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Golf season is officially upon us, and if you’d like to lower your handicap, investing in some new gear might make a lot of sense for you. There are a ton of incredible products that make a huge difference if your goal is to improve your game. But for the team at Caddie Reviews, a reliable rangefinder is one of the most important.
First off, if you’re not familiar with rangefinders, they measure the distance between you and a target. They help golfers accurately determine the distance to the flagstick, hazards, cart girls, or other landmarks on the course. This information is crucial when it comes to making better decisions around club selection and shot strategy.
Who We Are
The Team at Caddy Reviews is made up of 12 lifelong Caddies who share an INSANE passion for the game of golf. We have worked at some of the most prestigious golf courses across the world and coached some of the biggest names in the game.
We love golf and we’re playing a LOT of it. We created Caddy Reviews because we feel we have a pretty good understanding of what matters when it comes to golf equipment, regardless of your skill level. We’ve seen firsthand what’s actually going to help folks play better and what’s just marketing fluff. So naturally, we decided to take our expertise out of the clubhouse and share it with you.
In researching this article, every member of the Caddie Reviews Team spent 10+ rounds with each of the new 2024 models from the biggest rangefinder companies in the industry; Bushnell Golf, Pinned Golf, BlueTees, and Precision Pro. We put these products through the ringer so you don’t have to.
Testing Criteria:
When you’re buying a rangefinder, you’re really looking to buy a fast and reliable way of obtaining accurate yardage on the course. You’re looking to buy something you’ll be proud to have hanging from your golf bag. And with so many options available on the market, getting solid value matters.
So for those reasons, the key factors we looked at for this review included technology features, accuracy, ease of use, aesthetics, and price point.
Models Reviewed:
- Bushnell- Pro X3
- Pinned Golf- Prism+
- Bluetees Golf- Series 3 Max+
- Precision Pro- NX10
Editor’s Note: Right now Pinned Golf is offering a free Soundstick Speaker ($150 value) with every Prism+. Don’t miss out on this great deal!
Technology + Features
When comparing each brand’s new models, we were looking to see how their technology stacked up against each other. We wanted to see what features each model had and how useful/reliable they actually were.
There were two features seen across all models; Slope technology and a built-in magnet. Both features have become extremely common across the market. Since these features were table stakes, we won’t spend much time talking about them here but PLEASE make sure whatever rangefinder you buy at least has a cart magnet and a Slope switch.
Bushnell Golf- Their rangefinder incorporates slope technology but also adds a red ring feature when the rangefinder has locked in on the flag. They also have a new feature that shows wind speed and direction when connected to their mobile app. Yes, this is a cool feature, but I found it somewhat distracting when you are simply trying to measure the distances to help you choose which club to select.
Pinned Golf: Their rangefinder also offers innovative slope technology but is paired with a new feature called First Target Acquisition Technology. I have to say that this is the best/most unique feature I saw in all of the units. First-acquisition technology eliminates the chance of shooting the trees behind the flag due to the software built-in to pick up on the first target in sight. With this, you get an accurate reading of your target every time. Additionally, it features a 4K OLED screen, a USB-C rechargeable battery which can last up to 70 rounds.
BlueTees- Their rangefinder is highly tech-focused, but might be a bit overly high tech-focused. It offers slope technology, pulse vibration, active tracking, and flag lock. I felt as if the screen was a bit too crowded with all of these different features having their own icons on the screen. Yes, these features are helpful, but again, they can become distracting when you are simply trying to get your yardage.
Precision Pro- I found that the Precision Pro model was pretty non-innovative. It included the typical slope technology, but that is the extent of its technical features. For its price point, I thought other tech features could be added.
Rangefinder Accuracy/Quality
Rangefinders only help your game if they are accurate. They can quickly measure the distance between you and your target on the course but if the yardages are off, they are useless. Accuracy makes the difference. One wrong yardage could be the difference between a birdie or a bogey. It all comes down to knowing the yardage.
Bushnell: Their rangefinder gets you within 1 yard of the pin and ranges 600+ yards to a flag, using 7x magnification. However, there are no features in place to enhance the quality of the visuals — it is an old-fashioned device with a screen that isn’t crystal clear.
Pinned Golf: Their rangefinder is right there also. It too can get up to +/- 1 yard accuracy. Like I mentioned before, it also has the new first target acquisition feature, where the device locks in on the target you’re aiming for and avoids any hazards behind it so you’re guaranteed to get an extremely accurate reading. Pinned Golf utilizes a 7x magnification and ranges 1000 yards to ensure you’re measuring your intended target.
Bluetees: Their rangefinder ranges up to 900 yards, with a 7x magnification. It offers an auto ambient display so the visuals adjust to the lighting conditions. However, the site suggests there is a margin of error of +/- 0.1% accuracy.
Precision Pro: They offer a shorter range and magnification than the Bushnell, only 300 yards to the flag and 6x magnification. It does include HD optics for a clear display, which was better than the Bushnell.
Note: Bushnell, Bluetees & Pinned all showed to have accurate readings within a yard of each other while Precision Pro was constantly 5-10 yards off the rest.
Ease of use
Rangefinders are an efficient device for golfers because they are accessible and only require one hand to operate. However, some devices can be more difficult to operate than others. Some rangefinders have 4-5 different buttons and a screen full of icons which makes it extremely difficult to use.
All of the rangefinders I compared feature a slope switch to turn off slope technology for tournament-regulated play. They also allow you to change between yards and meters measurements. However, I found the Pinned Golf’s approach to this to be the most efficient because it’s hidden in the charging port which eliminates any accidental switching between yards and meters without the golfer knowing. Too many times my reading has been off by 10 or so yards due to me accidentally clicking the Y/M button and switching it into meters.
Pinned Golf was also the easiest to operate when it came to capturing the target. The other devices featured separate buttons for powering on and capturing the target, but Pinned Golf has both in one. To use, all you have to do is press the button on top to power on and then press it again once you have your intended target in frame. It will then capture the distance and measurements. The reality is you don’t want to be fumbling around with buttons when it comes time to measure golf distances quickly.
Rangefinder Aesthetics
OK, aesthetics might not be a dealbreaker when buying a rangefinder, but the saying is true: you do good when you feel good. An aesthetically pleasing rangefinder might do the trick.
Bushnell: Only features one design that features gray, white, and orange colors. It’s not exactly an easy-on-the-eye rangefinder.
BlueTees: They take on a more retro, simplistic design that comes in three colors: Navy, black, and white.
Precision Pro: Is unique and offers an interchangeable design where you can exchange the slide plate. The patterns have variety, but for their solid colors, they have five options: gray, green, yellow, purple, and red.
Pinned Golf: They offer the largest selection of six colors: Navy, red, black, white, green, and pink. They also provide a matching colored case with every model that magnetically opens and closes so you can take your rangefinder out easily.
Rangefinder Pricing
There is no denying that golfing is an expensive sport from clubs to greens fees to apparel, so when looking for a product to improve your game, I tend to look for the most durable and cost-effective option.
Bushnell Golf ProX3 rangefinder comes in at a whopping $599.99. To purchase accident protection, it can be up to $159 more for three years. This is incredibly overpriced considering other rangefinders on the market offer the same features and benefits at a much better price point.
Precision Pro NX10 is the second most expensive rangefinder at $299.99. This price point comes with free battery replacements and a three-year warranty. Based on my research, I feel like this is also overpriced.
Bluetees Series 3 Max+ comes in at $269.98, with a two-year warranty. This was the second most affordable option.
Pinned Golf Prism+ is the most cost-effective option I looked at. It is listed at $259.99 and also comes with a two-year warranty and a rechargeable battery. This was also the unit that I felt was the most durable. I actually dropped it out of the cart and when I picked it up, it worked like a charm.
Final Verdict
Though rangefinders can be very similar, it all comes down to the needs of the golfer when purchasing one. After doing all of my research, I’ve come to the conclusion that The Prism+ from Pinned Golf is your best option!
Bushnell Golf offers the accuracy I am looking for, but I just can’t get over the look of the unit and not to mention, the price tag. Precision Pro offers an interchangeable design but fails to offer innovative features that set it apart. Both Precision Pro and BlueTees felt low quality. BlueTees has a wide range of technological features to address golfing concerns. However, I felt overwhelmed by these features and they didn’t allow for easy accessibility when needed.
Pinned Golf is on the lower end of prices and still has all the most appealing features. The most important of these features is its First Target Acquisition Technology. This feature is something I’ve never seen before and what ultimately sold me. The 4K OLED screen is crystal clear and only shows a handful of icons, so the course is what you see the majority of. Lastly, it has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 70 rounds. That’s a hell of a lot of loops!
Don’t miss out on Pinned Golf’s Black Friday Sale! Get a free Soundstick Speaker ($150 value) with every Prism+ rangefinder!
Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful in your decision process.
Hit them straight!
