Zoom Golf Focus X Rangefinder
The affordable/value rangefinder market is more competitive than ever. A quick browse around the rangefinder review section of our website alone will feature many of the competitive options out there right now. One of the latest to the market, which can also be found at possibly the hottest up and coming golf store over the last couple of years – Costco, is the Zoom Golf Focus X rangefinder. With a compact profile, USB charging port, and slope technology, the Focus X gets the job done at an affordable price point.
Out of the Box
It doesn’t get much easier than getting the Zoom Golf Focus X rangefinder working right out of the box. Your first glance is the hardshell case which you will then open to find the USB cable for charging, a cleaning cloth, and the Focus X itself. Note the lack of battery in the box. Now you don’t have to worry about replacing that weird little specialty battery. Just hook the Focus X up to a micro USB to charge as needed. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to test the limits of a single charge yet, but I can’t imagine it being an issue.
Once you have a full charge, it’s a pretty basic case of point and shoot. Turning slope on and off is as quick and easy as a push of the slope button on the top. The last thing you might need to do is adjust the Optical focus to get your view dialed in (capable of 6x magnification). That’s it. You’re ready to toss the Focus X on the bag and get playing.
Features
Being a value rangefinder, the Zoom Golf Focus X has enough to be dangerous, but doesn’t go overboard. I’ve already mentioned the slope feature, so let’s start there. Slope tells you the calculated distance to your target when considering elevation change. So with slope turned on, you will see the actual distance, but the rangefinder will also show you a second number that’s the adjusted distance so you can pick the right club. Just be aware that slope is typically not allowed in competitive play. So make sure to turn it off as necessary.
Depending on your preferred distance unit, the Focus X can do yards or meters. The accuracy is +/- .5m up to 656 yards. While max distance is lower than other rangefinders, it’s more than enough for anything needed on a golf course. I’ve already mentioned the USB charging capability rather than a battery, but don’t forget that. I’m a big fan of this feature. Lastly, there is a vibration feature when you lock onto the target. We’ll discuss that more in the next section.
On-Course Performance
Like I’ve already mentioned, the Zoom Golf Focus X is pretty intuitive in terms of point and shoot. Distances are accurate when compared to other rangefinders I have in my stash, and more importantly, my club distances. Additionally, the distances are returned quickly. Target lock works by holding down the button while staying on your target, but can take a little extra time to vibrate once hitting your target. This works in both standard and slope modes.
Final Thoughts – Zoom Golf Focus X Rangefinder
A reliable performance at a more affordable cost is exactly what you get in the Zoom Golf Focus X rangefinder. It’s easy to use right out of the box and practical out on the course. So if you’re looking to get a solid rangefinder but don’t want to pay big-name prices, the Focus X is worth considering.
