Final Reviews: Shot Scope ProLX +

I would like to thank My Golf Spy and Shot Scope for the opportunity to be a tester for the Shot Scope Pro LX+. THis is my second testing opportunity for the Forum. Last year I tested the Evnroll ER11v putter.  I was interested in this test as I had a free trial of the Arccos Caddie last year for being a Ping club owner. I also have a Mileseey range finder. I am really hoping to find something that just works and offers good value for money. I have been an off and on golfer since my mid-20s, after getting out of the Army in the late 80s. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and grew up across the street from a golf course, but I never played the game as a kid. I once came home from school to find a broken bedroom window and a golf ball on my bed. That golf course was Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica, CA. It was designed by Alister MacKenzie. The first course I ever played a full 18 holes on though was Harding Park. That was well before it was managed by the Arnold Palmer Company and before it became a TPC site and host to the PGA Championship.

My professional life started in the US Army where I was trained to maintain and repair medical equipment. I got out of the army and joined a medical imaging equipment manufacturer where I worked for 31 years. That company had moved me all over the U.S. My first move took me from California to Connecticut for several years. It was in CT that I recorded my one and only eagle. It was in league play, and it was a pitch in on a par 5 on the 9^th hole at Grassy Hills Country Club in Orange, CT. Work then moved back across country to the Seattle area. There were several courses I enjoyed playing in Washington. Walter Hall in Everett, WA was my home course. In 2018, my wife and I moved cross country again to be closer to family. This time to Central New York, just outside of Syracuse. In 2019 my job changed and joined the ranks of semi-retirement which now allows me more regular golf, weather permitting as I am fair weather golfer.

My current home course is Radisson Greens in Baldwinsville, NY. It is an 18-hole par 72 course at 6360 yards from the white tees. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. I have a Monday through Thursday membership there and I get out a couple of times a week. The course is very challenging, but I love the layout. It is tree lined and tight in spots.

I play golf because I enjoy being out walking the course and if good scores come then it is a bonus. I also am an equipment junkie. I remember reading Golf Equipment Magazine (one of those paper things that was out before the internet). If I had the means, I would probably be a putter collector. I just love the aesthetics of good golf equipment I am a fan of BB and F Co. ferrules and installed some on my wedges. I also have a small collection of third party designed headcovers, mostly Rose & Fire with a couple of Scotty Cameron’s thrown in for good measure.

On the equipment front, my first set of clubs was a Wilson box set with wooden woods. From there my bag make up has changed but my woods have seen the most changes. I have rotated through a lot of TaylorMade Divers and fairway woods, but I eventually switched to Ping. My Ping G400 Max was the first time I was fitted for a club, and I have yet to find a reason to change it. My iron history is small starting with Dunlop DDH II, TaylorMade Super Steel. My irons are Ping G25 4- UW (I won these through work). I did have some PXG 0211 irons but found that the Ping G25s were better in the wet conditions of the start of the season and have not switched back. Earlier this year I had a Ping G410 Crossover 4 in my bag and during a round I noticed the head was twisting on the shaft so off it went to Ping for repair. It has since been returned but I am hitting the G25 4 iron much too well to remove it from my bag.  The PXG clubs entered my bag mostly because of price. The For Heroes Program PXG offers was just too good of a deal to pass up. The PXG 0341 3 wood is the best performing 3 wood I have ever had in the bag. My wedges have either been Cleveland or Callaway. Now I have two Callaway wedges in there. A Mack Daddy CB 54° and a Callaway MD3 58°. My putter history was primarily Anser style putters. They include two TaylorMade putters the last being the Rossa Daytona 1. I gamed Odyssey Metal X Milled #2 but I did not like the feel of it. It was a My Golf Spy review and Most Wanted win that led me to trying Evnroll putters for the first time. I ended up with a mallet putter for the first time when I purchased the ER7. I was initial attract to the idea of a higher MOI putter but really like the feel and consistency of the roll the ER7 gave me. I tested the Evnroll ER11v putter last year for the forum and that putter has found permanent hope in my bag. Evnroll ER11v Official Review

I am also a member of the “Pushcart Mafia” with a Clicgear 3.5+ pushcart. This probably the single best golf accessory item I have ever owned.

 

 

What’s in my bag? 

Bag: TaylorMade Supreme Hybrid Stand Bag

Driver: Ping G400 Max 10.5° set to 9.9°

Shaft: Ping Alta CB Regular Flex

Grip: Golf Pride CPX

3 Wood: PXG Gen 1 0341 15° set to 16°

Shaft: Project X Even Flow Blue 5.5

Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus 4 Teams

Hybrid: Ping G30 19°

Shaft: Ping TFC 419H Regular Flex

Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus 4 Teams

Irons: Ping G25 4- UW

Shafts: Ping CFS Regular Flex

Grip: Ping 5L

Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy CB 54°/14°

Shaft: KBS 105 Hi Rev 2.0 Wedge Flex

Grip: Callaway Golf Pride SG-1

Callaway MD3 58°/9° W Grind 

Shaft: w/True Temper Dynamic Gold

Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360

Putter:  Evnroll ER11v 34”

Grip: Evnroll non-taper 1.2

Pushcart:

Clicgear 3.5+

Rangefinder:

Mileseey PF210

Bushnell NEO Ion GPS watch

Ball:

Snell MTB or Maxfli Tour

 

Final Review August 22, 2022

First Impressions (5 out of 5 Stars)

Firstly, thanks to My Golf Spy for this opportunity to test the Shot Scope Pro LX+. This product caught my attention because of functionality and the price. I was very interested in the value for money offered by this product. My points of reference for what the Pro LX+ have to offer are my Mileseey PF210 laser rangefinder, my Bushnell Neo iON GPS watch and a 45-day free trial of the Arccos Caddie that I had last year. These items in a nutshell cover the range of what the Pro LX+ brings to the course.

The Pro LX+ (for $349.99) is made up from 2 products offered by Shot Scope. The Shot Scope Pro LX Rangefinder (for $249.99) and the H4 Handheld GPS with shot tracking (for 149.99). You get a $50 savings purchasing the Pro LX+. For me though the most compelling part of this package was the shot tracking that can be achieved without an annual subscription. The current Arccos subscription price is $155.88. Arccos breaks it down as $12.99 a month billed annually.

The Pro LX+ can be part of a round of golf in several configurations. You can combine the Pro LX rangefinder and the H4 GPS. They can function separately of course. The Pro LX rangefinder has slope and non-slope measurements, two readout colors, red or black, can display yards or meters and two modes, golf mode and continuous scan mode. It vibrates when the target is locked on. The GPS offers 3 modes, GPS, GPS + Track and Track. The magnet on the device allows it to be mounted in the holder or on any ferrous metal piece such as cart. I didn’t find it practical to use it other than on in the holder on my belt for shot tracking. I only used the H4 once without shot tracking.

To start you charge the H4 with the included proprietary cable, connect it to the phone app, perform a firmware update, install the tags on your clubs, (they just simply screw into the grip) and build you bag to identify each club by brand and model. Each tag is marked for each club with two additional tags, X1 and X2.

 

 

Then to use just hit the power on button and then press it again to acquire the measurement. The H4 comes to life when you press the upper left button once powered up select the mode you want. For me it was usually GPS + Tracking. Then the device hunts for the GPS and the courses nearby. Simply select the course and you are ready to go. When I the tee box tag your club and enjoy your round. When the round is finished you simply exit your round. In order get your shot metrics just turn on the device and connect the device to your smartphone app. Select sync and the H4 will upload the round for you. Once uploaded to the app you can then edit and sign your round, Editing is straight forward. Select the hole and review your shots. You do this for each hole. You can also insert changes such as penalty strokes. For me, this is usually the 3^rd hole of my home course. It’s a long narrow par 5 with thick trees down the left and water all along the right. The water fronts the green as well. Once you complete editing you “sign” your round. The metrics then get uploaded to your Shot Scope account where you can then view them either on the smartphone app or online.

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)  

The overall design of the product is nice. The laser rangefinder looks nice and fits very comfortably in my hand. The color screen of the H4 is easy to read and navigate through. I do like it much better than my Neo iON GPS golf watch. The belt clip for the H4 works better than expected. I was concerned that the device would fall out of the holder. This happened to me twice. Once on a green when bending down to pick up my ball and once when riding. I did become extra cautious though when riding and kept it in my pocket for the remainder of the round. I did feel it would be bad form to lose it during the review process. The case for the rangefinder has a nice look to it as well. Not like the Mileseey which reminds me of a Bushnell knock off. The smartphone app works well.

The Numbers 5 out of 5 stars)

The numbers were very consistent when compared to my current devices. The H4 for was seemed to always be within 3 yards of my Bushnell GPS watch. And there was some discrepancy between the Pro LX rangefinder and Mileseey PF210 usually within 3 yards. But the Shot Scope consistently found the target more quickly. To be fair though the Mileseey PF210 was only $81 on an Amazon “Black Friday” purchase.

 The setup of the device is easy and straight forward. The packaging includes a user guide with Q code that you point you’re your phone’s camera at and it will link you to the set-up procedures which includes a quick set up guide, app download and video tutorials. Do all this setup a Shot Scope account and you are ready to begin. The H4 charged in just under an hour. I did get about four 9 hole rounds out of a charge which was similar to my Bushnell Neo iON. I tend to be a battery watcher and probably could have gotten more out of it possibly. I did like that the device’s battery level indicator would change colors as the battery level depleted. Just another indicator which was nice. The Pro LX rangefinder has a simple set up as well. Pop in the included battery, select the mode and the display color.

 

On-Course (4 out of 5 stars)

The laser rangefinder is simple to use and locks onto the target more quickly than the Mileseey. I am a glasses wearer, and I had an issue with seeing a white halo around the field of view through the rangefinder while it doesn’t hinder performance it is noticeable. I also do not have the steadiest of hands and the device would take a few attempts to lock onto the flag. I have this issue with the Mileseey as well.

 The H4’s tracking is reliant on the operator to remember to tag the clubs. I was guilty of being too chatty sometimes on the course and would forget to tag the club I was using. But with the H4 on my belt it became routine to tag the club. It also was nice that the magnetic device on the GPS made it easier to mark the flag. I only had the H4 pop out of its holder twice during the review period. I am primarily a walker but did ride once and the H4 did mount to the post on the cart nicely but if you are shot tracking, I don’t find that to be practical. I also never mounted the H4 to the Pro LX range finder which looks like a nice feature but once again if you are shot tracking not practical. I don’t use the laser rangefinder on every shot. Mostly I use it on par 3 holes and when I am within 120 yards of the green. Anything more then I use the GPS

 The H4 is very straight forward to use but it did have issues around the greens. It would very often think I was putting when I was off the green chipping and getting to think otherwise is an issue. On my most recent round it had this problem on 4 consecutive holes. On the 5th consecutive hole, it never thought I was on the green even after tagging my putter. All in all, I did like using the H4 for tracking. I would rate this over the Arccos for two reasons, shot tagging and annual subscription. The Arccos required you to carry your phone for shot detection and would often miss shots and then I had to ‘earn” my ability to use it with my Apple watch. They did come out with a purchasable Link but that is $150. Any shots missed by the H4 would be purely my fault. Shot Scope is adding metrics. During this test I received an email that they added “Shots Plotted”. With H4 just purchase the device and without any annual subscription or additional hardware you can track your shots and get your performance metrics.

The Good, the bad, the in between (3 out of 5 stars)

 The good is very good. You get a lot for $349. A good laser rangefinder, a very good GPS and shot tracking with metrics without an annual subscription. For me the bad is the white halo in rangefinders viewer and the fact that my shakiness sometimes causes issues with acquiring the flag but for the price of the rangefinder, stabilization would certainly up the price. The other bad and probably the biggest bad is the H4’s getting confused around the greens at times. Some rounds that’s often others not so much. The in between is another me problem if I’m being honest, “remember to tag your clubs!” I also really enjoy the medal feature of the smartphone app. 

 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

The Pro LX+ will remain in my bag as I find it better than the products I had prior to this test. The laser rangefinder fits more comfortably in my hand, the GPS tracker display is superior to the Bushnell Neo iOn and the shot tracking does not require a subscription. Any missed shots are due to the operator and not the vagaries of the device as with the Arccos.

 Conclusion

I would have zero hesitation recommending the Shot Scope Pro LX+ to anyone interested in knowing their yardage and wanting on course metrics. It is easy to use and does not detract from your enjoyment of the game. The Pro LX+ package gives metrics to improve your game. For me it really comes down to “Value for Money”.

Final Score (27 out of 30 stars)

 

Follow up 8/30/2022

I played a couple of rounds since posting my review and had experienced for the first time the H4 not recognizing that I was on the green. Usually it finds the green before I need it. It seemed to have an easier time finding the green if I walked to the middle of the green and stood there for a bit. Will keep watching this.

 

 

Introduction:

Wanted to say upfront thanks to the mod team for selecting me to test this product and to Shot Scope for providing the units for us to test.    I’m Chris and live in Newport News, VA; which is about 20 minutes from MGS headquarters.   I have been playing golf on and off since I was a teenager (I am now 56) and prior to actually getting out on a course I remember getting my hands on some clubs as a preteen with my neighborhood friends and hitting balls in a cemetery near the house where I grew up.  I started playing on a regular basis in about 2000 when a friend invited me to play in his weekly group.   The group has shrunk in size since then but I still play with a few from that group and play in my company’s golf league.   My game has gone up and down through the years with my handicap getting as low as a 4 and is now probably about a 9 (guesstimate).   I am generally a huge golf junkie and love learning about products and all things golf which is why I volunteered my time to be one of HQ’s most wanted testers.  Being a most wanted tester lets me hit all the various clubs on the market but also lets me get access to see and touch lots of unique products in the golf world.   

The Shot Scope PRO LX+ is an interesting product as it is really three products that have been packaged together:

• PRO LX rangefinder - Will be comparing this to my 16-year-old Nikon Rangefinder
• H4 GPS – Will be comparing this to my Bushnell Neo Ghost GPS.   The Bushell is my current distance measuring device of choice and I use it 90% of the time when playing.
• H4 shot tracking and online dashboard – I don’t currently have a system like Arccos but have tried some of the phone/computer-based systems like myRoundPro, 18Birdies, DECADE foundations, the Grint, and some excel based trackers. 

 The shot tracking aspect of the package is probably what interests me most since this is will be my first experience with automated stat capture.  My prior experiences have been cumbersome paper based or requiring me to pull my phone out of my pocket for every show so I am very excited to see how easily the tagging feature is and how it does at capturing all my shots and see if my personal assessment of my game lines up with what Shot Scope indicates.  This feature alone will probably be the key contributor in whether the product stays in the bag.

 Some of the things I will work through are the various claims that Shot Scope makes like startup/course identification time, does slope calculation really provide meaningful information, rangefinder optics and accuracy, the various stats that it captures, and most importantly the battery life of the H4 unit since it becomes more difficult to track stats if the device can’t power on.  

That’s a quick intro about me and what I am hoping to learn, but these reviews are done for you the MGS readers.   Leave comments about what interests you with this product and if possible, I’ll give it a try and get you the information you need to make your purchase decision.  

 

 Unboxing/Setup:

 https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/43-shot-scope-prolx/?do=findComment&comment=9591

 

Final Review:

First Impressions (5 out of 5 Stars)

As I unboxed the various components, I was impressed with how it was organized and put together.  The product appeared to be of high quality, has multiple color options, and based on claims attempts to provide data that should help a golfer improve.   Reading through the website features like target lock vibrations, no phone required on the course, 15-hour battery life, strokes gained metrics, slope calculation, and no subscription fees made it seem like the perfect product. 

 There was some initial setup required like charging the battery on the H4 (GPS), installing the battery in the rangefinder, installing the tracking tags, creating shot scope accounts, and linking your phone to the H4.  It took a couple of tries to get the device to connect to my phone but this seems to be a common problem based on other reviews I have read about the product. 

 On course impressions were generally favorable. Turing on, finding the course (when it worked), and club tagging were all straightforward processes.   Remembering to tag the clubs was a personal issue and not related to the product capabilities in any way. 

 

 

Aesthetics (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

• H4 – The size of the GPS and tracking unit was compact and easily fit in your pocket or on your belt
• Rangefinder – a little bigger that most current models but shaped in a way that made it easy to hold.
• Both products appear to be durable to bumps and drops but because they are electronic devices, I do treat them carefully and try to avoid dropping them.  The only durability issue I have seen reported is potential scratching of the H4 screen when tagging clubs.
• I am going to deduct 0.5 starts for the storage case.  While the case is of good quality, it is a little tight to fit the rangefinder, the H4 unit, and the belt clip.   If you didn’t use the belt clip it fits perfectly. 

 

 

 

 

The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars) 

• Both the products (H4 and Rangefinder) provide accurate yardages and are consistent with my other distance measuring devices.   The slope feature isn’t as awe inspiring as I had hoped but the calculation seems in line with how far I hit my club.
•  The tagged data is fairly accurate but does requires some post round editing to get accurate shot locations.  Putting and pin capture needs adjustment on most holes.
•  The instructions for using the device can be a bit difficult. To get the best results I strongly recommend reading the user guide and the FAQ on the site as there are subtle things that you should do to get accurate data.   For example, if you don’t reach the green on a par 5 in two shots it should be marked as a positional shot.  If you don’t, the proximity to the hole numbers for approach shots will be inflated.
•  Charging is quick, but battery life for the H4 is significantly less that 15 hours in Track+GPS mode.   If you were playing back-to-back rounds, you would probably get both rounds in, but if they were a day apart.  It would be a push to get both rounds on a single charge.
•  Customer support appears to be top notch. I leveraged them for my first round to get a course mapped that wasn’t included in their course database.    I also leveraged their online support group on Facebook to troubleshoot issues and lean more about the product. 

 

On-Course (1 out of 5 stars)

I’ll cover the "on course" views in 3 sections (H4, Rangefinder, Apps/dashboard)

Rangefinder (3 out of 5):

• The rangefinder is very easy to use, buttons are well placed and the unit doesn’t require you to navigate lots of menus to change functionality.  
• I confused target-lock with pin-lock.  The unit vibrates when you shoot anything not just the flag.  When shooting distances, I typically looked at the back distance on the H4 and made sure the rangefinder distance was less than that number. 
• When using the rangefinder unless you pushed our eye against the viewfinder a white halo effect occurred that obscured the view of the displayed information.  The unit was basically unusable with sunglasses on and the focus ring was easily turned causing the image frequent adjustment to get a focused display.  

H4 (1 out of 5)

• This is the most desired component of the product; especially the shot tracking.
• Provides GPS distances to the green and various hazards on the hole
• Easy to read and accurate.
• Biggest issue is that while the magnet is strong, it can be dislodged from the belt clip.
• Biggest adjustment is remembering to tag the club.   This is the biggest different from their watch product
  • The watch is designed to automatically capture the club based on proximity when making a swing
  • The H4 is designed to manually tag which is more reliable assuming you can remember to tag the club.
• While I loved the device, I had to significantly mark it down due to the device not being able to find a course that was supposed to be on the device. Based on the support site this is a common problem and often results in device replacement.   I don’t expect to get to a course and have the GPS say no course found when the app indicates that the course is loaded on the device.  This issue was documented several times in the Shot Scope facebook group with no real solution; often devices were replaced.  In some cases it fixed the issues and in others it didn’t.

Apps/Dashboard (3 out of 5)

• This is where you can do shot analysis and evaluate your performance. 
• App and Dashboard provide basically the same information, but navigation or functionality may be better in one over the other.
• There is lots of information and you need to read the documentation to understand the right way to tag and identify shots and be able to understand what the information is telling you.  It is not a simple log in and the software tells you what you need to improve.
• Tagging locations aren’t 100% reliable and you need to remember your shots to when you review and sign off on your rounds.  Round editing should ideally be done on a laptop/desktop computer and not a phone or tablet.
• Occasional connection issues between the phone and app.  
• Shot Scope is continually adding new functionality!
• Provides data in a "raw" data format as well as via strokes gained for tee shots, approaches, short game, putting, and overall; both against adjustable handicap benchmarks.

 

The Good, the bad, the in-between (2 out of 5 stars)

The product does what it advertises and someone willing to dig in and crunch some numbers can find out details on where they need to improve.   Overall, the product is good, customer support is great, but there are a few things that can really frustrate the user which the biggest being phone/H4 connectivity when trying to sync information and the inability to find the course.   The later is the most frustrating because you don’t find out until you are at the course and ready to play.    If you want to track shots, attaching the H4 to the rangefinder makes it cumbersome to tag your clubs; attaching the H4 to your belt or putting it in your pocket are better options.   

One of my favorite capabilities is the ability to capture each shot on the hole.  I enjoy seeing people post these on the forum and am glad I can now do the same.

Play it or Trade it? (3 out of 5 stars)

 I am going to continue to use the product despite its issues based on my desire to dig into my performance numbers.  The big question will be how long to I want to track these numbers and will I get tired of the shot tracking aspect.  Even though there are courses that aren't found; which is a huge reliability issue, I am going to persevere and see if I can work around or solve the problem.  Keep an eye on the review comments and the ShotScope user community on the forum.  

 Conclusion

Depending on what capabilities the golfer is looking will depend on whether I would recommend this product.  The LX+ is a packaged product that contains a rangefinder, GPS unit, and shot tracking capability.

If you are simply looking for a rangefinder, I would consider this an average product in the market place and would look elsewhere.  

If you are looking for a device that provides front, middle, and back green distance, hazard distances, and layup distances the H4 could be a solid product since the information is accurate and it responds quickly.   The hesitation to recommend even for only GPS capability is that the device  occasionally cannot locate the course making it unusable for the round.  While trying to collect some data for my review I had to go to three different courses to get a course that the unit could identify.

If you are interested in shot tracking; the captured data, analytics, and lack of subscription cost make this the perfect product.  While you have to manually tag the clubs with each shot, you won’t miss shots unless you forget to tag them.  It is also important to note that GPS locations aren’t perfect and you will need to edit your shots post round.    Make sure you read the instructions, read the website, and are prepared to have to dig into data if you want to make full use of the shot tracking feature.   Again, the big problem is that if you can’t locate the course, you can’t tag the shots. 

This screen below is why I am hesitant to recommend this product:

Final Score (20.5 out of 30 stars)

 

One Year Update

It has been about a year since I started testing the Shotscope ProLX+ devices.     I have continued to use the devices but I would say that my quest to dive into the data has waned.   

RangeFinder:  Still considered it an average to slight above average rangefinder.  Use of a GPS device to get F/M/B distances is beneficial to help validate that flag readings are really the flag and not something in the background.  Favorite aspect is the slope feature.   

H4:  I still consider it pretty reliable for capturing shots; most "problems" center around the putting green such as  capturing the flag or putt locations.   Occasionally, courses aren't picked up even though the device shows that the course is loaded and doesn't need an update.  This happened during the MGS Pinehurst trip;  Pine Needles wasn't recognized.   I have also stopped using the H4 for anything other than GPS during my competitive league matches;  not that it is difficult but I find it distracting to use around the green to capture the pin location.    The main intent of the H4 is to capture data about your game to identify areas to work on to improve.  While it does show how I compare against various handicap levels to help manage expectations  at my level of play I find that the data doesn't reveal anything that I can't identify through normal game evaluation.   

Summary:  I think the product is good for the right person and would still rate it highly.   I thought I was a data geek and wanted to know more detailed stats but after using the device I can only say the data is interesting but not game changing for me.  Going forward I will still use the rangefinder and h4 unit for distances but probably won't do stat tracking anymore.  

Introduction:

 

My thanks to MGS and ShotScope for providing this testing opportunity. This is my first time testing a product for MGS and I'm excited to be included. My name is Bob and I'm from York, PA which is about 30 minutes south of Harrisburg and an hour north of Baltimore, MD. I've been golfing off and on since my early 20's (I'm 52 now) – and to show my age, my first set of clubs were Spaldings (yes, for those too young to remember they used to make more than just basketballs and volleyballs – lol). I spent most of the past 30 years as a few times a month golfer until 2019 when I joined a golf league with some friends from work and started playing weekly plus hitting the range about once a week as well.  I'm still a high handicapper but working on it - basically I'm your local golf league hacker who looks like a scratch golfer on one hole and like it's my first time picking up a club on the next one – consistency has been my biggest hang up. 

I really wanted to test the ShotScope ProLX+ as I love using data to see where I need to improve and I believe the shot tracking capability offers this plus more. I currently do some basic tracking by hand and with the Grint app which shows my short game and driving accuracy as 2 main culprits. I'm curious to see if the H4 shot tracking offers any other insights.

 

I really see this as 3 tests in one.

1. Rangefinder: I don't currently use one as I love my GPS but I have used my friend's unit on occasion and do see some advantages especially on par 3's and for slope. Currently when I need to check layup distances I use the GolfGPS Rangefinder app but it is cumbersome to pull my phone out each time. I see the H4 has layup distance calculations so I'm very interested to see how that works.

2. GPS: I've used a Bushnell Neo Ghost nearly every round since it first came out. When not using it (if I forgot to charge it), I use the iGolf app on my phone. I've always liked the simplicity of using a GPS to get front/middle/back distances but I do see the advantages of a range finder. My biggest issue with the Bushnell is the time it takes to start up, get a signal and find the course. Occasionally I have forgotten to turn it on before teeing off. When that happens it usually is not ready to use before hitting my next shot leaving me guessing on distance. I'll be putting the H4 head to head against the Bushnell for these tests. If the H4 starts up faster that will be a big selling point for me.

3. Shot Tracking: I have never used Arccos but I am really interested in the stats the shot tracking capability will provide. As I mentioned, I use Grint for some general stat tracking (Putts, Fairways hit, GIR, etc) so I love having data from my rounds and this will provide much more than I can currently track by hand. With changing my swing I have also been trying to track yardages to see if there is any change in club distances – this function will help a lot with that. My only concern is if I can adjust to tagging my club before every shot. We will find out soon!

 

That's the basics about me. My goal is to provide the MGS community with a fair and honest evaluation so those considering purchasing this item can make an educated decision.

 

Final Review (August 22, 2022)

First Impressions (4 out of 5 Stars)

Looking for a new rangefinder? Compact & accurate GPS? Want shot tracking and a full suite of performance statistics without paying a subscription? Shotscope Pro LX+ does all three which is why I was excited to try it out during practice and on the course.

First impressions the product is well packaged and comes with everything needed to get started including the battery (CR123) for the rangefinder.

 

One hang up for me right out of the box is the proprietary charging cable for the H4 which is why I gave 4 stars.  This requires you to remember to take the cable with you if travelling or buy an extra cable from Shot Scope ($20 on their website) which I find unnecessary when most electronic devices have gone to USB type C or USB Micro for charging.  Not sure if it would have increased the size of the H4 for a different port but it would have been worth it to eliminate the special charging cable. 

 

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)

The Pro LX rangefinder weighs in at a little over 7 ounces so it's very lightweight, easy to carry and hold steady.  My favorite feature is the ergonomic cutout on the bottom for your thumb which allows you to comfortably grip it.  The size is ideal for the average hand size and the buttons are perfectly positioned on top to allow for easy function selection.

 

 

It has all the key features you could want in a range finder:

• Rapid target detection
• Target lock vibration
• X7 magnification with adjustable eyepiece
• Adaptive slope (with ability to turn off for tournament use)
• Red or Black optics option
• Water resistant
• 900 yard range (with option to display meters)

 

The H4 attaches securely to the ProLX in the designated cut out giving another option for carrying it if not worn on your belt.  I didn't find this practical if using the shot tracking feature and needing to tag each club but it is a nice available option not found on other GPS devices. 

 

 

Numbers (4 out of 5 Stars)

Both the ProLX and the H4 really stood out for measured accuracy.  The ProLX when measured at a local driving range with known target yardages was within a yard on all measurements.  It is nearly instantaneous to acquire the target and give a yardage reading.  The H4 starts up fast (about a minute on average) and was within 2 yards on all middle of the green measurements compared to my Bushnell Neo Ghost.  I checked the few front/back discrepancies that were greater than 2 yards with the rangefinder and found the H4 was usually more accurate than the Bushnell. 

 

  

 

My one negative here is the battery life which is much lower than the 15 hours advertised.  In actual use the battery life was closer to 10 hours which is 33% less than stated by the manufacturer.  I found you can get 2 full rounds before needing a recharge so it still performs adequately but not as advertised so hence the 4 out of 5 rating.

 

On Course (5 out of 5 Stars)

The ProLX and H4 both perform as expected on course.  The Shot Tracking also works great and is easy to edit shots if needed.  Although the mobile phone app works for editing shots, it is much easier to do on a tablet or PC due to the screen size. 

 

There is a full suite of stats tracked in the app - more than most people would ever use but that is the great thing about it - whatever stats are important to you will probably be available.   The app tracks your stats for every club so you can measure your progress.   

 

 

I did struggle with remembering to tag every shot and usually had a shot on every other hole that I needed to edit/add in particular chips/putts where it was not part of my preshot routine.  I found the shot tagging to be a distraction during league play and actually stopped tracking my shots during those rounds and just use it during casual rounds.  It's still beneficial to get my average yardages but without tracking all shots I'm not truly tracking my progress.  I'm sure if I kept working it into my preshot routine it would become easier but for now it's too much of a distraction and I actually shoot worse during league play if I have to keep reminding myself to tag the shot.  I didn't drop any stars for this issue as it's my own fault for missing shots but I mention it as I'm sure others may have the same experience.  

 

The Good, The Bad, The In Between (3 out of 5 Stars)

There is one "bad" for the H4 that cannot be overlooked and was experienced by several testers including me.  While the metal belt clip is strong to hold it on your belt, the magnet in the H4 is not strong enough to securely hold it in the holster clip and it will fall out if bumped during a shot or if not properly seated in the holster.  I had it happen at least 5 times during the testing period.  Twice I couldn't find it right away and had to back track to my last shot to look for it.  That's an issue for pace of play not to mention the huge risk of losing it.   I was actually lucky to find it each time as the device is very small and the black case is not easy to find in the grass.  If you lose the H4 you also can no longer track shots so 2/3 of what you paid for is gone. 

This is a design flaw that should be easy for ShotScope to fix.  Hopefully future versions will have a redesigned clip to hold it more securely.  I would actually buy a replacement clip if they did as I no longer carry it on my belt and keep it in my pocket for fear of losing it during a round.   Since this issue is changing how I use the device and risks the H4 being lost I had to drop 2 stars. 

 

 Play It or Trade It (4 out of 5 Stars)

The ProLX rangefinder is in my bag to stay.  I love how lightweight and easy it is to use.  In less than 10 seconds I can pull it out of my bag, acquire the target and have a distance.  I highly recommend it as a solo purchase or with the full set.  I like the H4 and will continue to use it as it starts up faster than my Bushnell Neo Ghost but the clip issue mentioned above makes me unlikely to carry it on my belt and honestly I'm sure I would lose it if I did.  Shot Tracking is a great feature but I don't use it during league rounds so I'm not getting the full functionality out of the full set that's why I could only give 4 out of 5 stars. 

   

Final (25 out of 30 Stars)

 

 

 

 

Shot Scope Pro LX+-Official MGS Forum Review by Golf2Much

Introduction

As the Southernmost MyGolfSpy member, I’m honored to test and review the Shot Scope LS+ laser rangefinder with GPS distances and performance tracking.

I started playing golf as a senior in high school to get out of classes so I could practice with my friends.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

I was born, raised and after completed a 27-year career in Rochester, New York before moving full time to Key West, Florida.  My home course is a classic Rees Jones designed Key West Golf Club where I play three times a week.

As a 66-year-old, I still love playing, but find myself dealing with some of the physical limitations of my age.  Over the last fifteen years I’ve recovered from a naturally fused spine, multiple surgeries, a broken neck and a new artificial left knee.  Surprisingly, during that time my annual average score has stayed roughly the same (plus/minus a shot).  My game has evolved (or regressed) to become the golfer I used to hate when I was young.  I’m short off the tee, short with a fairway wood on par fours, chip up and one putt for par.

Even with my aliments, I’m sporting an index between 9 and 10.  I currently track my limited “statistics” with the GHIN system recording greens in regulation (GIR), fairways hit (FIR) and putts per hole.  From the recent MyGolfSpy study “How Your Handicap Affects Your Score”, my rudimentary statistics suggest my game is atypical when compared with most golfers that share my index.  I hit only 16% of the GIR but over 70% of the FIR.

For the last two years my golf accessories include a Garmin S42 GPS watch and a Mileseey PF210 Pro laser rangefinder.  I generally use my GPS watch for distances over 110 yards.  I rely on my rangefinder within 110 yards and for accurate distances to hazards and layup areas.  The Garmin watch does offer some basic shot tracking capabilities.  However, I spend too much time and effort adding shots and correcting information at the end of the round which puts all the remaining data in question.

Last Summer I attended a three-day golf school.  The instructor and I quickly concluded that due to my physical constraints, only incremental improvements were likely possible.  To find those areas, I felt it necessary to capture a greater insight in my game.  I looked at Arccos and other tracking competitors.  My concern was adding one more golf accessory to my already crowded arsenal.  When I read about the Shot Scope LX+ with its integrated functions, shot tracking capabilities and app with 100+ statistics, it looked like a potential winner.

My intent is to face off the LX+ rangefinder and GPS functions against my existing pair for accuracy, speed and ease of use.  I’m also interested in seeing if the jack of all trades and master of none saying comes into play here.  Finally, I’ll assess the ease and reliability of collecting swing data and how it translates to valuable information of my (and hopefully your) game.

On a side note, I apologize to everyone for being a little tardy with my introduction and starting my review.  I had a long-planned vacation with friends and just got back late yesterday.   Some may feel that’s no excuse.  However, most golfers would understand given the picture below.

 

I'll do my best to catch up and provide some insight into the Shot Scope LX+.  Cheers!

Unboxing/Set Up

Here's the link:  Unboxing!

Final Review (August 19, 2022)

Thank you, MGS, for the honor and privilege to be selected to review the Shot Scope LX+.

First Impressions (5 out of 5 Stars)

The Shot Scope PRO LX+ is advertised as an integrated laser range finder (PRO LX), GPS (H4) and shot tracking and analysis system. 

 The PRO LX ergonomic shape fit well in my hand.  The rangefinder’s accuracy, range, adaptive slope technology, vibration lock and rapid target acquisition features were consistent with other rangefinders in its class.  The duel red and black optics for various weather conditions was a welcomed addition.  One might have expected magnetic cart mounting capability.

The H4’s had decent sized screen.  The preloaded 36,000+ courses included my home course.  The PRO LX and belt clip magnets appeared to firmly hold the H4 in place.  The ability to place the H4 on the rangefinder, player’s belt or bag gives users flexibility to best suit their situation.

 

Aesthetics (4 out of 5 Stars)

The PRO LX is larger than my current rangefinder but weighs only 0.4 oz. (10 grams) more.  The H4 mounting feature created a cradle that comfortably fit between your thumb and index finger. The function buttons are well positioned and naturally align your fingers.  The LX’s midsection has ribbed elastomer to help grip the device.  I found it little slippery and not as tactile as other rangefinders.  The slope switch is easily accessed on the side and a small green area is displayed when it’s in use.

 

The H4 GPS unit has a screen size similar to my current Garmin S40 watch.  It was easy-to read front, middle and back distances as well as layup information and weighs only 1.2 oz (33 grams).

I liked the feel of the integrated PRO LX+ over the PRO LX alone.  The attached H4 helped improve the unit’s overall balance and seemed more stable when acquiring a target and pressing the firing button.

The included water-resistant case is color coordinated and comfortably stored both items. 

Overall, PRO LX+ seemed well made.  My only reservation is Shot Scope’s warranty period.  Their one-year warranty period is at shorter end of their competitors’ 1-5 years range.

 I deducted one star as the ribbed elastomer midsection is less tactile than other rangefinders and the shorter duration warranty period.

 

The Numbers (5 out of 5 Stars)

The hour to initially charge the H4 unit gave me time to download the Shot Scope apps, install the tags and be ready to complete the set up.  The H4 device and app set up instructions were simple and easy to follow.  

Before hitting the course, I compared the PRO LX+ against my current trusted devices at short and longer distances. Both GPS devices and rangefinders delivered comparable distances.

Rangefinder	Shorter Distance (Yards)		Longer Distance (Yards)
Mileseey PF210 Pro	106	107	244	244
Shot Scope PRO LX	105	106	244	244

To evaluate battery life, I played two rounds back-to-back multiple times without recharging between rounds.  The H4’s remaining charge after the second rounds averaged 14%.  So, the stated “15+ hours, 2+ rounds” battery life was closer to “2+” rounds.  

It’s too soon to validate the PRO LX’s stated battery life of 5800 measurements which is slightly longer than other rangefinder’s claims.

 

On-Course (4 out of 5 Stars)

Acquiring the satellites and loading my course with the H4 took just over a minute longer than my Garmin S40 but had no real impact being ready for the first tee.  

My first few rounds I was overly cognizant of tagging each club which disrupted my normal pre-shot routine.  My stressing over a missed tag was relieved with the ease I could make changes in post round editing.  After a couple of rounds, tagging became a natural part of my routine.  

Since my putter’s Super Stroke CounterCore grip doesn’t accept a tag, I must manually mark each putt and hole location.  This proved to be a little inconvenient and required a quick discussion with my playing partners before a round.
  
I mentioned a halo affect around the PRO LX’s LCD perimeter when viewed through my prescription glasses.  It appears I live with the restricted field of vision or remove my glasses and move it closer to my eye to get a clearer view of the LCD optics.  My previous rangefinder did not exhibit this phenomenon.

After a round the H4 straightforwardly synchs shot data to your phone via Bluetooth.  Round details will also show up on the web-based PC app which I found easier for editing shots and signing off the round.  Having shots superimposed on the aerial view of each hole helped the editing process.

The Shot Scope 100+ performance metrics were extensive and proved enlightening.  I could drill down into each element of my game and compare strokes gained/lost relative to similar handicap golfers which exposed my unique strengths and weaknesses.  

 

 

My initial review of the Shot Scope statistics and analysis can be found here:  Golf2Much Shot Statistics.

I found the shot tracking and resulting analysis capability the biggest benefit of the PRO LX+ system.  With the just released shot plotting and course analysis features, Shot Scope appears committed to expanding the offered performance statistics.

I deducted one star for my PRO LX halo optics issue.

 

The Good, The Bad And The In Between (4 out of 5 Stars)

The good is the H4 with its effective shot capture capability and access to Shot Scope’s game performance statistics platform with no annual fee.

The bad is the PRO LX’s halo effect narrowing the field of vision. When coupled with the 7X magnification, it became tougher to quickly pick up the flag stick. 

The in between mentions include having to manually input all of my putts due to the CounterCore grip and the security of the H4 in the belt clip.  In 12 rounds, I’ve inadvertently knocked the H4 unit out of the belt clip four times.

 

Play It Or Trade It?  (4 out of 5 Stars)

With a retail price of $349.99 and no annual fees, the Pro PRO LX+ is a bargain for those who need accurate distances and want a better understanding of their game’s characteristics. 

The yardages on both Pro LX and H4 were consistent with my existing devices.

 The H4’s shot tracking and Shot Scope’s game analysis features have already led me to replace my Garmin watch. Adding just Garmin CT10 tags to enable my watch’s shot tracking would be twice the cost of the H4 with included tags. 

For me, the jury is still out on the PRO LX rangefinder.  I need a few more rounds to see if removing my glasses to take readings offsets the slightly faster response times, red and black optics and other PRO LX’s benefits.

 

Conclusions:

The Shot Scope PRO LX+ is multifunctional product that can honestly say its overall performance is greater than the sum of its parts.  At an attractive price, golfers get a full featured laser rangefinder, a fully functional GPS unit and no annual fee shot capture and analysis capability.  I found the shot capture easy to set up` and edit while the resulting stroke analysis proved to literally be a game changer for me.  The PRO LX+ is a solid addition for anyone who regularly plays golf. 

Final Score:  26 out of 30 Stars

3 hours ago, cnosil said:

Was this your first time on the course with the h4?  I’ve read that subsequent visits to the course result in faster loads.   I use the Neo Ghost and the load time for the H4 is significantly faster.  

I'm seeing the same with the H4 being significantly faster than my Neo Ghost.  I can't say I've seen load times faster with subsequent visits but they've all been between 1 and 2 minutes so nothing drastically different. 

3 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

On additional quick observation on the H4.  Yesterday I had both my Garmin S40 watch and Shot Scope H4 side by side and wanted to see how long each took to lock in the satellites, pull up the course and be ready to play.  My existing S40 watch completed the tasks in 16 seconds.  In the same location completing the same basic tasks, the H4 took 110 seconds.  

 In the grand scheme of things, the roughly minute and a half doesn't mean too much.  Within that time most golfers are stretching, picking out the perfect first hole ball and debating with their playing partners what game they are going to play today (and of course "stretching the truth" on their current handicap).   So, that time is easily filled.  It was meant more for a heads up.  If you are used to 16 seconds, 110 can seem like an eternity. 

 

My experience; the more often you play the same course the faster it'll load. I never timed it, however, I also never waited on the tee box for it to load. As an FYI if for some reason you forgot to turn it on until you got to the fairway for your second shot, it'll capture a drive from the tips (don't ask how I know). In the edit mode you can then just adjust the drive to the tee box you used. 

2 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

As an FYI if for some reason you forgot to turn it on until you got to the fairway for your second shot, it'll capture a drive from the tips (don't ask how I know). In the edit mode you can then just adjust the drive to the tee box you used. 

If you forget to tag the tee shot it will register driver from the tips.  

5 minutes ago, cnosil said:

If you forget to tag the tee shot it will register driver from the tips.  

Correct. In my case using the V3 which I don't have to tag - I forgot to turn the watch on and didn't realize it til after my tee shot. 

With 7 rounds with the H4 under my belt, I thought it might be worth looking at the seeing what insights I could get from the detailed information collected and analyzed.  Prior to this review I was manually collecting and adding data on the GHIN system which yielded this typical output: 

 

At first blush one can see I hit a decent number of fairways in regulation (70% on what many feel is a very narrow fairway course).   I also don't hit many greens in regulation (13%) with most coming up short.  And finally, my short game is decent (3.5 up and downs and less than 30 putts per round).   This was more information about my game than I had before GHIN added this feature.  As interesting as it was, it really left me asking more questions than it answered.  Is this good or bad for an 11 handicap?  What particular part of my game needs the most work?  What few improvements would make the biggest impact in my scoring?  It turns out the H4 with it's captured data and subsequent analysis helps answer those questions and more.

Before I get too deep into this, two things to mention.  First, I've captured only seven rounds with the H4 in the last roughly two weeks so it's basically a smaller sample of data and may not truly represent my game.  Second, the timing for analyzing my short game couldn't be worse and my home course started their second green aeration of the summer, so I've been playing on punched and top-dressed surfaces since recording rounds on the H4.  With excuses out of the way, here's what I've learned.

Probably the most common thing found by people getting this data for the first time is that they don't hit the ball as far as they think they typically do.  I knew I was a relatively short hitter, but the data proved I was shorter than I thought.



The performance average is roughly like the old Olympic figure skating scoring methodology:  throw out the high and lows and average what's left.  They also will disregard provisional shots and those within 50 yards of the pin.  Because of my game, there are a few clubs that I do not hit very often (like the 7 wood, 26 degree hybrid and 6 iron) so I will need several more rounds before I can rely on those numbers.  Also, the 7 iron distance seemed a little high.  You can hit "Longest" shot and find which round and hole you hit that longest shot.  On the 7 iron, I saw that I had an uncharacteristically long 155 yard shot.  The satellite hole graphic and shot direction reminded me that particular shot was a cart-path aided distance!  I guess the performance distance algorithm may have missed that one.

Next was the tee shots.  The GHIN statistics suggested I find the fairways consistently.  That's why my playing partners refer to me as "F***ing Norm."  The Shot Scope data showed the same.

What was interesting to me was even though I hit over 70% of the fairways, my lack of distance off the tee often prevented me from converting them to more pars than bogeys.  That point was validated when I look at strokes gained from my tee shots being -1.32 when compared with 10 handicap golfers (I'll show that graphic later).   I've been trying to convince my playing partners to let me move to the gold tees, but they are always say no.  This just might be the data I need to convince them.  Then again, I'm not sure their reluctance is based on facts!

On to approaches.  With being short off the tee one would assume that would leave me with long approach shots which likely would come up short.  Sure enough, that what shows up in the data.

Both the GHIN and Shot Scope data shows that two thirds or more of my approach shots come up short.  But it was the additional Shot Scope analysis that gave me additional insight.  With the majority of approach shots short, by shots gained was only -0.36 when compared to other 10 handicaps.  If I look at shots gained by distance, my biggest downfall was between 150-200 yards out (where I am on most par 4s).  Over 200 yards and between 100-150 yards, I'm not too bad.  The data also validated my wedge short game between 50 and 100 yards helps offset the deficiency at 150-200 yards.  The other surprise was strokes gained by lie type.  Given I hit fairways regularly, it wasn't too surprising that I loose almost two strokes with fairway approach shots (again most are in that 150-200 yard range).  I was surprised by my "tee" lie which I equate to par 3's was pretty good and that my performance from the rough was even better!

The evidence is starting to pile up to allow my so-called golfing friends to approve my move to the gold tees!

The short game was next.  Based on what I've said before, I expected this to be my best.  It didn't disappoint.  Compared to other 10 handicaps, my stokes gained with my short game was 3.19.  

  

Interestingly, it seems I'm equally as good from various distances (under 25 and 25-50 yards) and from different lies.  This just validated that for me to score, I need to execute my short game to the best of my ability.

I've always thought that my putting also needed to be on for me to score.   Again, we just aerated our greens, so I had a built-in excuse.  However the data as a bit more eye opening.

  

Not surprising given the aeration was that 67% of my putts were short and I didn't hit too many long-ish putts.  My percentage of putts made by distance showed I was decent at short putts (about 90% within 3 ft), but those numbers quickly fell off with distance.  It's hard to say how much of that is attributed to aeration.  Only time and more data will tell.   Even with the aerated greens, I wanted to dive into how my strokes gained from putting seemed so poor at -3.26.  Here's where the Shot Scope analysis helped.  Looking at putts made at various distances, I thought my issues were mostly on missing longer putts.  Based on the strokes gained it showed my Achiles heel was 10 ft and shorter putts at -3.55 strokes gained.  Armed with that information, I plan to change my putting practice strategy a little by focusing on getting longer putts just past the hole and more effort on putts within 10 feet.

In total, the captured and the resulting analysis provided by the H4 gave me significantly more insight into my game.  I never would have drawn the same conclusions from the limited data set collected by the GHIN system.  I am looking forward to adding more rounds and data to the few rounds I have under my belt to date and to apply what I've learned to (a) better improve my practice sessions and ultimate game and (b) have a more fact-based discussion with my playing partners to let me move up to the golds (not that I think it will make any difference).  

 

 

I was wondering when everyone marks shots as “positional” when shot editing?  I do it for punch out shots and other times when I’m making less than a full shot to get around an obstacle like a tree.  I saw on Shotscope’s site that laying up on a par 5 would also be considered positional.  I haven’t been marking those since I’m generally still taking a full shot. I’m wondering if that is impacting my stats on approaches ? Not that I hit that many greens to matter.  

With the MGS discount code I have to admit I’m very close to pulling the trigger on the H4 handheld, but solely for shot tracking and strokes gained purposes.  So, how “clunky” is it to use?  I don’t mind editing post round, but if it’s going to be a significant disruption to my pre-shot routine then I’ll just get Broadie’s App and go with that

12 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

With the MGS discount code I have to admit I’m very close to pulling the trigger on the H4 handheld, but solely for shot tracking and strokes gained purposes.  So, how “clunky” is it to use?  I don’t mind editing post round, but if it’s going to be a significant disruption to my pre-shot routine then I’ll just get Broadie’s App and go with that

Not finding it to be a distraction but it is something you need to get used too.    I am trying to make tagging the club the first thing I do when in my pre shot routine.  Marking putts is pretty easy since I tag my putter when I walk up to mark my ball.    The great thing is that you can always edit and add shots that you miss.   The first few rounds I missed some shots,  but now I am starting to remember to do the tagging.   

4 hours ago, Rwagn4 said:

I was wondering when everyone marks shots as “positional” when shot editing?  I do it for punch out shots and other times when I’m making less than a full shot to get around an obstacle like a tree.  I saw on Shotscope’s site that laying up on a par 5 would also be considered positional.  I haven’t been marking those since I’m generally still taking a full shot. I’m wondering if that is impacting my stats on approaches ? Not that I hit that many greens to matter.  

I am only marking positional when I am not taking a full swing due to punching out or something similar.    

8 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

With 7 rounds with the H4 under my belt, I thought it might be worth looking at the seeing what insights I could get from the detailed information collected and analyzed. 

 

 

Great stuff.    I just hit 5 rounds so I am starting to see some trends....under 50 yards is my weak area.  

1 hour ago, Getoffmylawn said:

With the MGS discount code I have to admit I’m very close to pulling the trigger on the H4 handheld, but solely for shot tracking and strokes gained purposes.  So, how “clunky” is it to use?  I don’t mind editing post round, but if it’s going to be a significant disruption to my pre-shot routine then I’ll just get Broadie’s App and go with that

As @cnosil indicated, the H4 and its belt clip do not get into the way.  After a round or two I easily integrated it into my pre-shot routine.  For tee shots I'll tag the club just before I place the tee in the ground.  For fairway shots I'll check my distance, pick the club and tag it as I reach my ball.  It adds only seconds.  Since I have a countercore Super Stroke grip on my putter, I have to add my putting strokes manually.  It involved taking out the H4 and acknowledging a putting stroke as you get to your ball (upper right button).  If you miss the putt you just enter another putt from where it stopped.  When you sink the putt, you acknowledge the made putt and hole location (lower right button).  The H4 then moves to the next hole.  For me, I had to tell my playing partners what I was doing as it looked a bit strange clicking this little device on the greens.

The H4 holder clips to your belt and has a magnet to hold the unit in place.  In the last few rounds, I've unintentionally knock the H4 out of its holder.  Luckily, in both cases I remembered the last locations I tagged my clubs and was able to go back find it on the ground.  Now, I make it a point to make sure the H4 is in place before I drive off to my next shot.  

17 hours ago, Rwagn4 said:

I was wondering when everyone marks shots as “positional” when shot editing?

As @cnosil said, mark shots that you are not trying to hit the green with as positional. Punch outs, second shots on a far 5 etc.

26 minutes ago, EasyPutter said:

Is it possible to use the scope to capture distance for a particular club as a way to document the shot without having to go to where the ball lies?  It is unclear from all reviews so far if it is capable of doing a club distance analysis from the hitting range mat or tee box when going downrange is not possible.  With such a suite of GPS integrated devices it would seem like something that should be possible.

I assume by "scope" you're referring to shot tracking? If so, keep in mind how these GPS shot tracking devices work: they track distance of the club previously hit by the location of the club you're going to hit. Example: you hit your driver and then go to hit your next shot, say 5 wood, it captures the GPS location of that 5 wood. In the edit mode you select the tee box. So now you have the start location of the driver and the end point 5 wood, because you selected the next club.  You can't do that on the driving range because there's no course tee box and you can't hit a second shot. 

If you're referring to "scope " as in range finder, at least on our range too many balls to identify which one I hit. To get 'approximate' range distances, use either a launch monitor or speculate  based on the distance markers on the range.  

8 minutes ago, EasyPutter said:

Is it possible to use the scope to capture distance for a particular club as a way to document the shot without having to go to where the ball lies?  It is unclear from all reviews so far if it is capable of doing a club distance analysis from the hitting range mat or tee box when going downrange is not possible.  With such a suite of GPS integrated devices it would seem like something that should be possible.

You can use the rangefinder to shoot distances and manually capture the data you are looking for; but range terrain would be a limitation. What you seem to be  looking for would be some kind of specialty device that allows you to enter the club and then when you shoot a distance with the rangefinder it stores that distance.   I have seem apps built for a specific range that gives you distance to the defined flags based on where on the range you are standing.  To,do,what you want, I think you would need to have tags in the balls like Top Golf to automatically capture distances.  A GPS by itself only tells you where you are or where a known entity is located.  

23 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

With 7 rounds with the H4 under my belt, I thought it might be worth looking at the seeing what insights I could get from the detailed information collected and analyzed.  Prior to this review I was manually collecting and adding data on the GHIN system which yielded this typical output: 

 

At first blush one can see I hit a decent number of fairways in regulation (70% on what many feel is a very narrow fairway course).   I also don't hit many greens in regulation (13%) with most coming up short.  And finally, my short game is decent (3.5 up and downs and less than 30 putts per round).   This was more information about my game than I had before GHIN added this feature.  As interesting as it was, it really left me asking more questions than it answered.  Is this good or bad for an 11 handicap?  What particular part of my game needs the most work?  What few improvements would make the biggest impact in my scoring?  It turns out the H4 with it's captured data and subsequent analysis helps answer those questions and more.

Before I get too deep into this, two things to mention.  First, I've captured only seven rounds with the H4 in the last roughly two weeks so it's basically a smaller sample of data and may not truly represent my game.  Second, the timing for analyzing my short game couldn't be worse and my home course started their second green aeration of the summer, so I've been playing on punched and top-dressed surfaces since recording rounds on the H4.  With excuses out of the way, here's what I've learned.

Probably the most common thing found by people getting this data for the first time is that they don't hit the ball as far as they think they typically do.  I knew I was a relatively short hitter, but the data proved I was shorter than I thought.



The performance average is roughly like the old Olympic figure skating scoring methodology:  throw out the high and lows and average what's left.  They also will disregard provisional shots and those within 50 yards of the pin.  Because of my game, there are a few clubs that I do not hit very often (like the 7 wood, 26 degree hybrid and 6 iron) so I will need several more rounds before I can rely on those numbers.  Also, the 7 iron distance seemed a little high.  You can hit "Longest" shot and find which round and hole you hit that longest shot.  On the 7 iron, I saw that I had an uncharacteristically long 155 yard shot.  The satellite hole graphic and shot direction reminded me that particular shot was a cart-path aided distance!  I guess the performance distance algorithm may have missed that one.

Next was the tee shots.  The GHIN statistics suggested I find the fairways consistently.  That's why my playing partners refer to me as "F***ing Norm."  The Shot Scope data showed the same.

What was interesting to me was even though I hit over 70% of the fairways, my lack of distance off the tee often prevented me from converting them to more pars than bogeys.  That point was validated when I look at strokes gained from my tee shots being -1.32 when compared with 10 handicap golfers (I'll show that graphic later).   I've been trying to convince my playing partners to let me move to the gold tees, but they are always say no.  This just might be the data I need to convince them.  Then again, I'm not sure their reluctance is based on facts!

On to approaches.  With being short off the tee one would assume that would leave me with long approach shots which likely would come up short.  Sure enough, that what shows up in the data.

Both the GHIN and Shot Scope data shows that two thirds or more of my approach shots come up short.  But it was the additional Shot Scope analysis that gave me additional insight.  With the majority of approach shots short, by shots gained was only -0.36 when compared to other 10 handicaps.  If I look at shots gained by distance, my biggest downfall was between 150-200 yards out (where I am on most par 4s).  Over 200 yards and between 100-150 yards, I'm not too bad.  The data also validated my wedge short game between 50 and 100 yards helps offset the deficiency at 150-200 yards.  The other surprise was strokes gained by lie type.  Given I hit fairways regularly, it wasn't too surprising that I loose almost two strokes with fairway approach shots (again most are in that 150-200 yard range).  I was surprised by my "tee" lie which I equate to par 3's was pretty good and that my performance from the rough was even better!

The evidence is starting to pile up to allow my so-called golfing friends to approve my move to the gold tees!

The short game was next.  Based on what I've said before, I expected this to be my best.  It didn't disappoint.  Compared to other 10 handicaps, my stokes gained with my short game was 3.19.  

  

Interestingly, it seems I'm equally as good from various distances (under 25 and 25-50 yards) and from different lies.  This just validated that for me to score, I need to execute my short game to the best of my ability.

I've always thought that my putting also needed to be on for me to score.   Again, we just aerated our greens, so I had a built-in excuse.  However the data as a bit more eye opening.

  

Not surprising given the aeration was that 67% of my putts were short and I didn't hit too many long-ish putts.  My percentage of putts made by distance showed I was decent at short putts (about 90% within 3 ft), but those numbers quickly fell off with distance.  It's hard to say how much of that is attributed to aeration.  Only time and more data will tell.   Even with the aerated greens, I wanted to dive into how my strokes gained from putting seemed so poor at -3.26.  Here's where the Shot Scope analysis helped.  Looking at putts made at various distances, I thought my issues were mostly on missing longer putts.  Based on the strokes gained it showed my Achiles heel was 10 ft and shorter putts at -3.55 strokes gained.  Armed with that information, I plan to change my putting practice strategy a little by focusing on getting longer putts just past the hole and more effort on putts within 10 feet.

In total, the captured and the resulting analysis provided by the H4 gave me significantly more insight into my game.  I never would have drawn the same conclusions from the limited data set collected by the GHIN system.  I am looking forward to adding more rounds and data to the few rounds I have under my belt to date and to apply what I've learned to (a) better improve my practice sessions and ultimate game and (b) have a more fact-based discussion with my playing partners to let me move up to the golds (not that I think it will make any difference).  

 

 

Great review! BTW what you're seeing in distances is similar to my data.  I have 92 rounds for 2022 and since I've played in high winds both here in Ohio as well as Florida the # of my rounds tends to wash out the anomalies like those drives that went an extra 40 yards because I was hitting downwind. So keep in mind, the more you play, the more accurate the data will be. PAVG does wash out some of those outliers (highs and lows) but I still wish the data for each round was exportable to a spreadsheet format. That way I could see the percentage of short drives (or other clubs) that's keeping me from achieving my goals.  That export feature would be a 'game changer' for me. 

Also, I have a new driver in my bag and I can now compare new vs. old by assigning a different sensor to it. Good news is that my SIM2 is getting me more distance than my 410. That comparison is a great feature so keep it in mind when upgrading clubs or changing them out. 

 

 

Well, thanks to the early feedback in this thread and the MGS50 deal, I jumped on the orange LX+. I thought I'd be an Arccos man but the benefits shown here without the subscription model make Shot Scope the more promising option for me.

Thanks testers for making the purchase an easier choice!

I ran into my first major hiccup this weekend with the H4. It is something that I have been concerned about since I started testing this component of the product. I had the GPS fall out of the magnetic holder on the course. Fortunately, it was not lost for long. I was riding this time and it fell behind the seat cushion in the cart. This does give me some pause about the product. I did try using the magnet attachment to keep the H4 and the roof support on the golf cart and it seemed to hold but I would have reservations if we drove over a bit of rougher terrain. Another aspect of concern is with the laser rangefinder. I don't have the steadiest of hands and there is some difficulty in locking on the flag. The device does vibrate but it can be because it picked up a tree behind the green. The reason I question the reading is that there is a large enough discrepancy between it and the GPS unit. This was an outing with some buddies in Connecticut, so I decided to use the H4 GPS device in GPS only mode on the second round. I found that I was often distracted and did not always remember to tag the club I was using. I am enjoying testing this product as it has changed some preconceived notions I had regarding the Pro LX+.

I had another issue with the H4 falling out of the holster as many of us have pointed out previously.  I had not been too concerned until today but I'm losing confidence in carrying it on my belt.   A rain storm was fast approaching during my round today and we were trying to finish the hole before stopping to let it pass.  It was dumping buckets as I hit a wedge just short of the green and then headed for cover, completely drenched.   As I was covering my gear I noticed the H4 was missing from my belt.  I remembered tagging my wedge shot so I knew I lost it somewhere between that shot and where we were standing about 40 yards away.  Back into the rain I went to look for it and about 10 minutes later one of my playing partners found it.  I must have knocked it loose on that last shot and had walked about 30 yards before it fell into the grass.  This surprised me because it was an easy swing and nothing that should have caused it to come off.  I put it back in the clip on my belt but as we were standing there talking my hand brushed against it, not very hard, and I saw it fall onto the ground AGAIN!   I tested it a few more times in the holster and it wasn't holding as well as normal - getting it wet seemed to make it slide out of the holster easier.  Not a huge difference but when the H4 already has a tendency to fall out it was enough to be a concern.  I carried it in my pocket the rest of the round but this did make me forget to tag many shots. 

The good news is I inadvertently got to test its water resistance (and my own!  ).  After it spent 10 minutes in a downpour in the soaking wet grass, I dried it off and it still operated fine the rest of the round.  No issues with the screen or any functions.        

I have a bunch of rounds on the LX+ and I'm starting to develop my "I wish" list for the device(s).  Here's my start:

• First and foremost, I wish I could get rid of the halo I see when looking through the LX's viewfinder.  I've had other people look through it and most see it as well.  The combination of the 7X magnification and loss of the vision field around the edges make it tough to pick up targets.  It's like playing with glaucoma.  
• I wish the LX had just a little more weight.  I've taken measurements with and without the H4.  With the H4 magnetically attached, the now LX+ seems much more stable when trying to pick out a target and pushing the fire button.  Maybe make the cover plate that's used when the H4 is not there a little heavier?
• I wish the H4's belt clip had two small undercut tabs on the lower part of the holder that would help better prevent the unit from accidently popping out.  The magnet is pretty powerful, but it doesn't take much to accidently knock it out of the belt clip.  Since it's worn on the belt, I find myself slipping it in the clip from the tops down.  the tabs might help it stay in the belt clip.
• I wish Shot Scope would come out with an adapter, with or without an integrated tag, for Super Stroke counter core putter grips.  Having to manually input my putts is a bit more work than it needs to be and an easy opportunity for a missed shot.  I've thought about taking my unused counter core threaded plug, drilling out the hex portion, placing a wide wire through the hole and squeezing in silicone around the wire.  Once set, pull the wire and the resulting hole would act like a top of a normal grip.  Or, if you worry about the plug and tag loosening, put Shot Scope could put two flats 180 degrees apart on the tag so you can use a wrench to tighten it.  I'm sure there's a decent sized market for all of us who have those Super Stroke grips.  Double tape or adhesives just doesn't seem like the right long-term solutions.
• I wish the "X" on the top left of the H4's manual greens screen would stay on longer as you approach a green.  When the "X" is visible, you click the corresponding button if you are off the green and decide to chip instead of putting.  Too often, the screen will show the "X" as you approach a green but will disappear when I get within 10 ft. of the green.  Once gone, I haven't found a way to get it back unless I walk back up the fairway and re-approach the green.  An easy fix is just leave it available when on the green and would save time editing after the fact. 

That's the start of my list.  So far during my review of the LX+, I've found it to be a decent product.  After a few more rounds of putting the unit through more of it's paces, I'll be in a better position for the final review.

Got my LX+ last week and finally getting around to getting everything set up. I was concerned about the strength of the H4 magnet given the experiences of some losing it off their belt clip. I was pleasantly surprised to feel just how strong the magnet is though. The only time the H4 feels loose in the belt clip when it isn't seated correctly in the belt holder.

For anyone who's had their H4 be jostled free, is it possible the device wasn't fully seated in the clip?

1 hour ago, mynerds said:

 

For anyone who's had their H4 be jostled free, is it possible the device wasn't fully seated in the clip?

Most definitely a possibility but I can’t confirm.  I think where you place it on the belt has some effect as well.  I place mine front left side so there is less chance I will bump it  with my arms during the swing.  

With about 11 rounds in the Shot Scope book, I thought I'd should share some comments on resulting performance metrics:

• As more rounds are added to my database, the more the performance distances are starting to come into the alignment that I was sort of expecting.  The first distance chart (left) is after 7 rounds and the second (right) is after 11 rounds.  I expect as additional rounds are added, the shape will continue to show a more representable slope and distances between clubs.   The more data you collect, the more the performance metrics will better reflect your game.

  

• Sometimes, there are assignable causes associated with an improvement and/or decline in your performance data that are not necessarily related to your true capabilities.  Here's a good example.  Side by side putting data from 7 rounds and 11 rounds.  

• Going from 7 to 11 rounds my percentage of short putts declined, I made a significantly longer putt (16 versus 25 ft.) and my number of holes between 3 putts improved 50%.  My resulting strokes gained by putting went from over -3 to less than -1 for similar handicap players.  Did I all of a sudden get that much better putting in four rounds?  No.  If you remember back when I posted my original data, our course had just aerated and top dressed our greens.  To get the ball rolling on this less than perfect surface, I changed putters to one with more loft.  After two weeks of rolling and time to repair themselves, the greens are about two-thirds back and rolling better.  I switched back to my gamer and lower lofted putter.  The lesson is that sometimes there are assignable causes for better or worse performance.  The hope is that with enough data, those assignable causes will get lost in the overall inherent noise in the data.  

 

• A fun "game within a game" is collecting medals based on your course performance.   So far I've collected 82 of the 427 medals available.  To put the total number in perspective, almost half are for playing in different countries and different courses.  Not surprisingly, the number of metals collected to date reflect the strength and weaknesses in my game.  I also know it's unlikely that I will ever attain many of them.  For example:  the seven medals for driving over 250 yards, breaking 70 or 65, and the ten medals for hitting 8 or more greens in regulation.  It's still a fun way of seeing progress in your game.

I hope this update adds to the insight into the LX+ and associated Shot Scope performance data.

19 hours ago, mynerds said:

Got my LX+ last week and finally getting around to getting everything set up. I was concerned about the strength of the H4 magnet given the experiences of some losing it off their belt clip. I was pleasantly surprised to feel just how strong the magnet is though. The only time the H4 feels loose in the belt clip when it isn't seated correctly in the belt holder.

For anyone who's had their H4 be jostled free, is it possible the device wasn't fully seated in the clip?

 

18 hours ago, cnosil said:

Most definitely a possibility but I can’t confirm.  I think where you place it on the belt has some effect as well.  I place mine front left side so there is less chance I will bump it  with my arms during the swing.  

Same here,  can’t confirm it was fully seated but each time I’ve knocked it loose I was wearing it front middle, just to the right of my belt buckle.   It was easier to scan my clubs that way but apparently more likely to knock it out of the holster.  Two of those times were playing a round in the rain which getting it wet seemed to make it more likely to slide out of the holster. I haven’t had a problem so far if I wear it on my left side as @cnosilsuggested but I do wish they would redesign the clip to hold it better.  

Was at the MGS mid atlantic outing and was excited about using my H4.   Unfortunately, it turned out to be a complete dud.  

First:  Heading to first tee so I fire up the H4 and after a couple of minutes I get a "No courses withing 1km" message.  Power off and on a few times and still get the same message.  Fired up the app and it shows that the course is loaded on the device so I can't sync the course again to try and refresh it.   Basically have to give up.

Second: Get back to the cottage after the round and try some more with success.   Saw  @Shapotomousat the cottage and saw he had an H4 and asked if he had any issues.  He didn't and the course was found successfully on his.   Found on the support forums that this is a known issue and it seems to pop up occasionally.

Third: while I was trying to figure this out,  my app started asking to enter the code to setup bluetooth so no I have not connectivity between my phone and H4 so no way to sync data.  

Really frustrating weekend with the H4.  

I received an email today from Shot Scope on a new feature in their metrics. It’s “Shots plotted”. Will have to check it out.

 

I'm in. Just lost my Bushnell Pro X7 and can't find a suitable replacement.

Thanks

I have the Shot Scope watch but at times need a more exact yardage to carry a bunker or avoid another hazard, so this would be good.

 

I have not used a specific device for measurements ever. Ahh well I have some sort at golf GameBook app but I guess that doesn’t count. 
Would be very interesting to actually know the distance to flag, hazards etc. 

Currently use Blue Tees series 2 and like it.  Using V1 app, 18 birdies, and was going to try Grint.  
 

would be great to find something that was good with all aspects. Problem with V1 is that it drains the battery fast and marks practice swings. 

Had my v3 for 18 months now.. Great bit of kit. Only thing that bugs me is the yardages are always 5-10 yds different to friends Garmin. 

I have used both hubspot and accross. I hope shotscope will provide better and more reliable data. 

Currently using an old hunting rangefinder and Taylormade on course app.  Would love to test and review this setup - looks great.  

Been using a Garmin watch for years but looking to upgrade and this looks like a great option.

 

I got Arccos sensors because I own Ping clubs for last 6 months. Initially wanted it because of the data and shots gained. Not been too impressed with it’s functionality so far on course.  Was looking at Shotscope as another option but didn’t know if their function was as good. And didn’t want to wear a watch. Would love a chance to check this one out 

I am thinking of adding Arccos to my equipment as I have Cobra woods with their caddie connections. However now I am interested in these possibilities.  

I've been thinking of purchasing a laser rangefinder anyway.  I have a V3 watch that I've been using for about a year.  I think I'd be a good candidate to review this product.

I am very interested in this. I have never bought a this product but believe it would help me out as I am a golfer who walks off the yards from the yardage stakes. If I play with people I ask what my yardage is or if the cart has GPS installed I use that and really like it as it help speed up the game and makes it more fun. I am  long time public golfer and golf season has just got underway here. Thanks for the opportunity.

If only!

Though at the moment I'm using pen and paper as best as possible: fir,gir,putts

Would love to see how this compares with my Garmin watch! I moved away from rangefinders after getting my watch but would definitely game it if it can beat my watch in accuracy and data.

It wold be nice to see it for pin but also for all obstacles, sand traps, water hazards, trees, bushes, slow golfers ahead to see how far off they are from you pr how close you are to a washroom.

Currently use Precision Pro NX7.

I use a older model that’s a Callaway.  Not sure of the model, it seems to accurate, I take take it it’s correct.  But would like to try something a lot more information.

This would be great timing to finally get selected as a tester. Been running with a CaddyTek rangefinder for a bit now and it's... okay. Been thinking about getting Arccos, so this could be a perfect one-stop-shop!

Currently use the Leupold rangefinder and Arccos system. Love them both. Curious to try this all-in-one product. 

Very interested in this. Been researching range finders for the last few months.

Fantastic, trying so long just to be a tester !!!

I used a Garmin S3 for the last 5 years until the band broke and I lost it. I would like to give the rangefinder a try.

Sorry if this is explained elsewhere, I didn’t find it with a search… 

 

Is there / could there be a section for video reviews by MGS members? I’d love to see some of the testers (or others) make some video reviews of products as possible! 

25 minutes ago, Bad Hobbit said:

 

Is there / could there be a section for video reviews by MGS members? I’d love to see some of the testers (or others) make some video reviews of products as possible! 

There aren't a lot of limitations to how MGS members deliver reviews and people have done videos as part of their reviews.   Issues are technical ability to do quality videos, size of the videos, and the need to host those videos on an external platform.  

My Garmin G6 is on its last legs so I've been looking around trying to decide between another GPS or a rangefinder.  Why not both at the same time?  Brilliant!  Love to try it out.