Hands-On Review: Nikon Golf Laser Rangefinders

While best known around B&H as one of the leading camera and photography brands, Nikon is, first and foremost, an optics manufacturer. Looking beyond camera lenses, though, Nikon's other optical pursuits lie in the sport optics realm, including binoculars, spotting scopes, and laser rangefinders. A subsection of the laser rangefinder category is golf laser rangefinders—palm-sized monoculars that incorporate a laser to measure the distance to an object. In the context of golf, you'll be using these to determine the distance between yourself and, depending on the shot, the pin, bunkers, water hazards, or whatever other course elements you need to gauge the distance to.

What Is a Golf Laser Rangefinder?

In practical use for golfers, carrying a dedicated laser rangefinder is a huge boon for everyday players looking to save precious time, immediately giving them the greatest accuracy. Compared to pacing off from sprinkler heads or even working off of yardage books or GPS-based maps, rangefinders work from the exact point you're standing and let you measure distances to the pin, rather than just the center of the green. For driving, you can quickly find how far it is to carry that fairway bunker or, for long par 5s, how long your layup shot needs to be.

Another key attribute of many rangefinders is their ability to factor in slope to your effective distance readings. This is a helpful aid for casual recreation play—make sure not to use it during tournaments that otherwise might let you use a rangefinder—and gives you a better sense of how elevation might affect your distances. For example, rangefinders that have a dedicated slope function can figure that a pin that is (horizontally) 150 yards away and 30 yards above your feet will play more like 180 yards, giving insight on how to club-up for uphill shots or down for downhill ones.

How to Use a Laser Rangefinder for Golf?

Incredibly intuitive, golf laser rangefinders truly are a "point and shoot" kind of tool nowadays. Simply look through the monocular, press the measurement button at the object you want to know the distance of, and the yardage will be displayed on the digital display within the viewfinder. The most common places to use a rangefinder during a round are from the tee, when checking how far carries might be or how long it is until a fairway runs out; on par 3s, when looking to get more exacting distances than what the scorecard says; and for approach shots, to save time from finding other distance markers and for improved accuracy.

Overview of Nikon's COOLSHOT Rangefinders

Nikon currently has three tiers of rangefinders: the COOLSHOT 20i/20 GIII, the COOLSHOT 50i GII, and the COOLSHOT PROIII STABILIZED. The good news is that, in terms of essentials, all of these do the same basic functions of reporting distance with good accuracy, presenting a 6x magnified view so you can isolate more distant targets, and all have some level of weather-resistance for those who don't mind playing in a little rain. Beyond the basics, though, each step in the rangefinder series unlocks greater accuracy, viewing quality, and more features to make your rounds more enjoyable and your rangefinder results more precise.

The COOLSHOT 20i GIII and COOLSHOT 20 GIII are essentially the same device save for the 20i including ID Technology (Nikon's name for slope-adjusted measuring). If you're strictly a tournament player looking to save a bit of money, the 20 GIII is a solid choice. If you're more of a recreational player or if you're a tournament player looking to make detailed slope-inclusive notes during your practice rounds, the 20i GIII has that function.

Beyond this one differentiator, the key shared specs of this tier include a 6-yard to 800-yard measuring range; First Target Priority mode, which ignores background elements and prioritizes flagsticks for more accurate ranging; and Locked On Quake, where the rangefinder vibrates once the pin is recognized. Both models are also the smallest and lightest rangefinders in Nikon's lineup—3.6 x 1.5 x 2.9" and 4.6 oz—and they're rainproof.

Moving up a tier, the COOLSHOT 50i GII adds a greater measuring range of up to 1200 yards; improved Dual Locked On Quake, which adds a visual cue along with the vibration indicator for when a pin is recognized; and a stronger built-in magnet for attaching directly to a cart.

Rather than taking up a precious cup holder or precarious seat space, if you're a cart golfer you can attach this rangefinder directly to the metal frame of a cart for quick access when preparing to hit your shot. This model also features an OLED display within the finder, which displays information in a clearer red color for easier readings in busy scenes. Like the 20-series rangefinders, the 50i GII also has ID Technology to account for slope, a continuous measuring mode, and has a rainproof design.

Finally, the top-tier model in Nikon's lineup is the COOLSHOT PROIII STABILIZED, which, namely, adds Optical Stabilization Technology to its list of features. This steadies hand-shake and makes it easier to pinpoint distant targets—it's a great addition for those playing in colder temps, those whose nerves might be high during competition, or for caddies who might be making more detailed notes with regard to driving distances and other long-range targets.

The PROIII also has HYPER READ technology that gives accurate readings in as little as 0.1 seconds for making multiple quick readings. Additionally, this model is the sole member of Nikon's lineup that is rated to be fully waterproof and fog-proof.

Hands-On Use and which Rangefinder for You

I had a chance to use both the COOLSHOT 20i GIII and the COOLSHOT PROIII STABILIZED on a recent golf trip to Scotland and have also used them around my home courses in New York. For travel use, in particular, I find a rangefinder to be indispensable for getting around a brand-new course, especially if you don't hire a caddy and are just working off a yardage book.

I'm primarily a walker, and exclusively a walker when traveling, so I especially appreciated the weight savings of the 20-series rangefinders. Trading in some of the more advanced features for 3 fewer ounces is big for me. On the other hand, some of my rounds in Scotland were rainy, windy, and cold…and the stabilization of the PROIII STABILIZED was a pretty significant benefit for making readings when semi-shivering. On trips like these, you'll be playing in whatever the weather is, so having a rangefinder that doesn't detract from the experience is great.

The stabilized view of this model is also pretty amazing to use in regular, sunny conditions. It's impressive to be able to smoothly survey a hole with no jitters and gain more accurate information quickly, thanks to the HYPER READ tech.

I think the majority of everyday golfers will be best served by the COOLSHOT 20i GIII model; this is my personal favorite and feels like the sweet spot of the lineup. Everything about it is intuitive and I like the slope function (ID Technology) for practice and more casual rounds. The weight and size savings is also great for those trying to cut down on excess in their golf bags and the battery life has been great in practice. If you know you'll never make use of the slope function, then save a few dollars on the 20 GIII—for me, however, ID Technology is a fun asset and again one of those tools that helps when playing a new course.

If you're a dedicated cart golfer, the COOLSHOT 50i GII is likely the go-to option. Its functionality isn't significantly better than the 20i, but it does have the improved Dual Locked On tech and the integrated magnet really is a necessity for those playing from a cart.

And the flagship COOLSHOT PROIII STABILIZED will appeal to anyone, really, if you're able to make the jump in price. I see it appealing most to tournament golfers and caddies—those who need to make notes, account for multiple distances, and those who are interested in precisely how far away very distant objects are.  And, unless the optical stabilization tech is necessary for you, it's overkill for those who are just looking to check how far away the pin is on their middle iron approach shots and par 3s.

Regardless of model, I'm a firm believer in using a rangefinder for most of my rounds nowadays. It helps speed up play and navigate unfamiliar courses, making the game more enjoyable and maybe even contributing to lower scores if you're so lucky.