---
title: "The rangefinder now talks to your watch"
url: "https://ifrothgolf.com/news/garmin-range-relay-rangefinder"
type: "news"
category: "Equipment"
topic: "rangefinders-gps"
author: "Jordan Hale"
published: "2026-06-08"
publisher: "ifrothgolf"
---


# The rangefinder now talks to your watch

> Garmin's new laser zaps a yardage straight to your wrist — the most genuinely new idea in distance gear this year.

## In short

- Connected distance gear is here: zap the pin, read it on your wrist. A real upgrade for first-time buyers — just toggle slope off when you compete.

Distance tech does not change much year to year: a laser ranges the flag, you trust the number, you swing. Garmin has just done the rare thing and added a genuinely new trick. Its Approach Z30 laser pairs with the Approach S70 watch so that when you zap the pin, the yardage transmits instantly to your wrist — no squinting through the lens twice, no forgetting the number on your backswing.

It sounds gimmicky until you have stood over a shot trying to remember whether it was 147 or 157. Having the number on your watch — alongside the GPS yardages you already trust — is the kind of small, practical upgrade that actually changes a round. Bushnell, the other big name in lasers, has answered with a refreshed 2026 line of its own, including its smallest model yet.

One thing to know if you compete: slope — the feature that adjusts for uphill and downhill — is not legal in tournament play. Every decent modern rangefinder has a toggle to switch it off, so use it, but check it is off before a medal.

If you already own a recent laser, this will not make it obsolete. But if you are buying your first — or your watch and rangefinder currently live separate lives — the connected setup is the most useful thing to happen to distance gear in years.

## Products mentioned

- [Garmin Approach Z30](https://ifrothgolf.com/product/garmin-approach-z30) · $500 approx — The laser that beams the yardage straight to a paired Garmin watch.
  **Where to buy:** [Check price at PlayBetter](https://www.playbetter.com/products/garmin-approach-z30-golf-laser-rangefinder?ghref=2301%3A1337342) (affiliate link) · also stocked by Garmin, Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Amazon (AU)

---

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