PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas Santa Dared Me DAY 4 Giveaway 3: New 2025 Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII Laser Rangefinder

For the third prize of Santa Dared Me in DAY 4 of my PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas Golf Giveaway we have the new 2025 Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII Laser Rangefinder for you and it's a Swiss Army Knife of laser rangefinders.

The 50i GII gives you get reliable (both accurate and slope-adjusted) distance feedback quickly, clear visual confirmation you're shooting the right target, and is a comfortable and intuitive rangefinder you'll want to use every round.

Below is Santa's text to me yesterday in case you missed it.  And immediately after is my review for you of the Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII Laser Rangefinder.

There are three fundamental things you need from a golf laser rangefinder.  One, you need it to be easy to use.  It doesn't matter how accurate or loaded with features it is if your rangefinder is a pain in the you know what to use.  Two, as just alluded to you need your rangefinder to produce accurate yardages otherwise what's even the point.  And third, it needs to pick up the targets you're shooting.  Easy to use and accurate is worthless if you're aiming at the wrong target.

The new Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII Golf Laser Rangefinder gives you the slot machine triple diamond in these categories and then pays you out even more.  I put the Nikon 50i GII to the test in bright, normal, and lowlight conditions and it performed flawlessly.  In this review I'll also touch on a few differences between the 50i GII and Nikon's most premium rangefinder, the COOLSHOT Pro III Stabilized.

Here are 10 things to know about the new Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII Golf Laser Rangefinder.

Number 1.  ▪️The Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII is as easy to use a golf laser rangefinder that you'll ever find.  One button for power, one button for mode (shoot your target or continuous measuring).  50i GII is even rainproof (which means it is protected in light rain and drizzle) and also boasts a battery life that's three times as long-lasting as the previous model.

Number 2.  ▪️The 50i GII also underwent a facelift in design making it a better, more ergonomic fit in your hands.  A rubberized, textured grip on the top and bottom of this rangefinder keeps it secure and comfortable in your hand.  The weight of 50i GII is substantial enough to not feel cheap but also light enough to feel pleasant and relaxed (for perspective the 50i GII and Apple iPhone 16 Pro are nearly identical in weight).

Number 3.  ▪️50i GII also has a magnet that's twice as strong as the previous model.  Honestly if it was any stronger it would be arguably too strong.  Slap it on your golf cart and go off-roading if you want.  The 50i GII isn't going to budge.  The COOLSHOT Pro III Stabilized does not have a magnet.

Number 4.  ▪️With a range of 1,200 yards and 6X magnification the 50i GII has the longest range in COOLSHOT 50 series history (COOLSHOT Pro III Stabilized checks in with a range of 1,200 yards and 8X magnification by comparison).  From 100 yards and in accuracy between 50i GIII and Pro Stabilized III is nearly identical (accurate to 1 yard).  From longer distances 500 yards and out 50i GII accuracy is still exceptional and accurate to 2 yards.  Pro III Stabilized however is even more accurate at these longer distances and still accurate to 1 yard.

Number 5.  ▪️One of the coolest features of both the COOLSHOT 50i GII and COOLSHOT Pro III Stabilized is Nikon's First Target Priority Mode.  This basically recognizes pins you're shooting and ignores backgrounds like trees, bushes, even golf carts.  And it works flawlessly.  I tested the 50i GII one day playing early morning with strong sun haze and also later that same evening after the sun was setting.  50i GII targeting was split-second fast and consistently accurate in both conditions.  It's massively impressive.

Number 6.  ▪️Another great feature shared by the COOLSHOT 50i GII and Pro III Stabilized is Nikon's Dual Locked on Quake feature.  As the name implies when you've locked on to your target you receive two simultaneous confirmations.  Clear, bright red yardages immediately appear when the viewfinder target reticule or crosshairs locks on and the rangefinder also vibrates at the same time.  Nikon leaves no doubt when you're as locked in.

Number 7.  ▪️ Slope Adjusted Distance isn't novel in many premium rangefinders on the market.  But honestly if any rangefinder doesn't have this feature it's simply behind the eight ball competitively.  The COOLSHOT 50i GII has this feature (Nikon calls it ID technology).  And it's very easy to know when you're in this slope adjusted mode or actual distance mode with a green LED that lights up on the outside body opposite the magnet side.  Slope adjusted distances provide the most accurate yardage distances by factoring in uphill and downhill elevation changes between you and your target.  And while slope compensation isn't allowed in competition it's invaluable to have in most of your rounds for choosing the correct clubs and and making better informed decisions.

Number 8.  ▪️Range of view with the COOLSHOT 50i GII is pretty wide.  You'll be able to see about 50 yards left and right when you're shooting a target 500 yards downrange.  Pro III Stabilized has an even wider range of view with about 15 additional left-to-right yards visible at 500 yards downrange.  This wide view is of course useful in locating targets quickly.  But it's also incredibly helpful when you're using Nikon's 8 Second Continuous Mode.  This allows you to measure distances to anything on the course in a continuous mode for 8 seconds.  So you can scan yardages to bunkers, trees, bodies of water, and other hazards.  A wide field of view makes 8 Second Continuous Mode more effective and more enjoyable.

Number 9.  ▪️Nikon optics speaks for itself.  Any Nikon rangefinder you own is going to deliver world-class visual quality.  And the COOLSHOT 50i GII optics are as absolutely spectacular.  You get sharp and clear viewing (in all lighting conditions) of both the course and digital yardages.  The 50i GII delivers excellent color and contrast shooting targets and scanning in Continuous Mode.  And both the 50i GII and Pro III Stabilized use an OLED display creating even more vibrant colors, deeper blacks, and even faster response time.

Number 10.  ▪️The COOLSHOT 50i GII does not have Nikon's stabilization technology like the Pro III Stabilized.  The Pro III Stabilized built-in image stabilization counteracts hand quivers and trembles so you can scan and shoot targets with the ultimate in stabilization.  With that said the 50i GII is very stable in its own right.  And unless you're a player who gets very nervous during competition or likes to have a few drinks when playing the 50i GII is going to let you scan and measure with fantastic speed and precision.

The Nikon COOLSHOT 50i GII is outstanding bargain at $299.  Not only because it's one of the top performers in all golf laser rangefinder categories but also because it compares favorably and even better than some more premium priced rangefinder's I've used and tested on the market.

As mentioned above the COOLSHOT Pro III Stabilized still remains the big dog in Nikon's golf laser rangefinder family with a few extra features and slightly faster speed and range.  But the 50i GII is an all-star in its own right giving you pretty much everything you want and need from a rangefinder.  50i GII walks the walk and talks the talk.  And Nikon's 5-Year Warranty shows they stand behind this rangefinder with absolute conviction.

Remember you always have three different ways to win the daily gifts in my giveaway this year.  And if you miss a day don't worry.  You can enter ANY of the DAY Giveaways anytime throughout the entire 12 Days of Christmas.

On X/Twitter just repost my giveaway announcement and follow all; on Instagram repost and follow all;  and here on my blog leave a comment in the section below in the daily DAY review/giveaway, Jingle Bam, Letters from Santa, Santa Said Do It, Kringle Gonna Kringle, and Run It Back Kringle articles.

These gifts are great prizes of course, but also some of the best equipment and gear in their class that I played and reviewed this season.  And I hope these mini reviews and recaps give you an idea of why I rate them so highly.

Merry Christmas all!