Cigman CT-1000 Golf Rangefinder Review

If you’ve played golf for a while or know anything about rangefinders you’ll probably know companies like Bushnell and Nikon. They’ve been in the game for a long time and make some pretty good products.

Not only do they make some good stuff but they also come with a pretty decent price tag. What I wanted to do was to get something a lot cheaper and see how it compares.

A lot of people just want a simple tool that tells the distance to different spots, without all the bells and whistles. One that caught my eye was the CT-1000 by Cigman, which is a fraction of the price of other rangefinders.

If it can do even 70% of what a $400 rangefinder can do, is there really any point in spending the extra cash? That’s what we’re going to find out.

In This Review

Product Details | Intro | Performance | Cheap vs Expensive Rangefinders | Bottom Line | Discount Code

Cigman CT-1000 Specs

The Intro

If you golf more than a few times per year you should probably get yourself some sort of yardage finder. Whether that’s a GPS or laser rangefinder.

I’m sure you know the feeling. You hit the best shot of the round only to have the ball land 20 yards short or fly over the green. This is why knowing the distance is super important.

For most people, a rangefinder is the simplest and cheapest route to go. While you could spend over $500 on a rangefinder, you don’t have to, which is the case with the Cigman CT-1000.

At under $100 (with our discount), I didn’t have the highest expectations when I first got it. I’ve used a few budget rangefinders in the past, and even though they worked, they felt more like toys.

Taking the CT-1000 out of the box, the packaging was better than some of the other units. Along with the rangefinder, it also comes with a pretty decent carrying case, a charging cable, lanyard, and carabiner.

The rangefinder itself doesn’t feel as durable as a high-end Bushnell (expected), but I wouldn’t be scared to drop it on the course (on the grass, not on concrete).

I like that it has some rubber sections to improve the grip and it also comes with a magnet on the side (for attaching to the cart), which a lot of the budget options don’t have.

Another thing that some budget rangefinders won’t have is slope adjustments. All that means is that it’ll take elevation into account and give you an adjusted reading.

Overall, my first impressions were better than some of the other budget units. That’s great and all but the real question is how it actually performs.

The Performance

The main thing that matters is how well the CT-1000 performs compared to a more expensive device. Will it do the job for the majority of people or is it worth paying the extra cash?

Display: The first thing you’ll notice at first is the black LCD display. Some of the higher-end models have a color display (red or green) that makes it easier to see in certain conditions.

For me, the color display is better in low light or foggy conditions. That said, I had no issues with the Cigman during the day.

Modes: What I like about this rangefinder is that it comes with a few different modes. I use the standard point-and-shoot (straight distance mode) most often but you do have other options:

• Continuous Measurement: It’ll give you real-time distances to wherever you point.
• Flagpole: Scan left and right of the target and it’ll lock on the closest target (good if there are trees behind the flag).
• Slope Compensation: Scan your target and it’ll give you the actual distance, the height, and the slope compensated distance.
• Vertical & Horizontal: Scan your target and it’ll give you the actual distance, the horizontal distance, and the height.
• Speed Measurement: Scan a target and it’ll give you the speed that it’s moving.

Accuracy: I found that the CT-1000 was just as accurate as any other rangefinder. I also compared it to some of my GPS watches (Garmin S42 and Shotscope V3) and the course markers (stood at markers and had someone stand in the center of green) and they were all within a few yards.

Distance: It’s supposed to be able to read distances up to 1200 yards but I wasn’t able to test how true that was. You’ll never need to scan that distance on the course anyway.

I was able to scan a 523 yard par 5 from the tee box. It took a bit of time to get the magnification right and to hit the flag, but I eventually got it.

Quickness: The main knock of budget rangefinders is that they don’t lock onto the flag as quickly as premium ones. I still found that to be the case with the Cigman.

When I had a clear shot of the flag and there was nothing behind it, it was plenty quick. When there were trees or something else behind the flag, it took a couple of tries.

The main thing was locking onto the flag at 250+ yards out. I found that expensive rangefinders were quicker to locate the flag. The CT-1000 would still do it, it just took a little longer.

Cheap vs Expensive Rangefinders

I see a lot of people asking about the difference between a budget and high-end rangefinder. While I haven’t tested all of them, the main differences and similarities are the following:

• Both will be similar in terms of accuracy
• A high-end unit will likely be more durable
• A high-end unit will likely be easier to use

The main purpose of a rangefinder is to give you accurate readings. In my experience, budget units will be just as accurate as premium ones.

Premium rangefinders will usually be more heavy-duty than cheaper ones. They could offer better water resistance or shock absorption if you drop them.

The last (and most important) difference is that expensive units will likely have a better lens. I’ve found that high-end units will lock on the target quicker and will also be easier to pick up targets 250+ yards out.

The Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for a rangefinder and don’t want to spend a fortune, I think the CT-1000 is worth considering. At the time of writing this, it’s one of our favorite rangefinders under $100 (with our discount).

Is it the best option for someone who plays a lot or wants the fastest readings possible? No, definitely not. Is it the best choice for someone with shaky hands? Probably not either.

If you are someone with shaky hands, one of the higher-end models might be worth paying for (or just practice with the CT-1000 for a while). You could also go the GPS route as well.

Would I spend more money to get a top-of-the-line rangefinder? No, I don’t think so. I’d rather use something like the CT-1000 and then take the extra money to get a golf GPS as well.

I like using the rangefinder for quick distances to different parts of the course. It’s a lot easier than a GPS for hazards and doglegs.

I like using my GPS for the distance to the front and back of the green. For the average player, I think it’s more useful than the distance to the flag.

Cigman CT-1000 Discount

If you’re interested in getting the CT-1000 and want to save a few bucks, you can use our discount code. We’ll receive a small commission, but it doesn’t impact our review and it doesn’t cost you anything.