We get a ton of questions about rangefinders. A lot of hunters also like to blow off some steam by hitting some golf balls around. One of the most common questions is whether a hunting rangefinder can be used for golf; and vice versa. Now that we’re well into Spring, I figured we’d give a little bit of a lesson, including a review of an excellent choice for a Nikon Golf Rangefinder!
Near Priority vs. Distant Priority
It may seem obvious, but there are only a couple of differences in Golfing vs. Hunting rangers:
A golf rangefinder uses nearest target priority – software that automatically seeks the nearest target, namely the flag, and at the same time ignores distant objects beyond the flag. This makes sense, because the flag is always the nearest target, unless you happen to find yourself back in the woods after a bad shot. Some golf rangefinders will include a “slope” function. This function gives the true distance to pin when terrain elevation may vary from tee to pin.
A hunting rangefinder uses distant target priority – software that seeks distant objects and ignores objects that are close. This is very appropriate for hunting because you are nearly always in a situation where you want a laser rangefinder to ignore close objects and seek game beyond the brush. Some hunting rangefinders also include a “slope” function. This function obviously helps the shooter get a “true ballistic range” when shooting up a hill or down a hill.
You can get much more information by viewing our Hunting vs. Golfing Rangefinders by clicking the following link: Hunting vs. Golfing Rangefinders
With all that techno mumbo-jumbo out of the way, let’s get into this review!
Nikon CoolShot 40i
CoolShot 40i Dimensions
I must make a confession: I do not play “Ball” Golf. This is probably a term most “Ball” golfers have never heard of, because… well, it’s just “Golf” to them. Well, I’m a “Disc” golfer (AKA Frisbee Golf, AKA Frolf). I’d never heard the term “Ball” golf until I started playing Disc Golf. It is a term used very often by Disc Golfers to differentiate the two sports. However, the premise of the game is virtually the same, with certain natural and man-made obstacles purposely placed to make the hole just a little bit harder. In Disc Golf, we have up hill and down hill shots. The sport that’s being played does not negate the effects of gravity. Gravity affects discs the same as it affects a golf ball. What goes up must come down, and hole (also called the “basket” in Disc Golf) distance may not be quite accurate if we’re throwing up hill or down hill.
Practice Basket @ Fountain Hills Disc Golf Course, Fountain Hills, AZ
I recently used the Nikon CoolShot 40i during the 2016 Prairie Open at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside in Kenosha, WI. The great thing about this tournament was the addition of three “temporary” holes, which made the regularly 18 basket course a 21 hole course. The “temp” tees did have tee signs with a distance from tee to pin, and they were mostly accurate. However, 2 of these baskets were “raised,” which is intended to punish bad putts. If you’re throwing up into the basket and you miss, your disc will obviously land further away from the basket, compared to if the basket is at regular height. When I ranged these baskets, the tee sign was fairly accurate; only IF the basket was at regular height. Since these baskets were elevated, I placed the crosshairs on the “sweet spot” of the basket. The distance changed 1 yard on the lower “raised” basket. The other temp hole that had an elevated basket also played up a slight hill. The basket was placed on what appeared to be a raised manhole cover access; a brick structure about 3 feet high. When I ranged this basket, both aspects of the elevation added 2.5 yards to the actual distance that was on the tee sign! My card mates were very impressed with this function, and one of the guys I played with in the 2nd round won the “CTP” (closest to pin) prize, specifically because I informed him that the elevated basket and structure added almost 10 feet to the distance on the tee sign.
Slope Function
I also used the CoolShot at the 5th best course in Illinois; The Canyons at Dellwood Park in Lockport, IL. I wanted to use the Nikon here, as there are a few shots where we throw down hill. This was a perfect experiment to see how accurate the tee signs were in regards to the distance. As you’ll see in the picture below, there’s a good drop right off the 16th tee and down to an area about 50-60 feet below. The tee sign said 250 feet, and without the slope function, this was quite accurate. However, when the slope function was activated, the TRUE distance was just over 200 feet. As any “ball” golfer will tell you, you want to practice the motion of your swing to increase muscle memory. When you go to the driving range, you want to practice your form in trying to hit that 200 yard sign. This is obviously the same with Disc Golf. If I had used the same amount of force in my swing as a straight 250 foot shot, I would have been well past the basket. So with my muscle memory, I laid it up a bit, and sure enough, just 15 feet from the basket!
Hole 16 @ the Canyons in Lockport, IL (picture courtesy of dgcoursereview.com)
Scan Mode
The CoolShot 40i is extremely easy to use. Just press the power button once, and the device turns on. Aim the crosshairs on your target, and press the button again. This will give you the distance to your target. For scan mode, put the reticle on your target, hold the button down, and you can scan left to right, up and down, to get the distance to your target, AND range the distance of any obstacles. In Disc Golf, we regularly play in the woods. As you can see in the picture below, the scan option was a very welcomed function! It lets you know where your obstacles lie; how far you should throw to get past them; and also gives you the distance to the basket through those obstacles.
Hole 9 @ the Canyons in Lockport, IL (picture courtesy of dgcoursereview.com)
How Well Did The Nikon CoolShot 40i Perform?
Overall, the Nikon CoolShot 40i was very compact, extremely easy to use, and according to the tee signs, extraordinarily accurate! Nikon has made this product very affordable. Our normal sale price is around $299.95, but Nikon is offering an instant $50 rebate that expires May 1st, 2016. Hurry up and get yours!!!
The author throwing hole 18 at the Canyons in Lockport, IL
Full Disclosure: Golf rangefinders with a “slope” function are NOT tournament legal in any PGA or many other “ball” golf events. Make sure to check with your Tournament Director before showing up with an illegal rangefinder. There are no rules against them for PDGA events, so I did not commit any violations. Get your Golf on, and get yourself a rangefinder! Let us know if you need any help finding tournament legal rangers, we carry plenty!
Mike grew up in a household where his father would point out the different firearm models while watching action movies.He learned basic gun safety at a young age, and has been shooting ever since he was 6 years old. Mike also enjoys riding motorcycles, playing disc golf, and traveling the country to do either (or both!).Being from the Great Lakes region, he enjoys being outdoors as much as possible, especially to combat the cabin fever associated with our cold winters.
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