In this Voice Caddie SL1 Hybrid Rangefinder review, we will discuss why this rangefinder can replace a GPS device with this innovative design.
We will also explain how slope works in a rangefinder, and discuss the differences between rangefinders and GPS devices.
The SL1 is the predecessor to the flagship Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder, but shares most of the same technology (but at a lower price). If you don’t need the more advanced technology from the SL2, this just might be the best choice for you!
If you already know all about rangefinders and slope, feel free to skip to the section on Hybrid Rangefinders.
Otherwise, read on to understand how these devices work to help you decide which features are most important to you.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
How To Choose The Best Golf Rangefinder
If you need help figuring out which golf rangefinder is right for you, read our in-depth article How To Choose The Best Golf Rangefinder.
It will help you understand what rangefinder features are available, how they work, how you can identify what type of rangefinder you need, and ultimately how to choose the best golf rangefinder for yourself.
How Rangefinders Work
A laser rangefinder is a device that uses laser technology to measure distance. By bouncing a laser off of an object and measuring the time it takes for the laser to return, the rangefinder can calculate the distance to the object.
Laser rangefinders are used in a variety of applications, including surveying, navigation, and of course golf.
TECHNICAL EXPLANATION OF HOW A LASER RANGEFINDER WORKS The laser rangefinder works by sending out a laser pulse and measuring the time it takes for the laser to bounce back off the object. The laser rangefinder then uses the formula: Distance = (Speed of Light * Time) / 2 to calculate the distance to the object. The speed of light is a constant, so by knowing the time it takes for the laser to bounce back, we can calculate the distance.
How Does The Slope Function Work On A Golf Rangefinder?
Now that we know how laser rangefinders work, let’s take a look at how they are used in golf. Laser rangefinders are becoming increasingly popular among golfers because they can help you make more accurate shots.
Most laser rangefinders on the market today come with a feature called “slope.” Slope compensates for the elevation change between you and the flagstick.
TECHNICAL EXPLANATION OF HOW SLOPE IS MEASURED The slope function on a golf rangefinder measures the angle of incline or decline between the player and the target. Most golf rangefinders with a slope function use a built-in inclinometer to measure the angle of the slope. The inclinometer works by using a small accelerometer or other type of sensor to measure the force of gravity on the rangefinder. By knowing the angle of the slope and the distance to the target, the rangefinder can then calculate the adjusted distance that the player needs to hit the shot based on the slope.
For example, let’s say you are standing on a hill and looking down at the flagstick. The laser rangefinder will give you the distance to the flagstick, but it will also take into account the fact that you are standing on a hill.
This is where slope comes in. Slope will give you the adjusted distance to the flagstick, taking into account the elevation change.
Slope is a great feature to have if you are playing on a course with a lot of elevation changes. It can help you make more accurate shots and lower your score.
The Downsides to Using Slope Functionality
There can be a few drawbacks to using the slope functionality of a rangefinder, but they are limited to tournament play.
Firstly, you can become over reliant on it to provide the true distance to a target. While this works great in non-tournament play, you could struggle in tournaments if you can’t figure this out without the slope function turned on.
Ideally, you use the slope function in a practice round and note elevation adjustments in a yardage book. This would help you overcome this limitation and over time you should develop a sense of how uphill/downhill shots paly.
Secondly, if you forget to turn off the function in a tournament you will likely be disqualified. This is unlikely, but still something to consider if you play a lot of tournament golf.
The top slope rangefinders all have visual indicators that slope is turned off.
Laser Rangefinders vs GPS Devices
Whether you want a rangefinder or GPS device, there is no wrong answer as to which device is better. Many players carry both devices to get the advantage from each.
There are a few key advantages that a golf laser rangefinder has over a golf GPS device.
First, laser rangefinders are generally more accurate than GPS devices. This is because they use laser technology to measure distance, while GPS devices use satellite technology. This means that laser rangefinders can be more accurate in measuring distances to the flag, hazards, and other objects on the course.
Second, laser rangefinders don’t require a satellite connection in order to function. This means that you can easily carry a laser rangefinder with you on the course, and don’t have to worry about losing a GPS signal. Occasionally satellite reception might be limited which leads to inaccurate yardages.
On the other hand, GPS devices can be attached to your bag, or worn on your wrist providing real-time yardage updates. With GPS, you always see a visual of the hole with yardages to hazards, the green and any target you wish.
Hybrid Laser Rangefinder/GPS
Manufacturers also realized the tradeoff between GPS devices and laser rangefinders so they came up with an innovative idea; laser rangefinders with GPS functionality built-in.
These rangefinders incorporate GPS in (2) different ways:
- External display built into the rangefinder
- Internal display with overlaid visuals in the viewfinder
External Display
This innovative design incorporates an external display built right into the rangefinder body.
You get the benefits of a GPS unit and rangefinder with slope. This means hole overviews, hazards, layup distances, green views and more.
Some units also include the undulations on greens.
Units incorporating this design are:
Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid (this device)
Internal Display
This design is different in that the GPS features are seen when looking through the viewfinder.
The visuals are overlaid on the actual hole you are looking at.
This shows you what hazards are in play around where you are aiming (via the range arc).
Units incorporating this design are:
Voice Caddie SL1 ACtive Hybrid GPS Rangefinder
Combining GPS and laser into one device, the Voice Caddie SL1 also features green undulation, auto slope, JOLT, colored LCD, and 6X magnification. Includes a stylish leather finish that sets it apart from the competition.
The Voice Caddie SL1 Hybrid rangefinder is a very unique product that can replace your existing GPS & rangefinder as an all-in-one unit.
Voice Caddie is the official rangefinder of the LPGA tour (the SL2), and is a very high-quality device. Before we get into the details, here is a summary of the core features/specs.
Feature Summary List
Below is a summary of features on the Voice Caddie SL1 Hybrid Rangefinder.
NOTE: The table looks best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices
| ITEM | Voice Caddie SL1 Hybrid Rangefinder |
|---|---|
| Type | Hybrid (Laser rangefinder + GPS) |
| Viewfinder Display | OLED |
| External Display | LED |
| Battery Life | GPS Mode 20 Hours |
| Weight | 7.8 ounces |
| Accuracy | +/- 1 yard |
| Dimensions | 1.5″ x 3.0″ x 4.2″ |
| Slope | Yes |
| Slope Indicator | No |
| Magnification | 6x (1,000 yards) |
| Adjustable Focus | Yes (manual) |
| Waterproof | Water Resistant |
Voice Caddie SL1 vs Voice Caddie SL2
The Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid is the newest rangefinder that Voice Caddie offers and has a few differences from the Voice Caddie SL1.
The SL2 costs $100 more, so you need to decide if these features are necessary for you.
Here are the features that the Voice Caddie SL2 offers that are not available on the SL1:
Touchscreen
The SL2 has a touchscreen GPS display. This means you can tap anywhere on the screen to get a yardage. This is a pretty big difference between the 2 devices.
Our advice is to purchase the Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid if it fits your budget. You get a ton of useful features for the $100 price difference.
GPS Hole Overview
Smart Course View has innovative functions to help gain a better grasp on course layout for better course management.
You can touch anywhere on the screen and get a distance to that point & the remaining yards to the pin. You can also use zoom buttons to magnify the area in which you are viewing.
Distance to Hazards
Course Preview displays useful information such as driver landing area, distance to traps and hazards.
You can input your average driving distance in settings, and a red arc will display showing where your drive will likely land. This can help you predict your 2nd shot as well!
Active Green
This feature rotates the green view according to your location and angle of approach.
Dimensional information of the green is also provided (width & length)
New OLED
A new 2-Color OLED viewfinder offers clearer and brighter colors, even during sunrise or after sunset.
Size
The SL2 is slightly larger than the SL1.
Range
The SL2 has a range of 1,100 yards vs 1,000 for the SL1.
Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid Quick Look
The Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid blends GPS & a laser rangefinder with slope into a single unit.
Below the viewfinder, the SL1 features a screen that provides useful information such as yards to target, front, middle, and back of green.
What Makes this Rangefinder Unique?
- GPS+Laser with slope functionality
- GPS front, middle, and back yardages
- Green view with undulation
- OLED display
WHo Is This For?
The golfer who wants a great hybrid (GPS+Laser) golf rangefinder with slope at a lower price than the flagship SL2.
Overview
The Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid combines GPS with a traditional rangefinder (plus slope), so you never need another device.
If you need/want GPS with your rangefinder, the Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid is a great option.
However, please review the Voice Caddie SL2 rangefinder as that is the newer & improved version of the SL1 and is the model we recommend if it fits your budget.
Who Is Voice Caddie?
Voice Caddie is a South Korean company that specializes in golf course rangefinders and related golf products. As mentioned above, Voice Caddie is the official rangefinder of the LPGA tour.
The company was founded in 2007 and is based in South Korea. In addition to rangefinders, Voice Caddie also offers other golf-related products, such as GPS golf watches.
Recently, Voice Caddie signed a joint deal to acquire SuperStroke (the putting grip manufacturer).
Key Features
GPS Distance Guide
The GPS display will show the laser yardage, plus front, center, and back yardages.
Green View with Undulation
Green Undulation makes the green view more realistic and allows you to see the breaks.
The red shading shows the highest points of the green and shows different colors down to blue, which is the lowest area.
If you struggle to read greens, this is an invaluable feature.
You can search on Voice Caddie’s course finder to see what features are available at your course.
OLED Viewfinder
The OLED viewfinder offers clearer and brighter colors, even during sunrise or after sunset.
More Features
Optics
The Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid has special optics. The rangefinder can track targets at 1,000 yards. You will never use that range, but it means it will have no problem at 250 yard targets.
In addition, it has a external manual focus ring (on the viewfinder) to quickly adjust the focus to your eyes and conditions.
What Are Rangefinder Optics?
RANGEFINDER OPTICS & DISPLAY The display on a laser rangefinder is typically separate from the optics and is used to present the measured distance to the target. The optics on a laser rangefinder are used to gather light from the target and focus it onto the laser detector, which is responsible for measuring the distance to the target. The optics typically consist of a series of lenses and prisms that are used to focus the laser beam and improve image clarity. The quality of the optics can have a significant impact on the accuracy and overall performance of the rangefinder.
Display
The Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid has (2) separate displays; the internal viewfinder and an external GPS display.
Rangefinder Display – The internal display is OLED (meaning the numbers that are displayed).
External GPS Display – The external GPS display is a high-resolution LCD screen. It can be turned off to save battery.
What’s In The Box
- SL1 Active Hybrid GPS Laser Rangefinder
- Laser Pouch
- USB Cable
- User Manual
Alternative Hybrid Rangefinders
Our recommendation would actually be to purchase the Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid. For $100 more, you get a ton of features that make it the best rangefinder on the market.
You get the benefits of a GPS unit and rangefinder with slope. Below the viewfinder, the SL2 features a screen that provides useful information such as driver landing area, as well as distance to sand traps and hazards.
It is the best hybrid rangefinder with slope on the market.
If the Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid is not the right rangefinder for you, we would suggest the Garmin Approach Z82.
It also is a laser rangefinder with slope that incorporates GPS. It has a different twist on the GPS though. The Z82 overlays the GPS data through the viewfinder. There is not an external GPS screen.
If you are not happy with any of these, check out our post The Best Golf Rangefinders with Slope for more ideas.
The Approach Z82 laser range finder with GPS & slope gives you the most accurate reading on the market within 10†of the flag. It includes an internal display with overlays of the hole including yardages, wind, hazard distances, and even green contour data!
Garmin Approach Z82
The Garmin Approach Z82 Golf Range Finder With GPS provides overlaid full-color 2D CourseView on the view finder.
The Approach Z82’s Green View feature automatically shows distance to the front and back of the green and PlaysLike Distance adjusts distances based on uphill or downhill slope.
The Z82 also accounts for for wind speed and direction so you can figure out exactly what club to hit.
What Makes this Rangefinder Unique?
- GPS+Laser with slope functionality
- GPS is overlaid on rangefinder view
- Z82 accounts for for wind speed and direction
- Laser range arc
- Hazard View (scroll through each hazard on the map)
- An indicator light notes that you’re tournament legal
- Green Contour Data (with paid membership)
WHo Is This For?
The golfer who wants a premium integrated hybrid (GPS+Laser) golf rangefinder with slope with ability to upgrade to green contour data.
Key Features
The Garmin Approach Z82 Golf Range Finder provides overlaid full-color 2D CourseView on the view finder. CourseView mapping helps players understand the course layout and what is actually in play around where you’re aiming.
Additional features include Hazard View, which allows you to quickly scroll through each hazard and layup distance on the map. On blind shots, Find The Pin tells you the direction of the pin, so you’ll know where to aim.
If you need/want GPS with your rangefinder, the Garmin Approach Z82 Golf Range Finder is a great option.
How the Garmin Approach Z82 Golf Range Finder differs from the Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid:> The Garmin Z82 displays GPS data on the internal viewfinder (overlaid) on the actual hole you see (the Voice Caddie has an external display) >The Garmin Z82 does not include Green Contour data out of the box (it requires a paid membership) >The Garmin Z82 accounts for wind speed and direction
Pairing a Rangefinder with a Launch Monitor
When you pair a launch monitor (such as the Bushnell Launch Pro) with a laser rangefinder, you are eliminating variables from your golf game–which is good! A launch monitor can help you dial in your exact distances for each club.
When you pair that with the on-course precision of a laser rangefinder, you take the guesswork out of each shot. You can then focus on the target and executing your best swing.
So, if you’re serious about improving your golf game, a laser rangefinder with slope is worth considering. By helping you get a better understanding of the course and making it easier to execute shots, a rangefinder can help you take your game to the next level.
Pair this with a launch monitor where you can dial in your exact distances, and you will be playing the best golf you are capable of.
See our page on Launch Monitors for reviews of the best models.
Conclusion
Combining GPS and laser into one device, the Voice Caddie SL1 also features green undulation, auto slope, JOLT, colored LCD, and 6X magnification. Includes a stylish leather finish that sets it apart from the competition.
The Voice Caddie SL1 Active Hybrid is a great combo rangefinder + GPS device. If you are looking for a hybrid rangefinder at a good price, the SL1 will meet your needs.
Good luck and have fun on the links!
Founder of TheLuxeGolf, I am an avid golfer with a single-digit handicap with over 20 years of experience playing golf. I use my analytics education from Georgia Tech to help me research and write the best articles on luxury & premium golf products! I love how analytics has seeped into every aspect of golf and how it can be used to provide incredible insights into your game. In my time, I’m either writing about golf, watching golf, or playing golf!
