While the barrage of low-cost laser rangefinders that have flooded the market may make it seem like the era of innovation in this space is nearing its end, Voice Caddie has quietly continued to deliver exciting new technologies. Their newest rangefinder, the Laser FIT, is pocket sized and comes with a very cool (and useful) new feature that might change how you play the game. Better yet, it comes in at an extremely attractive price point and has many features we’ve come to love from Voice Caddie.
Laser FIT
The Laser FIT is the most attractive rangefinder, boasting a stylish design and compact size. The new feature, ‘Ball to Pin’ mode provides accurate distance guidance by measuring the ball and pin at the current location without the golfer having to reach the ball. Dual display allows clear distance measurement in any environment, and Pin Tracer ™ and Spot Measure Mode provides quick distance measurement and the most accurate distance guidance.
The first aspect that you’ll notice with the Laser FIT is its size. Compact is a sometimes vague and overused descriptor, but it fits the Laser FIT perfectly. As the pictures should show, it fits easily in the palm of the hand. It’s tiny, especially when you have a normal-sized rangefinder to compare it to. Voice Caddie uses the term “pocket sized” and that did prove true. While many of us are sensitive to what we carry in our pockets during a round of golf, if you’re not the Laser FIT will easily fit without being too distracting.
We won’t pretend that the Laser FIT’s smaller size doesn’t take some getting used to. Our hands and brains become accustomed to items of a certain size, so there was a bit of fumbling to find the right buttons at first, and the location of the eyepiece felt a bit awkward for a moment, but those issues quickly faded over the course of a round.
The Metal Beige casing has both a premium look and feel to it. While it’s not quite as impressive as Voice Caddie’s SL3, it does have a more outwardly refined look than the L6. The two colors complement each other nicely. At only four ounces, the Laser FIT is astonishingly lightweight, though it doesn’t give off any impressions that it will lack durability or longevity.
3D Ball to Pin
Ball to Pin is briefly mentioned in the blurb from Voice Caddie above, but it’s one of those things you might just miss if you’re skimming. When I realized what I was reading and what Ball to Pin was really offering, there was legitimate excitement. You see, Ball to Pin allows users to measure a distance from any spot they can see both the ball and the pin (or any target really). The process is simple. You click the Mode button once, shoot the distance to the ball, and then shoot the distance to the pin. The Laser FIT then gives you the distance from the ball to the pin.
Maybe I’m just an easy-to-impress Gen X’r, but Ball to Pin just about blew my mind and here’s why. We all know what a pain it is to play Cart Path Only golf. You must roughly guess a distance and then carry a bunch of clubs to the ball. Sometimes you’re right and sometimes you’re wrong, but it’s always a hassle. With Ball to Pin, you can get your number and bring a single club with you. Another use case is measuring your playing partners distance to the pin for them. This is a big time saver, because you can get them a number from your ball and then proceed to hit your shot while they prepare. Anything that speeds up pace of play is a good thing.
Of course, cool technologies are great on paper, but they still have to work. We tested Ball to Pin extensively both in a controlled setting and on the golf course. We took distance readings using the Ball to Pin feature and then followed up by standing at the ball and using the standard modes. The results were very impressive – each reading was within 1-2 yards of the other. One last way to use Ball to Pin is for measuring the distance to blind targets. For example, maybe you can’t see the pin from your ball, but can 30 yards to the right of your ball. We didn’t get a chance to test this situation but have no doubt it works as advertised.
Pin Tracer, Spot Measure, V-Algorithm, and More
These three technologies should all be familiar to Voice Caddie users. We won’t dive too deep into them since we’ve covered them in other articles. Pin Tracer is a mode that locks on to the pin when you hold down the main button, which prevents misreads of objects behind the green. Spot Measure, requiring only a simple click, delivers readings to any object in 1/10th of a second. This blazing fast return ensures you can gauge the right distance to cover hazards or stay short of them. Finally, V-Algorithm is Voice Caddie’s method of determining slope readings with extremely high accuracy. Over the last 10 years they’ve perfected this, using data from PGA and LPGA professionals.
The Laser FIT offers 6x magnification and adjustable focus, which makes it easy to hit just about any reasonable target. The Dual Display has three levels of brightness and we found it easy to see in both bright light and near dusk. Finally, the battery is rechargeable via USB-C and should last around 8 hours per charge.
Details – Voice Caddie Laser FIT
At $200, the Voice Caddie Laser FIT offers a ton of value. The small footprint should appeal to many players, especially those who walk and want to have quick access to their rangefinder. The real attraction however lies in the technologies built into the device. Voice Caddie rangefinders have consistently delivered amazing accuracy at blazing speeds and the Laser FIT is no different. When you factor in Ball to Pin, which may be one of the most exciting things we’ve had a chance to use in a long time, you have a product that feels like a steal.
| Dimensions | 3.39” x 1.48” x 2.21” |
| Weight | 4 oz |
| Display | Dual Display |
| Battery Type | Rechargeable Li-Polymer 500mAh |
| Battery Life | 8 hours |
| Accuracy | ± 1 yard |
| Measuring Range | 5 – 800 yards (1 yard = 0.91 meter) |
| Magnification | 6x |
- Available at voicecaddie.com
- $199.99
