All you need to play golf is a ball, a set of clubs and a bag, but as any golfer knows, modern accessories can make the game much easier and a lot more fun.
When Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were winning majors, figuring out how far your ball was from the hole involved finding a marked sprinkler head, counting your steps from it to your ball and then doing some math with a hole location sheet.
Today, we have laser rangefinders that can instantly give you a yardage and GPS systems that can reveal how far you are from hazards, and how far you need to hit the ball to get over them. Instead of having an instructor standing by your side on the range, you can get helpful feedback and information from launch monitors.
Any golfer would be thrilled to get one of these electronic devices this holiday season.
The difference between thinking you have the right club and knowing you have the right club.
Using a rangefinder is a near necessity nowadays. Rangefinders can be found at your weekly four-ball, junior golf, and all the way up to the PGA and LPGA tours.
Knowing your yardage is an essential part of getting better. The difference between thinking you should hit a 7 iron and knowing you should is huge. It could even be the difference between breaking 80 and hanging your head after yet another 85.
Golfweek is here to help push your game in the right direction. Whether it be putting, fitness or anything in between, we have exactly what you need to hit your goals.
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The NX10 rangefinder is customizable with different skins.
Gear: Precision Pro NX10 laser rangefinder Price:$279.99 Specs: Slope-adjustable distances, magnetic side piece, 6X magnification with 600-yard range.
Who it’s For: Golfers who want a rangefinder that can provide slope features, be made legal for tournament play and that gives you a chance to add personalized details.
The Skinny: The NX10 has all the features that golfers want—laser accuracy, easy target acquisition, slope-adjusted numbers that can be disabled in tournaments and a magnetic side so it can stick to your golf cart—along with the ability to be customized using colorful sleeves.
The Deep Dive: There comes a time in nearly every golfer’s life when he or she has to ask a simple question: “How seriously am I going to take the game?” For some, golf will always be a fun activity and a way to enjoy time with friends outside. For others, it’s a competitive outlet that tests them mentally and physically. The more seriously you take the game, the more you will want a laser rangefinder, but that doesn’t mean your laser rangefinder can’t be fun. Or at least not dull.
Precision Pro started in the laser rangefinder business by offering well-made products at a less-than-premium price. However, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based company has also added plenty of technology to its lasers. Last season, its new R1 Smart Rangefinder debuted the ability to link your distance-measuring device to your smartphone for more-accurate and personalized yardages. Now, with the release of the NX10, Precision Pro has a model that lets golfers personalize the look of their laser.
The Precision Pro NX10 can measure targets up to 600 yards away and has a powerful magnet on the side that lets you affix it to your golf cart. (Precision Pro)
First things first, the NX10 weighs 18 ounces and feels reassuringly solid in your hands. Looking through the viewfinder, golfers will see clearly in the enhanced LCD display that provides 6X magnification. There are only two buttons on the unit, and pressing the circular one closest to the viewfinder activates the NX10 for a measurement. The system is extremely fast, and the black numbers on the display are very easy to read. The NXT can display yardages up to 600 yards away.
A second oval-shaped button on top of the NX10 allows golfers to activate or disable the unit’s slope functions. When activated, a second number appears in the top-right area of the viewfinder when you measure the distance to a target, which is an adjusted or “plays-like” distance to the target based on whether it is uphill or downhill from your position. In tournament conditions where slope functions are not allowed, sliding the oval-shaped button to forward disables them.
In either setting, when the NX10 hits a target, the device vibrates in your hand to let you know the system has locked on, and a powerful magnet on the left side of the NX10 allows you to secure it to your golf cart. Even on bumpy fairways and cart paths, the magnet holds the NX10 in place.
The Precision Pro NX10 can be fitted with different skins. (Precision Pro)
On top of all that, the all-white Precision Pro NX10 has been designed to hold a series of sleeves (referred to as skins) and face plates that can be separately ordered. The skins wrap under the front of the unit while the face plates go on the front and surround the two lenses. There are 10 different colors available, 12 themed designs and 12 limited edition state and regional skins, with more on the way.
[afflinkbutton text=”Precision Pro NX10 – $279 at Amazon” link=”https://amzn.to/3znlGhB”]
[afflinkbutton text=”Precision Pro NX10 with skins – $299 at Amazon” link=”https://amzn.to/3z3DDR0″]
We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Precision Pro’s R1 laser rangefinder connects to your smartphone to deliver yardages with increased accuracy and personalization.
Laser rangefinders have evolved over the past 20 years, becoming high-tech equipment relied upon by professional golfers as they prepare for tournaments and weekend players looking to improve their games. Optics have been enhanced, image clarity has improved and the introduction of “playing distances” that factor in hills all have made today’s lasers trusted gear.
Now, with the release of the R1, Precision Pro is trying to push forward the next evolutionary step in lasers.
The Precision Pro R1 (available now for $319.99) connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth and the free Precision Pro mobile app. After the two devices are linked, the MYSLOPE feature in the R1 utilizes the GPS in the phone and the proprietary Precision Pro algorithm to deliver a higher level of accuracy. It can do this because MYSLOPE combines the laser-measured distance to the hole with uphill and downhill angles and environmental factors such as temperature, altitude and humidity. The system considers all these variables to display not only the actual yardage to the hole but, according to Precision Pro, a more accurate “plays like” yardage.
The MYSLOPE features can be disabled by switching a setting on the side of the unit. (Precision Pro)
The R1 also uses your smartphone’s GPS to display the distance to the front, middle and back of the green on the hole you are playing, and its Wind Assist feature can let you know how a breeze might affect your shot.
Players can add their own ball flight data into the Precision Pro app, such as how far they typically hit each club, ball speed, launch angle and spin rate. The R1 then can make club suggestions within the MYSLOPE feature.
If you are playing in a tournament, the MYSLOPE functions easily can be turned off by sliding a switch on the side of the unit, transforming the R1 into a USGA-conforming distance-measuring device.
A powerful magnet on the side of the R1 makes it easy to secure the unit to your cart. (Precision Pro)
To ensure you are hitting your target with the laser instead of a tree or object in the background, the R1 pulses in your hand when it acquires the flag. It also comes standard with a strong magnet on one side that lets you attach it securely to your cart.
The unit even has a feature called Find My Precision Pro that notifies you if the rangefinder gets too far from your mobile phone. It also reminds you to secure the R1 after your round is complete.
New equipment and gear can be pricy, but Golfweek found great bargains on things that golfers will love.
With the stock market gyrating and economies around the world sputtering because of the coronavirus pandemic, it might not seem like the time to break out your wallet and buy golf gear. However, several companies are running sales and promotions that can save you big bucks. Here’s a list of some bargains we found.
Adidas CodeChaos golf shoes (Courtesy of Adidas)
Adidas Take 30 percent off everything on adidas.com when you use the promo code MARCH30. That includes the new CodeChoas golf shoes. They retail for $150 a pair ($130 for women’s shoes), but with that code you can get them for $105 with free shipping.
