MEMBER REVIEWS: Vortex Optics Golf Rangefinders | See What Members Are Saying

[RSinSG]

3 minutes ago, SwingBlues said:

 

Show us the evidence, or the Internet does not believe you 🤣

 

Couldn’t get a photo as I was driving. It wasn’t the first time I’ve seen it happen though which reaffirms my decision to never get in one of those uncontrollable death traps. 

[tnrts345]

First round in the books with the Anarch and it is well above the Bushnell's I have gamed in the past. My course does not have the prisms on the flags but I had no issues locking on and getting figures on the course. Had a few instances of a tucked pin and the Anarch locked on and got my a good number. I did not play well but the yardages were spot on with the slope adjustments and found myself in scoring situations a lot more than I thought I would.

 

My review as a purchaser - I highly recommend this rangefinder over nearly everything else I have tried. It is solid, easy to pick up targets and frankly one of my favorites since my Bushnell ProXE. I have no doubt that this rangefinder will be in the bag long term and look forward to testing at a variety of courses for the remainder of the season.

[CircleC29]

On 5/23/2025 at 10:22 AM, CircleC29 said:

Interesting, I placed the same question about getting an Anarch, only because the Slope is small to me and the Anarch is a little bigger, but got no response, which I thought was odd because they were always very quick to respond to all of the other questions I had.

I've been pretty busy the last few weeks and haven't had time to play, but I wanted to update my earlier post and let everyone know that Vortex reached out to me shortly after that post and all is good 👍 just a small oversight. 

 

Not sure what I could add that hasn't been said already. Vortex makes a great rangefinder,has excellent customer service and has the best warranty in the industry! Highly recommend checking them out! 💯

 

Thanks again to Vortex Golf and GolfWRX for the opportunity! 

[SwingBlues]

2 hours ago, CircleC29 said:

I've been pretty busy the last few weeks and haven't had time to play, but I wanted to update my earlier post and let everyone know that Vortex reached out to me shortly after that post and all is good 👍 just a small oversight. 

 

Not sure what I could add that hasn't been said already. Vortex makes a great rangefinder,has excellent customer service and has the best warranty in the industry! Highly recommend checking them out! 💯

 

Thanks again to Vortex Golf and GolfWRX for the opportunity! 

 

Great to hear 👍

 

I've done some other WRX reviews  but, by far, Vortex Golf is up there as the most responsive and TOP NOTCH customer service.

 

@labgolf LAB Golf is the other one.

 

Two of the best customer service, both standouts in a very crowded & competitive market

[CircleC29]

I have to give a huge shout out to Vortex Golf! Was in touch with Vortex on Wednesday and this arrived today already! 

 

 

They allowed me to upgrade from the Blade Slope to the Anarch! It can't be said enough how great their customer service is! I do want to say so that everyone knows, there were no issues with the Blade Slope rangefinder, it worked great! Just a little small for my hand. The Anarch is a little bigger and instantly felt more comfortable to me. I can't wait to get this into play! 

 

So believe it when they say Unlimited, Unconditional Lifetime Warranty! 

 

 

 

[SwingBlues]

SwingBlues review of:

VORTEX GOLF - ANARCH Laser Range Finder 

Part 7

Links for Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

 

Another flawless golf day in Los Angeles, and this time, my group took on Wilson Golf Course in Griffith Park. Dating back to 1927, this historic 18-hole track—named after President Wilson—still holds its own. Its sister course, Harding GC, hails from the same era, adding to the park’s classic golf charm.

 

Wilson is no walk in the park. The mature trees lining the fairways create a picturesque challenge, and for a course pushing a century, the fairway and green layouts remain impressively intricate—and, at times, downright deceptive. Some greens can run a brutal 12-13 on the stimp, leading to more than a few five-putt nightmares for my entire group.

 

 

'OH DEER" - we were entertained by a few deers enjoying the Park but wary of the Coyotes on the prow...

 

 

 

The course also throws in some interesting elevation changes, with greens positioned both above and below the approach—perfect for putting slope readings of my Anarch and Bushnell Pro X2 to the test.

 

I had all my stats meticulously recorded on a scorecard, but thanks to a rogue gust of wind, it’s now part of Griffith Park history. From memory, though, both lasers were remarkably close, with slope readings varying by no more than 1-2 yards and the degree of slope within ±1°.

 

One standout difference?

 

The X2’s viewfinder seemed noticeably darker compared to the Anarch. I hadn’t really paid attention to it before, but during this round, it was night and day—a clear +1 win for the Anarch on image brightness.

 

However, I did run into a pin seeker issue with the Anarch, where it kept locking onto the background when I was just 70 yards out—something the X2 handled flawlessly. I just reclick the shot and it took care of it. I can't quite put the finger on when that happens or when it does not happen. It's random too but I probably count the misread at around 3 instances for the whole round

 

Another key contrast: the Anarch requires just a single press of the MEASURE button to start & lock on, while with the X2, I had to hold it down until the Pin Seeker activated and lock the flag. I think thats what makes the Anarch much faster

 

And finally, the Quote of the Day goes to Dan, who had high hopes for a $60 Amazon laser that promised the world but ultimately delivered nothing but disappointment:
This is a 🐕‍🦺 💩 

 

ps if you are wondering what he uses and AVOID buying, look it up a few post earlier in my review

 

😂

 

 

 

Edited June 2 by SwingBlues

[RSinSG]

10 hours ago, SwingBlues said:

However, I did run into a pin seeker issue with the Anarch, where it kept locking onto the background

This also happened to me during my last round. I was 139 from the flag on a par 3 and the Vortex kept locking on background trees 160 away. I did the same thing as you- let the scope reset and then laser the pin. It was the only time that happened in 10+ rounds.

 

I couldn’t compare it to my Bushnell this time as I gave it to my son. The Vortex had proven itself to be vastly superior to the Bushnell every time I compared them I got tired of the process. It is now my favorite rangefinder, and if I ever develop the need for one that has image stabilization I’ll get the Anarch.

[CircleC29]

I've had some time to get the Anarch out to the course and wanted to share my thoughts on it. I haven't ever had a rangefinder with image stabilization so I can't compare it to another brand but Wow what a difference! I didn't realize that I have a little shake when using any rangefinder but the image stabilization clears it right up.

The Anarch also has a red display but it works differently from my Bushnell. The Bushnell is bright red all the time. The Anarch has manual adjustments from 1-3 and Auto which will adjust the brightness to the conditions outside. Which i think is pretty cool. I would like the red to be a little brighter on all levels of adjustment though. 

The Vortex Pinspotter feature is the best I've used amongst any rangefinder I've ever had. No problem locking on to pins from long range on par 5's.

The cart magnet seems right on par with the Bushnell and haven't had any issues yet (knock on wood)

 

Having the opportunity to use both the Anarch and the Blade Slope I can confidently say that Vortex has some real winners in their lineup! Quality construction, they feel like quality when you hold them, if that makes sense.  Excellent customer service, which is rare these days, the people are so nice and actually want to help you and make sure you are happy. And you just can't beat the warranty! Great company! Thanks again Vortex and GolfWRX! 

[MickeyTankBank]

Took my blade to Bandon this week. I didn't use it much cause I took a caddie for all my rounds. 

 

This morning at Sheep Ranch was a little foggy. On the 2nd hole the caddie was having an issue getting a yardage with his rangefinder, it kept giving him 9 or 10 yards. So I took out mine and was able to get a reading through the light fog. It still gave me an 11 yard reading once or twice, but it was able to get through the fog and get actual readings 90% of the time. 

 

So @Vortex_Golf passes that fog test. 

[SwingBlues]

24 minutes ago, MickeyTankBank said:

Took my blade to Bandon this week. I didn't use it much cause I took a caddie for all my rounds. 

 

This morning at Sheep Ranch was a little foggy. On the 2nd hole the caddie was having an issue getting a yardage with his rangefinder, it kept giving him 9 or 10 yards. So I took out mine and was able to get a reading through the light fog. It still gave me an 11 yard reading once or twice, but it was able to get through the fog and get actual readings 90% of the time. 

 

So @Vortex_Golf passes that fog test. 

 

💯 Excellent 👍

 

My Bushnell Pro X2 has so much trouble in the slightest of fog. Exactly as you described. I,too, am so glad the Anarch is excellent in the June gloom days with the foggy morning--- zero issues so far.

 

 

[tj7644]

I just have to pass along a funny and odd experience.   At least I thought it was.   I was in a tournament, and my playing partner couldn't get a yardage on a long par 5.  He just couldn't get his to lock onto the flag.   I said here, try mine, it has the image stabilization.   He tried it and locked on immediately.   I said, how'd you like my Anarch?   He said that the Anarch has such great magnification and clear vision that it hurt his eyes!   😂  Bottom line is I still love the optics of the Anarch.   It helps with my shakiness and vision so much I can't help but love it.

[SwingBlues]

BACK!

 

Took two weeks off to visit Hawaii, which means absolutely zero golf. Tragic, I know.

 

Played Saturday—my swing was colder than the ice in my drink, but hey, at least I had a good time.

 

 

 

Also, HUGE shoutout to the Anarch. Got a selfie with it—might frame it, might send it Christmas cards, who knows.

 

Fast, accurate, and pure bliss… until I accidentally hit the MENU button because apparently, I grip lasers like a toddler grips a toy. Took me a hot minute to escape that mode, but I survived.

 

Meanwhile, my buddy Dan was at it again, cursing his Amazon laser. Poor guy tried to laser a 200+ flag on a Par 3, got "210," and felt good about it… until I hit it with the Anarch and got 224.

 

BIG DIFFERENCE 🍦

 

Told him to just get an Anarch, or if he’s feeling extra "financially wise" (read: cheap), grab the refurb Vortex. He got all fired up because he “just bought” his Amazon laser several months ago and was determined to make it work. But let’s be real—electronics don’t magically improve with age....

 

Anyway, Dan is Dan, and his stubbornness is sometimes a trait that can be taken advantaged of… emphasis on “sometimes.” 🤣🤣🤣

 

Enuf said.

 

Edited June 18 by SwingBlues

[Howie]

I bought a Cobalt Q6 a couple of years ago and would be curious how this stacks up against it (if any of the testers have a Cobalt).

[SwingBlues]

On 6/20/2025 at 1:39 PM, Howie said:

I bought a Cobalt Q6 a couple of years ago and would be curious how this stacks up against it (if any of the testers have a Cobalt).

 

While I don’t own a Cobalt, I recently took a closer look. The Lifetime Warranty alone puts it high in my rankings. In fact, based on that feature alone, I’d slot Vortex and Cobalt into my personal Top 3—Vortex at #1 and Cobalt right behind (I’ll admit I’m a little biased).

 

Cobalt offers 7x magnification compared to 6x on Anarch, which is nice on paper, but without having looked through the lens myself, it’s hard to assess the optical clarity firsthand.

 

Vortex Optics, meanwhile, hails from a storied tradition in the hunting and optics world—a legacy built on precision and performance. Their glass isn’t just well-reviewed; it’s consistently praised for delivering sharp, reliable visuals where it counts most.

 

As for my own setup—the more I use my Anarch, it just proves to me how IT absolutely crushes my Bushnell Pro X2 when it comes to brightness, detail and speed. No comparison, is my conclusion.

 

Add in image stabilization and it's become so much easier to lock in yardages on long par 3s or drivable par 4s. Life’s just simpler.

 

 

 

 

I’m straight-up loving my Anarch right now. The current iteration is smooth, thanks to the built-in stabilization, and lightning fast with its one-press target acquisition. No more holding down a button like I had to with the old X2.

 

And bonus—my one-handed lefty grip is finally dialed in, so I’m no longer smacking the MENU button by accident

😂

 

 

MY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ANARCH:

 

🔧 Functionality
The Anarch is excellent—speedy, bright, and reliable. That said, I’d suggest refining the Pin Spotter algorithm to more accurately distinguish the flag from background clutter. It works well, but a little extra precision would elevate it even further.

🖐️ Human Interface
Keep the top layout clean with only the MEASURE button. Relocating the MENU button to a less prominent spot would reduce interference during handling, especially for one-handed users.

💡 Slope Indicator
The green slope light? It’s a bit of a non-factor. Neither I nor anyone in my group—including Dan—found it particularly useful. Since the viewfinder already shows whether slope mode is active, this indicator feels redundant. A simple toggle switch for slope mode might be a more intuitive and efficient option.

🎒 Design Refinement
Love the sleek form—don’t change that. But consider adding a small rectangular side “pocket” to accommodate an AirTag or Samsung SmartTag. Would be a nice touch for tracking peace of mind.

🧲 Magnetic Mount Strength
Last note: it would be ideal if the magnetic mount were just a tad stronger. It’s solid, but that little extra security would go a long way.

 

🍻

Edited June 30 by SwingBlues

[DE-ILLINI]

For the majority of golfers, I agree the slope indicator is not very useful.  However, if you are playing in an event where using slope is illegal, it is a nice feature to show others in your group that you are not using slope.

[SwingBlues]

3 hours ago, DE-ILLINI said:

For the majority of golfers, I agree the slope indicator is not very useful.  However, if you are playing in an event where using slope is illegal, it is a nice feature to show others in your group that you are not using slope.

 

...It kinda assume other golfers know that the green light means slope mode is on. But honestly, I doubt most do. None of my regular group has ever asked about it, despite me sharing Anarch and them having fun with it during the our rounds.

 

You just can’t really see it when you’re using it. Also in the full sunlight, the green is somewhat lost but it shines only under the shadowy shade of trees.

 

So yeah... I’m not convinced anyone’s actually going to notice it. And if they did, they would have no clue what it means other than "I saw a green light" 😅

 

My Bushnell Pro X2 doesn’t use a light at all—it just has a simple switch on the side to toggle slope mode:

 

I haven’t played a ton of tournaments last few years but in the ones I have, no one’s ever asked anyone to prove their laser slope feature was off. Everyone is watching everyone since there's money on the line.

 

I think I mentioned this before in this thread, but the only time I’ve ever heard of "Slope left on" being an issue was when one Tour pro accidentally had slope mode on—and he self-reported and took the penalty.

 

My 2c 👍

 

[DE-ILLINI]

I have actually had someone ask if my rangefinder had slope and if I had it turned off.  I think this is a nice feature to just tell them it is off and that the green light indicates it is on.  If someone is asking, then they will probably be suspicious whether you are turning it on and off.  So, I do see the benefit of the feature.  However, this is a rare situation.

[SwingBlues]

Hey fellow WRXers,

 

Check your emails - Vortex sent out a Survey Monkey and it's your chance to respond and provide feedback for them, for example:

 

 

 

And you get a chance to draw for an Anarch 👍

 

 

[CircleC29]

On 6/29/2025 at 11:15 PM, SwingBlues said:

 

While I don’t own a Cobalt, I recently took a closer look. The Lifetime Warranty alone puts it high in my rankings. In fact, based on that feature alone, I’d slot Vortex and Cobalt into my personal Top 3—Vortex at #1 and Cobalt right behind (I’ll admit I’m a little biased).

 

Cobalt offers 7x magnification compared to 6x on Anarch, which is nice on paper, but without having looked through the lens myself, it’s hard to assess the optical clarity firsthand.

 

Vortex Optics, meanwhile, hails from a storied tradition in the hunting and optics world—a legacy built on precision and performance. Their glass isn’t just well-reviewed; it’s consistently praised for delivering sharp, reliable visuals where it counts most.

 

As for my own setup—the more I use my Anarch, it just proves to me how IT absolutely crushes my Bushnell Pro X2 when it comes to brightness, detail and speed. No comparison, is my conclusion.

 

Add in image stabilization and it's become so much easier to lock in yardages on long par 3s or drivable par 4s. Life’s just simpler.

 

 

 

 

I’m straight-up loving my Anarch right now. The current iteration is smooth, thanks to the built-in stabilization, and lightning fast with its one-press target acquisition. No more holding down a button like I had to with the old X2.

 

And bonus—my one-handed lefty grip is finally dialed in, so I’m no longer smacking the MENU button by accident

😂

 

 

MY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ANARCH:

 

🔧 Functionality
The Anarch is excellent—speedy, bright, and reliable. That said, I’d suggest refining the Pin Spotter algorithm to more accurately distinguish the flag from background clutter. It works well, but a little extra precision would elevate it even further.

🖐️ Human Interface
Keep the top layout clean with only the MEASURE button. Relocating the MENU button to a less prominent spot would reduce interference during handling, especially for one-handed users.

💡 Slope Indicator
The green slope light? It’s a bit of a non-factor. Neither I nor anyone in my group—including Dan—found it particularly useful. Since the viewfinder already shows whether slope mode is active, this indicator feels redundant. A simple toggle switch for slope mode might be a more intuitive and efficient option.

🎒 Design Refinement
Love the sleek form—don’t change that. But consider adding a small rectangular side “pocket” to accommodate an AirTag or Samsung SmartTag. Would be a nice touch for tracking peace of mind.

🧲 Magnetic Mount Strength
Last note: it would be ideal if the magnetic mount were just a tad stronger. It’s solid, but that little extra security would go a long way.

 

🍻

 

Speaking of warranty and customer service, I recently saw an article about how warranties and customer service availability are designed to discourage claims by difficult to use automated phone service making it difficult to reach an actual person, leaving you on hold for long periods of time and even the actual people being difficult to communicate with are all in place on purpose. 

 

Anyway, I immediately thought of Vortex and how great their customer service is, it's fast, dependable and easy to work with! And you can actually talk to someone, who's in Wisconsin, right away! It's pretty rare to see that type of CS in any market. 

 

Like @SwingBlues I'm also biased towards @Vortex_Golf not only because I had this testing opportunity, but because of dealing directly with them on numerous occasions asking questions, getting info and even swapping out different models because of a personal nit-pick that I had. If Vortex products and/or customer service wasn't great, I would be letting everyone here know about it. I'm not familiar with the Cobalt brand mentioned by @Howie but to me it's one thing to offer a lifetime warranty, but only if you stand behind it. Vortex stands behind their products 💯!

[SwingBlues]

Well said 👍

[stratgolf]

On 5/1/2025 at 1:32 AM, weems said:

Once again, thank you to @Vortex_Golf and @GolfWRX_Official for selecting me for this review.  I am very excited to get a lot of use out of this rangefinder!  For my review, I have compared it to the Nikon Coolshot Pro and the Garmin Z30, just to give members a feel of the Vortex if they have one of the other units.  All three rangefinders have their strengths, but after testing them, here’s my overall initial thoughts.

 

📦 What’s in the Box

The Vortex Anarch rangefinder came in a well-packaged box with everything I needed to get started right away. Inside, I found:

Vortex Anarch Rangefinder

Hard carry case (similar to the Bushnell or Garmin rangefinder cases)

Microfiber cleaning cloth

Manual and warranty card

Handwritten thank-you card from Vortex – A nice personal touch!

Ball marker attached to the case by a magnet – A thoughtful and convenient addition.

 

 

🏌️‍♂️ Initial Impressions

Upon unboxing and holding the Vortex Anarch for the first time, my immediate reaction was how solid and rugged it felt in hand. The build quality is immediately noticeable—compared to my other rangefinders, it felt like a step up in terms of durability. The rubbery texture gave it a secure, non-slip grip, and the weight, while not lightweight, felt purposeful. It's not too heavy, but heavy enough to feel premium and sturdy in your hand.

The optical clarity was another immediate standout. Looking through the lens, I was amazed at how sharp and clear the view was, with no distortion and an easy-to-read display. I could already tell the Vortex Anarch was going to be a serious contender in my rangefinder lineup.

 

🏆 Golf-Specific Use Cases

I use all of these rangefinders strictly for golf as would most of you and after my initial impressions, the Vortex Anarch is taking the lead as my primary rangefinder. The standout feature for me is the image stabilization, which significantly enhances my ability to lock onto pins, especially on longer shots or in less-than-ideal conditions. The smooth, steady view it provides is something I really appreciate when picking clubs or trying to dial in yardages for more accurate shots. While the Garmin Z30 offers useful features like smartwatch syncing and green distances, the Vortex just feels more precise and reliable for my needs on the course.

 

⚖️ Weight and Size

I did a weight and size comparison against my other two rangefinders, in case you may have one of them so you could get a sense of the Vortex.

 

Garmin Z30: The Garmin Z30 weighs 218 grams, making it the second heaviest of the three. It's the largest in size but still feels comfortable to hold and use. The weight provides a solid feel, though it lacks the premium build of the Vortex, and is made of plastic materials.

 

Vortex Anarch: At 263 grams, the Vortex Anarch is the heaviest, but this extra weight contributes to its rugged, premium feel. The solid, secure grip makes it feel more durable and well-built than the others, surpassing even the Nikon with its case.

 

Nikon Coolshot Pro: The Nikon Coolshot Pro is the smallest and lightest, weighing 178 grams without a case and 219 grams with the case. While it’s the easiest to carry, its plastic feel can make it harder to handle, which is why I prefer using the case for added grip and protection. It doesn’t offer the same rugged, premium feel as the Vortex, even with the case.

 

💡 Extra Features

The Vortex Anarch rangefinder might not have the extensive extra features of the Garmin Z30, but its core features make it a top-tier choice for serious golfers. One of the standout features is the image stabilization, which makes a huge difference when trying to lock onto flags, especially on longer shots. This stabilization is extremely smooth, ensuring that your view is steady, and you can confidently pick up accurate readings without a shaky image. This feature really sets the Vortex Anarch apart, as it’s one of the few rangefinders in its category to offer such a level of precision.

While the Garmin Z30 does have some impressive features like smartwatch syncing and distances to the front and rear of the green, those are more about convenience than performance. The Vortex Anarch, on the other hand, focuses on delivering the best performance as a pure rangefinder. Its speed, clarity, and stabilization make it stand out in the field of golf rangefinders. If you're looking for a no-frills, high-performance device that excels at its core job—ranging targets accurately and quickly—then the Vortex Anarch is a fantastic choice.

 

🧲 Magnetic Mounts / Cart Use

Both the Garmin Z30 and Vortex Anarch have magnetic mounts, making it easy to attach them to your cart or bag for quick access. The Garmin's magnet feels a bit stronger, giving you extra confidence that it won’t budge, even on rough terrain. That said, the Vortex Anarch’s magnet is still plenty strong, and I never felt like it would fall off the cart during use. The Nikon Coolshot Pro, unfortunately, lacks a magnetic mount.

 

🔭 Optical Clarity

The optical clarity on the Vortex Anarch is exceptional—I’ve never looked through a rangefinder with such excellent optical quality. There’s no distortion, it’s easy to read, and the pin spotter is incredibly clear. In terms of clarity, the Vortex is the best, followed by the Nikon Coolshot Pro, which also offers good optical performance. The Garmin Z30 comes last in this category, with clarity that is still decent but not as sharp or as easy to use as the other two. On a sunny day, the Vortex held its own brilliantly and stood out in terms of lens clarity.

 

🏆 Lock Speed and Accuracy

Vortex Anarch: The Vortex has an incredibly fast lock speed that is on par with the Nikon Coolshot Pro. It locks onto flags extremely quickly.

Nikon Coolshot Pro: The Nikon is equally fast in locking onto pins, with a reliable and quick response. Both the Vortex and Nikon seem to have the edge over the Garmin in this regard, as the Garmin Z30 can sometimes be finicky when locking onto flags, especially at longer distances.

 

💥 Image Stabilization

The Vortex Anarch features image stabilization, and in my initial testing, it appears to outperform the Nikon Coolshot Pro, which is known for its excellent stabilization. The Vortex's stabilization is noticeably smoother, and it provides a more steady image, which is incredibly useful for getting a clear, consistent reading on flags, especially on longer shots or in shaky conditions.

 

Overall Initial Thoughts:

This thing is premium.  That's the best way to put it.  It looks good, feels good, feels durable, excellent optical quality, fast locking, the list goes on.  Vortex has seemingly knocked it out of the park with this unit.  I will put it through an extensive review this weekend as I am playing 3 rounds in the member guest here at my local club.  The best thing about this unit is the lifetime warranty.  While the device is rugged and WATERPROOF (not resistant) Vortex stands behind their products.  If any of you are familiar with them in the optics world, Vortex doesn't mess around with backing their products.  I cant wait to put this thing on the course.

 

Great review, thank you!

[SwingBlues]

Played Balboa GC in Los Angeles last Saturday—yet another sunny SoCal day, albeit with a hazy layer of lingering smoke from the previous night’s July 4th fireworks. LA went crazy with the fireworks eventhough - cough - cough- COUGH- fireworks are banned. Sure. Ok.

 

Perfect conditions for another round with the Anarch testing. A little haze and smoke, usually lasers do not like it.

 

On the first tee, my buddy squints down the fairway and says, “How far you think that is?”

 

“Shoot it,” I tell him.

 

He pulls out his laser—not an Amazon special, thankfully—and gives it a go. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Nothing. No number. Shakes his head.

 

So I break out the Anarch. I glance through the viewfinder, and sure enough, the flag’s playing peekaboo in the cluttered background. I’m wishing for a breeze to help the Pin Spotter lock on.

 

Didn’t need it.

 

Still amazed by the sheer reach and optical clarity of this image-stabilized, long-range laser. It’s like having a sniper scope for golf.

 

413 yards. Boom.

 

Chalk up another win for Team Anarch. My buddy just muttered something about “upgrading soon” while pretending not to be impressed.

 

And here’s what it looked like from the tee:

 

 

Well done Anarch 👍

 

 

 

Edited July 9 by SwingBlues

[DE-ILLINI]

The Vortex Blade Slope continues to impress.  I have played about six rounds since my last update.  The distances are in line the Bushnell and Callaway ranges finders my playing partners use.  Where I believe the Vortex shines is its ability to quickly lock on the flag.  Much quicker than any other range I have used.

[AyeAre10]

After owning several Razor gen 2 and gen 3 rifle scopes, Fury range finding bino's , and now the Anarch; Vortex is a company people should be going out of their way to do business with. Every market they dive into is changed for the better through their superior materials, workmanship, and price point. If ever debating between a Vortex product and a competitor, your decision should fall back on their ability to back up their products with their warranty process. There is almost never a situation where their products are out performed from my experience so long as the features are apples-to-apples.

[SwingBlues]

Quick Update: Had three separate instances where I had to reshoot the flag—twice in each case—to confirm yardage.

• Incident 1: First hole. Shot the flag and got 107 yards. Red flag. Hit my 107-yard shot and ended up on the back of the green. About 50+ ft past the hole. Big green and a lucky drop and stop bounce—I still had a look at a long birdie. Filed it away as a weird one.

• Incident 2: Hole 6. Laser read 127 yards to the flag. Lowered my Anarch and gave it a visual check—didn’t feel right. Reshot: 72 yards. Blue flag. Had I trusted the first reading, I would've been absolutely CACTUS.

• Incident 3: Back nine. Similar situation—initial read felt off, had to reshoot until the yardage made sense visually

In all three cases, I remember trees behind the flag and barely a breeze—flags weren’t flapping at all.

 

Used the Anarch on every hole and approach, no incident and super fast. Seems to be me, its may be the range between 70 and 130 where I guess I’ve got to be extra cautious when there are trees in the background.

 

Still not quite sure how the Pin Spotter locks onto the flag when it’s just standing still. Anyone know how that works?

 

@Vortex_Golf

 

Next week I will use my Bushnell X2 Pro and the Anarch for every shot and see if I see any difference in the "misreads" between the 2. Both lasers are ACCURATE while I was testing it but lets see this in play for the full Golf round. If I get the same misreads on X2 for the 70 to 130, I'll know it background related on both....

Edited July 20 by SwingBlues

[bosgolfer]

I had similar issues with locking onto the wrong target. I will say though Vortex customer service is second to none. 

[SwingBlues]

Saturday, I only had a chance to play one hole before I threw up and had to go back to the Club House. Was not feeling well at all. Ugh.

 

I got a 107.6 and 108 yard using X2 and Anarch. Flag had trees in the back ground, wasn't fluttering

 

I'll test more next week... once I feel better

Edited July 30 by SwingBlues

[DE-ILLINI]

I have had the opportunity to play six rounds over the past month.  The Vortex Blade Slope continues to perform.  It quickly locks on the flags, great optics, and provides distances which are comparable with other competing range finders.  Like most range finders, it can occasionally lock on objects behind the flag, especially if the background is a lot of trees.  If the flags have reflectors no issues whatsoever.  Overall Vortex makes some quality range finders with top notch optics.  I would definitely recommend considering one of these range finders when you are in the market for a new rangefinder.

[tj7644]

I continue to be impressed with the Anarch.  It is rugged and simply works great in the palm of your hand.   I've never felt the need to upgrade to a unit with image stabilization, but now I can't see myself having a rangefinder without it.   It's so clear and easy to lock onto targets with the optics and stabilization.  Now if it only had a stronger magnet there would be nothing out there that could beat it.   Just struggling with it staying on the cart, when my partners always seem to stick on the rough, mountain course we play on.  The good news is that it is tough.  Never an issue with functionality after falling off.  

[n_rones]

On 5/7/2025 at 3:20 PM, SwingBlues said:

 

 

Great News – Slope Issue Resolved

 

I have fantastic news—the issue with the -2° slope reading on my Anarch is being addressed!

 

Luke reached out and let me know that a replacement unit is on its way. Turns out the one I received had a calibration variance, which explains the inconsistent slope measurements I was seeing.

 

That said, its point-to-point accuracy was flawless—yardages were spot on, with only the degree and slope adjustments being off. And despite that, the speed was lightning-fast, delivering readings instantly. 👍

 

Huge thanks for the quick support—excited to test out the new one!

 

 

 

 

@SwingBlues so you needed a replacement unit for this issue? I just recieved an Anarch as part of the survey giveaway and am having the same issue with it. Everything it reads is down on the slope. Uphill readings show as 0 degrees essentially and anything on flat reads as downhill with about a 2 degree variance from others slope rangefinders ive been playing with. @Vortex_Golf

Edited July 31 by n_rones