Best budget golf rangefinder with slope

We wrote our best budget golf rangefinder with slope article to kind of fill the gap between the recommendations we put forward in our other articles. Our Best value golf rangefinder targeted full featured rangefinders that even if came with a premium price had the features to back it up and our Best golf rangefinder under 200 dollars focused on the cheaper options on the market.

Instead, with the best budget golf rangefinder with slope rankings we are looking to give you some economic options that might not have all of the frills of the very best rangefinders but still give you a top performing option while saving you some cash.

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Our contenders

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Our Choice

Our top pick for the best budget golf rangefinder with slope is Nikon’s COOLSHOT 50i. Nikon, with also an entry in our best value golf rangefinder rankings, one betters its position with a great piece of equipment that is somewhere between 30-50% less expensive than the high-end product line

 What separates the COOLSHOT 50i from the rest of the field? Its 5-year warranty is a good place to start. Nikon backs up the product with a warranty that more than doubles the other rangefinders in this segment and for the most part the entire market so you know that you will not be needing to look for a replacement any time soon.

It also exceeds our other top picks in maximum range at 120 yards and flag lock distance capabilities at more than 400 yards. Its accuracy is rated at a common 1 yard at distances up to 100 yards then drops off to 2 yards from 100 up to 1000 yards. On the shorter side of this range some may feel this is a point of contention but the majority of golfers are not going to worry about an extra yard of deviation on a 200-yard target.

The battery life expectancy is also on the high side at 13000 measures so you can leave the COOLSHOT 50i in your bag and not have to worry too much that it will be ready to go when you are. The camara fits well in one hand and its 6.2 ounces are well balanced so keeping a steady hand was never a problem. The rainproofing keeps also is great for peace of mind that when the rain comes down you don’t have to worry about keeping the rangefinder hidden from the elements.

Lastly the optics come alive when looking through the Nikon’s lens. We understand that they have been making cameras and lens’ for a long time but still it is not to be taken for granted and with clear image and contrasts it makes picking out the flag even at distances easy.

So, if you’re looking for a quality rangefinder but want to limit your financial exposure then the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i is a great place to start.

COOLSHOTS’s key selling points:

Grab and go

Meet the first Nikon COOLSHOT rangefinder with a built-in mounting magnet so it’s ready when you need it and out of the way when you don’t. Packed inside this smart, ergonomic design is Nikon’s outstanding rangefinder technology—slope-adjustment, DUAL LOCKED ON QUAKE for flagstick confirmation, superior optics, continuous measurement and more.

Slope-adjustment when you want it

Turn on ID (incline/decline) mode, and your distance will factor in slope, crucial for uphill and downhill shots. When slope must be off for competitive play, an onboard Actual Distance Indicator (ADI) LED signals compliance.

Rainproof

A little rain won’t keep you off the course, and it won’t stop the COOLSHOT 50i from performing.

Get the lay of the land

Press and hold the power button for continuous measurement mode to see distances in real-time as you survey your surroundings (up to 8 seconds). Know the exact distance of trees, water features, sand traps and other hazards.

Lock on to the flag

Targeting the pin? DUAL LOCKED ON QUAKE flagstick confirmation technology gives a visual cue plus a gentle vibration to let you know you’re measuring the pin, not a tree or other object 20 yards behind it.

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Our Runner Up – Best budget golf rangefinder with slope

Our runner up for the best budget golf rangefinder with slope is the Leupold GX-2C. Leupold has been a leader in optic equipment for more than 100 years and present in the golf industry now for more than a decade. The GX-2C offers next-generation technology in a rangefinder that will outperform its price round after round. This rangefinder eliminates errors on the course and guarantees accurate ranging no matter the conditions.

Even if retailing at a few dollars more the price is comparable to our leader and its accuracy measures are slightly more accurate. This might be expected coming from a company producing long range scopes for hunting and military applications but the question is, does the half a yard have an impact on your performance on the golf course? We will let you answer that for yourself but we have already made up our mind on what it should be 🙂

The battery life does come in roughly at half of the Nikon’s rangefinder but at 6000 uses we don’t see that you will need to worry about it more often than every 100 rounds or so. For most that would mean just dropping a new battery in at the start of a season and forget about it.

So really for us this came down to an ever so slightly expensive rangefinder with significantly shorter warranty at 2 years vs 5 years. But if you are lucky enough to find a good offer or even just like the color or shape of the Leupold GX-2C then there is no reason to be reluctant since the rangefinder will perform well for you on the course.

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GX-2C’s key selling points:

True Golf Range™ (TGR®) 

Uses inclines/declines, temperature, and altitude to give you the most accurate ranges based on your surroundings. This information is combined with your personalized striking distance to provide customized club recommendations for every shot.

Line of Sight (LOS) 

Calculates the distance to a target in a straight line, regardless of any incline or decline. 

Prism Lock technology 

Delivers an audible alert when the rangefinder locks onto the built-in prism that some courses feature on their flagsticks

Flag Lock technology 

Effectively identifies the pin from the surrounding hazards (like trees and bushes) for quicker, more accurate yardages.  

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Our next Pick – Best budget golf rangefinder with slope

Our final recommendation for the best budget golf rangefinder with slope is Callaway’s 300 Pro. It is the lowest retailed price rangefinder on the rankings so if you are driven by price then it might get some extra merits. It is ever so slightly larger than the Leupold and weighs slightly less so depending on your hand size you may find it a better fit.

As far as the numbers the 300 Pro does lag a little behind those of the front runners but it is still more than capable of providing accurate measurements that will satisfy the demands of almost all golfers. There are also many golfers who are brand driven as well and if Callaway happens to be at the top of your list, then you can feel assured that their rangefinder meets the mark

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Callaway 300 Pro’s key selling points:

The new, enhanced 300 Pro laser is lighter and more compact than its predecessor and now features P.A.T. (Pin Acquisition) with Pulse Technology™ which delivers a short vibrating “burst” confirming the correct distance to the pin, giving you the confidence to fire away! 

The new Callaway 300 Pro Laser also features Magnahold™, a powerful integrated magnet that allows you to securely affix the unit to the cart frame for quick and convenient access during play. 

The Slope feature, which automatically accounts for adjusted distances due to elevation changes, now comes with an external on/off switch that can be easily disabled for (legal) tournament play. 

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This year I am tracking all the balls I find during my golf rounds to come up with this years winner of the OFF PIST GOLF BALL OF THE YEAR. If you would like to see if any of our recommendations strayed from the fairway come take a look.