Whether you’re pin seeking or laying up in front of that water hazard, both laser rangefinders and GPS units provide you with accurate distances to your target on the course. But which one better suits your game and style? Are you a GPS or a laser rangefinder user when it comes to plotting your way around the golf course?

“For a lot of people, it comes down to simple preferences,” says Tim Malek, with Bushnell in Canada. “Are you the type of person who needs to know something is 111 yards away, or is it enough that you’ll be within four or five yards? Those are things to consider.”

While Bushnell is best known for its laser rangefinders, the company also works in the GPS space. Garmin is best known for a wide variety of GPS watches and handheld units. There are benefits to both rangefinder and GPS units, depending on what you need as a golfer, as well as your particular personal preferences.

Here are a few things to consider to help you pick the best option for you.

Finding Your Distance

Laser rangefinders can pinpoint exact elements of the course. Do you want to know how far it is to carry that bunker? What about the distance in front of that pond? If you’re the kind of player that likes to take dead aim at the flag, then a laser rangefinder is likely the way to go.

The best laser rangefinder units offer elevation features that will determine the yardage based on whether the shot is up or downhill. Bushnell Golf’s patented Slope Technology, available in its Tour V4 Rangefinder, gives golfers compensated distance based on the hole’s incline/decline to help you confidently determine the yardage on your club’s big downhill par three, or what club you’ll need to the uphill green on a testing par 5. If you play in tournaments, you might consider the Tour V4 Shift. This rangefinder easily toggles in and out of the Slope function, so you can turn it off, making it legal during tournament play.

GPS units come preloaded with thousands of courses worldwide. The advantage here is that you can track yardage to areas that might not be in your line of sight, like that blind bunker on the dog leg left, or allowing you to see the course layout if you’re playing it for the first time. You won’t get as precise of a read to the flag as a rangefinder, but depending on your game style, that might be okay.

Multi-Purpose

If you’re a multi-sport athlete or want to take steps to improve your overall fitness and well-being, but you don’t want to wear or carry multiple devices to help you achieve those goals, then a GPS watch is the way to go. Garmin’s Approach X40 GPS golf band is an all-in-one solution that combines a golf GPS with fitness tracking.

Sync your GPS with your smartphone to get notifications for incoming calls, texts, emails and other alerts right on your watch. Garmin Connect is the online golf community that lets you play, then share and compare. Download your round and contrast it to your last round; track improvements to your game for every course you play. Garmin Connect Golf app can even assemble your ideal round, combining your best score for each hole to get your ideal 18 for that course.

How-to Use It

The most obvious difference between the two is how you use it. Some players might find it difficult to hold a laser rangefinder steady enough to get an accurate yardage to the target. While laser rangefinders have gotten smaller, units designed to be used in a single hand can prove problematic for some people, in which case, a GPS might be the way to go. Other players simply can’t tolerate a timepiece on their wrist while playing. If you’re one of those people, then a handheld GPS or a rangefinder is more likely for you.

At the end of the day, whether you’re a rangefinder player or GPS player, it comes down to personal preference. Each have their own advantages, which is why often some players will actually use both. Regardless of your choice, the technology will surely help you with course management.

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