How To Use A Golf Rangefinder And How Does It work?

Last Updated on September 30, 2022 by Deb

Usually, A golf rangefinder is a highly-defined technology to measure the distance between the avid golfer and the hole or any point on the course where the ball goes after striking. So every golfer must know how to use a golf rangefinder while measuring the distance of the targetted golf hole. Besides, this gadget has different benefits in improving course performance, but to get these benefits, you have to know how it works and gain proper knowledge to use it while practicing. Perhaps it is a little difficult for beginners to measure the perfect distance through the rangefinder.

Still, once you get the experience to measure distances, you can easily assume roughly without this electronic device’s help. Although using a rangefinder in a competition is not legal, you can easily use it during practice. You will generally get three different types of rangefinders that you can use on the course while golfing. These are GPS, Laser, and Optical, and among them, GPS and Laser rangefinders widely use for golfing. All these three kinds of rangefinders are battery-powered but work differently. If you want to get the best impact, you have to follow some tricks while picking for your golf practice.

Golf expert’s tips to getting the best impact of your rangefinder

• Before paying for your rangefinder, check the range, magnification, and rise of it. Try to choose the device with various magnification degrees to get a clear view of the flag post.
• When you are using your rangefinder, stand outside of the tee box. It will give you an incredible viewing of the flagstick and the entire course area.
• At first, focus on a specific point of the course and immediately discard it before creating a swing. It provides you a fantastic result in getting the expected distance. However, you have to adjust the eye hole before focusing on the targeted space to view comfortably.
• You may be a pro or a leaner; always clean the eye hole and your device’s lens properly before placing it on the carrying case.
• To avoid any unwanted disturbance, keep an extra set of batteries on your golf bag.

Besides, there are several rules to get an unobstructed view while using your rangefinder.

• While using your device in the fairway, try to stand next to the golf ball and hold your golf scope up to the eye; it will help you get a clear hole-view.
• Make a straight line with the bottom of the flagstick and the green when looking with your viewfinder.
• The numbers you get from the line of the flagstick’s top will be your yardage, and this value is the perfect way of club selection for creating approach shots. So choose your club for hitting the golf ball to make an accurate shot.

When you have an obstructed view, follow the below instructions to get an accurate distance reading.

• Set the golf scope at the lowest stripe but count the numbers from the flagstick’s top.
• Multiply the stripe number with the lined-up numbers with the flagstick’s top and divide the result by eight.

Working technology and how to use A golf rangefinder while golfing

1. Laser Rangefinder

Among the available rangefinders, the laser rangefinder is the simplest one because it produces depending on a straightforward technique of physics. An advanced laser beam technology uses to calculate the accurate distance of the flag post.

The principle of distant target mode is to send the beam light to the specified flagstick and calculate the duration of the comeback of this light from the reflective surface of the targeted spot. The high-quality laser efficiency of this device shows adequate distances within a short time. This distance-measuring device is so easy to handle, it is popular among amateur golfers. However, laser beam technology has many constraints for accuracy in hilly areas or rough courses.

However, some producers manufacture the laser rangefinder with a built-in-inclinometer technology to measure the targeted space’s slope. Besides, some models can even focus on the background that can create inaccurate data. These models have a feature of pin-seeker that helps to overcome the barrier of uneven courses.

Advantages

• Show off a wide magnification up to 5X.
• Provide a clear and better view of the target acquisition.
• Give a more accurate determination of the distance.
• Need no installation of a course map like a GPS rangefinder.
• Less expensive and also more reliable for the data.

Limitations

• Comparatively more pricy than any other type of golf rangefinders.
• Little tricky to set the laser beam.

How to operate a laser golf rangefinder

On the smooth course –

• Fix the distant target priority mode.
• Point the rangefinder towards the identified broad targets.
• When the closest targets come into view, draw the trigger and release the laser beam light.
• In the interim, require to wait for returning the beam light from the reflective pieces.
• Then watch the reads on target distance on the screen of the device.
• To get more accurate results, you have to repeat the same process.

On the hilly course –

You have to take notes of the tilt angles and the maximum driving range of the area. Using a tilt angle, you will get the flag post’s exact location resulting from the elevation differences. However, you can’t get the terrain distance down the slope because the ranger can only calculate the horizontal spaces. The getting distance will be a little shorter than the actual ground distance.

While targeting the flag post from a hill –

In this case, firstly, you have to switch on the scan mode on focusing on a larger object closer to the flag post and pointed it towards the flagstick. Then zoom in on the flag by keeping the rangefinder steady. After this, select the horizontal distance at the border of the targeted more massive thing. At last, aim at the gap between you and the targeted flag.

2. GPS Rangefinder

Global Positioning System or GPS is a device that works through the satellite service—one of the most advanced technologies that input the distance measuring gadget professional golfers on the golf course. GPS rangefinder has a map of the specific golf courses through which it calculates the accurate distances with satellite feed. When you take your GPS rangefinder, you will get a preloaded map, or you will have to download your expected golf course map on it.

Besides, you have to subscribe to get the satellite service from their websites and even pay a monthly or yearly fee to become the service provider’s member. Moreover, you will need a smartphone or companion computer to sync the relevant golf course data from your GPS rangefinder. When your GPS gets the satellite connection, you can get any distance data on the golf course. You can get the information of 100 to 150 meters around the flag post.

Advantages

• Simple and easy to use.
• Provide results within a few seconds.
• Work without aiming any hole or flagstick.
• More accurate than a laser rangefinder.
• Provide distance value from all the sides like the front, rear.

Limitations

• Require a preloaded course on an electronic device.
• Give a difficulty for any obstacle or tricky point.
• Access to satellite service.
• Require knowledge to operate it.
• Pay a monthly fee for a subscription.

How to operate GPS Rangefinder

• At first, download the targets and course into your smartphone.
• Switch on your GPS rangefinder when you want to get data.
• Connect your GPS with your smartphone to get satellite service.
• After getting the satellite on your GPS, select the target hole.
• When you select the point, the distance data pops on the screen of your electronic device.

3. Optical Rangefinder

The optical rangefinder is a monocular distance-measuring device having two lenses and prisms at the end of each lens. It is a gadget also like a camcorder. This arrangement ensures you a complete view of the targeted object with a zoom in and out facility. Besides, it has a built-in scale in angles through which it determines the distance between the projected object and the detecting device. Some models have only a built-in scale and pick the height of the intended object. Then it converts the height data into the distance. Although it does not offer the best result, you can get slightly accurate data by improving your focus on the pinpoint.

Advantages

• It is comparatively lower in price than two other types of golf rangefinder.
• The compact size makes it easy to carry and more portable.
• It is pretty simple to focus on the target flagstick.
• You can also use it as a hunting rangefinder.
• You don’t need a subscription, replacement batteries, or course download.

Limitations

• The result is not so accurate as the other two rangefinders.
• The preset height scale does not appropriate for all kinds of golf course configurations.

Working Principle of An Optical Rangefinder

• Triangulation

This optical device works through the concept of parallax, one form of triangulation. The two lenses of this rangefinder focus on the same target through a focusing knob. This focusing knob superimposes two images from these two lenses. Then the rangefinder converts the accurate readings into the distance through the calibration scale attached to the knob.

• Focusing

The accuracy of the distance data depends on how efficiently you detect the focal point. It is mandatory to pin the rangefinder accurately and focus on the target carefully. If you can’t set the viewfinder on the spotlight properly, you never get a reliable result from it.

How the use of rangefinders will impact on Major Championship?

Conclusion

When you complete this article’s reading, you will get the answers to all your queries about the types of golf rangefinder. The working procedure of these three available rangefinders that we describe above will remove all of your confusion. You can also decide which one will be perfect for your golfing and fulfill the tournament rules. Depending on your targeted holes’ guesswork, you will not play when you can pick the rangefinder with superior accuracy on mapping distance. Stay with us and visit our website to get more information and tips for improving your handicap and golfing knowledge.