One of key factors in club selection for an approach shot into the green, is assessing the distance to the pin. As we all know there are several options available to choose from in helping you determine the distance to the pin: laser rangefinders that are held up to your eye like binoculars and GPS units. Each of these options has there pros and cons, and with laser rangefinders it’s having to hold the unit up to your eye and keeping it steady to get your reading. This can cause some problems for getting an accurate reading, because your arms or hands might shake, making it difficult to get a quick distance measurement. Bushnell Golf has a solution to this problem with the release of its new pistol-shaped PinPro Laser Rangefinder.
Look and feel
The Bushnell PinPro laser rangefinder, is a pistol-shaped point-and-shoot device designed specifically for golfers who play courses with reflective prisms on the flagstick. At first glance, the PinPro looks like a compact version of a speed gun device that a state trooper might use to measure how fast your car is driving. To use the PinPro you simply hold the device in one hand and aim down the site scope which sits atop the unit and aim the red dot theat appears at the reflective prism or object that you are trying to measure a distance of. Then you just press the trigger once you have your lock on your target and you’ll hear a beep as it begins to register your distance reading (in yards or meters), which will be displayed on the LCD screen on the rear of the unit.
The PinPro is also very lightweight and comes with an integrated carabiner clip, which you can attach to your golf bag for quick and easy access. This is a nice touch in my opinion, because you don’t have to waste time fumbling to get your rangefinder out of its protective case and helps speed up the pace of pay.
Performance
Does the PinPro work?
The PinPro is capable of ranging more than 300 yards to a reflective prism on a flagstick and 450 yards to trees. As I described earlier, operating the PinPro is so simple and easy to use, all you have to do is aim at the reflective prism, squeeze the trigger, and boom you have a measurement.
When I was able to lock onto a reflective prism, the PinPro was very fast in giving my distance measurement that was very accurate. Now if the courses you play routinely do not offer reflective prisms on the flagsticks, you are not out luck completely. You can actually use the PinPro to get distance measurement, assuming the green does not have any trees to interfere with the distance reading by aiming the PinPro at the flag. I used the PinPro in this manner several times and it was still effective, but it took much longer and multiple attempts to get the distance measurement. If you want to get a measurement on tree that’s on the course to determine distance to or past a hazard, the PinPro worked very well at doing that task.
The PinPro does have a few drawbacks, that I discovered while testing the unit. One of the key selling points of the PinPro is that its easier to use and than a traditional rangefinder, because you don’t have to hold it up to your eye. During my tests I did find it a little difficult to steady the unit with one hand on a windy day. I actually had to use two hands to keep the unit steady to get an accurate distance measurement.
The other drawback of the unit is that in order to take full advantage of the unit, you have to play on a golf course that utilizes reflective prisms on the flagstick. I found it very difficult to find courses in my area that utilize reflective prisms, so keep that in mind before you purchase the PinPro. Like I mentioned before, it can be used on courses without reflective prisms, but the PinPro is not nearly as effective and it takes longer to get a reading. I’d like to see Bushnell come out with a similar device, that does not require reflective prisms on the flagstick.
Overall, the Bushnell PinPro is a good pistol-shaped laser rangefinder that is very accurate and easy to use, despite having a few drawbacks.
Bushnell PinPro Laser Rangefinder retails for $249
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I bought the Bushnell 450 and now I wish I would have bought a more quality rangefinder like the PinPro.