Golf Laser Rangefinder vs Golf GPS Watch/Handheld | Which One Should You Buy?

Should you get your yardage from a golf laser rangefinder or a GPS device?

If you're living in the last century, you may have access to a living, breathing caddie. Or you can settle for whatever markers you can find on the course. Whatever you do, it's a personal choice. But if you want to get a little something-something once reserved for the pros, you need to know what's out there in the every-expanding world of golf gadgetry—and that's where we come in with this big fat article on golf rangefinders vs GPS!

We're introducing you to 26 products from the best golf brands in the world. Yes, 26! For convenience sake we've divided them into categories. Simply go to the table of contents to surf this article at your leisure.

Why Use a Golf GPS Device?

A fully-featured GPS will provide the most robust information, especially your first time out on a course. Get everything from distances to the green to yardages to bunkers in your hand or on your wrist. Basically, it's an electronic caddie. Plus a GPS will not only give you the distance to the green and the obvious bunkers and water hazards between you and it; it will also show you the hazards you can't see. Moreover, there’s information about the size and shape of the green which can be crucial for good course management.

The downside of golf GPS is accuraacy. These devices don't give exact yardages to the flag, although upgrades in tech get close enough for many average golfers. But if you've leveled-up your own game enough so that a few yards makes a difference, you're likely looking for a golf laser rangefinder.

What's a Golf Laser Rangefinder for?

Every rangefinder in the PlayBetter Golf Store, from the Bushnell to Nikon to Precision Pro, is accurate to within a yard, and sometimes to half or even tenth of a yard!

Also, golf rangefinders can be used anywhere, and you don’t need to worry about downloading in advance to playing. Lasers are also a valuable asset on the range.

Issues with rangefinders? They create a pace of play. Whereas a GPS will give you yardages as soon as you get to your golf ball, a rangefinder requires you to take it out and then aim it at the flag to get that accuracy. And sometimes shakey grip can be a problem, although there are a couple of procucts in our lineup that eliminate that problem, like the Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED.

Keep in mind, a laser rangefinder can only give you yardages to things you can see and connect to with the laser. A laser is usually only best for getting the distance to the pin. Although some brands, like the Garmin Approach Z82, got creative by practically dropping a GPS watch in their rangefinder.

The Recap

To review, GPS is about convenience and learning the course you're playing. Rangefinders are about accuracy. And there are a couple of hybrid products out there that offer the best of both worlds. At PlayBetter, we offer only top brands that excel at making both of these devices, such as Garmin, Bushnell, Voice Caddie, SkyCaddie, Shot Scope, Nikon, and Precision Pro. Read all about them below!

Check out this hybrid golf GPS laser rangefinder review from our go-to guy for golf product reviews, Gabe from Let's Play Thru.

• Get an edge with Elements! Golf laser rangefinders with slope compensation are more accurate because they factor in the incline/deline to your distance to the hole. Bushnell added in temperature and elevation to their patented slope technology for even more precise compensated distances.
• It's tounament legal! Most tournaments don't allow slope adjustment. Slope-Switch Technology lets you easily switch in and out of Slope mode. The red crescent next to the switch shows that slope is disabled.
• Integrated BITE magnetic technology in the Bushnell Pro XE golf laser rangefinder allows you to easily grab and reattach the rangefinder to the cart, so you can keep the game on pace.
• PinSeeker technology with JOLT let's you know when you've locked on the flagstick. Get double the confirmation with a visual flashing red ring and a vibrating pulse.
• Get game-changing clarity with Bushnell Pro XE's 7x magnification, stunning definition and vivid color!
• Trust Bushnell technology for precise distances with yardage accuracy within 1 yard.
• The Bushnell Pro XE golf rangefinder has an IPX7 full waterproof rubber armored metal housing.  

• Reduce hand shake by 80% with Stabilization. Don't let annoying hand shake or wind knock you or your high-end technology out of play. Nikon created an advanced optical stabilization system in the COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED. (Fun fact: The reason this device does not have a magnetic mount is because it interferes with the stabilization technology).
• Get near-instant measurements (approx. 0.3 seconds) that are comfortably visible within the bright, crystal-clear OLED display. This lightweight rangefinder gives you super-quick reads with HYPER READ technology, so you can focus on your shot options without getting slowed down by your golf gadget.
• DUAL LOCKED ON ECHO technology gives a visual cue plus a pleasant audible confirmation to let you know you're measuring the flagstick, not a tree or other object 20 yards behind it.
• Turn on ID (incline/decline) mode, and your distance will factor in slope, crucial for uphill and downhill shots. An Actual Distance Indicator (ADI) LED signals to make it tournament legal.
• Nikon has been a world-leader in optics for more than 100 years. The COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED golf rangefinder display is wide and bright, with multi-layer coated optics that provide 6X magnification and a long, adjustable eye relief.
• Get the lay of the land! Press and hold the power button to see distances in real time as you survey your surroundings (up to 8 seconds). Know the exact distance of trees, water features, sand traps, and other hazards.
• Waterproof and fogproof!

• Slope-compensated distances! The Tour V5 Shift uses an enhanced slope algorithm to provide golfers with even more precise tour-trusted compensated distances to account for the hole’s incline/decline.
  
• It's tounament legal! Most tournaments don't allow slope adjustment. Slope-Switch Technology lets you easily switch in and out of Slope mode. The red crescent next to the switch shows that slope is disabled.
• Integrated BITE magnetic technology allows you to easily grab and reattach the rangefinder to the cart, so you can focus on the next shot.
• Know when you've targeted the flagstick with Bushnell's PinSeeker technology with JOLT. Get double the confirmation with a visual flashing red ring and a vibrating pulse.
• With its 6x magnification, stunning definition and vivid color, the Tour V5 Shift will take your sightline and your game to the next level.
• Accuracy and precision! You can trust Bushnell technology for precise distances with yardage accuracy within 1-yard.

• Get slope adjustment! Turn on ID (incline/decline) mode, and your distance will factor in slope, crucial for uphill and downhill shots. When slope must be off for competitive play, an onboard Actual Distance Indicator (ADI) LED signals compliance.
• DUAL LOCKED ON QUAKE flagstick confirmation technology gives a visual cue plus a gentle vibration to let you know you're measuring the pin, not a tree or other object 20 yards behind it.
• Comes with a mounting magnet! This lightweight golf laser rangefinder is not much bigger than a smartphone, weighing in at 6.2 oz. for easy pocketability. But you want to keep the game moving, so they included a built-in cart mounting magnet. It's ready when you need it and out of the way when you don't.
• Nikon has been a world-leader in optics for more than 100 years. The COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED golf rangefinder display is wide and bright, with multi-layer coated optics that provide 6X magnification and a long, adjustable eye relief.
• Get the lay of the land! Press and hold the power button to see distances in real time as you survey your surroundings (up to 8 seconds). Know the exact distance of trees, water features, sand traps, and other hazards.
• It's rainproof!

• Simple to use, the PRO L1 rangefinder is the perfect combination of size, accuracy, and advanced technology.
• At under $200, you'll feel smart while you play smart!
• Change the display from Black to Red at the press of a button, making this display readable in all light and weather conditions.
• The adaptive slope technology and target-lock vibrations allows for more confident swings.
• Adaptive slope technology means more precise distances that factor in incline/decline.
• 6x magnification, a precision clear lens, and an adjustable eyepiece offers the sightline you'll love on out on the links.

• An enhanced LCD display with 6x magnification ensures that you'll always find the flag.
• Adaptive slope technology means you'll get more even precise distances than no-slope rangefinders, factoring in incline/decline.
• With magnetic grip, you won't have to fuss with your bag mid-round. The NX9 quickly sticks to their cart, clubs, or any other metal object.
• Pulse vibration technology delivers a short burst to let you know they're locking on to the flag and not a tree.
  
  

• Integrated BITE magnetic technology allows you to easily grab and reattach the rangefinder to the cart, so you can focus on the next shot.
• Know when you've targeted the flagstick with Bushnell's PinSeeker technology with JOLT. Get double the confirmation with a visual flashing red ring and a vibrating pulse.
• With its 6x magnification, stunning definition and vivid color, the Tour V5 Shift will take your sightline and your game to the next level.
• Accuracy and precision! You can trust Bushnell technology for precise distances with yardage accuracy within 1-yard.

• Ensure you'll always find the flag with the rugged, water-resistant NX2 golf laser rangefinder.
• Get a clear 6X magnification LCD display, while target acquisition technology makes it easy to lock on, even with shaky hands.
• Be more confident in their swing and club selection with an accuracy of +/- 1 yard.

• With the bigger, 1.3” sunlight-readable easy-to-view display of the S62, you can access over 41,000 maps of golf courses worldwide.
• Get accurate front, middle and back distances to the green plus hazards and dogleg location
• Use on-wrist scorekeepingThis watch is stacked with additional shot-maximizing features.
• AutoShot game tracking and Green View allow you to keep better track of your game and manually drag and drop the pin to increase your accuracy.
• PlaysLike Distance feature adjusts basic front-middle-back yardages for uphill, flat, and downhill shots.
• On blind shots, the PinPointer feature shows you on the screen which direction to swing.
• Virtual Caddie factors in wind and suggests clubs for you based on the distance you normally swing for that club.
• This smartwatch also offers tracking, health, safety, and workout features. These include: step counter, calories burned, distance traveled; Health monitoring, including wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation, all-day stress, sleep, hydration, women's health tracking; a compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, control music on your smartphone; use Garmin Pay™ for that drink after you round; training, running, cycling, swimming, and outdoor recreational features
• 14-day battery life in smartwatch mode

• Access over 41,000 maps of golf courses worldwide from your wrist with the Approach S42.
• Get accurate distances to the green plus hazards and dogleg detection.
• Scorekeeping on wrist
• Take advantage of AutoShot game tracking and Green View for manual pin drag and drop to increase accuracy.
• PlaysLike Distance adjusts yardages for uphill, flat, and downhill shots (slope compesation).
• The PinPointer keeps you direction-oriented, even in a blind spot.
• The S42 is a lightweight GPS golf watch with a comfy design and sleek look.
• A sunlight-readable touchscreen gives you that edge of accuracy on even the brightest days.
• Choose from three color palettes: gunmetal/black, polished silver/white, or rose gold/light sand.
• Get smart notifications—emails, texts and alerts—right from your wrist on and off the course.
• Get up to 15 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 10 days of regular use.
• Monitor sleep, hydration, and women's health.
• Get motivated with the step counter and move bar, and train with basic running and cycling profiles!

• In this Garmin Approach GPS watch, you can expect a sleeker .9" sunlight-readable screen.
• Get over 41,000 preloaded courses from around the world, features for referencing basic front-middle-back yardages to the green, hazard detection and avoidance features.
• Keep score on your screen.
• Get stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit)
• Pair with Approach CT10 club tracking sensors.
• Get a battery life up to 30 hours in GPS mode and up to 10 weeks in watch mode!
• Enjoy basic watch features (no touchscreen), including time/date, GPS time sync, auto daylight savings, sunrise/sunset times plus Bluetooth® Smart connectivity, smartphone compatibility.
• Like all Approach golf wearables—the S12 is tournament legal.
• This GPS wearable made for the improvement-minded golfer, comes in black, granite blue, and white.

• Get more time on the course between charging with longer battery life—15+ hours compared to the previous ION2 Bushnell golf watch.
• The ION EDGE GPS golf watch also has a NEW touchscreen display. Now you can cycle through your golf features with ease.
• Use GreenView with moveable pin placement for added accuracy.
• Dynamic Green Mapping with front and back distances shown based on your line of play.
• Get super handy shot distance calculator.
• Includes auto hole advance.
• Get up to six hazard distances per hole.
• The Bushnell ION Edge has 38,000+ preloaded worldwide golf courses.
• With the Bushnell Golf App that is free with your purchase you get access to hyper helpful features like Hole Layouts with Distances and 3D Flyovers with Distance!
• With auto course recognition, the course shows up on your ION EDGE GPS watch as soon as you show up, with auto course updates via the Bushnell Golf App.

• Access golf features through an amazingly bright color AMOLED screen that is a stunning 1.39".
• There's also a SkyCaddie LX5C GPS golf watch option, which sports a lovely ceramic bezel, if you want to add a touch more class to your golfer's wrist.
• Stunning HoleVue® and IntelliGreen® imagery.
• Ultra-fast multi-core processor for instant response.
• Preloaded with over 35,000 of SkyGolf's ground-verified, error-corrected maps.
• Offers patented IntelliGreen® for exact shape of the green.
• Get digital scorecard and stats with SkyGolf® 360 Cloud.
• The LX5 and LX5C golf GPS watches are Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi enabled.
• Use multiple watch faces.
• Fitness features include heart rate monitor and step counter with distances.
• Battery life gives you up to 2 rounds.
• Includes 3-year worldwide membership providing real-time updates to over 35,000 ground verified course maps and SkyGolf 360 Cloud Service for performance tracking and analysis.

• The T8 is loaded with Voice Caddie's proprietary A.I., algorihtm, Smart Course View, and Smart Green View features.
• New to this watch is the the Putt View feature that allows you to visualize your putt with Green Undualtion and distance from where you're putting.
• Also new, is the Ball icon that, when touched, will show you the undulation and the distance to the pin from the ball.
• Get auto-displays as you progress from tee-to-hole. At the teeing ground the T8 auto-displays the course preview. When approaching shots, it auto-displays the Smart Green View. On the green, the Putt View displays. And after your shot, you'll see your swing tempo.
• Manage your course experience with Smart Course View. Study the hole layout from the tee box and get useful information like driver landing area and distance to hazards.
• Get an edge when attacking the green with Smart Green View. The green rotates to your location. With a more realistc view of the green's undulation, you'll be able to see the breaks. You can also reset the pin location. And arrows help you understand the degree of slope.
• Swing in comfort with a lightweight (1.7oz), ergonomic design.

• Offers a full color touchscreen that has LCD and Night mode for a clear display day and night!
• Get around false fronts and significat changes on the green with Green Undulation. This Voice Caddie feature uses satellite imagery to heat-map the slopes of the green and displays color shaded data on watch (red is highest points, blues are lower).
• Make better shots with course layout views (yardages to hazards and bunkers), and, of course, become confident in your shots with GPS distances to the front, middle, and back of the green.
• Plus, the G1 automatically reconizes the hole and calculates the slope. When tournament mode is enabled, only actual distance will show. Touch the pin to change pin loacation with customized pin placement.
• Get your location and distances quickly with Assisted GPS!

• F/M/B GPS Distances. Using the latest GPS technology, V3 provides highly accurate yardages to greens, available in yards or meters.
• Bunker and Water Hazards. V3 displays the front and carry distance for every bunker and water hazard.
• PinCollect Technology marks the location of the pin with this, V3 can produce detailed and accurate statistics on approach play, short game and putting.
• V3 comes preloaded with over 36,000 courses worldwide and free updates.
• Superior Course Mapping. Owning our course mapping database allows quick updates to be made to any course in the world. Every aspect of a hole is mapped and quality checked by our team of elite golfers. There is no additional cost to play courses abroad either, all courses are included for free.
• Strokes Gained Analytics measures the golfer’s performance taking into account the hole length, shot length, and lie type of every shot and putt during a round of golf. It compares this performance against a defined dataset, for example tour players.

Launch Monitor Side

• It's a golf cart Bluetooth speaker.
• It's got a magnetic mount that holds tight to a golf cart.
• Provides audible GPS distances.
• We've had it reviewed! According to Gabe at Let's Play Thru, "the distances are dead on," and he found the sound quality is "as solid as my stereo at home." Watch the Bushnell Wingman review.
• It works with the Bushnell app that offers 36,000+ professionally mapped golf courses worldwide, full-color 3D flyovers and graphic layouts of each hole, shot distance and scorecard tracking, and swing speed and tempo using the Swing Pro feature.
• Super easy setup and easy to use.
• It comes with a remote.
• Users can take calls through the speaker.
• The Bushnell Wingman is water resistant.
• Change the voice in settings, choose sound effects, or create custom messages.

• Distance made easy. For an easier read, the Bushnell Phantom 2 has a larger display and an increased font size. You'll be able to see yardage to the middle, front, and back of the green at a glance.
• This lightweight, compact golf GPS is always within reach. The size makes it easy to toss in a bag or stick to any metal surface.
• The BITE magnet on the Phantom 2 GPS is stronger, allowing it to stay put as it rides along on your cart, your clubs, or your belt buckle.
• The best golf cart GPS. The Phantom 2 is truly a GPS made for the golf cart. It has a stronger BITE magnet mount that can hang tough while you roam the course.
• Twice the battery life is another sweet upgrade of the Phantom 2. You get up to 18 hours—enough for 4 rounds of golf. But let's say you show up to the course and forgot to charge your golf GPS ... the Bushnell Phantom 2 compact GPS can now function while charging. Most golf carts come with a USB port—just plug in and charge and play away!
• Quick access to golf features. Choose your club with confidence when you know the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green.
• The Bushnell Phantom 2 golf GPS now offers GreenView with moveable pin placement. Simply cycle through the different pin locations and select to get a more precise distance to the flag.
• Along with GreenView, the Phantom 2 now offers Dynamic Green Mapping. With this feature, your front and back distances are based on your line of play.
• As with all Bushnell GPS devices, the Phantom 2 GPS handheld is preloaded with maps of golf courses. This version now has over 2,000 more, providing you with over 38,000 preloaded courses worldwide!
• Get the best golf GPS app. The Phantom 2 GPS comes with the Bushnell Golf app, allowing you to unlock useful yardage information, track and store your rounds and statistics, and execute course updates wirelessly.

• It's sunlight readable. The Approach G12's design offers a high-resolution screen that’s easily readable on even the sunniest days.
• Get 42,000+ preloaded courses. Your watch comes preloaded with more than 42,000 CourseView maps of golf courses around the world. Wirelessly download updates for the course you play most often.
• Front, middle, and back of green distances. Club with confidence when you know the distance to the front, middle and back of the green.
• Built-in scorecard app. Forget the scorecard. Keep track on your watch and upload to the Garmin Golf™ app.
• Enough battery for 3 rounds. Play from sunup to sundown with a battery life that lasts up to 30 hours.
• Know what to avoid. The course maps give distances to hazards and doglegs so you know exactly where they’re hiding no matter where you stand on the course.

• Dynamic HoleVue provides every distance you need from anywhere.
• Double-tap or pinch and zoom HoleVue to know the critical distances to all hazards, carries, and layups.
• With IntelliGreen Technology the exact shape of the green automatically rotates to match your angle of approach.
• Dynamic HoleVue with IntelliPath Technology rotates the fairway and orients the green from your current position and angle of attack as you progress from tee to green.
• Dynamic RangeVue provides multiple yardage arcs overlay fairway landing areas.
• Auto-Course Selection finds and loads your course.
• Auto-Hole Advances shows the next hole before you get there.
• Auto-Zoom provides the best view of the hole as you go from tee to green.
• Auto-Distance updates yardages continuously from your location without aiming.
• Auto-Green Depth calculates the green's depth and the distance to the front, back, and any number in between, all from your angle of approach.
• Measures the distance hit on any shot and learns your club distances.
• Basic Front/Center/Back view with ultra-large numbers.
• Digital Scorecard
• Stat Tracking

• MYSLOPE technology in the Precision Pro R1 Smart Rangefinder combines a player's unique ball data with environmental variables. The result is hyper accurate distances that factor in launch angle and spin rate, ball speed, altitude, temperature, and humidity. What? Now that's launch monitor speak right there!
• The kicker? You get this in-depth analysis for precise distances and many other features ... for only $319.99.
• You are aptly thunderstruck, because this device is super reliable and jam-packed with other features like GPS distances, 37,000 preloaded course maps, wind assist, magnetic cart mount, and more!

Who dropped a fully loaded GPS golf watch into a golf laser rangefinder that has slope and the ultra cool Green Undulation feature? Voice Caddie did! And it's as amazing as it sounds. The Voice Caddie SL2 hybrid rangefinder shows course and green features on a color touchscreen below the viewfinder on the device.

This hybrid GPS laser rangefinder provides you with slope compensated distances and then gives you even more information about the green, so you can know the risky areas. The Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid Slope Rangefinder helps you remove the guesswork with Smart Course View™ features that allow you to see the landing area of your driver from a preset driver distance, touch bunkers and hazards to see the distance to the front and end, zoom in for enlarged views, and get the distance from a selected point to the pin. The SL2 is also loaded with Active Green View™ features that include a more realistic and intuitive Green Undulation experience, a zoom screen that allows you to move the pin and navigate around the green, and the "active" part of this feature rotating the green according to your location, and more!

PlaysLike Distance is Garmin's slope technology, which, as you would expect from Garmin, gives you hyper accurate distances with uphill and downhill elevation factored in. Also in keeping with the Garmin brand, you get a whole lot of other golf features in the this premium golf laser rangefinder with slope.

With the Garmin Approach Z82 golf laser rangefinder, you basically get all the golf features you get in their fully loaded Approach S62 golf watch, plus the laser rangefinder side of things. It's kind of the gladiator among these slope rangefinders! Other features you have to look forward to on the range or the golf course include Green View for distance to the back, middle, and front of the green, Laser Range Arc to see everything in play at that distance, Hazard View, Account for Wind, PinPointer to know where to aim, even on blind shots, Flag Lock On with vibration, 42,000 preloaded course maps worldwide, and more!