What each one actually tells you
A laser rangefinder is a small monocular you point at the flag; it fires a beam and reads back the exact distance to whatever you aimed at. A GPS watch already knows the course — it's preloaded with maps — so it shows the distance to the front, middle and back of the green on your wrist without you doing anything. That difference, exact-to-the-pin versus where's the green, is the heart of the choice.
This page is specifically about the watchform factor. If you're weighing a laser against a handheld GPS unit instead, start with laser vs GPS rangefinders.
When precision matters
The laser wins when the golfer wants the number to the pin, not to the middle of the green. On a course where the pin can be twenty yards from the green's center, that's the difference between the right club and the wrong one. A precise, competitive or improving golfer usually prefers the laser for exactly this reason — it answers "how far to the flag" directly, which a GPS can only estimate.
When ease wins
The watch wins on friction. There's no aiming, no holding it steady, no hunting for the flag — you glance at your wrist and play. For a golfer who finds a laser fiddly, that's the whole game, and it's why a GPS watch is often the friendlier gift for an older golfer. It's also faster, which keeps pace of play up, and it doubles as a scorecard on most models. For the older-golfer angle specifically, see gifts for senior golfers.
The everyday-watch angle
One quiet advantage of a GPS watch is that some models don't look like golf watches at all — they pass as an ordinary smartwatch, so they get worn daily rather than dug out on Saturdays. A dedicated golfer who already wears a smartwatch, though, won't want a second one, so check what's on their wrist before buying. A laser has no such conflict — it lives in the bag.
Which to buy as a gift
Buy the laser for a golfer who wants precision, plays competitively, or likes gadgets they aim. Buy the GPS watchfor ease, for pace of play, and for an older golfer who'd find aiming a chore. Whichever you choose, check they don't already own it — both last for years. The models with live prices are on the rangefinder guide, and slope vs non-slope covers the next laser question.