Leupold GX-II Laser Rangefinder Review
We were absolutely bowled over when we reviewed the tournament-legal GX-I rangefinder from laser optic giants Leupold last month. So when we got the chance to test out the company’s illegal device — the GX-II which measures the slope, temperature and altitude — we couldn’t resist. See what we thought and take a closer look at this cracking rangefinder…
What they say:
Surveyor, coach, mathematician and caddy at your fingertips. The Leupold GX-II is the only rangefinder to provide accurate ranging information that matches your personal striking distances to the slope of the shot and current atmospheric conditions. Wondering what club to select? The GX-II tells you that, too.
What we say:
It is no secret to the world of golf that the use of laser rangefinders can save you a whole host of shots.
But the majority of such products merely give a yardage and nothing else.
The latest offering from laser giants Leupold is a little different, though.
Unlike most other laser rangefinders currently on the market, the GX-II calculates how far the ball needs to travel to get to the pin — not just how far away the pin is.
Confused? Let us explain.
The distance between your ball and the flag is a valuable figure to know, but there are many other factors which affect how far your ball flies — regardless of how well you hit the shot.
“Unlike most other laser rangefinders currently on the market, the GX-II calculates how far the ball needs to travel to get to the pin — not just how far away the pin is.”
The main culprit is a change in elevation (slope), and the GX-II calculates exactly how this will affect your shot.
For example, an approach measuring 165 yards from ball to pin would require a different distance if the green was above you, and this device tells you the exact yardage you need to hit the ball to comfortably reach the green.
But it doesn’t stop there — it also measures temperature and altitude to give you much more accurate figure on how the ball will fly.
Colder temperatures lead to shorter hits, and so too do lower altitudes, so the GX-II takes these into consideration, too.
This incredibly clever device then collates all this information and displays a figure on the screen, above the ball to flag yardage, from which you hit your shot.
This impressive technology is called True Golf Range, or TGR.
Take a look at this Leupold video for an in-depth tutorial and explanation of this great feature.
VIDEO: An in-depth tutorial on how to use the Leupold GX-II rangefinder and True Golf Range (TGR) technology
Impressive, eh? But what’s even more interesting and exciting is the fact that the GX-II then tells you what club to hit.
All you have to do is enter how far you hit three specific clubs and Leupold do the rest — the device calculates the perfect club for your yardage and this basically means all you have to do to stick it close is hit a solid shot — almost everything else is taken care of.
But there is a problem, and it’s quite a big one — the device is illegal for tournament use.
Now this is quite a biggy for the serious golfers out there, but if you think about it, the GX-II could be an absolutely vital tool for you.
“A great-looking, technology-packed rangefinder which, apart from being illegal for tournament use, is impossible to fault.”
We’ve already established that it cannot be used in tournaments, but it can be used for practice rounds, and would therefore allow you to get to grips with the course before the tournament and jot down all the specific yardages and alterations you’d need to score low.
And it really does work.
To put it to the test, we at Whitley Golf took the GX-II to a never-before-played course and at the first hole we could find with a change in elevation, we gave TGR a go.
Amazingly, the yardage you need to hit the ball is very different with slopes — for example, after finding the fairway, we had 196 yards to the pin. But with a huge drop in elevation from us to the pin, and the sun beaming down on us, the GX-II gave us a yardage of 159. Slightly bemused, we clubbed down significantly and sceptically trusted the device. But to our suprise and amazement, the ball pitched pin-high and we were left with a 15-footer for birdie. To prove this wasn’t simply a fluke, we then decided to hit the original yardage, and clubbed back up to a six-iron. Another smooth swing later, and the ball was again flying towards the target. But astoundingly, it flew the green and settled thirty yards back in the thick, dense cabbage.
“To top it all off, the GX-II is very small and light, and extremely durable… The perfect package in our eyes.”
That’s what we call a saved scorecard.
If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, the GX-II also has a great menu from which you can select different recticles (the arrows through which the laser shoots) and even change the format to yards or metres.
To top it all off, the GX-II is very small and light, and extremely durable.
The perfect package in our eyes.
To sum up…
A great-looking, technology-packed rangefinder which, apart from being illegal for tournament use, is impossible to fault. The TGR is absolutely amazing, too. A top notch product by any standards.
Whitley Golf Ratings
Looks: 8
Accuracy: 10
Technology: 10
Durability: 10
Quality: 10
OVERALL: 48/50
Details
RRP: See stockist
Website: www.leupold.com/golf
Telephone: +43 2256 820 551
Tags: GX-II, Laser Rangefinder, Laser Rangefinders UK, Leupold, Leupold GX-II Rangefinder, Rangefinder, TGR
