Rangefinders for golf serve a wide variety of purposes. Not only can they determine the distance from your ball to the hole, it can also accurately determine the distance to the end of the fairway, a water hazard, and even the group ahead of you.
They are also an excellent tool for practice. Dialing in wedges around the short game area becomes much easier when you can figure out the exact yardage to the hole. And, if you are unsure how far you hit your irons, a rangefinder makes it easy to understand how far you hit each club.
In 2006, when I was starting my career as a professional, rangefinders – the good ones at least – cost hundreds of dollars, and could easily cost the same as a new driver. Since then, technology has improved dramatically, and when Macwheel approached me to test their new V1000 Rangefinder, I was intrigued.
Could a quality rangefinder really cost less than a new sand wedge? In this post, we are going to explore the Macwheel V1000 rangefinder, and determine if value and quality meet with this new product.
Unboxing the Macwheel V1000
When I opened the Macwheel V1000, the first thing I noticed is how compact the rangefinder and case is. The rangefinder fits nicely in my pocket, which is incredibly helpful when working on the driving range and avoids repeated replacing in the bag.
Inside the case, you will find:
- The Macwheel V1000
- A charging cable
- Cleaning cloth for the lens
- A strap for the case
The case fits snugly into any of the side pouches of my golf bag, and the rangefinder itself fits in my back pocket when I’m walking, which makes it super simple to pull out and get the yardage.
Even with glasses on, I had no trouble looking through the scope and seeing the target. If things seem a little blurry, a quick turn of the focus dial makes it easy to bring everything into focus.
Key Features of the Macwheel V1000
Here are a few of the key features that make the Macwheel V1000 a great rangefinder.
Rechargeable Battery
With a full battery, you could get thousands of yardage measurements, which means unless you play and practice daily, you probably won’t need to charge it more than once a week. However, when you do charge it, the USB port makes it super simple to charge before your next round.
Slope Function
If you play a golf course with uphill and downhill shots, it helps to know how much the slopes will factor into the actual yardage of your approach shots. Luckily, the Macwheel V1000 offers a Slope Function, which provides a more accurate yardage and will help you choose the right club.
Flagstick Locking
When you’re trying to obtain an exact yardage to the hole, a little feedback helps instill confidence that the yardage is correct. The flagstick locking feature gives a short vibration, and during testing, the Macwheel V1000 demonstrated consistent performance when aimed at the flagstick.
Accuracy from Long Distance
This rangefinder is accurate within a yard from up to 1000 yards. One-thousand yards won’t have much use on the golf course, but if you work in the construction industry, or like to hunt, the Macwheel V1000 offers versatility.
Using the MacWheel V1000 on the Range
Most driving ranges do not keep accurate yardage of their targets. Even if they have markers that say 100, 150, 200, etc, they are almost always fixed in the ground and the yardage will vary based on the position of the hitting deck.
A reliable rangefinder can serve a variety of purposes. If you are at the driving range just to practice, having accurate yardages to the target can help you dial in the distance of every club in your bag. This is also helpful for beginner golfers who may not have a guide as to how far they hit each club.
If you are at the driving range warming up before a round, measuring the distance can help you figure out how far you hit each club. A variety of factors can affect the distance a golf ball travels: humidity in the air, damp ground, etc. Having an idea of how far the ball is traveling will help you make better decisions from the first tee.
Using the Macwheel V1000 Rangefinder on the Golf Course
The Macwheel V1000 comes in handy on every tee box all the way to short wedges when playing golf. Standing on the box, you can determine how far fairway bunkers or water hazards are, or how far the group ahead of you is.
When hitting approach shots, rangefinders make getting the yardage to the hole easy. Additionally, with the Macwheel V1000, you can utilize the 6x Zoom to see more than you could with the naked eye.
For example, you can observe any subtle slopes around the hole, or if a sand trap is closer or farther from the green than it appears.
Lastly, accurate yardages from 100 yards and in are key to shooting low scores. The Macwheel 1000 and its flagstick locking feature will give you an accurate picture of the shot, which will instill confidence on every wedge shot.
Why the Macwheel V1000 is a Great Rangefinder
When golfers decide to buy a new rangefinder, they will usually look for a name-brand option and pay a premium price. With the Macwheel V1000, I didn’t see a major difference in performance and accuracy when compared to a top-tier rangefinder.
The build quality is awesome, its usability is simple, and for less than $100, the value is incredible.
What do you think about the Macwheel V1000? What did you think of this review? Let me know on my Instagram page.
Did you like this product review? Stay tuned for more reviews on The Golf Author blog.