How to use a golf rangefinder

Set it up before the round

Before you take a laser on the course, set it up at home. Focus the eyepiece by turning the dioptre ring until the display text is sharp to your eye; this is different for everyone and makes a big difference to how quickly you see the reading. Choose yards or metres to match the course. Check the battery: many lasers use a CR2 cell, some are rechargeable over USB-C. Finally, find out how slope is switched on and off on your model.

• Focus the eyepiece until the display is crisp.
• Set units to yards or metres.
• Fit a fresh battery or charge it fully.
• Learn the slope switch or mode setting.
• Attach it to the trolley with its magnet, if it has one, or keep it in a quick-access pocket.

Step by step: getting a reading

Most golf lasers use a flag priority mode that favours the nearest target among several readings, so the flagstick is chosen over the trees behind it. Bushnell call their version PinSeeker, Nikon call theirs First Target Priority and Locked On Quake, and Voice Caddie use Pin Tracer. The feedback, usually a short vibration, tells you that mode has found what it believes is the flag.

1. 1

   Stand still and hold the laser with both hands, elbows tucked against your body to reduce shake.

2. 2

   Look through the eyepiece with your dominant eye and press the button once to wake the display.

3. 3

   Place the aiming circle on the flag, ideally the flagstick itself rather than the flag cloth.

4. 4

   Press and hold the button, moving slowly across the flag if it does not lock straight away.

5. 5

   Wait for the lock confirmation: a vibration, a flashing ring or a lock symbol, depending on the model.

6. 6

   Release and read the distance. If it looks wrong, try again before picking a club.

Scanning and other targets

For bunkers, the corner of a dogleg or a tree you need to carry, use scan mode. Hold the button and sweep slowly across the hole; the display updates continuously. Some models limit scan time, so the Nikon Coolshot 50i GII listing, for example, states continuous scanning up to 8 seconds. Lasering a bunker face or the far side of a water hazard gives you carry numbers a watch might not show.

If you use a GPS watch as well, combine them: the watch gives front, middle and back of the green, and the laser gives the exact flag. Our GPS watch vs rangefinder comparison explains when each is more useful.

Reading slope numbers

On a slope model you will see a plays-like distance as well as, or instead of, the straight distance. Uphill shots read longer and downhill shorter. Use these in practice rounds to learn how elevation changes your club choice, and switch the function off for competitions under Rule 4.3. Our slope explainer shows how the figure is calculated.

Compare slope lasers with a clear switch →

Tips for misty, dull and wet UK days

Low cloud, drizzle and mist scatter the laser beam and can make lock-on slower. Aim for the flagstick near its base, where it stands out against the green, and move slowly so the device has time to pick up a return. Some models offer a rain or fog mode; the Mileseey GenePro G1 listing describes one. A two colour or OLED display, like those in our rangefinder guide, is easier to read when the light is flat.

• Wipe the lenses with a microfibre cloth, not your shirt.
• Keep the laser in a pocket or case between shots to stop the lens fogging.
• If it will not lock, try a closer reference, such as the front edge of the green, and add on.
• Check that rain has not left droplets on the front lens.

Note:Makers describe golf rangefinders as Class 1 laser products that are eye-safe in normal use, but their manuals warn against looking at the sun through the optics and against pointing the device at people. Keep it away from children and follow your model's manual.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my rangefinder read the trees instead of the flag? The aiming circle is probably drifting past the flag. Brace your arms, aim at the flagstick near its base and use the flag priority mode so the nearest target is shown.

Should I use my dominant eye? Yes. Using your dominant eye makes it easier to keep the circle on the flag and read the number quickly.

Do I need to keep pressing the button? Most lasers measure once on a short press and scan while the button is held. Your manual will describe the exact behaviour for your model.

Can I use a rangefinder in the rain? Most golf lasers are rated water resistant, for example IP54 or IPX6 in the listings. Dry the lenses and keep it covered when not in use.