Should You get A Disc Golf Rangefinder?

In this post we outline the pros and cons of getting a disc golf rangefinder. Hopefully, by the end, you’ll have a better understanding of whether a rangefinder is the right choice for you. Let’s get into it!

Do You Need a Disc Golf Rangefinder – An Introduction

“Need” is a strong word. How much do we really, truly need in life?

Apart from the things that keep us alive (vital organs, Oxygen, food, water, etc.) there are strong arguments that you really don’t need much else. And certainly a disc golf rangefinder wouldn’t fit into the “need” category on anyone’s list of life necessities.

But if we asked if you really “want” a disc golf rangefinder the answer is most likely “yes”, or “sure”, or “yeah, why not?”

So really, the question is Is a Disc Golf Rangefinder a good choice for you and your game?

But who clicks on that? Even less than the few of you reading these words right now (we thank you and appreciate you!)

Really though, that’s why you’re here. You want to know if it’s worth it for you.

Let’s get into the pros and cons. From there, you can make an informed decision on whether it’s a good choice for your game, and whether or not you should finally pull the trigger and get one.

At the end, if you do decide to get one, be sure to click on our post for the 5 Best Disc Golf Rangefinders for 2025! (coming soon) We think it will help you find that just-right rangefinder for you!

There’s a few strong points to consider. Let’s get into it now.

Top Reasons to Get a Disc Golf Rangefinder!

We are of the mind that a disc golf rangefinder will almost certainly help you on the course. Simply put, it’s a huge advantage to know how far you are from the hole and which disc will get you there.

That, however, doesn’t mean that you should get one. Here are reasons you should…

You Play Competitive Disc Golf – If you play competitively, you will almost certainly benefit from owning a disc golf rangefinder. Often times, at tournaments, you don’t have the luxury of playing a course multiple times. As such, you are not nearly as familiar with the layouts and the distances. The rangefinder can help make up for that discrepancy and help level the playing field. It can give you the added bit of confidence that you’ve chosen the right disc and can attack the course. This is quite possibly the best reason for getting a rangefinder.

Rogue Iron Rangefinder Functions — *A lot of information can be gathered by using a rangefinder.*

Consistent Uncertainty with Disc Selection – If you are a player that is constantly wondering/hoping that you’ve selected the right disc for a given shot, you may benefit consistently from a disc golf rangefinder. The added confidence it instills coupled with the improvement in shot execution could very well make it worth it.

They Help with Field Work – If you are trying to lock in distances with your discs, the field is a great place to do that. But how do you know how far a given disc just traveled? A Rangefinder can be a great answer to that question!

Poor Depth Perception – If you are constantly overestimating or underestimating distances by a wide margin, you may want to pick up a rangefinder. Similar to the other reasons, this will help you get it closer on a more consistent basis and help you lower that score!

It Can Improve Pace of Play – You might think it’s the opposite, but the decisiveness you can get from knowing the exact distances usually more than makes up for the hemming and hawing you and your cardmates would do if you don’t have a rangefinder. Get the distance, choose the disc and throw. This can add up significantly over time.

Relative Distances Can Be Calculated For You – This also helps with pace of play, but if you would rather save your mental energy for envisioning an uphill/downhill shot rather than calculating the relative distance to the pin, a lot of rangefinders do this for you. This way, instead of doing math on the clock, you can focus on your shot.

They Are Convenient to Use – It really doesn’t take much to get this thing out, take your measurement, and get ready for your shot. If it adds to your peace of mind and decisiveness, it may well be worth it. It doesn’t take much strain to use one, so this might be a big benefit for you and your game!

Reasons You May Not Need a Rangefinder…

A rangefinder is certainly not for everyone, and you can absolutely enjoy a round of disc golf with one quite easily. With that in mind, here are some reasons you might not need one at this stage.

You Don’t Play Competitive Disc Golf – If you are just playing weekend rounds with your friends for fun, that’s fantastic and you may not necessitate a rangefinder. If it’s low stakes disc golf, you probably don’t need one. And who knows, maybe one of your friends has one and you can borrow it for shots.

focus photography of person counting dollar banknotes — *Make sure it fits your budget.*

Money is an Object – In relative terms, these rangefinders come at pretty competitive rates. But that doesn’t mean you need to buy one. If money is hard to come by right now, you can definitely get by without a rangefinder.

You Mostly Play a Select Few Courses – If you are mostly playing the same courses there is a great chance you will intuitively know which disc you use from most spots on the course. If this is the case, you probably wouldn’t use your rangefinder that much anyways and you could probably do without.

You Play on Feel – If you have a natural intuition about how far you are and which disc to reach for, more power to you! As long as it works for you and you are not finding yourself consistently coming up short, or flying by the basket with gusto, there’s no reason to mess with it!

You’re “Old School” – We can certainly respect it, if you fall into this category. If you feel the game should be played a certain way, and a rangefinder isn’t part of it, we fully support that!

Those could be some reasons, that a disc golf rangefinder is not for you at this moment (or ever). By now you’ve probably decided and it’s a good time to direct you where to go next!

If You Do Choose A Rangefinder…

If you were on the fence and have decided a rangefinder fits your game, we’ve got a post on the Best Disc Golf Rangefinders in the game. This is a carefully curated list that has the best rangefinders for each disc golfer and their differing priorities and values.

While you wait for that list, here’s our favorite overall from a price, performance and feel standpoint! It comes at a great price point, it has a top-level carrying case, it works great, has a long warranty, and we really think you’ll like it!

Should You Get A Disc Golf Rangefinder – In Summary

Rangefinder or not, disc golf is a great game that can be enjoyed by players of all different skill levels.

With this game you can quickly pick up a lot of skills and watch your scores drop as you go.

At a certain point, however, you may seek a way to break the plateau that some players find themselves on.

If that’s the case for you, a rangefinder may give you the bump you need. It can help you accurately and confidently assess exact distances to objects and targets. That way you can confidently choose your disc and throw your shot knowing you’ve got the best disc for the shot.

It’s easy and convenient to do on the course and the prices are not exorbitant as they might be in ball golf.

It’s also great for field work where you might not readily know your distances. This can step up your practice game which can also translate to lower scores on the course.

If you play competitively, a disc golf rangefinder may give you the boost you seek.

For others who play on a select few courses they know well, play by feel, don’t have extra money sitting around, or are just plain old school, a disc golf rangefinder my not be for you now or ever. Whether you have one or not, we feel confident you can have a great time on the course.

If you do choose to get one, we’ve got a great list of the Best Rangefinders in Disc Golf for you to check out (and here’s our favorite!).

Rangefinder or not, we wish you great accuracy and enjoyment out on the course!

Thanks for reading “Should you get Disc Golf Rangfinder?” We hope you now have a better idea for yourself. As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts or answer questions you have on the matter. Also, be sure to subscribe for chances to win Infinite gift cards, and/or follow us on instagram!