Aspire Golf Platinum S Laser Rangefinder Review

By GBB Staff

Introduction 

Golf is a sport that has embraced technology, as much or more than any other sport. Take the golf shaft, for example. The standard shaft material for many decades was steel, which has given way to the graphite, titanium and boron-infused shafts that dominate the market today. Persimmon wood heads were replaced many years ago by heads made of stainless steel or titanium, while some modern heads feature advanced composite designs combining multiple different materials and face inserts that utilize ceramic components.

Driver heads are another area, with today’s technology and modern engineering capabilities allowing manufacturers to do things like re-positioning a club’s center of gravity to optimize launch conditions, to redistribute weight to minimize slices and hooks and to increase it’s all-important “moment-of-inertia” to lessen the effect of an off-center strike. 

These are just a few of the remarkable ways that technology has impacted the golf industry. 

And Then Came the Laser Rangefinder

But one of the best examples of how the game has been improved through technology was the introduction of the laser rangefinder. Most golfers nowadays are familiar with these distance-measuring devices. They’ve become very popular among golfers, and even if you don’t own one yet, you certainly play with other golfers who do.

I was one of the holdouts who was slow to jump on the rangefinder bandwagon.  I could see the value, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger on buying one. I had justified my hesitation by foolishly convincing myself that I had become fairly adept at estimating my distance from the pin. But I had to admit that the further away I got from one of the sprinkler heads that were marked with a distance measurement, the harder that estimation process became, and the greater the amount of guesswork that was involved. 

And not only that, but I was playing slower than I should have been. Pacing off my ball’s distance from the yardage markers on every shot takes time and I realized that it was affecting my group’s pace of play.

So, it took a while, but I eventually convinced myself that I needed to move into the 21^st century. So, I started the process of researching the market to determine which laser rangefinder to buy. And I can tell you that, initially, it was an eye-opener for me!

Some Initial Sticker Shock

My first visit to the local golf superstore to check out the rangefinders was a bit of a shocker. I wasn’t prepared for the prices I was seeing. The rangefinders from the big-name manufacturers were way outside my budget. The better units were all over $250, with some even topping $500! Wow. I wanted all the features that these products offered; I just couldn’t afford them.

Then I Came Across the Aspire Platinum S

After seeing those retail prices, I decided to resume my research in the hopes of finding a rangefinder that had all those great features, but which was a little more “wallet friendly.” And I’m glad I did because, luckily for me, I soon became aware of a laser rangefinder called the Aspire Platinum S.

This turned out to be exactly what I had been looking for: A high-quality rangefinder, loaded with the features found on those expensive, big-name models, but at a fraction of the price. Soon after, I bought one and have been using it for several weeks now, and I’m happy to share with you more about this great find.

But First, Some Background: How Laser Rangefinders Work

Through all my research, I’ve learned a lot about rangefinders. Are you familiar with how they work? The way that laser rangefinders function is rather simple, although the actual underlying technology is very sophisticated. 

When you aim the device at your target and press the button, it sends an invisible laser pulse in a narrow beam at that target -- the flag stick, the edge of a sand trap, a tree, etc. The laser bounces off the target object and returns to the rangefinder. 

Then, using a mathematical algorithm, the rangefinder instantaneously calculates the length of time it took for the laser beam to return after it was initially emitted. Since it is already known that laser beams move at the speed of light, it’s a simple calculation for the device to identify the exact distance measurement. 

This process may sound like it would take a lot of time, but it actually takes less than a second for the rangefinder to give you this calculation, even for distances of hundreds of yards.    

Laser Rangefinder Features

For those who may not be familiar with these types of devices, I’m including below a summary of some of the most important features that separate high-level rangefinders from those of lesser value. These are the features that you should look for when you buy one. As you’ll see later, the Aspire Platinum S model rates very high in terms of providing all these desirable features:  

• Magnification: The greater the power the rangefinder has, the farther you’re able to sight target objects (like the flagstick). Better rangefinders will have a 6x or 7x magnification level. 6x, for example, simply means that the object appears 6 times closer through the rangefinder than with the naked eye.
• Range: The range number listed represents the maximum yardage for which a particular model can accurately reflect a distance measurement.
• High Speed Scan Mode: This is a very important feature to have on a golf rangefinder. In models that offer a Scan Mode, you can simply hold down the button as you pan back and forth across the golf hole and the distance reading will change as you pass various targets. 
• Vibration Alert: Once the rangefinder locks onto its target, the device will emit a physical vibration, which gives the golfer added confidence that the reading is accurate.
• Slope Mode: This is a feature that is available only on higher end (and usually more expensive) rangefinders. Slope technology on the rangefinder accurately adjusts the distance reading by taking into account the amount of uphill or downhill terrain between you and the pin. For example, let’s say that your straight-line distance to the pin is 150 yards. But because there is an uphill grade between you and the hole, the rangefinder will adjust the distance reading to, say, 158 yards. Knowing how long the upcoming shot will actually play, rather than simply knowing the straight distance, is a huge help in club selection.
• Noise Filtration: The Noise Filtration helps the rangefinder block out other objects in the surrounding environment and only focus on your specific target.

Comparing the Aspire Platinum S to the High-Priced Market Leader

As mentioned previously, the Aspire Platinum S compares very favorably to the highest rated rangefinder on the market. But at about 25% of that rangefinder’s cost, the Aspire model represents an incredible value. Take a look at how these two models compare in terms of those desired features discussed above:

As you can see, there’s not a substantial difference in features between the two, and regarding the slight differences that are shown, they aren’t really that significant from a user’s point of view. For instance, there is a difference in the overall range capability of 1,300 vs. 1,000 yards. Well, anyone who’s ever used a rangefinder on a golf course knows that the maximum distance you’ll ever target an object is probably 250 yards or so. There is never a need to sight a target that is 1,300 yards away (or even 1,000, for that matter).

Here’s what comes with the package:

• A complete laser golf rangefinder package
• Premium carrying case
• CR2 battery
• Microfiber cleaning cloth
• Qick start instruction manual with all the information you need.

Everything you need is included in the package.

Bottom Line

If you’re like me, you want a quality laser rangefinder, but you may not be willing to spend an arm and a leg to get it. After having used the Aspire Platinum S rangefinder for a while now, I can tell you that I am extremely pleased with how it’s performed. 

Measurements are fast and accurate. And I love having the Slope feature that helps me in club selection on those tricky uphill and downhill shots. This model can do everything that those high-priced rangefinders can do... and I feel good knowing that I’ve saved hundreds of dollars in the process.

If you’re in the market for a rangefinder, you’d do yourself a favor by giving the Aspire Platinum S some serious consideration.

Visit the Platinum S Product Page for more info.