:

I bought a Redtiger rangfinder from Amazon for just $85!  Which is great because they are easy to lose on the course!

Does what I need it to do.

How do people lose these so easily? Is it a cart thing, because in a cart it’s usually not attached to the bag?

[Lobbing Iron]

I often forget mine when I take the kid out on Sunday afternoon.  I depend heavily on habits, and when the routine is broken all bets are off

[st1800e]

On 2/7/2024 at 4:38 AM, dcmidnight said:

I've always wondered if the Z82 works as good on the course as it does in the reviews

It doesn’t, don’t waste your money like I did.  

[Golfcrzy]

I returned my Z82 as well, but eagerly await its successor. Trusty Nikon remains. 
 

I think the CaddyTalk Cube brought some innovation, but I don’t like the lack of image stabilization and I had a harder time seeing through the viewfinder with the big red dot. I could never shoot the same spot twice, so back it went. 

[smoky25]

Really like my Cube, especially the triangulation feature on cart path only days.  And I've only charged the rechargeable battery once in the several months I've had it (my guess would be ~30 rounds/charge). 

[sheppy335]

I jut bought the Golf Buddy Aim L11, 85 bucks. I understand what you are saying but what tech upgrades or advancements are you looking for? I mean we dont need it to shoot real far, we do need it to be more accurate, maybe that is the advancement. My kid has one she loves, will use that for college golf where GPS isnt allowed. 

I am with you on the need for advancement but only things i can see is more accurate, more stability and fast lock on. Help us out people! LOL

[Frankensteins Monster]

1 hour ago, sheppy335 said:

I jut bought the Golf Buddy Aim L11, 85 bucks. I understand what you are saying but what tech upgrades or advancements are you looking for? I mean we dont need it to shoot real far, we do need it to be more accurate, maybe that is the advancement. My kid has one she loves, will use that for college golf where GPS isnt allowed. 

I am with you on the need for advancement but only things i can see is more accurate, more stability and fast lock on. Help us out people! LOL

Hybrid (optical and LED), in eyepiece, screen with accurate front middle and back and pin position from front based on laser reading. When on tee or fairway, accurate yardages to hazards/bunkers front and carry and distances to 200, 150, 100 yardages to center of green. 

[HappyGilmore22]

On 2/12/2024 at 10:10 PM, puresurfr said:

Im waiting for the Bushnell X3+, it will have wind direction and adjustment through the eyepiece which is getting info from your smartphone.  Maybe in the future they will incorporate a launch monitor into the rangefinder and u can use your phone to view results

When are these coming out? Any idea if they'll stay at $600 or will it cost more?

[puresurfr]

25 minutes ago, HappyGilmore22 said:

When are these coming out? Any idea if they'll stay at $600 or will it cost more?

 the X3+ with wind direction should be out in March, the rest I mentioned is my over active imagination.

[HappyGilmore22]

6 minutes ago, puresurfr said:

 the X3+ with wind direction should be out in March, the rest I mentioned is my over active imagination.

https://uncrate.com/bushnell-pro-x3-rangefinder/

Only thing I could find about it other than overhearing a Bushnell rep stating in a youtube video there was an X3+ coming out in March.

[dcmidnight]

I'm thinking more along the lines of an integrated GPS device. But do you really need a range finder to tell you which direction the wind is blowing? And if so - is it going to change on the fly if the wind is swirling around?

 

Wind direction sounds like an awful thing to add for pace of play. Oh wait its not connecting to my phone, oh now it is, wait the wind direction changed, wait now my phone is waiting for a network connection...

 

(guy lays the sod over a 100 yard wedge shot)

Edited February 21 by dcmidnight

[Imslimjim]

On 2/12/2024 at 10:10 PM, puresurfr said:

Im waiting for the Bushnell X3+, it will have wind direction and adjustment through the eyepiece which is getting info from your smartphone.  Maybe in the future they will incorporate a launch monitor into the rangefinder and u can use your phone to view results

 

I talked to a Bushnell rep at the PGA show last month and sadly the adjusted yardage doesnt take into account wind impact. Yes the wind direction and speed is piped from the phone app to the rangefinder but youre supposed to figure out on your own the adjusted yardage impact on top of their slope adjusted one. The rep said that the exact science of calculating the wind impact into an adjusted yardage isnt there yet. Funny as though Arccos does wind compensation within their app, however they're a data analytics company that can put enough engineers on the problem compared to Bushnell.

[puresurfr]

57 minutes ago, Imslimjim said:

 

I talked to a Bushnell rep at the PGA show last month and sadly the adjusted yardage doesnt take into account wind impact. Yes the wind direction and speed is piped from the phone app to the rangefinder but youre supposed to figure out on your own the adjusted yardage impact on top of their slope adjusted one. The rep said that the exact science of calculating the wind impact into an adjusted yardage isnt there yet. Funny as though Arccos does wind compensation within their app, however they're a data analytics company that can put enough engineers on the problem compared to Bushnell.

 

Thank you for that information, I think they have the technology but they are planning for that on their next release....Companies cant put all their goodies into one bag, instead, they want u to upgrade every year

[North Butte]

On 1/28/2024 at 7:59 PM, Frankensteins Monster said:

 Thought the Z82 would be it, but with it's video feed screen, and abysmally off yardage arches for front, middle, and back, made it an instant return, I would routinely get yardages to the back that were less than what I shot the flag at. The SL3 looks like it could be a winner, but reviews have been less than stellar. 

Anyone who has spent time comparing golf GPS units to laser rangefinders know that GPS gives inconsistent and at times laughably inaccurate yardages. The Z82 just makes that obvious by letting you compare the numbers side by side in real time. Probably 8 out of 10 yardages you get with GPS are within a couple yards of the real number but the other 2 out of 10 can be all over the place...and that's even before you encounter blatant mapping errors.

[Frankensteins Monster]

45 minutes ago, North Butte said:

Anyone who has spent time comparing golf GPS units to laser rangefinders know that GPS gives inconsistent and at times laughably inaccurate yardages. The Z82 just makes that obvious by letting you compare the numbers side by side in real time. Probably 8 out of 10 yardages you get with GPS are within a couple yards of the real number but the other 2 out of 10 can be all over the place...and that's even before you encounter blatant mapping errors.

Using gps apps have been pretty good when I’ve compared them to a laser and able to position the flag in the app. 

[nitram]

On 2/5/2024 at 8:17 PM, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

I spent $370 on the SS LX+ with the little (and I stress little) GPS tracker. It does the job I need it to do quite admirably. Though, the GPS tracker will take some practice as I'm not used to using a club tag gizmo.... 😄

Plenty of zoom, and was accurate enough to have me choosing the right club to land and roll to 5ft off the pin (admittedly the best best shot of the last 12 months LOL)... So, I guess my point is, if the tool does the job, just what are you really looking for?

This is not a technology problem, though, really. It is a cost problem. All of the stuff you may want would not only cost more money but require more power, which requires a bigger finder to incorporate the various arguably small but additional components..... which require more power and thus bigger batteries, and probably a charger and still yet more expensive "also includes" items in the box beyond the norm. So..... how's all you can handle for $1,500 sound?

Would that be more up the average golfer's alley? 😄

Probably not.

 

 

Agreed.It gives you a number or two, what else do you need? In my experience, the more sophisticated/complicated an item is made ensures it will fail when you need it the most.

Edited March 1 by nitram

[jholz]

I bought a bare bones Leupold a couple of years ago - PinCaddie 3. 

 

No slope. No stabilization.

 

I wanted to get something simple - just quality components and build, giving me straight line distances I could trust.

 

It took me six months to get used to it and learn how to employ it properly - but I have no complaints.  

[gioguy21]

wont lie not sure what MORE you guys are really trying to get out a device designed to simply get a distance between you and a target. we have jolt, we have target acquisition software, we have slope - 

ya'll want it to hit the ball for you too? 

[Blaiser]

Was really hoping we would see a new version of the z82 this year. Would be the perfect rangefinder if they are able to sort out the bugs.

 

I wonder why bushnell completely ditched their hybrid line? Each year I think they will release something that is a hybrid laser/gps but looks like they just don't see a market for it.

[Imslimjim]

On 2/23/2024 at 5:35 PM, puresurfr said:

 

Thank you for that information, I think they have the technology but they are planning for that on their next release....Companies cant put all their goodies into one bag, instead, they want u to upgrade every year

 

Hopefully on the next release. Its funny the piping of wind direction and speed was originally planned for the X3. Actually there were user manuals and product literature prepared illustrating this scrapped feature. It was pulled at the last moment prior to the X3 release two PGA shows ago.