From Nikon to Bushnell: The 10 best golf rangefinders in 2024

You’re a golfer and you, to nobody’s surprise, want to hit the ball in the hole. After months of getting in golf shape, you’ve perfected control of the muscles essential to your swing and practiced them again and again. Need 100 yards to the hole? You can hit exactly that within a 5% margin of error. But you don’t need 100 yards. Or maybe you do. In fact, you don’t know how far you are from the hole. If only you had a golf rangefinder to tell you how far it is away and how much slope you have to fight to get up to it.

The best golf rangefinders will help you in much the same way that a golf GPS can. They act like an informational gun, just point and shoot to learn how far away something is and possibly even learn how much slope you’ll need to climb to get there. Where a GPS gives you a map of your surroundings — and, possibly, how far away something is and even slope based on GPS data if you’re lucky — the rangefinder will give you a true-to-life look at the land as it is today. At least, as long as you can see the spot you want info on from your current vantage point. Oh, and they magnify, too, making them like sort of single-lensed binoculars for golf (monoculars?). As a result, some golfers like to use a rangefinder instead of a golf GPS, or even use the two in tandem. The following are the best golf rangefinders to help you settle in on your next 18, putting the perfect amount of power on each shot.

The best golf rangefinders in 2024

• Buy the  for one of the best overall golf rangefinders.
• Buy the for a durable, premium model.
• Buy the for an affordable golf rangefinder with club suggestion.
• Buy the for a delightful display.
• Buy the for excellent image quality and stabilization.
• Buy the for a durable, customizable rangefinder that makes for a great golf gift.
• Buy the if you want a rangefinder with a handle.
• Buy the in you want a GPS viewing port, too.
• Buy the for a “screen view” rangefinder and best-in-class zoom.
• Buy the for the best golf rangefinder on a budget.

Bushnell Tour V6 Shift

Best overall

Bushnell produces a few lines of high quality golf rangefinders, and the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift is a particularly attractive model. In addition to being able to scan up to 1,300 yards away, provide 6X zoom, and have a visual “jolt” when aiming at the flag, the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift has a slope switch. This means that you can use it with or without slope on, depending on your preferences. If you’re practicing for (or participating in) a tournament where you can’t use slope, you’ll want to turn it off, for example.

The model has an attractive frame with sharp colors and bumps for extra grip along the top and bottom of the chassis. Should you play during a light rain, your rangefinder should come out okay, as well, considering it has an IPX6 environmental resistance rating. This does mean that it doesn’t have dust protection but has some water protection. Just don’t think you can get away with dropping it in the water.

While the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift is by no means the most expensive golf rangefinder, it is a quality model and has a slightly above average price. For those wanting something more approachable for a skeptical beginner to the product category, that means this one might be a skip. However, if you’re looking for premium quality without having to pay the absolute top dollar, this is an excellent choice.

Bushnell Pro X3 Laser Rangefinder

Best premium choice

For a rangefinder that will get you through everything the course can throw at you, consider the Bushnell Pro X3 Laser Rangefinder. This golf rangefinder will last you for quite awhile, both in terms of skill and durability.

It gives you either a red or black display, which you can toggle to your preferences, and you very well might want to switch to see things more clearly depending on the local environment or time of day. Whatever the situation, between the two appearance types, you’ll get to see what you need. When you aim to the pin, you’ll get a visual jolt to show that you’ve correctly aimed where you’re headed. We think you’ll also appreciate the locking slope switch, as when it gets locked off the Bushnell Pro X3 Rangefinder will be tournament legal.

You might initially feel nervous to use the powerful magnet on this Bushnell golf rangefinder to attach it to the side of your golf cart, but we don’t think you should be. This rangefinder is tough. Its chassis is rubber-on-metal and it is IPX7 rated, making it a difficult for water to permeate. In other words, no matter where you are now on your golf journey and no matter where you intend to end up, the Bushnell Pro X3 Laser Rangefinder should both be suitable for you and able to withstand whatever happens along the way.

Callaway CSi Pro

Best for club suggestion

One of the big bonuses of using a rangefinder for golf is giving you the insight you need to choose how to make your shot. And slope optionality (which this rangefinder has) certainly helps. Knowing the distance from your location to the hole helps you know how hard to hit the golf ball and what club to use. Unless you’re a beginner.

But, by inputting your typical 7 iron distance into the Callaway CSi Pro will change all of that. On the left of the viewfinder, it will give personalized recommendations for you. That makes this a great golf tool for beginners that don’t have a good sense of which club to use yet. We’ve actually talked about what clubs to remove from your bag in the past — there are some you probably aren’t using as much as others — but this tool just might be the thing that makes all those bars of metal around with you worthwhile. Another point that makes it good for beginners is its below-average price point. So, give this golf rangefinder a try to boost your success in the early stages of your golf journey.

Nikon Coolshot 50i

Excellent display

Nikon, a company known for making some of the best cameras, obviously has its scope and zoom game down. The Nikon Coolshot 50i takes the experience of the outdoor photography world to the golf field with the Coolshot 50i. It has a bright OLED display that, when combined with the power of the anti-glare and high-contrast coated lens, provides for excellently clear views of the hole. By holding the power button down, you can also engage Continuous Measurement Mode, which gives you live distances for other objects around the hole as you scan and pan the rangefinder’s view across the landscape.

If you’re paranoid that other people are paranoid that you’re slope when you aren’t supposed to, you’ll really appreciate the ADI (Actual Distance Indicator) LED light on the left-front of the rangefinder. Shown as a clear square-like piece wrapping from the front to the left side in the picture above, this LED glows a bright green. A perfect peace of mind feature for competitive situations.

While the body of the Coolshot 5i isn’t the most indestructible we’ve seen and its water resistance is just IPX4 (rainproof, but might struggle in a deluge) we are happy to report that it has a 5 year warranty. This rangefinder should last you for the long haul.

Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized

Best image quality

The Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized is perfect for getting a good read, even in inexperienced hands or for those with difficulty keeping hands perfectly still. That’s because it uses similar technology to what you would see in a Nikon camera to reduce issues like hand shake and more. So, whether its super windy or your motor control isn’t quite what it used to be, the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized is there to help you out.

This rangefinder also has other great features you might expect from a Nikon. It has a beautiful, bright OLED display and a view that fights glare. There’s also a bright exterior indicator that shows you have slope mode turned off, making you visibly tournament legal. Though there is some premium pricing for the stabilization (and other efforts) to make this one of the best golf rangefinders, the reduction in frustration can quickly make it worth it.

Precision Pro NX10

Best customizable

For a stylable, durable golf rangefinder consider the Precision Pro NX10. Its built with durability in mind and can take a fall or two. It has a long-distance hole lock on feature that gives a satisfying vibration when the rangefinder has hit the hole and, with a toggle, can give slope calculations.

Contributing to fun of this golf rangefinder is the ability to change out the skin. Shown above is the “Good” variation, but there are many more to choose from. For example, you might like these (California or Arizona), , or edition. And there are many more to look at on the Precision Pro website. Not only does this make the Precision Pro NX10 the perfect gift for your golf buddy that doesn’t have a rangefinder yet, it also contributes to that overall feeling of durability. If your skin gets a scratch, you can always exchange it out for another one.

Zero Friction Laser Pro SM Rangefinder

Best with handle

Let’s face it, not everyone likes the ham-fisted cam grip that most golf rangefinders utilize. The Zero Friction Laser Pro SM provides a nice alternative, with a pistol grip to line of the shot in an alternative manner. You might find the controls a touch finicky at first as you get used to the device’s form factor but the vibration it gives off once you’ve locked onto the pin should counteract any issues you might have. The rubber around the grip will also allow you to get a firm grasp of the handle and keep it still, even with slightly sweaty hands from a long day of driving and putting.

The Zero Friction Laser Pro SM Rangefinder has a zip up carrying case and IPX5 water resistance. This means that you’ll have a safe place to keep it and it won’t get crunched up in your bag and that it can also take a drizzle or two while you’re out on the links.

Voice Caddy SL3

Best with GPS

When you golf, you already have to carry a ton of clubs. With accessories like a GPS, a rangefinder, and golf club brushes it can become an object-intensive sport if you don’t put your foot down somewhere. The Voice Caddy SL3 Active Hybrid GPS Laser Rangefinder can, at the very least, help you combine the need for a golf GPS and a rangefinder into one device. And the good news is that they actually work quite well together, with features like GPS Pin Assist using GPS data to help you lock in on the pin. The integrated GPS has access to over 13,000 US courses and more than 15,000 worldwide courses.

You’ll also appreciate the premium chassis of the Voice Caddy SL3, as it has a soft leather exterior with a shiny head of polished metal. This makes it both durable and stylish, with a surprisingly vintage look for such a cutting-edge device.

Callaway SV Laser Rangefinder

Best for zoom and screenview

Putting your eye on a monocular view like you’re looking through microscope can be frustrating, especially if you wear glasses or sunglass while you golf. The Callaway SV (the SV stands for “Screen View”) gives you a comfortable-to-use LCD screen instead, displaying everything you need to know in large, bold characters. If you’ve spent some time as a smartphone photographer, you’ll know that it might be somewhat tricky to aim at first, but with a two-handed approach you’ll be able to get a steady shot in no time.

While the hard chassis of the SV should be enough to keep it safe, you’ll also appreciate the hard carrying case it comes with as well as its inherent water and fog resistance. As with many rangefinders, there is also the option to magnetically attach it to your golf cart as you go from place to place. The Magnahold bar can be seen in the large black area that juts out for the left of the SV.

Blue Tees Series 1

Best budget

If you want a rangefinder for under $200, it can be tricky to find something of quality. This older Blue Tees model, however, has depreciated in price over the years. It has all of the standard features you want, such as a pulse vibration mode when it locks on to a target, slope detection, and the like. Though not the super bright OLED we’ve been getting, you’ll likely appreciate its HD display as well. The main shortcoming on this rangefinder is, well, its effective length, which caps out at 700 yards. But, hey, Tiger Woods’ longest drive was under 500 yards, so unless you’re applying herculean strength to the ball, the savings might come in handy.

How we chose these golf rangefinders

What does it take to get the best golf rangefinder? There’s quite a lot to consider, especially considering they’re a very actively used object. Here are the things that we looked into and examined for the above rangefinders for golf.

Accuracy

Clearly accuracy is important when you’re taking a rangefinder out to the golf field. We find that most premium rangefinders are accurate within about a yard, which is just fine. You’ll also find that they need some distance to be accurate and let the laser do its thing, meaning you wont want to use a rangefinder on the green unless your prepping for a long putt.

Pin and flag lock on

If you’re aiming your rangefinder at the hole and flag, prepping to make your final approach to the green, distances become quite important. Unfortunately, at this stage, it can be a big issue if you mean to aim for the flag but hit a tree or bush in the background.

To avoid this issue, nearly all rangefinders for golf have a feature that alerts you when you’ve got your aim properly aligned at the flag and hole. These “lock on” features come in a variety of forms, and include visual tells, vibrations or haptic feedback, and sometimes even auditory tells. Be sure to pick a rangefinder with a feedback methodology that suits your needs.

Range and zoom

These statistics let us know the effective range of the rangefinder as well as what zoom level we can get when we use it. Typically, a zoom level of 6X or above is considered quite favorably.

Please note that the pin and flag lock on feature, described above, is typically not active for the full effective range of your rangefinder and will only come into play during the last 300 yards or so.

Slope: Ability and toggle

Slope measurement is sometimes considered one of the golden features of laser golf rangefinders. Sometimes. (More on that in a moment.) The ability to carefully measure a slope and give guidance based on quick geometry and ball trajectories is a big deal. Simply put, going 200 yards on a flat plane versus 200 yards at a 10 degree incline are super different. The best golf rangefinders can help you understand it.

Believe it or not, slope can be a double-edged sword. While rangefinders are allowed in professional play, USGA guidance on DMDs (distance-measuring devices) restricts their usage in tournament play. According to the guidance, you can access the distance between two point but you cannot use displays of effective playing distances, such as from slope devices. Furthermore, if a device displays information in a “readily viewable” way then than information is considered to have been used.

Considering nearly all rangefinders have a slope toggle, that can mean some problems during competition. Each rangefinder has its own way to work with this. Some, for example, have a strong lock or toggle that makes it difficult to accidentally switch it while others have a bright LED light that shines when you’re in compliance with appropriate no-slope regulations.

Durability

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when choosing with golf rangefinder to buy, but there’s always the chance you’re going to drop it. And anything that will be fumbling around in your hands frequently will have a large chance of being dropped eventually, just think about how often you drop your phone. Luckily, on the golf course, you’ll likely be dropping your range finder on turf (don’t use this over the mid-hole lake) but you’ll still want to consider getting one with a stronger chassis. And that goes doubly if you’re clumsy.

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