Golf Laser Rangefinder vs GPS Watch
This article will make it easier for the many golfers out there who are trying to figure out whether they should get a golf laser rangefinder or golf GPS watch. Both devices can get really expensive if you want the more high-end models with the very best features but there are low budget golf laser rangefinders with slope adjusted distances and golf watches with only the most essential features that can be purchased for about $100.
You can read more about the best low budget golf rangefinders by reading this article best budget golf laser rangefinders with slope under 200.
Golf Laser Rangefinders Pros and Cons
Pros
1. Golf laser rangefinders are very easy to use. All you have to do is align the reticule or crosshairs on the LCD screen with the target you want to get the distance to and press the Power button on top the device so that it can fire a laser and help you calculate the distance.
2. Golf laser rangefinders will give you much more accurate distance readings than a golf GPS watch would. They are accurate to within +/- 1 yard. Even the best Garmin golf watches are not as accurate as the budget golf rangefinders on the market right now. Their distance readings can be off by 5 to 10 yards.
3. A laser rangefinder can give you distance readings to any object on the course while a golf GPS watch only has distance information to only the most important objects such as the water hazards, sand bunkers and flagsticks.
4. The battery life for a golf rangefinder is much longer than the battery life for a golf watch. The battery life for a golf rangefinder is about 10,000 uses which is equivalent to 12 months for the average golfer while the battery life for a golf watch is about 12 hours or 2 to 3 rounds.
5. Both a rangefinder and golf watch use a lithium ion battery. One difference is that golf watches use a rechargeable lithium ion battery while most rangefinders use a lithium ion battery that are not rechargeable and mush be replaced once the power is depleted from the battery. However, there are a few golf rangefinders that use a rechargeable lithium ion battery. You can easily purchase a replacement battery for your rangefinder at any retail website. In contrast, with the golf watch, you cannot replace the battery yourself. So if the battery does not work anymore, then you will have to ask the manufacturer for a replacement and send the entire watch back.
Cons
1. Getting distance readings with a laser rangefinder takes a lot more effort than getting the distances from a golf watch. If you want to get the distance to a water hazard with a laser rangefinder, you have to take the device out and point it at the water hazard. The device will emit a laser beam (from the laser emission aperture on the front of the device) at the target and calculate the distance based on the time it takes for the beam to come back to the laser receiving aperture on the front of the device. This can take less than 30 seconds but it will take more time and effort than getting the same information from a golf watch. If you want this same information from a golf watch, you just have to navigate the menu screen to get to the right screen which requires a lot less effort.
2. Only the more expensive rangefinders come with a built-in magnet for attaching to the golf cart and preventing it from falling out of your cart and onto the ground which can cause the device to break and malfunction. If you use a golf watch, you do not have to worry about it falling out of your cart because it is attached to your wrist the entire time.
Golf GPS Watches Pros and Cons
Pros
1. Golf watches will give you real-time front, center and back distances to the green from your location without any intervention from you so you won’t have to go through the trouble of taking out your rangefinder to get the distance information because it is right there on your wrist. Some even have layup and carry distances to all of the hazards on the course along with yardages for the doglegs and 100, 150, 200, 250 yard makers.
2. Most golf watches come with stat tracking and date and time and the higher-end golf watches even come with a shot tracker, club tracker, pedometer, sleep monitor, heart rate monitor, apps for tracking running, cycling and swimming statistics, and Bluetooth technology for smartphone notifications and WiFi course updates while rangefinders do not have any of these features.
3. Golf watches come with detailed maps of the golf course that display a graphical representation of the fairway, sand bunkers and water hazards for each hole.
4. Golf watches are only about 2 inches wide while the longest part of a rangefinder is about 5 inches. Golf watches only weigh between 1 to 2 ounces while most rangefinders weigh about 1 pound. They are both small and lightweight but a watch is much easier to store away than a rangefinder is. You can put a watch in your pocket or just clip it to your belt.
Cons
1. When you arrive at the golf course, you will have to download the course information from a GPS satellite which can take about a minute. You do not have to download anything when you are using a laser rangefinder.
2. Only the most expensive golf watches come with slope compensation while even the cheapest golf rangefinders can adjust distances for slope.
3. Wearing a golf watch while they swing a golf club can be a problem for some golfers so for these people they should definitely go with a rangefinder instead.
Final Verdict
If you really want accurate distances and don’t want to wear a watch while you play, then you should go with a laser rangefinder. However, if you don’t mind that the distances are 5 to 10 yards off and you want a device that will give you easy access to distances to hazards and flagsticks and keeps track of your shot locations, distances for each club, steps taken and calories-burned, then you should definitely buy a golf watch instead.
