Gear · 5 min read
Golf Tech Worth Carrying (and What to Leave Home)
August 8, 2026
Rangefinder or GPS watch? What actually helps your score, what only helps your pace, and how to keep the gadgets from looking like gadgets.
Distance technology is the rare purchase that makes the game more relaxing rather than more complicated — as long as you carry one device, not three.
Choose a rangefinder if
- You want an exact number to a flag, not an average to the middle.
- You play the same courses often and know the layouts.
- You like a slow, deliberate pre-shot routine.
Choose a GPS watch if
- You play new courses and want front, middle and back at a glance.
- You would rather not hold anything — the watch is already on your wrist.
- You care about pace of play; a wrist glance is faster than a laser.
A note on tournaments
Distance-measuring devices are permitted under the Rules of Golf only when the committee allows them, and slope or elevation-adjusted readings are almost never allowed in competition. Switch slope off before a tournament round and check the local rules sheet.
Keeping it elegant
Match the strap to your palette rather than your clubs, keep the rangefinder in a soft case in the same pocket every round, and skip the clip-on speaker. The best gear on a course is the gear nobody notices.
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Every piece mentioned here is in the collection, sized with our Size & Fit Guide.
