Our Story
October 1, 2022 on Kickstarter
If you are an avid golfer, you have probably used a rangefinder at some point to estimate the accuracy of your shot. Golf rangefinders give accurate yardages to any point on the course and help you determine how far you need to hit your shots but are they always practical?
Most rangefinders in the market are not very easy to use, especially if you tend to wear eyeglasses or sunglasses while playing golf. To see the distance through the viewfinder, you would typically have to take off your glasses and squint your eye each time you use a rangefinder. This can quickly get tiring and even start impacting your performance negatively.
As avid golfers, we had the same exact experience. That is why we created the Altaz External LCD Rangefinder.
I have also been an avid golfer for many years. As I kept playing golf and my games improved, I invested in a rangefinder to help lower my score. I soon discovered that there was a huge problem in using the rangefinder. In the first few rounds, I had difficulties finding the right target because my glasses were always in the way, blocking my view into the small internal viewfinder. Every time I tried looking into the viewfinder, I also squinted my eye. On top of that, my hands started shaking, so the target kept moving, and I couldn't fire the laser at the target to get the correct distance reading. What was I going to do? I needed my glasses to see properly, so I couldn’t just forego them. So, I gave up using the rangefinder instead!
This was a shame because I genuinely believed in the benefits that one could get from a properly designed rangefinder. A rangefinder would improve any golfer’s play of golf by helping them find the proper distance. I knew that whether you are a professional or a weekend amateur golfer, the rangefinder is a must-have accessory!
Then, one day, just as I had given up on using the rangefinder, I started staring at it as it was lying on my desk. I started wondering how this tool could be re-designed in a way that would allow people like me to use it effectively. At this moment, my product manager instincts kicked in, and I started thinking about why all rangefinders had such small viewfinders.
This was exactly when I had my aha moment! I had recently seen a smartphone commercial where the announcer was boasting about the camera’s ability to see objects from a far distance. Why not attach a larger LCD on a rangefinder like the modern digital camera/camcorder to eliminate the eye squinting or prevent the glasses from blocking the viewfinders?
This was when the Altaz External LCD Rangefinder was born.
Research & Proof of Concept
With the idea of an external LCD screen on a rangefinder, I started researching the ins and outs of the product and looking for a way to create a design of exactly what I had in mind. I invested in purchasing a few rangefinders and connected them to my smartphone and a 20-year-old camcorder. Just by aiming the camcorder lens at the rangefinder’s viewfinder, I was able to see the rangefinder readings and images on the camcorder’s LCD screen quite clearly. At this point, I knew I was going to be able to make this work!
Concept Sketches
First 3D rendering concept
Moving from Design to Prototype
After the invitation from the PGA Merchandise Show, I quickly asked my suppliers to use the existing components and my ID design to create a working engineer sample to be used as a demo at the show. My suppliers successfully delivered a few working samples within a few days and right before my presentation in the Innovator’s Spotlight.
Press Coverage and Feedback
A short time after my demo was displayed at the PGA Show, I was contacted by GolfWeek Magazine to conduct an interview about the demo. A day after the PGA Show, Altaz External LCD Rangefinder became one of the top items on GolfWRX’s Things We Loved, Day 1 list. The editors on Golflink where the Altaz External LCD Rangefinder was also featured, even commented, “Why didn’t someone else think of this sooner?”
Moving from prototype to mass production
With all the positive feedback me and my team received from the press, pro-golfers, and coaches, we decided it was time to move forward with manufacturing the Altaz External LCD Rangefinder so that millions of golfers worldwide could use it and experience its benefits. Even though we had a successfully-engineered working prototype that was featured at the PGA Show, we did not stop making improvements to the current version of the rangefinder. We hired an electrical engineering design house and a mechanical designer to redesign and eliminate any possible issues that may arise during the manufacturing process. A high-caliber mechanical designer friend has helped perfect the product ID and enclosure design, including the PCBA and electronic component fitment designs. We also made sure to source the right components and parts that would make up the Altaz rangefinder, down to the hinges and small metal parts. The mechanical structure parts, i.e., product ID and enclosure, have now been completed and are ready for tooling.
Critical Funding for Product Launch
As we are making the final touches and improvements to our product, one critical missing piece is raising funds needed for tooling and materials for mass production. And this is where you come in! By supporting this funding campaign, you become a proud backer of the launch of the 1st-of-its-kind Altaz External LCD Rangefinder to the worldwide market.
Product Features
A high-quality laser module measures up to 500 plus yards/meters.
A large 3" LCD screen display makes it easier to find the target and the distance.
The soft TPU material makes it easier to hold. The strong magnet attaches to the metal post.
As seen on
Launching on Kickstarter on October 1st. 2022
As seen on
GolfWeek
"For golfers who wear glasses on the course or who have trouble holding a traditional laser steady, this unit might be worth the wait." Link
GolfWRX.com
2021 Virtual PGA Show: Things we loved, Altaz Rangefinder. Link
Golflink
"Why didn’t someone else think of this sooner? " Link
The Green Fee
"Its amazing that no one has thought of doing something as genius and simple as this before." Link