The best budget golf rangefinder does not need to feel or act cheap. Instead, you can get all the functionality you get from a premium rangefinder and just give up on a few of the bells and whistles. You therefore need to decide which suits you best. Ordinarily I would have always chosen the watch option but there is a lot to be said for the extra accuracy that range finders bring to the table. Having both is definitely an advantage when it comes to lowering your score. One of the most fun things about testing golf rangefinders is when you find a budget model that can hold its own against a premium model. The GolfBuddy Laser Lite does the best job of disguising itself as a premium rangefinder in the budget golf rangefinder category. Accuracy Nikon makes it easy to trust their product; with strong customer support and a tremendous reputation, this is a rangefinder that you can feel confident will get you through several years of golf.

The TecTecTec VPro500 is exactly what you may expect from a no-frills, budget-friendly golf rangefinder. However, when you look at the important things, like accuracy, usability, durability, and overall value, TecTecTec Vpro500 earns a spot on this list. Accuracy Finally, it’s worth noting that the PRO L1 is about 20% lighter than other rangefinders, but is comparable in size. In my hand, it actually feels a little larger, though it has the same silhouette as my previous rangefinder. I prefer this profile to the super compact lasers because my fingers aren’t cramped trying to access the buttons. The TecTecTec VPro500 is also considered an eye-safe laser rangefinder that will not strain your vision from continuous use.Good news if you are really golf obsessed! The Shot Scope Pro L1 is a slope rangefinder and has a slope mode that can be easily turned on and off. This helps ensure that your rangefinder is ready for any type of round that you may have going. Shot Scope claims the Pro L1 accuracy within one yard and displays all yardages to 0.1 yards! This gives the impression of some serious precision. In our testing the ShotScope L1, we found that the ShotScope Pro L1 was accurate within a yard up to 150-yards away, but that figure rose to ±2-yards outside that range, not bad but a smidge behind the GolfBuddy options in terms of performance.The Nikon claims to be accurate within a 2-yard range with this Coolshot model. Although it may not sound like too much of a difference, you have to consider whether you would rather have a 3-foot putt or a 9-foot putt for birdie… Features Like most modern rangefinders, the Shot Scope PRO L1 starts working the moment you install the (included) battery. One press of the power button brings up the aiming crosshairs, another press gives you the distance. To top things off the Shot Scope comes in a sturdy carry case with a zip and an easy access elasticated hook. Overall, the Shot Scope scores near-perfect marks for usability – better than many top of the range products. Value This is a small consideration but something that certain golfers will want to ensure they have thought of prior to purchasing. Usability

You may wonder if the PRO L1 sacrifices accuracy. It does not. I tested it against rangefinders that are twice the price, and it was consistently within half of a yard. The only negative is that it’s a bit slower than some more expensive models, but we’re talking about the difference between one full second and a half second.

Introduction

Avoid collision or heavy pressure when carrying or using the rangefinder, keep away from heat or corrosives. When it comes to usability in these budget golf rangefinders, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that because of the limited features that you will find; the rangefinders become quite easy to use. The bad news is that they can sometimes be a little harder to work with when getting yardages over the 150-yard mark. Maybe the best way to look at the Shot Scope PRO L1 rangefinder is that it’s an example of a known company launching a product while the others are examples of products launching a company.

The TecTecTec Vpro500 is very lightweight, compact and portable. The exterior is durable, and there is a carrying pouch that comes with the unit to help keep it safe. Usability M3 is Speed Mode and basically turns your PRO L1 into a speed gun. You hold the button down and target a moving object to tell how fast it’s going. Useful for golf? Not really, but you can have some fun with it. In addition to the rangefinder, you also get an excellent carrying case that you can attach to the outside of your golf bag for easier access. First Target Priority is probably the most important technology that the Nikon Coolshot 20i GII has in place. What the First Target Priority does is it will display the yardage automatically to the first target it can come across. This means you will not need to press a button to get the actual yardage; just simply hold up the rangefinder, and the closest target it comes across in the target will be read for you.Outside this range, human testing makes valid data a little more challenging to come by. However, the figures above should give you no doubt about the L10V’s accuracy and will be more than enough for most golfers. Features For the record, the fix was actually quite simple; hold down the mode button until it toggles between yards and metres.