Founders Club Laser Lock 600 Golf Range Finder Review

The USGA has a problem.  According to an article written in the Wall Street Journal, the number of Americans who play at least once a year has declined steadily from a peak of 30 million in 2005 to just over 24 Million last year.  This article, titled Golf’s Lofty Ambition:  Rules That Make Sense, briefly explains current actions being taken to simplify the USGA rule book.

The powers-that-be must have seen Jordan Spieth arguing with rules officials one too many times, begging the question: If the best players in the world are consistently dumbfounded by USGA rulings, where does that leave us weekend golfers?

I’ve been carrying a USGA rule book in my bag since I was old enough to read.  During this time,  I’ve utilized it once:  When a friend of mine wanted to leave the cart girl his phone number and needed something to write on.

In Basketball, you take 2 steps with the ball, you traveled.  In Baseball, you stare at 3 pitches down the pipe, you’re out.  In Football, you grab someone’s face mask, you’re penalized.  In Golf, your tee shot lands in a puddle on the cart path, you. . .uh. . .can I get a ruling?  My point:  The game of golf is tough; playing 18 holes is onerous; tack on an inscrutable set of rules to abide by, and the downward trend in golf’s popularity becomes easier to understand.  What we need is less complexity and more simplification.

Whether you realize it or not, golf courses are businesses.  They don’t care if you’re having the round of your life.  If you’re compromising their pace of play, you’re eating into their bottom line.  The rules of golf date back to the 1700s, so I don’t anticipate a complete overhaul occurring overnight.  What can we do in the meantime?  What we should be doing is leveraging current technology to clear out the noise and improve the overall playing experience, for everyone.

Before I delve into specifics, I should give credit where credit’s due.  Founders Club has a clearly stated mission that closely aligns with current golfing trends.  Let’s take a moment to appreciate how they’re going about improving the game:

At Founders Club we are a team. We work together, eat together, read the sports section together, and surf the internet together. We watch and play golf together. We have a common goal. We never stop improving, we know that every new product can be done better than its predecessor. We are driven to reach perfection. It is and always will be the target. We know that as long as we have the passion for the game and technology we create, we can make golf better and more efficient. 

Founders Club understands that golf isn’t your game, it isn’t my game, it’s OUR game.  Acknowledging that fact is the first step toward much needed change.

Founders Club’s Laser Lock 600 Golf Range Finder is a testament to the company’s desire to change the game for the better.  This device offers a plethora of features, all of which are conducive to the betterment of the golfing experience.  Long gone are the days where estimating yardage meant finding the nearest sprinkler head.  The Laser Lock 600 Golf Range finder is a hand-held caddie, offering a measurement range of 6 – 600 yards, flagpole accuracy up to 300 yards, and pinpoint accuracy within +- 1 yard.  Peer into this pocket-sized device, hit your shot, and repeat.  Minimal thinking needed, which results in fewer headaches and an improved pace-of-play.  The Flag Pole Lock mode filters out background images such as trees so you can pinpoint the distance to the flag with accuracy. The range finder comes with a 1 year warranty from the date of purchase.  All for one low price of $129.95.

If I managed my own course, I might name it Utopia.  Greens fees would come standard with the Laser Lock 600 Range Finder, and our pace of play would be 30 minutes better than any courses within a 100 mile radius.  Think about it:  While you’re killing the battery on your phone, trying to find a signal to utilize your GPS app, I’ve already hit my shot.  Multiply this by 80 shots, and the time-saving benefits are irrefutable.

I had the opportunity to try Founders Club’s Laser Lock 600 Golf Range Finder first-hand, and it didn’t disappoint.  The device comes with a set of instructions, which I strongly recommend reviewing prior to hitting the course.  You’ll be an expert on the device’s capabilities in less time than it would take to interpret a single rule in the USGA rule book.

Let me warn you, though.  If you prefer placing blame on your equipment, course conditions, anything other than your own ability, this may not be the device for you.  When it reads, “150 yards to the flag,” and you find the pond 20 yards short of the green, you’ll have to accept responsibility and perhaps even acknowledge your shortcomings as a golfer.  I know, it won’t be easy, but we’re in this together.  And guess what?  The Laser Lock 600 Range Finder fully complies with USGA rule 14-3/.05. This makes it legal for use in USGA sanctioned tournaments. Feel free to confer with your rule book if you don’t believe me and have 30 minutes to spare.  Excuses are a thing of the past, so leave them behind and start improving your game NOW.

Revising 300+ years of the golfing norm will been nothing short of abstruse, but the USGA’s ambivalence to change is receding, make no mistake about it.  Stop playing for a couple seasons, and you might return to find a completely different game.  It’s time that we take the betterment of golf into our own hands, creating a more efficient, enjoyable game, all the while improving your level of play.  Companies like Founders Club are doing their part to combat certain pain points within the game of golf.  It’s our duty to take their lead and keep the game progressing in the right direction. Take responsibility for your game.  Take notice of the golfing community as a whole.  Let’s make the great game of golf an even better game for everyone.