Guides / Lost rangefinder

Left your rangefinder on the golf cart? What to do now

A rangefinder costs $150 to $500 or more, and most of them are lost the same way: stuck to the cart's magnetic mount when it goes back to the barn, or set down on a green and forgotten. Here is what to do, roughly in order of how often each step works.

1. Call the pro shop right away

Do this before you drive back. Carts are usually cleaned and parked within an hour of a round, and the staff who do it are the people most likely to find your rangefinder. Ask the pro shop to:

• check the cart you used (give the cart number if you remember it),
• radio the cart barn and the marshal, and
• take your name and number for the lost and found.

Describe it precisely: brand, model, case colour, and anything distinctive like a sticker or your initials. "A black Bushnell" describes half the rangefinders in the lost and found.

2. Retrace the holes where you last used it

Think about the last shot you measured. Rangefinders are most often left:

• on the magnetic cart mount or in the cart's cup holder,
• on the fringe or bench beside a green, after measuring a pitch,
• on the tee box ball washer or bench, and
• on the grass beside the ball when you were walking without a cart.

If the group behind you is still out, ask the pro shop whether the marshal can check those holes.

3. Ask the group behind you

Golfers who find gear on the course usually take it to the clubhouse, but some hold on to it until the end of their round. Check the lost and found again an hour or two later, and once more the next day.

4. Post it where local golfers look

If it hasn't turned up after a day, post on the course's social pages, a local golf group, or the local subreddit. Include the date, the tee time, and the hole. If your rangefinder has a registered serial number, note it in the post. It helps an honest finder prove it is yours, and it helps the manufacturer if you report it lost.

5. Check your insurance and warranty

Some home insurance policies cover sports equipment away from home. Some manufacturers offer a discounted replacement for registered products. Look up your policy before you buy a new one.

How to make sure it doesn't happen again

The common cause is a habit that breaks: you always put it in the same pocket until the one day you don't. A few things help:

• One home for it. Always clip it to the same spot on the bag, never only on the cart mount.
• A check at the 18th green. Before you shake hands, count your gear: rangefinder, head covers, wedges, putter.
• Put your name on it. A label with a phone number gets more lost rangefinders back than anything else.
• A walk-away alert. A Bluetooth tag and an app that warns you as soon as the tag is out of range catches it on the next hole, not at the car.

For more detail, read how to not lose your rangefinder and which rangefinder trackers work on Android.