It is no surprise that golfers use rangefinders, which have become a piece of essential equipment on the golf course.
These handy devices allow you to distance yourself from the hole without walking up there. If you’re new to range finders or want a refresher on how to use them, this article is for you to know all the exciting stuff you need.
It works by measuring the time it takes for sound waves to travel from one place to another. Light travels faster than sound, so this difference allows it to measure distances accurately within a few yards of accuracy.
The best way to use your golf range finder is by calibrating it before each use and then holding it steady against your body.
With both hands while measuring your shot and adjusting accordingly based on what you’ve read through the digital display panel on its surface.
Are you short on time and need to hurry up? Here are some quick steps to follow while using Golf Rangefinder.
- Turn the Golf Rangefinder On
- Navigate Mode Managing
- Find the Target
- Take the reading ( more than one ideally)
- Level out the Rangefinder
Navigate Mode Managing
Navigate to the mode managing function. The mode-managing function is usually the default, so you don’t have to worry too much about it. However, if it is not set up properly, you can use this section to change your settings.
When you first turn on your Device and press “Mode Management,” you will be given a list of options showing whether or not each mode has been enabled for use in golf.
If none are checked off yet (or all are), just check off whichever ones apply specifically for golfing as opposed to other activities such as tennis, hunting, or hiking (or whatever else).
Point It Towards the Target
Point at the target and get it in the viewfinder.
- It is the simplest step, but you must practice this technique a little until you can do it without thinking about it.
- Pointing your rangefinder at any target should be easy. When doing so, ensure that the rangefinder is pointed directly at your target and not slightly off-center. You can use either eye or both eyes – whichever you prefer!
- Use a slope setting if needed (if there are hills). The slope of a hill will vary depending on where you are standing, so it may be more helpful for you if your target is farther away than one hundred yards or closer than fifty feet away from where you are standing.
Now that your hand position is set up correctly hold the rangefinder steady by keeping both hands steady on either side of it (or one hand if you’re only using one eye).
You should then see a small window appear on top of whatever object or person you are pointing your Device at in which numbers will appear as soon as its laser detects something within its range of vision.
These numbers indicate how far away an object is from where you are standing (in meters).
Take More than One Reading
Take several readings for more accuracy. The more readings you take, the more accurate your reading will be. Here are some tips to increase its accuracy:
- Take readings from different angles. Take one reading from behind the ball, another at a 45° angle, and a third at a 90° angle.
- Take readings from different distances from the target. You can move closer or farther away to get an accurate distance measurement if needed.
- Take readings from different distances from the hole (if it’s within range). If there is a flag in play that helps with measuring distance, use it!
- Hold the button for 2-3 seconds to view distance in yards or meters. The reading is shown in the viewfinder, display, and LCD screen.
Make sure the Golf rangefinder is Levelled.
- If you don’t make sure that the Golf rangefinder is leveled, the tilt sensor in it will not be able to give you an accurate reading or yardage.
- You should always level out your golf rangefinders before using them. If you do not level out a golf range finder, then it may not consider any incline or decline of the ground when giving you yardage information.
- If you are using a golf range finder on sloped ground or terrain (like hills), then make sure to adjust for this by leveling out your golf range finder so that it reflects true distance readings from certain spots throughout your course.
How to Aim Golf Range finder
To aim a golf range finder, you should hold it the same way as you would a club (also, you can use a tripod). Grip it firmly but not too tightly.
The best way to do this is place hand around the bottom of the handle and wrap your thumb around so that it rests against your pointer finger. Then place your other fingers on top of them and squeeze gently.
When holding a golf range finder, ensure that you do not extend either arm forward too far or raise it above waist height, as this will affect how accurate the reading will be when using it.
Instead, try to align yourself with an imaginary line between both eyes so that they are roughly at eye level when looking through the lens.
How to Adjust a Golf Range Finder?
Following are the steps to follow while fixing or adjusting your Device.
- Adjusting the Laser
- Adjusting the Range
- Adjusting the Elevation
- Adjusting the Angle (or Slope)
- Adjusting the Temperature and Colour Settings
Using a Golf Rangefinder
With golf rangefinders, you can get a very accurate reading of your distance from the hole. It is a great tool, especially if you’re playing in the woods or on a course with lots of trees.
There are many ways to use the rangefinder. It can help you determine your distance from the hole by using “pin seeking.” The pin seeker tool will automatically lock onto the flagstick and display its location on an LCD screen, allowing easy aiming adjustments before taking your shot.
The other way that people use golf rangefinders is by measuring their shot distances when they’re out on the course. These devices will give you readings from 10 yards to 1 mile away!
But one thing is for sure we have to examine both the most used Golf Rangefinders.
- Laser Golf Rangefinder
- Gps Golf Rangefinder
Both advantages and disadvantages exist, but most golfers prefer laser Golf Rangefinders.
Using a Laser Golf Rangefinder
Three things you should consider while using a Laser Golf Rangefinder
- Target Practice
- Distance to the Hole
- Course Management
A laser rangefinder will help you get more accurate when practicing your swing. The targeting feature makes it much easier to hit the target, especially for beginners and those who tend to miss their shots.
If you’re playing in windy conditions, this tool can help you determine how far away from the hole you are so that you don’t have to guess how far away it is.
Laser rangefinders are also a useful tool to help manage your courses.
Such as determining if there are any trees or other obstacles in your way of getting to the green on short par four holes or finding out if there is water on one of your tee shots so that you know what club should be used next time.
Using a GPS Golf Rangefinder
- It’s All about Gps
- It can show you far away from the pin, even if you’re playing from behind a tree or bunker.
- It can tell you how far away from the hole objects like trees or bunkers might block your view of the green.
- It does this by showing where they are concerning each other on a map before calculating their distance from your target hole (remember, it is about the Global Positioning System).
- It does not require line-of-sight for its operation because of the satellite up there.
Nonetheless, we should keep in mind that the accuracy of your GPS would vary from point to point while the accuracy of your laser won’t.
Check The battery
It is important to check the battery level before using the rangefinder.
- Replace the battery if it is low.
- A dead battery needs to be replaced.
- A low battery needs to be charged.
Summary
Once you understand how to use your Golf rangefinder, it will become one of your most valuable golfing tools.
Trees, sand traps, water hazards, and other objects on the course can be measured using it.
The best way to get accurate readings is by using a tripod stand or lying down on the ground so no air vibrations interfere with your measurements.
FAQ’s
How do you read a rangefinder?
Range finders are particularly useful in putting, as they can give you an instant measurement of the distance to the hole. All you have to do is aim at the target, hit the button,, and wait for it to give you the reading.
How to properly use a Golf Rangefinder?
- Start with the basics
- Read the numbers on your screen
- Consider wind
Once you have determined the distance to your target, most rangefinders come with an indicator that tells you how far off you are from each hole.
If you don’t know how far off you are from each hole, look for this indicator on your rangefinder, and it will show you the exact distance.
What is the best way to use a golf rangefinder?
The best way to use a golf rangefinder is to find out where you need to hit your shot. The answer to finding distance is simple: measure it! Use your beautiful eyes and a rangefinder to measure distance.
If you’re looking for exact yardage, then there are a few different things you can do:
Look at both objects before you and see if they match up. If they don’t match up, then it’s likely that one object is farther away than the other.
How to use a Manual Golf Rangefinder?
Once you have found a spot with no obstacles, look down the rangefinder’s eyepiece at the pin and study its shadow on the ground. The shadow should be very clear and easy to see in dark conditions. If it isn’t clear, try moving closer or farther from the pin until you can see it.
Once you find the shadow clearly defined, take note of its length and width so that you can use them as reference points for lining up your shot with the hole on your target board.