GolfBuddy LR4 review

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If you are eying up the most efficient and attractive laser rangefinder on the market, let the new "LR4" become your golf buddy this year.

Following one of the most successful ever laser rangefinders in the game with the LR3, GolfBuddy has pressed on by improving the ergonomics and styling of its latest device.

On first look, LR4 appears much more attractive. Out goes the plain black and in comes an eye-catching white, blue and grey colour scheme.  

The outer casing has been re-shaped with emphasis on fitting the device better into the palm of the hand, while the top grip has been flattened slightly with new finger locators to make it even easier to hold down the power button.

Further improvements include a re-modelled eyepiece to make it easier to grip and smoother to turn allowing for more efficient use of the adjustable focus function.

One slight design flaw to the LR3, and really my only niggle last time, was the battery compartment required a coin or screwdriver to open. Thankfully, GolfBuddy has responded by creating what it calls a "flip-and-twist-flap", and this now prevents fourballs across the globe from raiding golf bags for five pence pieces. 

Other than that, the technology behind LR4 is exactly the same – and rightly so given LR3 impressed its market with easy and accurate yardages last year.

Weighing in at 218 grams – 18 grams heavier than the LR3 – the new LR4 caters for its European users by displaying distances in a choice of yards or metres.

LR4 once again comes with six times magnification that works superbly well when faced with a long iron or fairway wood into the green, and the three trusty operational modes of "Scan", "Flag" and "Normal" remain in place.

"Scan" provides a continuous 10-second display of all objects located, "Flag" homes in on the pin and factors out background noise such as trees to give precise readings, and "Normal" generates a single distance to any chosen target from flag to dogleg point or hazard edge.

Verdict

It was always going to be tough for GolfBuddy to take its new laser rangefinder to the next level following the success of its older brother, but with the improvements made to the outer casing, new colour choice and small amendment to the battery case, it certainly has. 

User-friendly, efficient, more comfortable, nicer to look at and great value for money at £220. 

For more information about the GolfBuddy LR4, check out our first look feature.