Slope Adjusting Laser Rangefinders Worth the Extra Money?

[fs72]

I have narrowed down some of the best laser rangefinders based on user reviews and am leaning toward just a plain non - slope adjusting kind due to price and my beginner skill level. Wondering if any members of this forum see enough added value in the slope measuring laser rangefinder to justify the price.

[boogielicious]

Welcome to the forum @fs72

If you plan on keeping a handicap, then you cannot use the slope feature. If you want to just use the feature to improve estimating adjustments to club distance, then by all means go with slope.

I have the Leupold GX-1 and find it to be excellent. But Bushnell also makes great rangefinders. I recommend you go to a store and look through the floor models and see which best fits your eye.

[Mr. Desmond]

I usually purchase a rangefinder once every 10 years, so I want most of the goodies on a long term purchase.

I think a slope feature is worth it, if only to give you an idea of the effect of slope, as well as accurate effective yardage.

Have a Bushnell Tour X with jolt ... a very likable RF.

[fs72]

I've heard the tour X jolt was a good choice. From what I've seen the Leupold and the Tour X which is fairly new keeping popping up as the best so I will probably go that route after a try a few out. Thanks for the input.

[GolfLug]

Welcome to the forum @fs72

If you plan on keeping a handicap, then you cannot use the slope feature. If you want to just use the feature to improve estimating adjustments to club distance, then by all means go with slope.

I have the Leupold GX-1 and find it to be excellent. But Bushnell also makes great rangefinders. I recommend you go to a store and look through the floor models and see which best fits your eye.

+1. Yet to find anything better.

[Mr. Desmond]

+1. Yet to find anything better.

Have you looked?

Bought GX-1 for my son about 7 years ago.

It's excellent for the price.

I was about to purchase a Leopold, then looked at the Tour X ... good ergonomics, easy to adjust dipole, black and red lettering, with slope, with jolt ... for a long term purchase, you can find these on sale -- found mine for about $120 off street price at an early TGW sale.

It's all personal preference. But that jolt is reassuring.

[GolfLug]

Have you looked?

Bought GX-1 for my son about 7 years ago.

It's excellent for the price.

I was about to purchase a Leopold, then looked at the Tour X ... good ergonomics, easy to adjust dipole, black and red lettering, with slope, with jolt ... for a long term purchase, you can find these on sale -- found mine for about $120 off street price at an early TGW sale.

It's all personal preference. But that jolt is reassuring.

Yes, I do check anytime I go to Golf Galaxy (about once every couple of months). Nothing better for the PURPOSE it serves me. Click-point-click-number - about 3 seconds. Newer models do have more bells and whistles (and jolts..), but I am a minimalist when it comes to this I guess.

[David in FL]

I have narrowed down some of the best laser rangefinders based on user reviews and am leaning toward just a plain non - slope adjusting kind due to price and my beginner skill level. Wondering if any members of this forum see enough added value in the slope measuring laser rangefinder to justify the price.

Not me. No need/desire for slope. Since it's not legal for competitive play, I'd rather develop/maintain my skills in judging that myself. I also have a GX-1....my second one, and though I like it, I think I'll go with the Bushnell next time. My buddy's locks on at longer yardages much better than mine.

[GolfLug]

Not me. No need/desire for slope. Since it's not legal for competitive play, I'd rather develop/maintain my skills in judging that myself.

I also have a GX-1....my second one, and though I like it, I think I'll go with the Bushnell next time. My buddy's locks on at longer yardages much better than mine.

This is slight OT since thread about slope/no slope primarily- but yes, that IS a good reason to consider Bushnell when in market. Just out of curiosity, is it a newer model (within last year).  Don't know maybe the GX-3 might be just as good for the long range. Anyway, unless my GX-1 dies it continues to be 'great enough'.

[newtogolf]

Slope is nice for practice rounds but you have to learn to play without it if you plan to compete.  Even with slope you still have to account for wind, so you still have to make mental adjustments for club selection.  The value of slope depends on the courses you play.  Slope is more useful on courses with a lot of hills but otherwise the difference between the raw distance and slope reading isn't as significant as the effect wind will have.

[DaveP043]

I have a Bushnell with the slope feature, but I very rarely use the slope.  I do wonder if the mathematical formulas used to calculate the "plays like" yardages can possibly be accurate, since varying the trajectory of the ball has a significant influence on how long the shot will play.  If a course is reasonably well marked, I rarely even use the laser, I'd rather pace yardages.  If I can't see the green surface, I sometimes like to get an actual pin yardage as compared to a middle-of-green yardage, that helps me decide where the safer play is.  If I'm in a tournament, I'll borrow my wife's Bushnell, since it doesn't have the slope.  That is, of course, unless she's in the same tournament, then I'm out of luck.

[Divotmaker77]

Highly recommend getting the slope feature.  If you are not going to buy a new one for the next 5+years, its nice feature to have and worth the extra money.  I have the Bushnell Tour V3 and it works great.  However, I have another Bushnell that is non-slope so I use that on occasions to keep myself honest.

JMO, I would spend the extra money and get the Bushnell Tour X because it has both the slop and non-slope feature.  However, $500 is not cheap.

Positives of having one is that is speeds up play and adds confidence with club selection.  Negative is that you can become too reliant on it and if you decide to play in tournaments you need to have the ability to estimate slope in your head.  I play more leisure golf so I do not feel I am cheating myself with the slope feature.

[Mr. Desmond]

Highly recommend getting the slope feature.  If you are not going to buy a new one for the next 5+years, its nice feature to have and worth the extra money.  I have the Bushnell Tour V3 and it works great.  However, I have another Bushnell that is non-slope so I use that on occasions to keep myself honest.

JMO, I would spend the extra money and get the Bushnell Tour X because it has both the slop and non-slope feature.  However, $500 is not cheap.

Positives of having one is that is speeds up play and adds confidence with club selection.  Negative is that you can become too reliant on it and if you decide to play in tournaments you need to have the ability to estimate slope in your head.  I play more leisure golf so I do not feel I am cheating myself with the slope feature.

I found the Tour X for $379 on a tgw sale -- lots of $$, but it's not like buying a driver every year; it's like buying a driver every 5-10 years.

[Divotmaker77]

I found the Tour X for $379 on a tgw sale -- lots of $$, but it's not like buying a driver every year; it's like buying a driver every 5-10 years.

I think you are looking at the Tour V3.  I looked on their website and the Tour X is $499.  Looked other places and its the same price everywhere else.

[newtogolf]

I think you are looking at the Tour V3.  I looked on their website and the Tour X is $499.  Looked other places and its the same price everywhere else.

No, when the Tour X first came out TGW offered a $100 discount, it was a great deal.

[Alohaed]

The reason I am posting here is because I have a question about slopes, etc. The title is from watching GCMD and the Bushnell rep explaining slope and it will tell us the extra yeardage needed, hence a stronger club. I can understand if I am hitting up hill and since the ball won't roll as far as normal, we use the extra club. Yet it also explained distance to the pin. Even if the green was uphill, regardless of how steep, if I were to hit onto the green, not needing the roll, I would still need the extra club?

[SavvySwede]

15 minutes ago, Alohaed said:

The reason I am posting here is because I have a question about slopes, etc. The title is from watching GCMD and the Bushnell rep explaining slope and it will tell us the extra yeardage needed, hence a stronger club. I can understand if I am hitting up hill and since the ball won't roll as far as normal, we use the extra club. Yet it also explained distance to the pin. Even if the green was uphill, regardless of how steep, if I were to hit onto the green, not needing the roll, I would still need the extra club?

Yes. Only exception being if you could hit a shot where the ball falls straight down from its apex, but that would only happen if you were hitting into a strong wind.

 

[iacas]

20 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Yes. Only exception being if you could hit a shot where the ball falls straight down from its apex, but that would only happen if you were hitting into a strong wind.

 

Right. It has more to do with things than just the added roll. In fact, because the landing angle is steeper, shots to an uphill green often roll out more.