Of course what I mean by asking “Is your golf rangefinder ‘legal’?”, is does it conform to the rules of golf?

For those of you looking for the quick answer…
The USGA and R&A provide a “local rule” that with the exception of most major professional tours (PGA, LPGA etc), is adopted for almost all competitions. So unless you’re a high level professional golfer, this most likely applies to the events you play.

For those of you who are interested in getting a full understanding of how the rule has evolved, let’s explore the joint USGA / R&A rule and decision that allows or disallows GPS and laser rangefinders to be used.

Rule 14/3b prohibits a player from using any artificial device or unusual equipment for the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play. That alone would make all golf GPS and laser rangefinders against the rules and the penalty for the breach is disqualification. However…

In 2006, the USGA and R&A decided to allow tournament committees to have the option of adding a local rule that allows “distance-measuring devices”.

If this local rule is in effect, artificial devices that measure distance ONLY, are permitted. Prior to 2016, devices that measured slope or provided other prohibited information were not allowed even if the features were turned off.

In 2016, the USGA and the R&A revised the rule (see Appendix IV-5) to allow devices with the capability of measuring conditions other than distance, as long as those features were turned off.

The exceptions to the earlier rule were the now retired Bushnell Tour X and the the Leupold GX-4i². Both of these laser rangefinders had gotten special approval from the USGA by using a brightly colored faceplate to turn on the Slope feature, thus indicating to anyone paying attention that the device was not legal. When the bright faceplate was removed, the devices were (and still are) legal.

With the new rule, it’s more of an honor system. Faceplates are not required, and manufacturers have implemented a simple ON/OFF switch rather than the faceplate system. The player will simply switch the device out of Slope mode to make it legal.

As far as golf GPS devices go, most have been legal in competition since 2006. However, this new rule change did affect a few devices that were previously not allowed in competition. The Garmin Approach G7 and the Approach G8 both have a “Plays Like” feature and a “Club Advice” feature that are not allowed in competition, but those features can be turned off, which means that as of 2016, these devices can be used in competition.

Smartphone golf GPS apps also benefitted from the rule change. They may now be used in competition as long as no prohibited features are being used within the app OR on otherwise on the device.

Most organized golf tournaments utilize the local rule, but it’s always a good idea to read the rules sheet or check with the tournament organizer before using your golf rangefinder or GPS. Elite professional events and some high-level amateur events do not adopt the local rule. You won’t find these devices being used during a PGA or LPGA tournaments, but if you’re out there during the practice rounds, caddies and players will be using laser rangefinders and taking notes diligently.

So if you know that your golf tournament or golf group has adopted the local rule, then there is only one question remaining. Did you buy a GPS or laser that measures ONLY distance or has an on/off mode for prohibited features? If your laser binoculars measure “slope” or provide other prohibited information and those features cannot be turned off, your rangefinder won’t be allowed.

If you’re playing a friendly game, just make sure your group is in agreement about what rules are in effect. With regards to posting scores for your handicap, the local rule is in effect. You should post all scores when using your distance-only measuring device. See the USGA Rules FAQ.

Below are our top picks for legal laser golf rangefinders. If you have any questions, please leave us a message in the comments at the bottom of the page.

Best Legal Laser Golf Rangefinders
Bushnell Pro X2 - Read Full Review We're very excited about the Bushnell Pro X2! Bushnell was quick to adapt to the 2016 rule modification that made rangefinders with Slope legal as long as the slope mode could be turned off for competitive rounds. The sophisticated faceplate hardware change is no longer required, so Bushnell put a simple toggle switch on the side of the unit. The Pro X2 utilizes Dual Display technology that allows the user to choose standard black or red VDT for displaying distance information. Just press the logo on the side of the rangefinder while ranging to switch modes. This unit also features 6x magnification, is fully waterproof, has Jolt technology that vibrates when it locks the pin, and it ranges accurately to within a half yard. Rating:   Magnification: 6x  Slope: both Weight: 8 oz.   Legal: Yes* When Slope Switch is turned off.	Order from Amazon
Bushnell Tour V5 - Read Full Review Size, speed, and accuracy evolved with a new generation of tech — featuring PinSeeker with Visual JOLT, BITE Magnetic Mount, and next-level clarity and brightness. Rating:   Magnification: 6x  Slope: No Weight: 8 oz.   Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Bushnell Hybrid - Read Full Review We are so excited to see Bushnell bring back a Laser/GPS Hybrid Rangefinder to its lineup. They've added all the features we could have hoped for on this 2018 hybrid rangefinder. This time you have Pinseeker with Jolt, making it fast and easy to know when you're locked on to the flag, but better than that, you'll also see the GPS distance to the front and the back of the green right in the laser display! Besides that, the GPS displays on the side of the unit and has distances to hazards available there. We love that there is one battery for GPS and one battery for laser and we love that you can update the courses wirelessly via Bluetooth and an app. The app also has full holeview and distances, as well as flyover views. We think Bushnell has knocked this one out of the park! Rating:   Magnification: 5x  Slope: No Weight: 6.1 oz.   Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Bushnell Tour V4 Shift - Read Full Review The Bushnell Tour V4 Shift replaces the Tour V4 Slope model. Both are legal in USGA competitions that allow rangefinder as long as the Slope feature is disabled. The difference is that the V4 Shift has a slider switch on the side that is simple to use and displays on the outside of the unit when it is in Slope mode. We like this improvement from the Bushnell V4 Slope that gave no indication of the mode until you looked into it. This model will likely become the best-selling laser golf rangefinder with Slope on the market. It has Pinseeker, Jolt, and 5x magnification. Rating:   Magnification: 5x  Slope: both Weight: 5.6 oz.   Legal: Yes, if Slope Switch is Down (Off).	Order from Amazon
Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt - Read Full Review The Bushnell Tour V4 replaced the extremely popular Bushnell Tour V3. This model is a little bit smaller and had an easy to use focus ring. Although we think the Tour V4 is a terrific rangefinder with Jolt and Pinseeker, we think its popularity will be shared with the Bushnell Tour V4 Shift. The Shift version has Slope, but also allows you to turn it off to make it legal for most competitive events as of the 2016 rule change. If you have not interested in Slope, the Bushnell Tour V4 is an excellent choice. Rating:   Magnification: 5x  Slope: No Weight: 6.6 oz.   Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
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