I've Caddied At Royal County Down For Over 10 Years... Here Are Five Black Friday Deals On Devices You Should Be Using

When I began caddying at the age of 11, barely anyone had rangefinders or GPS watches - I certainly didn't. My yardages were based on a mix of the good old fashioned eye test and a dander to the nearest sprinkler which tells players and caddies a yardage to the front of the green.

Fast forward a decade and it's a rare sight not to caddy for a player who doesn't have a distance measuring device of some description. They've become incredibly reliable as well, with some of the best golf rangefinders factoring in slope and even wind direction and speeds. It's the same for the best golf watches as well - gone are the days of a simple number to the middle of the green. Premium models now offer detailed overviews of holes, including flyovers, hazards and movable pin positions.

I used to take my trusty rangefinder out with me for every round I caddied but now I leave it in my golf bag for personal use, with players often offering me their piece of equipment to use instead. This is means I'm well placed to write this article as I've tried and tested the vast majority of products in the golf tech market - from high end rangefinders and watches to more budget friendly options. Other members of the Golf Monthly team have also done in-depth reviews of the models I've picked out below.

I've chosen five of my favorites which are handily available in PGA Tour Superstore's sales ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whether you're in the market for a new piece of golf tech to add to your own golfing setup or looking to tick off your list of presents or are looking to get the perfect gift for Christmas for your golf-mad loved one, here are some I'd recommend - from a caddying perspective!

If you want to stay on top of all the best deals and discounts ahead of the busing shopping period, check out our Black Friday best golf deals hub to make sure you don't miss out on anything.

Bushnell Pro X3+ Laser Rangefinder | 17% off at PGA Superstore
Was $599.99 Now $499.98

<p>In my opinion the 'crème de la crème' of rangefinders. The Augusta National of rangefinders. The crisp glass of water at 3am of rangefinders... you get the drift.<p>When I caddy for a player and see this little beauty hanging at the side of their bag I know I'm in for an easy day of yardage-giving. The accuracy on offer is supreme and instant, with the display crisp and pleasing on the eye. It's lightweight and feels great in your hand as you lock on to your target. <p>Given I caddy in Ireland and it rains here a lot, the X3+ has stood up against the elements, performing well in the wet conditions whilst proving full waterproof. It will cost you a pretty penny, but it's arguably the best rangefinder on the market and a perfect option for someone looking to add a premium rangefinder to their load-out.<p><strong>Read our full <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/laser/bushnell-pro-x3-laser-rangefinder-review"><strong>Bushnell Pro X3+ Laser Rangefinder Review

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Bushnell Tour V6 Shift Rangefinder | 18% off at PGA Tour Superstore
Was $399.99 Now $329.98

<p>If the X3+ is out of your price range, the Tour V6 is a fantastic backup option.<p>Firstly, it looks great. This factors into my thinking a bit when it comes to golf tech and I'm not saying it absolutely should for you too, but having a visually appealing piece of golf kit is always nice. <p>Like its bigger brother, the Tour V6 has impeccable accuracy, looking onto the flag so quickly you barely realized you pressed the button. The flag is also met with a little vibration to confirm you've shot the right target and not a tree or bush behind the green. It's certainly one of the <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/best-golf-deals/best-bushnell-golf-rangefinders-210864">best Bushnell golf rangefinders money can buy and arguably leading the <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/buying-advice/best-golf-rangefinders-with-slope">best golf rangefinders with slope category as well.<p><strong>Read our full <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/laser/bushnell-tour-v6-shift-rangefinder-review"><strong>Bushnell Tour V6 Shift Rangefinder Review

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Blue Tees Series 3 Max Laser Rangefinder | 26% off at PGA Tour Superstore
Was $269.99 Now $199.98

<p>My personal weapon of choice is the Blue Tees Series 3 Max. As mentioned, I don't bring this out onto the course with me whilst caddying, mainly because my player often has a more premium option that I can use like the two mentioned above. Instead, I keep this in my golf bag for my own personal use during the 9 holes I play with buddies after my caddying loop or during my club competitions on the same course every Sunday morning.<p>It's exceptionally quick at locking onto to the target and gives a clear and crisp yardage through the display. It also looks great and I love how it feels in my hands as I raise it to my eye. <p>I'll admit, if money wasn't an obstacle I would prefer to use one of the more premium models in the market like the aforementioned Bushnell's, but I'm in my mid-twenties and laden with student debt... so I don't have that luxury. With that in mind, after trying and testing dozens of models throughout the years, none combine value for money and performance like the Series 3 Max, hence why I've used it for the last couple of years and will continue to do so! It's one of, if not the <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/laser/best-budget-golf-rangefinders-year">best budget golf rangefinder there is.<p><strong>Read our full <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/laser/blue-tees-series-3-max-laser-rangefinder-review"><strong>Blue Tees Series 3 Max Laser Rangefinder

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Garmin Approach S70 Golf Watch | 15% off at PGA Tour Superstore
Was $649.99 Now $549.98

<p>Onto watches - personally I don't like playing with a watch on but that is solely a personal preference. However, I do feel like celebrating when I see my player has one during a round of caddying - so much so I offer to wear it for them and relay the data to them. <p>The best I've ever worn is the S70 from Garmin. The brand have so many fantastic watch options that we've put together our own guide to document all the <a href="https://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/best-golf-deals/best-garmin-golf-watches-210849">best Garmin golf watches, with the S70 arguably the best of the bunch. It earned five stars in our review last year - a score we don't give out all that often.<p>The excellent display details all you need to know about the course your playing, providing flyovers and yardages to different hazards and points of interest. A feature that was awesome for me as a caddy was the green contour map which helped detail the slopes on the greens and give my player a preview of what to expect on the putting surface before an approach shot. As you can imagine at Royal County Down, this is really important given the amount of roll out on the firm links turf.<p><strong>Read our full <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/gps/garmin-approach-s70-golf-watch-review"><strong>Garmin Approach S70 Golf Watch Review

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Garmin Approach S12 GPS Watch | 25% off at PGA Tour Superstore
Was $199.99 Now $149.99

<p>So the S70 is the premium version, but I'll give you a more budget friendly option as well. <p>Given it's a Garmin device, it means that accuracy is guaranteed. It feels super light on your wrist and is stylish enough to be worn on and off the course, a feature not shared with all GPS golf watches. This is without doubt a standout when we consider the <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/buying-advice/best-value-golf-watches-year">best value golf watches.<p>Functionality and ease of use is a breeze and despite the features being rather basic, they still cover all you need from a golf watch. If I were to buy a golf watch to use, factoring in both performance and value for money, this would be my choice. It would be a standout on my list for the <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/best-golf-deals/christmas-golf-gifts-210120">best Christmas golf gifts as well.<p><strong>Read our full <a href="https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/gps/garmin-approach-s12-gps-watch-review"><strong>Garmin Approach S12 GPS Watch Review

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