A golf rangefinder is a device used by golfers to measure the distance from them to a target such as a flagstick on the putting green. A golf rangefinder uses laser technology to calculate the distance. It does this by bouncing a laser beam from the target back to the rangefinder to calculate the distance between the two points. There are two ways to use a golf rangefinder to calculate the distance to a target: slope mode and standard mode.
Most golf rangefinders have a built-in slope compensation function, which can be turned on or off as needed. In slope mode, the rangefinder takes into account the incline or decline of the course in order to provide an accurate distance measurement.
In standard mode, the golf rangefinder just provides the straight-line distance between the golfer and the target. There are many affordable golf rangefinders that will calculate slope-adjusted distances accurately. The Gogogo Sport Vpro GS19W is the best inexpensive golf laser rangefinder with a rechargeable battery. Read the following article to learn about the best inexpensive golf rangefinders: https://golfgpsauthority.com/best-budget-golf-laser-rangefinders-with-slope-under-100-200-300.
Slope compensation is a feature on golf rangefinders that calculates distances for uphill or downhill shots more accurately because it will adjust for the slope (elevation change between the user and the target). The rangefinder will then calculate an adjusted distance based on the degree of slope. Without slope compensation, distances would be measured shorter than they actually are when the terrain is sloped upwards, and longer when the terrain is sloped downwards.
Most golfers prefer to use slope mode when playing because it provides a more accurate distance measurement to the target. However, some tournaments do not allow you to use slope mode because that is considered an unfair advantage. If you are playing in a tournament that bans slope mode, most rangefinders have the ability to turn off the slope feature to it compliant with the rules.
To calculate a slope compensated distance, the rangefinder will have to determine several different things. It has to determine the degree of slope of the terrain the target is placed on and the actual or straight line distance to the target. It also has to determine the height of the target relative to your position and the horizontal distance to the target.
How does the golf rangefinder calculate the compensated distance?
Each rangefinder company has its own proprietary method of calculating slope compensated distances. A Nikon rangefinder will calculate the slope compensated distance for an uphill shot by adding the height of the target from the horizontal distance to the target while for a downhill shot it will subtract the height from the distance.
If it is an uphill shot, the rangefinder will add the height of the target to the horizontal distance to the target to give you the slope-adjusted distance as seen in the formula listed below.
Slope compensated distance for an uphill shot = Horizontal distance to the target + Height of the target
If it is a downhill shot, the rangefinder will subtract the height of the target from the horizontal distance to the target to give you the slope-adjusted distance.
Slope compensated distance for a downhill shot = Horizontal distance to the target – Height of the target
Why are there elevation changes for the terrain at a golf course?
Course designers add many different elevation changes to the terrain on a golf course in the form of hills and valleys to make it more challenging. Golfers have to account for these elevation changes when they are playing their shots because if they choose the wrong club they can end up in a bunker or water hazard which forces them to be more strategic.
What is the degree of slope?
The degree of slope is a measure of how steep a surface is and is usually expressed as a percentage, with 0% indicating a completely level surface, such as the ground, and 100% indicating a perpendicular surface. Most golf rangefinders can calculate the degree of slope and use that information to calculate the slope adjusted distance so that players can adjust their shots accordingly. The degree of slope will be displayed on the LCD screen along with the straight and slope-adjusted distances.
Knowing the degree of slope can help you make better decisions on which club to use which will shave strokes off your score. It is important to take slope into account when playing on a course with a number of hills or valleys.
The rangefinder uses the following formula to calculate the degree of slope:
degree of slope = (rise ÷ run) × 100
where rise is the height of the target and run is the horizontal distance to the target.
How does the rangefinder calculate the distances?
For all uphill and downhill shots, the rangefinder treats the relationship between the golfer and the target like a right triangle in order to get the necessary distance information. The rangefinder uses the Pythagorean theorem for a right triangle to calculate the straight-line distance to a target.
The Pythagorean theorem states that the sum of the squares of the perpendicular side and base of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.
Pythagorean theorem: (hypotenuse * hypotenuse) = (perpendicular side * perpendicular side) + (base * base)
The actual distance to the target is the hypotenuse. The height of the target is the perpendicular side. The horizontal distance to the target is the base.
horizontal distance to the target = square root ((actual distance * actual distance) – (height * height))
