RANGE FINDERS
Lasers are now much more than point and shoot.
BUSHNELL HYBRID £399
www.bushnellgolf.com
WHY IT’S WON: There are some occasions when a laser won’t help you – when you face a blind shot for instance. Bushnell has fixed the problem by adding a GPS to its newest rangefinder. Precise distances are provided through the Hybrid’s laser function, while the GPS display on the side delivers front, middle and back yardages to help when golfers have blind shots or need quicker, more general information. Separate power supplies for the two let you use the laser, even if the GPS isn’t charged, and vice versa. As with Bushnell’s other market-leading laser products, the Hybrid boasts Pinseeker with JOLT Technology – short, vibrating bursts to isolate the target and lock onto the flag. The vibrations let you know you have the exact distance to the flag.
BUSHNELL PHANTOM £99
www.bushnellgolf.com
WHY IT’S WON: Bushnell’s new Phantom has a high-powered magnet inside, which means it attaches easily to a belt buckle, electric trolley or any metal surface. You get all the usual back, centre and front yardages for each green along with four hazard/layup yardages per hole, thanks to Bluetooth connectivity (via the Bushnell app) it updates automatically. And you get all this for less than £100… amazing value.
GARMIN APPROACH Z80 £549.99
www.bushnellgolf.com
WHY IT’S WON: While Bushnell goes about combining GPS and laser tech via a screen on the side, Garmin does it differently – with a laser readout and a hole map viewed on the display at the same time. The graphic you see is similar to a GPS watch readout – an overhead view, where you see your position on the hole and any hazards between you and the green. It helps you plan out your shot by giving you the shape of the hole and the locations of hazards – a huge bonus over a normal laser if there are hidden hazards on a hole as well as the true shape of the green on over 41,000 courses worldwide. A Playslike Distance feature adjusts yardages based on an uphill or downhill slope (turn it off in tournament mode) and there’s built-in image stabilisation to reduce shakiness, from its 6x magnification. Pricey, but a really well executed idea.
GOLF BUDDY VTX £249.99
www.golfbuddyglobal.com
WHY IT’S WON: The VTX packs an enormous amount into such a wellpriced handheld. It features a full colour touch screen and a slim, lightweight design, making it simple to use and barely noticeable to carry. With access to a database of over 38,000 pre-loaded courses the VTX is ready to go. If you stray off course, a dynamic green view will give accurate distances from your angle of attack, even if it’s from a fairway across.
NIKON COOLSHOT 80i VR £419.99
www.europe-nikon.com
WHY IT’S WON: How many times have you tried to lock a laser onto a target, only for the shake to make it impossible? Nikon’s Coolshot 80i VR uses “optical vibration reduction” technology to compensate for any hand movements during use. The result is that the target remains stable, regardless of how windy it is, stabilising the beam and making it much easier to get the correct yardage. The tech works automatically once the button is pushed, and can scan continuously for approximately eight seconds or produce an almost immediate measurement in less than a second.
SKYCADDIE SR1 £129.95
www.skygolf.com
WHY IT’S WON: The SR1 is laden with tech, but Skycaddie reckon it’s the lightest and most compact micro on the market. You get green distances, lay-up targets, shot distance measurement, digital scoring, hole stats (fairways hit), fitness tracking and calories burnt as well a clock and access to 35,000 worldwide courses.