Laser Rangefinder Review

Leupold has been making optics for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds for several decades. Long known for their top quality hunting optics, Leupold is now also one of the major manufactures of golf rangefinders. They have updated and expanded their GX series of rangefinders to now include the following four models: GX1, GX-2, GX-3, and GX-4. Below are some of the features common to Leupold GX rangefinders.

 

PinHunter: This is Leupold’s version of nearest target priority.  If the unit reads the pin and an object like a tree in the same reading it will report the closer of the two, which should be the pin unless you’re having a real bad day. Also, along the same line, all current model Leupold GX series rangefinders have Prism Lock, which is a technology that when being used in scan mode will automatically beep and display the yardage to the pin when it locks on a flag with a prism reflector.

 

Customizable Reticles: The Leupold GX series are the only golf rangefinders that let you choose which reticle you want to use for aiming the device. The GX 1 and GX 2 have seven options, while the GX 3 and GX 4 have 3  reticle choices.

 

TGR (True Golf Range): Leupold’s system of accounting for the angle of the shot; TGR is the most advanced angle compensation feature available on a golf range finder, as it will not only account for angle, but factors in temperature and altitude as well. This is available only on the GX- 2 and GX-4 versions.

 

Club Selector: Within the TGR mode, there is also a feature that allows the unit to recommend which club to use. These recommendations can be based on factory settings or customized to your hitting distances by inputting how far you hit certain clubs. Again this feature is available only on the GX-2 and GX-4 models.

 

Other Common Factors: All current GX series range finders use a CR-2 lithium battery, and come with a one year warranty on “defects in materials and workmanship.”  These models are all 6x magnification, are of a vertical design, and feature a fog mode to help reduce false reading in bad weather.

 

Note: The predecessors of the current generation of Leupold rangefinders were the GX-I and G-II models, which while very similar to the current GX-1 and GX-2 models, lack both the prism lock and fog mode features; So be sure to purchase the newer numbered models (i.e. 1 or 2) if you want those features.

Leupold GX-4 - is the premier golf rangefinder in the lineup.  This range finder has an array of options and modes for the user to select from.  The short list includes the following Leupold technologies, TGR (True Golf Range), Club Selector, PinHunter and Smart Key. The Leupold GX4 also features a scan mode as well as a fog mode.

Leupold GX-3 - is a close relative of the GX-4 golf rangefinder, it is a little more compact than its bigger brother and lacks the TGR and Club Selector features; however this makes the Leupold GX-3 legal for tournament play and important factor to keep in mind for those who play tourneys.

Leupold GX-2 - includes many features of GX-4 including the TGR, Club Selector, and PinHunter techonolies. However, it lacks the Smart Key feature of its higher end counter part and also gives up about a hundered yards in flag reading capacity.

Leupold GX-1 - is an entry level golf rangefinder that is identical in dimensions to the GX-2, however; it does not offer a true distance feature or club selecting feature like its counterpart, the good news is that it is tournament legal. 

Click Here for Leupold GX Rangefinders Pricing at Amazon.com