GOLFBUDDY are one of the leading golf GPS / laser brands and cater to a wide variety of skill levels and budgets. At Golf Monthly we have tested multiple GOLFBUDDY products over the years and we highly recommend what they have to offer. GOLFBUDDY are no stranger to our Editor’s Choice awards as they continually release outstanding GPS devices at affordable prices.
Trusted by PGA Pro’s GOLFBUDDY is a brand that is continually innovating in order to stay one step ahead of the competition. Based under the Golfzon umbrella (best known for it’s world class simulators) this is a brand which always features prominently on our various guides to the best golf GPS devices. Whether it’s watches or laser rangefinders, the best GOLFBUDDY GPS products will usually be near the top.
PGA Professional coach Chris Ryan has been a GOLFBUDDY ambassador since November 2020 and says; “Knowing the exact yardage to hazards, obstacles or the flag is vital if you are to pull the right club and swing with confidence and commitment, the GOLFBUDDY products allow you to do that. I’ve been using the products for a while and love them, quick, simple to use and accurate”.
Our own testing certainly backs up those claims, so let’s take a look at three of our favorite GOLFBUDDY products,
GB LASER Lite2
The LASER Lite2 is an entry level laser rangefinder yet it is still packed full of cool features and in our view is the best lightweight rangefinder on the market. The original LASER Lite was unquestionably one of the best budget golf rangefinders given the features and accuracy on offer, but its replacement, the LASER Lite 2, offers an even better experience for golfers looking for premium performance without the premium price tag.
The LASER Lite2 is three grams lighter than the original, which suits golfers who love that lightweight feel. The range is very impressive as you can zap anything up to a whopping 880 yards away. It’s fast too and compares well against the best golf rangefinders. In fact, we tested it head to head against a premium Bushnell rangefinder and the LASER Lite 2 stacked up very well for speed. It fared well with accuracy too and while the display on the LASER Lite2 isn’t quite as bright or vivid as some premium models, it zapped the pin just as easily and produced a reassuring vibration when it did so.
Other features include a Scan mode, where you hold down the main button and scan the surroundings. This is very handy when assessing hazards from the tee. There’s also a Pin Finder mode which will ensure the shortest distance is displayed with the ‘Pin’ graphic popping up in the viewfinder to show you it has been utilised. There's also a graphic that shows the battery level.
The carry case is an open design with a Velcro strap that connects over the top, which makes the LASER Lite2 easy to access and put away. It is IPX4 water resistant so it will keep light showers at bay but in heavy downpours you will need to keep it somewhere dry.
GB AIM QUANTUM
Coming in at the more premium end of the price scale is the aim QUANTUM pocket rangefinder. Golf laser rangefinders all tend to look very similar but the aim QUANTUM bucks that trend. It’s compact and cuboid in shape and designed to be conveniently stored in a variety of ways on your person or golf bag for easy access.
It weighs just 148g and is shorter in height than a credit card. This does take some getting used to if you are accustomed to a more traditional rangefinder design and you may therefore find it tricky keeping it steady as you zap the flag, but over time it becomes second nature.
It’s packed with technology, starting with the three targeting modes. The Scan mode provides ten seconds of continuous measurement as you pan the horizon while the Pin mode picks out the flag from a busy background. In doing so, the unit will vibrate to confirm, and it does so very quickly. The 7x magnification allows you to see things further away more clearly.
The carry case is unique in that it completely unfolds from the top, so it is ideal for clipping to your belt. The aim QUANTUM is also small enough to be stored in your pocket when not in use though, which many golfers will prefer.
For £299.99, it’s within that mid-to-high price bracket, but it offers plenty of features that many of the best golf rangefinders don’t.
GB AIM W12
The aim W12 is a cutting-edge, feature-packed GPS golf watch designed to provide golfers with a whole lot more than just your basic front, middle and back yardages.
Navigation is controlled mostly via the color touch screen, which is clear, bright and responsive. You’ll only need to press the button to go back to the previous screen. It will start displaying distances when you arrive at the first tee. A 2D flyover of the hole gives you a good idea of what lies ahead and the hazards to be aware of. The main screen shows the front, middle and back distances and you can swipe left to view a color hole map. A nifty feature is that a graphic will show you where a 150, 200 or 250 yard drive will finish while other graphics show how far each of these drives will leave you to the green. A distance measurement feature allows you to track your shots to see how far they have travelled.
If you swipe left again you will get a really cool graphical representation of the green. You can drag and drop the pin position for a more accurate distance and in the US, users will have access to a green undulation heat map that shows the slope angles to help you read the putting surface when you get up there. Additionally, on some UK courses green undulation is displayed in color. Other brands also offer this feature but with GOLFBUDDY it is free, and this feature alone makes the aim W12 one of the more attractive watches on the market.
The aim W12 has slope functionality, which takes into account the changes in elevation when providing the distances. There aren’t many watches that offer this so the aim W12 is in elite company among the best golf watches. The watch is IPX7 waterproofs so you have peace of mind if caught in a downpour, and there are fitness features including a step counter. It comes with a premium leather strap as standard as well as an extra silicon one in the box, so you can even wear it away from the course.
