OFFICIAL FORUM MEMBER REVIEW - PRECISION PRO NX7 LASER RANGEFINDER

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OFFICIAL PRECISION PRO NX7 REVIEW

 

 

 

 

 

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Stage 1:

 

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....oh wait, that's the wrong story My story began when I was growing up in Maryland. The only sport I played was competitive tennis in middle and high school. Some of my friends golfed, but I never took an interest in the sport at all. Even when tournaments were broadcast on TV, I never wanted to watch it and viewed the sport quite honestly as boring.

 

Fast forward quite a few years. I no longer actively played tennis as my job was taking up a lot of time. My girlfriend (who is now my wife), wanted to find a sport we both could do as a couple (we played tennis a few times but she got mad at me because I didn't hit the ball to her (kind of what the point of tennis is, LOL) so SHE decided we needed to invest in a sport new to both of us). Her brother was into golfing and suggested we take up golfing. I resisted as I had zero interest in the sport. I didn't have golf clubs, didn't know how to hold a club; didn't see the point of hitting this little white ball further down the fairway, didn't know how to putt, didn't know the rules and had no interest in the history of the game. Regardless, I was dragged to the Willow Springs Golf Course in Maryland. It was an executive 18 course with no par 5's.

 

I had to rent clubs and being a lefty, the choice I had was interesting. Willow Springs didn't have the latest and greatest sets to rent; on the contrary, the set I was given was built circa 1965. The driver itself was no larger than today's 5 wood and had a BABY BLUE head on it (thought it was a strange color for the driver and not manly at all, but what did I know, I didn't golf) and the rest of the irons were a mishmash of blades from probably 4 or 5 different sets. I was given a quick lesson by my now brother in law on how to hold the club and was told to swing away. Standing on that elevated first tee, I took my first swing of the start of my love for golf. A swing and a whiff! I was given a mulligan (didn't know what that was at the time) and made contact on my second swing – high, straight and far. That one shot is what hooked me on the game. It didn't matter that I hacked my way around the course the rest of the day (I lost count of the number of swings I took after 120), what mattered that day was my love and interest of the game was born.

 

I started to watch the golf channel 24/7, picked up a starter set from Dicks Sporting Goods, and started to practice every day at the local range 5 minutes from my house. I should have taken lessons right at the beginning, but I didn't know better. I started trying to get out every weekend to golf, first with my girlfriend and her brother, then with co-workers. Working in the IT industry, I soon discovered the online world of Golf Forums and signed up to the Golf Channel Discussion Board (TGCDB), where I met my very first golfing buddy, MDScoop (Aka Carolina Golfer 2). We decided to meet at a course to play a round after work – Eisenhower Golf Course near Annapolis MD. We were only able to play 9 holes as I got called back to the office, but we had a great time. From there, I was a forum stable where both Carolina Golfer 2 and I posted so much that I'm pretty sure we took down TGCDB a few times! We both switched over to a few new online forums and started monthly outings with the guys and gals we met on those forums (at one point, we had some 24 players in an outing).

 

During that time, my handicap started from the high 20's to the mid-teens and finally dropped down to a low of 7.8. I became a club junkie, attending every demo day every week of every month. I purchased several iron sets, drivers and putters. I even jokingly considered renting out storage space with Carolina Golfer 2 to put all of our excess clubs and maybe install a loft and lie machine too, kind of make it a hangout spot for golfers, all located in Public Storage facility, LOL. I had the financial resources and more importantly, the time to devote to Golf. It was a great time as I golfed twice a week and sometimes more. I loved the comradery the game has brought to me, the deep history that I have learned to appreciate and the challenge of repeating something as simple as putter swing. I have really enjoyed being out on the course during the sunniest of days to the windiest and wettest of storms. Those that know me will say that I try and keep things light and funny, but determined and focused to shoot my best score.

 

Since then I married my wife, had several job changes and had two children. I had to step back from the game to devote my time and financial resources to my family. As a result, my golfing tricked to maybe once a month if I was lucky and a few select tournaments I always played in. My handicapped shot up and the daily hours I spent at the range all but dried up.

 

Now to the present - the kids are a bit older and have shown an interest in the game and I am once again working on my game to bring it from the current 16.8 handicap down to single digits. I have only played this game for 16 years but have felt the wide range of emotions this game elicits. I play on a weekly 9 hole league and have started to go to local demo days once more to upgrade my clubs. The current strength of my game is driving the ball. I find, after reviewing my stats, that my approach shots are terrible (this includes my wedge game) and I am unfortunately an average putter so I can't make up those dropped shots on the green. My short game this past year has been nothing short of horrendous. I had been blading or chunking wedges to the point I did all I could to make sure I didn't have to hit short wedges. I went back to the basics and reviewed earlier golf school videos to figure out what was going wrong and will most likely consult a teaching Pro as well. My typical ball flight is a medium flight, not high and definitely not the penetrating trajectory that the Pros have. My typical miss has changed throughout the years. When I started, my typical miss was a push to the left (since I'm a lefty) but the past few years, my misses are now more pull hooks for the driver and irons. My swing tempo is pretty even but with a medium-quick take away and medium-quick downswing. This causes problems as my upper body often times doesn't keep up with the arms so I'm working on getting this more in sync. My current driver speed ranges from 98MPH to 101 MPH .

 

I play mostly out of Maryland, but have traveled to the surrounding states and as far south as Florida. I haven't played north of Pennsylvania or west of Virginia. I have played in the Caribbean – Aruba, St. Kitts and Nevis and have not played in Europe or Asia, though I hope to change that one day to explore more of the US state and European/Asian continents.

 

As for the equipment I play, I chose the equipment based on the feedback feel on well struck and not so well struck shots. For the irons, I have the Mizuno MP-57's in the bag. I've had these in the bag for almost 6 years but I am actively looking at replacing these as I'm convinced that I'm leaving a few yards out there with the newer technologies in the current iron designs. This was my second Mizuno set as I first gamed the MP-32's. I prefer the forged feel for irons but did try the current Titleist AP1's and came away impressed. My driver is a TaylorMade R15 with an Aldila Rogue MSI 95 Black 70g stiff shaft. I was fitted for this driver after reviewing a few other drivers. While I saw some distance gains with the R15, I still feel I am still leaving a few yards on the table so I am also looking for a replacement driver this year. I am kind of funny when it comes to the fairway woods and hybrids. I prefer that they match up with the driver. While I didn't get the R15 fairway woods or hybrid, I did go with the TaylorMade AeroBurner 3 wood and 19 and 22 degree hybrids. I haven't hit these very well this past year. In fact, I pulled the 3 wood from last week's 9 hole round and just went driver, 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid 3 iron setup in my bag. I am also looking to replace these this year (see a trend ). My wedges are the original Titleist Spin Mills. As with the rest of the bag, I am looking to upgrade these wedges to either the RTX 3.0 or SM6 wedges. The putter spot in my bag has been revolving door. I normally putt with a Bettinardi C03, but I started to experiment with it by cutting it down to 32.5 inches and putting on a larger Superstroke 3.0 grip. Tried it for a year and I have decided I do not like it. So I went on eBay and recently picked up a Nike Method Matter M5-10 counter flex center shafted 35” putter. It's a counter-weighted putter that I never tried prior to buying it (yep, impulse purchase, LOL). I've only had a few rounds under my belt with it, but I like it. Still, not the awesome feel from the Bettinardi so I may get that lengthened and a regular putter grip put on.

 

Since I'm a techie, I also utilize a SkyCaddie SG-5 and a Bushnell PinSeeker 1500 for distance information. I love both of these devices and I'm interested to see how the Precision Pro NX7 Pro stacks up to both of them in functionality and usage. I've had my war torn Bushnell PinSeeker for almost as long as I have been golfing and added the SkyCaddie for those times when I can't laser an object or for blind doglegs. The one thing the Bushnell PinSeeker 1500 doesn't have is a slope function, so I am interested to see how that really factors in on the distances I am reading with the Bushnell and Sky Caddie SG5 and how close my estimations are to the distances given by the Precision NX7 Pro. I'm really excited to test the Precision Pro NX7 Pro out and will do my best to provide my user feedback and interaction with the Precision Pro NX7 Pro.

 

Upon receiving the unit, I noted that it was well packaged inside a commercial cardboard box fit to the size of the Precision Pro box. The manual and wrist strap was included inside the box.

 

What I am expecting from the Precision Pro is a bit more information on distance for club selection, especially when dealing with slight to severe uphill or downhill shots to the green. I've always estimated a club or two in distance, but find that I was inconsistent with this method. Sometimes I would be short of the green even though I thought I took enough club or over the green when I should have been short of the green.

 

I will also be glad to answer any questions anyone has so feel free to ask!

 

Here are a few photos of when the unit first arrived. It was well packaged and the inner box was also bubble wrapped:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accessories included a wrist strap that you had to attach to the NX7 Pro yourself, a soft lens cleaning cloth, a case for the NX7 Pro, an a thank you/warranty card:

 

 

 

The case is a semi-ridged case that has two methods of closure. One is the standard zipper and the other is a elastic band that connects to a post in the front of the case. This makes taking the NX7 Pro in and out of the case when it's attached to your bag a breeze instead of using the zipper to open and close the case. Additionally, Precision Pro wisely included a carabiner that attaches to a loop on the back of the case and a belt loop for those that may want to attach it via their bag strap on a push or motorized cart. Just a note, the carabiner is not a high quality one as it broke on me attaching it to my bag so I would highly suggest you replace it with a quality one so you don't lose it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's always hard to figure out the size of the Precision Pro NX7 Pro from photos so I pulled out the old tape measure to give you an idea of how small the unit really is:

 

 

 

 

Some outdoor photos and a comparison with my Bushnell PinSeeker 1500:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a comparison of the size of the Precision Pro NX7 Pro in relation to golf balls (something we can relate to):

 

 

 

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PrecisionPro NX7 Pro Laser Rangefinder – Official MGS Forum Review by MDGolfHacker

Stage 2 Review

 

 

If you didn't read my stage 1 review, you can read it here: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/19430-official-forum-member-review-precision-pro-nx7-laser-rangefinder/?p=283085

 

In this stage 2 review, the PrecisionPro NX7 Pro will be going up against my tried and trusted rangefinder, the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500.

 

 

Here is the tail of the tape from their prospective website/documentation:

 

  PrecisionPro NX7 Pro Laser Rangefinder Specifications:

·         Adaptive Slope Technology allows you to toggle between elevation measuring Slope and tournament legal Non-Slope modes. Provides (play as) distances in Slope mode.

·         Pulse Vibration Technology gives a quick Pulse when locked on to the target so you know what you've hit.

·         Accuracy +/- 1 Yard- gives you the confidence to choose the correct club each time.

·         (TAG) Target Acquisition Technology- scans your field of view and locks in on the target to ensure you get the yardage to the target, not what's behind the target.

·         400 Yard Measuring Range- ensures you'll never be out of range of the target.

·         1/10 Yard Measurements- an added layer of accuracy to give you the confidence that your distance is correct.

·         High Speed SD Laser- picks up distance readings in under 1 second.

·         Water Resistant Design- ensures the NX7 can be used in wet and rainy conditions without issue.

·         Shock Proof Design- helps to survive the drops, tosses, any other impact on the golf course.

·         6X Magnification- brings the target 6 times closer to you for improved viewing and target acquisition.

·         Multi Distance Mode- easily switch between yards and meters depending on your unit of measure.

·         Tournament Legal you should always check with the rules committee, but the NX7 Rangefinder is legal for tournaments that allow distance measuring devices.

·         2 Year Warranty- if anything happens to the NX7 Rangefinder during the normal course of use we will quickly replace or repair the product for you.

·         Free Battery Replacements- provides free battery replacement for the life of your product (CR2 3V battery).

·         Approximate weight 4-5ounces

·         Cost: $249, but currently has a $50 rebate until June 30^th, 2017 and an additional $10 off for signing up for their email list.

 

 

  Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 (Non-slope) Specifications:

·         Bushnell states that the Pinseeker 1500 laser rangefinder has their patented digital technology that allows range readings from 5-1500 yards / 5-1372 meters.

·         The Bushnell 1500 Measures 1.7 x 5.1 x 3.7 inches

·         It weighs 10-ounces

·         It delivers an accuracy of  +/- one yard.

·         The the Pinseeker 1500 features Selective Targeting Modes (Pinseeker mode that picks out the flag against background targets that have a stronger signal strength like trees or bushes and a Standard Scan mode).

·         It has a 100% Waterproof Construction, and Bushnell's RainGuard® coating.

·         The Pinseeker 1500 can be used to measure distances in yards or meters.

·         Magnification: 7x

·         Objective Diameter: 26 mm

·         Display: LCD

·         Power Source: 9-volt alkaline battery (user supplied)

·         Field Of View: 340 ft. @ 1000 yards

·         Extra Long Eye Relief: 19mm

·         Exit Pupil: 3.7 mm

·         Built-In Tripod Mount

·         Includes case and strap

·         Cost: No longer manufactured, but when new, $399

 

I picked up the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 in 2005, right after my Nikon laser stopped working when it tumbled out of a cart during a round.  At the time, there were smaller units out there, but I liked that the Pinseeker was bigger, affording me the ability to hold the unit more steady with both hands to laser the flag and other objects.  It feels solid when you hold it, giving you an impression that it was engineered to take the physical bumps that accompanies being used during a round.  It has a high grip surface to prevent slippage.  In the 12 years I've had the unit, the only thing that has gone wrong with it is that the adjustable eyepiece came off and was lost (it hasn't affected usability though).  It has survived multiple drops and the occasional toss into the golf cart cubbies.

 

The NX7 Pro is small, much smaller than the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500.  It is also much lighter WITH the battery.  The materials that the NX7 Pro is made of looks like high quality plastics with a patterned rubber skin.  I like the look of the NX7 Pro as it gives the rangefinder a modern look especially with the green and black color scheme.  I can hold the entire unit in one hand to laser an object. The patterned rubber area doesn't feel as grippy as the one on the Pinkseeker 1500, but it didn't make a difference in day to day use.  Being small and light, I do not get the sense that the NX7 Pro could take a few of the tumbles that the Pinseeker 1500 has taken, but I did not test this out as the 2 year warranty is only for operational defects.

 

The NX7 Pro got a lot of use the last two months as did the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 for comparison since I am the type of player to laser different objects multiple times to ensure I have the correct yardages.  This, along with my SkyCaddie SG5, paint a “distance” picture for me so I can intelligently make a club choice, or better yet, avoid hazards J.  Of course implementation of the shot is a whole different animal

 

Setup:

There isn't much to setup with the NX7 Pro.  The battery is pre-installed and the only physical thing you may want to do is add the loop strap to the NX7 Pro body.  Using the device is straight forward.  It was set to the non-slope mode out of the box and I referred to the manual to determine how to set it to the slope mode setting.  Once in slope mode, I've pretty much left it in that setting.  There is no external physical way to determine if the slope function is on or off, unlike some of the other range finders out in the market that replace the front portion of the laser range finder to denote what mode the laser range finder is in.  The instructions were easy to understand and there is no additional setup needed to use the NX7 Pro.

 

Setup Score out of 10: 10

 

On Course Performance:

I was pretty excited to use the NX7 Pro on the course and compare it to the Pinseeker 1500.  The first thing I noticed before lasering the first pin on the course was while looking through the eyepiece, the NX7 Pro had a smaller viewing area than the Pinseeker 1500.  It was like looking through a hole the size of a dime on the NX7 Pro compared to looking through a hole the size of a quarter on the Pinseeker 1500.  It was noticeable enough that Carolina Golfer 2, who purchased the NX7 Pro outside of this test, had asked me about it since he had used my Pinseeker 1500 on other occasions.  It's not a deal breaker and I eventually got used to it, but it is something to note.  The NX7 Pro is comfortable holding it near the eye.

 

The viewing area is fairly bright, with no detected anomalies in the viewing area.  The digital overlay is sharp and stood out well against most backgrounds.  On the darker backgrounds, the digital display can get a little lost as the black text overlay doesn't stand out as well.  There is no option to change the color of the overlay.

 

Magnification on the NX7 Pro is similar to the Pinseeker 1500 so I had no problems honing in on a flag or object get the distance.

 

Due to the small size and light weight, I had to sometimes steady myself against the golf cart or use two hands to laser flags that were farther away, especially on windier days. Not too much of an issue as the Pinseeker 1500 can require the use of both hands at times, but the larger and heavier Pinseeker 1500 was easier to steady.  The upside to the small size is that it was easy to get in and out of the case.  It took a second or two at the most to unlatch the case, pull out the NX7 Pro and laser the pin or object.

 

While I didn't have a stop watch to do a real timed test on how fast the NX7 Pro acquires a lock on the flag, I did compare the NX7 Pro against the Pinseeker 1500, PAGolfer2017's Bushnell Tour V3, a friend's Leopold and an NX7 Pro owned by Carolina Golfer 2.  In general, the NX7 Pro's speed to give distance/slope was on par (pun intended) with the Pinseeker 1500, but a step or two behind PAGolfer2017's Bushnell V3 and my buddy's Leopold.  The NX7 Pro used in this test and Carolina Golfer 2's NX7 Pro time to acquire a distance to the flag seemed to be exactly the same.  Not a deal breaker, especially for the price that the NX7 Pro is going for right now.  It did not slow down my pace of play nor was it noticeable to me during the rounds where I switched between the NX7 Pro and the Pinseeker 1500.  It was much more noticeable when comparing it with the Leopold and the Tour V3 though.

 

The Pulse vibration technology worked well, shaking the unit to let me know that the NX7 Pro has locked on the target.  The Target Acquisition Technology (TAG) worked to a certain degree.  I did end up lasering some of the background trees instead of the flag at times, but that could of been because I was not holding the unit steady enough to get a good reading on the flagstick.

 

While the NX7 Pro has the ability to get the distance down to the tenth of a yard, I found this to be distracting.  I know my game isn't good enough to hit a shot to a tenth of a yard so displaying the distance to the yard would have sufficed for me, plus the tenth of a yard measurement was inconsistent. I am the type of golfer that will laser a flag two or three times to ensure my first reading is accurate.  The distance given to the tenth of a yard fluctuated greatly, even with a very stationary object like a large boulder or tree trunk.  I expected that if I lasered a stationary object then the distance shown should be constant, even to the tenth of a yard.  With the NX7 Pro, it would return a distance that at times fluctuated as much as one to two yards.

 

Note the distance difference from the first photo to the second.  

 

 

 

 

I liked that the NX7 Pro didn't have a faceplate to swap out to enable the slope function, but this presented a quandary for me when I went to play in a 3 round tournament that didn't allow a slope device.  While I knew I could and had turned off the slope function to make it tournament legal, there is not external way to discern if the slope function is turned on or off externally.  I didn't want to take the chance that someone might think I was using a slope device so I ended up just using the Pinseeker 1500 instead.

 

The NX7 Pro fits comfortably in my hand where I can and have operated it with one hand.  It is light weight enough to not tire out your arms while using it.

 

If I were to design the next NX7 Pro, I would keep the basic shape and design, do away with the tenths display, change the text overlay seen through the ocular piece to maybe have a white shadow around the black text display to make it stand out against dark backgrounds,  and ensure that the NX7 Pro was consistent in the yardage display.  A larger field of view would also add to the overall Precision Pro NX7 Pro experience.

 

The case for the NX7 Pro has a couple of features to note.  There are two pass through straps on the back of the case to directly attach the case to the strap that holds your golf bag to a push/powered golf cart.  It also has the standard zipper to keep the NX7 Pro secured or like the newer Bushnell laser rangefinder cases, an elastic strap that connects to a peg on the front of the case that allows you to leave the case zippered yet closed. All you have to do is unhook the strap from the peg and then pull out the NX7 Pro.  This saves you time in that you don't have to unzip the case to pull out the NX7 Pro to use it but still keeps it secured to the cart.  It also has a carabiner to connect to either a loop on your bag or to the cart.  The problem I have with this is that the carabiner is a low quality carabiner!  I initially attached the case via the carabiner and was fortunate enough to discover that the latch had broken which, if it happened while driving the cart on the course, would of easily resulted in the loss or potential damage of the NX7 Pro.  If you decide to purchase a NX7 Pro, I would highly recommend that you replace the carabiner immediately!

 

 

Performance Score out of 40: 20

-10 points for inconsistent distance displayed

-10 points for the low quality carabiner that could cause the potential loss of the NX7 Pro

 

Post Round

The cool thing about having a the NX7 Pro laser is that after your round is finished, you literally put it back into its hardshell case, throw it back into your bag and it's ready to be used for the next round.  There is no editing or uploading of any data.

 

Post Round Score out of 15: 15

 

Subjective (Looks):

I really like the look of the NX7 Pro with a modern color scheme of light green, the black patterned rubber body grip and some angled sections .

 

Looks Score out of 15: 15

 

Likelyhood of Purchase:

The NX7 Pro has a lot going for it.  Pricing right now is from their website is at $250 with a $50 mail in rebate good through 6/30/2017.  If you signed up to their email list, you can get an additional $10 as well, bringing your total down to $190 for a decently built laser range finder that has slope capabilities.  The 2 year warranty is average for the industry and if you buy it and don't like it, you have a 30 day money back guarantee.  The other nice feature is that they have a free battery replacement program for the NX7 Pro. I believe the unit will be good enough for the most golfers looking to move from using hard yardage markers, non-laser based measuring devices or eyeballing their distances. 

 

Likelihood of Purchase out of 20 points: 15

-5 points Except for the slope function, it's not much better than the Pinseeker 1500 I am using.

 

Subjective Notes:

I like the NX7 Pro and it has a lot going for it. It has a fairly modern design, decent warranty, cool battery replacement program and best of all, it is a fairly inexpensive laser with slope capabilities built in. Personally for me, except for the slope function, it's not much better than the Pinseeker 1500 I am using.  Additionally, with the variances with the distances given to the tenth of a yard, I am less apt to switch to the NX7 Pro from the Pinseeker 1500.  The optics are pretty decent and I did not detect any visual anomalies in the field of view.  You can use the laser at different angles without variances in the distance given (except for the aforementioned distance display issue)

 

Questions & Answers:

I haven't seen any questions posted in the thread, but I would be glad to answer any that haven't been covered by the review above.

 

Conclusion:

Let me just say I like the Precision Pro NX7 Pro.  I think they have a great product on hand.  You just can't beat the pricing at $250 with a $50 mail in rebate and another $10 off for just signing up for their email list.  It's a great looking range finder, and you can use the laser in different positions.

 

 

 

 

If they can address a few of the issues I noted in my review:

- inconsistent distance displayed to the tenth of a yard

- the low quality carabiner

 

they would definitely have a superior product to anything out on the market.

 

Setup Score: 10

Performance Score: 20

Post Round Score: 15

Looks Score: 15

Likelihood of Purchase: 15

Total Score: 75

[MDGolfHacker 8,669]

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[schnergun 53]

Stage One

Thanks to MYGOLFSPY and Precision Pro Golf for the opportunity to review the NX7!

 

 

About me

 

I started golfing about 7 years ago. Maybe its been longer but I cant really remember! I used to be the guy honking at golfers when driving past the golf course and now im the guy getting honked at. I have always been pretty decent at most sports so they became boring to me pretty quickly. Golf humbled me pretty quickly and I have loved the game ever since. It can build you up quickly, and bring you down even quicker! 

 

I golf a few 9 hole rounds a week and try to get 1 or 2 18 hole rounds one the weekend. Sometimes I get more in, sometimes less. If I could play every day I would!

 

According to my GHIN handicap I am a 15.1 One day I can shoot in the 80's then the next in the 90's or 100's. I would say I am pretty consistent however between 90-94. 

 

I switch clubs more often than I would like to admit but I think its fun. This year for drivers I have had the Cobra F6, Wilson Triton, and now the Cobra F7. For irons I have had the Wilson C200, Cobra F7 One Lengths, and now the Ping G30. Ive had my 3 wood and hybrid though since last year. I hit them well enough that I haven't wanted to switch haha.

 

I have used a Garmin G5 Approach for a few years now. Its always served me well but I always felt like something was missing. I know I could move the flag around but I always wanted some more accuracy. 

 

 

My WITB-

 

• Cobra F7 Double Weight Driver
• Ping G30 Irons 4-PW,U
• Cobra F6 3 wood
• Adams Hybrid
• Wedges - Shopping  
• Cleveland 2135 6.5 Putter
• Srixon Q Star Tour

 

 

And now for some pics!

 

 

Compared to my Garmin G5

 

 

With the Frogger GPS / Laser Latch-It

 

 

- Schnergun

[schnergun 53]

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Stage 1: A little about me and golf.

 

Growing up, I was interested in golf because both my dad and older brother were golfers. My dad was not as serious about it or as good as my brother. Because my brother is 14 years older than me, he was out of the house while I was still pretty young, so I played a few times a year with my dad and occasionally with my brother when he was in town. I used old clubs I found in the garage and I was never any good. I did love the occasional shot that actually went where I wanted it to go, but swimming was my sport and I never pursued golf in a serious way. I did take a golf class in college, but I can't say that it helped at all or that I played a lot after that.

 

After college I got a job in southeast Texas and found that I had two colleagues, both named Jim, who liked to golf on Friday afternoons. For two years, we played most Fridays. I even took a few lessons and got a bit better, but shooting 90 was my lower threshold. After two years in Texas, I took a job Utah. With work and family commitments I didn't play more than an occasional round for a dozen years. Five years ago one of my colleagues, not named Jim, invited me to go play with him and another friend, also not named Jim. This time I was hooked and have been able to keep it up. During the golf season I try to get out for 9 holes during the week and play an occasional 18 holes with friends on the weekends.

 

I have gotten better and am hitting the ball pretty well right now. I have a handicap, but I enter so few rounds that I am not sure that it is a relevant reflection of my golf game. (I only established an official handicap because I had the opportunity to go to St. Andrews last summer and thought that I might be able to get on at the Old Course. It didn't work out for me to play the Old Course, but I did get to play the Jubilee Course, which I loved. Below is a picture I took when I was playing the Jubilee Course.) What I love, is to hit golf shots. When I am out as a single and the course isn't busy, hitting just one ball seems really limiting, hence the relatively few rounds that I enter for my handicap. According to my Game Golf stats, I am comparable to a 10 handicapper everywhere but my putting which is atrocious and worse than a 25 handicapper.

 

 

WITB at the start of the 2017 season

·       Srixon Z 565 Driver 9.5° with a Miyazaki stiff shaft -- This has been a great driver for me. I am not surprised that it was the top driver this year in MyGolfSpy's Most Wanted test.

·       Srixon Z F65 Fairway 17° with a Miyazaki stiff shaft

·       Srixon Z H65 Hybrid 22° with a Miyazaki stiff shaft

·       Srixon Z U65 Utility 23° with an Aerotech SteelFiber stiff shaft -- I am coming to really like this club and am relying on it more and more.

·       Srixon Z 565 5-PW irons with Aerotech SteelFiber stiff shafts -- I can't say enough good things about these irons.

·       Cleveland RTX-3 wedges (CB 50°, 54°, and 58°) with Aerotech SteelFiber stiff shafts -- I played Cleveland wedges before these, so it has been a seamless transition.

·       Putter will remain unnamed

·       Srixon Z-Star yellow is my favorite ball, but I really like the visibility of the Callaway Chrome Soft Truvis in yellow and black. When I am just trying different shots on the course, I play a TopFlite Gamer in yellow because on sale they are a really inexpensive three-piece ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was excited to be able to test the Precision Pro NX7 Pro because I have never had a rangefinder. When I golfing again five years ago I relied on sprinkler heads and on-course markers for my yardages. It wasn't very convenient or accurate. Before long, I bought a Garmin Approach S1 GPS golf watch. I have loved it. Before every shot to a green I take a quick glance at my wrist and know the yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green. The three things that are lacking are that (1) it doesn't give me yardages to non-green features such as the carry distance for a pond or the end of a dogleg, (2) it doesn't adjust for elevation changes, and (3) it doesn't help me when the flag color doesn't match the actual hole position (e.g. red for front, white for middle, blue for back). If things go according to plan, the NX7 Pro will help with all of these.

 

When I got the NX7 in the mail, I was surprised at how small and light it is. I was expecting something larger and heavier. I like the look and the feel of the unit. It feels solid and well made. I like the texture and the hexagonal pattern and must admit that the green and black of the unit looks good. The hard-sided case is sturdy and well-made. The rangefinder can be secured by zipping up the case or using the heavy elastic band. The only thing that seemed cheap was the snap link. I immediately replaced it with an S carabineer that I had laying around the house. I didn't want to lose the range finder and wanted something that was easy to work with if I wanted to take it on and off my bag. Some photos of the NX7 Pro are below. I have started testing it and am impressed, but more on that later. If any of you have questions, let me know and I will try to answer them in my review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SCC4380 79]

Stage Two: Precision Pro NX7 Pro Rangefinder –

Official MGS Forum Review by SCC4380

 

Reviewer's Perspective

 

My perspective in this review is that of a golfer who has never had or used a laser rangefinder. I have used a Garmin Approach S1 GPS watch for yardages the last few years. I have really liked it, but have wondered how much value would be added if I also had a laser rangefinder. On full shots I almost always try to hit the middle third of the green. If the flag is in the front I try to hit to the front of the middle third, if the flag is in the back I try to hit to the back of the middle third. One of my minor pet peeves is when the flag color doesn't match the pin position. My major pet peeve is slow play, whether it is in my group or somewhere ahead of me.

 

The other reviewers will bring their own perspective. MDGolfHacker uses both a handheld GPS unit (SkyCaddie SG5) and a laser rangefinder (Bushnell PinSeeker 1500), while Schnergun uses a handheld GPS unit (Garmin G5).

 

Performance

 

Product setup and Initial Use

 

After unboxing and taking some photos, I read the instruction manual. It was clear and concise. It gave me all of the information that I needed and nothing more. I would say that they got it just right. Along with the instructions are a small microfiber (a nice touch), a wrist strap (I haven't used it), and the case with a snap link. The only thing that seemed cheap was the snap link, which I immediately replaced with a carabineer that I had around the house. I am glad that I replaced the snap link because I would hate to lose the unit and it didn't seem sturdy.

 

The instruction manual indicates that there are videos on the Precision Pro website to “help you take full advantage of the product.” When I checked the website it indicated that they are still working on the videos and don't have them done yet. I don't think that this is an issue as I am not sure what the videos would add.

 

The instructions also say to “scan over the target 1-2 times while the flag is flashing” to help the unit eliminate background objects and obtain the target. As someone who hadn't used a laser rangefinder before, I noted this and was prepared to carefully scan over the target a couple of times when I used it. Little did I know that it would take a good day on my part and a fairly close flag to not scan over the target a half a dozen times while trying to keep it still enough to do its job. LOL. I guess I am not as steady handed as some people.

 

Product Setup and Initial Use Score: 18/20 points

(-2 points for the snap link)

(No harm, no foul on the missing videos)

 

Performance on the Course

For testing the unit, I started at the driving range where I checked the distance to each of the flags. While I don't trust range balls to go the distance of the balls I regularly play, it was nice for the first time to actually know the distances to the flags. The basic operation of the Precision Pro NX7 is that you push down the button and release it and the crosshairs appear. Push down the button again and hold it while scanning your target until the unit gives you the distance to the target. It was really pretty simple to operate.

 

Next, I took it out on the course. The first few rounds I used it for every approach shot. About once a round it gave me a distance to the flag that I wouldn't have guessed based on the flag color. The course I play most often is basically flat, so even though I have the NX7 Pro with Adaptive Slope Technology, it made no difference in the yardages. I think that the unit is very accurate. I tested it against one of my friend's Bushnell laser rangefinders. They gave essentially same yardages.

 

To see how the slope function works, I went to a local course with some big elevation changes. The biggest of them is the first hole. From the blue tees to the fairway where most people need to lay up it is a 170 foot drop. I wondered what the actual yardage versus the “plays like” yardage would be. I picked a landing spot on the fairway that was 275 yards away. Based on the Adaptive Slope Technology, hitting to that spot plays like it is 215 yards. I actually think that it plays a little bit longer than that, but I am not going to fault the NX7 Pro because the hole is pretty extreme and the unit probably isn't designed for that large an elevation change. Also, you wouldn't go wrong playing the hole like it is 215 yards, even though I think that it plays more like 235. It is also possible that 215 yards is accurate and I wouldn't know because I always go to the first tee box cold and hit after a few practice swings. The rest of the holes have more moderate elevation changes and I agreed completely with the “plays like” yardage that the NX7 Pro gave me.

 

 

I liked using the NX7 Pro, but did learn one thing about myself. I have a pre-shot routine that is geared around my GPS watch, not a laser rangefinder. I try to play when the courses aren't busy and love it when there isn't anyone in front of me to slow me down. My routine is to look at my watch the second that I arrive at the ball, pick a club and a target, get in position to hit the ball, take one more glance at the watch, and hit. I would have to be in some crazy parallel universe to ever be put on the clock. Adding a couple of extra seconds to get out the laser rangefinder, get the yardage, put it away, and then go through my regular routine was an adjustment. I am more used to it now, but it is still kind of hard for me when the course is wide open in front of me. When I am behind a slow group, I like using as it is a nice way to fill time and gives me additional information for my shot.

 

Here is my response to the features and benefits as listed on the Precision Pro website.

• Adaptive Slope Technology allows you to toggle between elevation measuring Slope and tournament legal Non-Slope modes. Provides (play as) distances in Slope mode.
  • I really like this feature. A simple push of a button changes the mode to make it tournament legal or to add the Adaptive Slope Technology. I like having the “play as” yardages.
• Pulse Vibration Technology gives a quick Pulse when locked on to the target so you know what you've hit.
  • I liked this as well. It is a nice touch.
• Accuracy +/- 1 Yard- gives you the confidence to choose the correct club each time.
  • When compared to my friend's Bushnell laser rangefinder, it gave essentially identical yardages. I can say this for certain, the NX7 Pro provides a level of accuracy that exceeds my ability to hit the ball specific distances.
• (TAG) Target Acquisition Technology- scans your field of view and locks in on the target to ensure you get the yardage to the target, not what's behind the target.
  • I had a mixed experience with this. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Sometimes I got a yardage for the flag, sometimes I got a yardage for the cattails, trees, fences, swing sets, etc. behind the flag. How it compares to other laser rangefinders is something that I can't address that the other reviewers might be able to.
• 400 Yard Measuring Range- ensures you'll never be out of range of the target.
  • Almost all of my uses were for flags under 225 yards, so I can't comment on this in a practical way. If I take up deer hunting during the zombie apocalypse this will be my go to yardage finder.
• 1/10 Yard Measurements- an added layer of accuracy to give you the confidence that your distance is correct.
  • This is a level of precision that I don't really need, but it is nice to know that the NX7 is really precise. If it were up to me, I would rather have numbers a little bigger and rounded to the nearest yard instead of having yardages to a 1/10 of a yard.
• High Speed SD Laser- picks up distance readings in under 1 second.
  • In my experience, it may pick them up that quickly, but it doesn't give you the yardages that quickly. This was the only area where my friend's Bushnell outperformed the NX7 Pro. This was the biggest challenge for me when using the unit. For some reason I expect it to give me the yardage instantly like my Garmin watch. On a slow day it is no problem, but if I am in a rhythm and moving fast it seemed slow. The NX7 ranked 7^th for speed in MyGolfSpy's recent test of rangefinders (https://mygolfspy.com/the-best-laser-rangefinders-in-2017/)
• Water Resistant Design- ensures the NX7 can be used in wet and rainy conditions without issue.
  • This isn't a big selling point in the second driest state, but it does give me peace of mind if a rogue sprinkler goes off when I am on the course.
• Shock Proof Design- helps to survive the drops, tosses, any other impact on the golf course.
  • This is a big plus for peace of mind.
• 6X Magnification- brings the target 6 times closer to you for improved viewing and target acquisition.
  • I didn't think that there would be much difference between 5X and 6X magnification. I was wrong. I really loved this feature. Compared to my friend's Bushnell with 5X magnification, this made finding the flag and holding the unit on the flag easier. This is my personal opinion, but I wouldn't buy a 5X magnification rangefinder after comparing the two.
• Multi Distance Mode- easily switch between yards and meters depending on your unit of measure.
  • I didn't try this feature out, but if I give it to anyone who lives outside of the US this will be a handy feature.
• Tournament Legal you should always check with the rules committee, but the NX7 Rangefinder is legal for tournaments that allow distance measuring devices.
  • This is a nice feature.
• 2 Year Warranty- if anything happens to the NX7 Rangefinder during the normal course of use we will quickly replace or repair the product for you.
  • I haven't had any problems with my NX7, but I really like that Precision Pro stands behind its products.
• Free Battery Replacements- provides free battery replacement for the life of your product.
  • This is a nice touch. While the battery for the NX7 isn't expensive, this is a really nice touch and something that isn't offered by other manufactures. 

 

Performance on the Course Score: 45/50

(-5 for being slower than I would have liked)

 

Subjective

 

Looks

 

I really liked the looks and feel of the NX7 Pro. I think that the back and green with white lettering looks great. I also like the texture and hexagonal pattern.

 

The NX7 Pro was a comfortable size for my hands. I am sure that I would want a rangefinder that is much smaller than the NX7 Pro for my hand size.

 

I do wish that the yardages were a little larger when they display and that they were a little closer to the crosshairs. When you are wearing glasses or sunglasses you can't see the full display. Of course, I could take off my glasses or sunglasses when I use the rangefinder, but that takes time and mine don't sit neatly on my hat like some people's do.

 

The case was sturdy and looked good. The elastic band held the rangefinder securely in the case, which allowed me to skip zipping the case open and closed between uses.

 

Looks Score: 9/10

(-1 for the yardage display)

 

Likelihood of Purchase

 

If was going to purchase a laser rangefinder, I would buy the NX7 Pro. The value proposition of Precision Pro is quality rangefinders at a reasonable price. I think that they deliver on this in spades. It isn't as fast as I would like, but I don't use it enough to justify spending any more than the $249.95 list price. My friend agrees with me and wishes that he had spent less than he did on his Bushnell.

 

Likelihood of Purchase Score 20/20

 

Conclusion

 

Overall lessons learned :

• I like having a laser rangefinder. I pull it to check yardages a few times a round, but I don't use it on every hole like I did at the beginning. Generally, I am not trying to hit to the pin with anything longer than a pitch shot, so the exact yardage to the flag isn't super important to me, but it does help me verify the pin position when things don't look right. It is also really helpful when I can't see where the flag is at all. In those cases the 6X magnification has been great.
• One limitation of a rangefinder is that it won't work in every situation. At the course I play most often, there are large mounds in front of one green. When you can only see the top of the flag it is hard to get a yardage to the flag instead of the mounds. I have also found it to be of limited use for things like layup yardages when there is a short aiming stake in the fairway or a fairway bunker that you are trying to avoid.
• I have been very happy with the Precision Pro NX7 Pro laser rangefinder. If I was going to buy a laser rangefinder, this would be it given how I use it and the price point of the NX7 Pro.
• Thanks to MyGolfSpy for selecting me to be one of the testers for the NX7 Pro laser rangefinder.

 

Overall Score 92/100

[SCC4380 79]

Stage 3 Placeholder

[Sschaffer24 1,046]

MDGolfHacker's Stage 1 is up!

 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/19430-official-forum-member-review-precision-pro-nx7-laser-rangefinder/?p=283085

[Golfspy_CG2 33,937]

Great job on the stage one MDGH!!   Full disclosure, I've known you for over 13 years and I learned a few new things about you...Pretty cool!!   Great job on the pics as well, really did a good job of capturing the size relative to different objects.   

[Golfspy_CG2 33,937]

MDGolfHacker's Stage 1 is up!

 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/19430-official-forum-member-review-precision-pro-nx7-laser-rangefinder/?p=283085

Oh MDGH..  As you know, I've had that rangefinder for about a month now.  But until reading your stage 1, I never thought to use the band across the top and keep it unzipped.   I've been zipping it up the entire time, to keep it from sliding or falling out.   Genius!!!

 

This  is why forum testing by multiple members is so great.  You pick up great little things about a product you may not realize yourself, or don't see in the marketing info.  

[PAgolfer2017 2,052]

Great Stage 1 Review MD! Look forward to hearing more!

[josmi15 1,753]

Great review!!! Can't wait for more! I also liked the pics to indicate size.

 

I was just commenting that I need something new, this may be it!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[TSauer 4,261]

Great stage 1, MD! Love the size comparison photos. That thing looks tiny, compared to other rangefinders. I can't wait to see how it performs for you. I do not currently own a ranger finder but it is definitely something on my radar.

[MDGolfHacker 8,669]

Great job on the stage one MDGH!! Full disclosure, I've known you for over 13 years and I learned a few new things about you...Pretty cool!! Great job on the pics as well, really did a good job of capturing the size relative to different objects.

Carolina Golfer 2:

I'm surprised how I started in this game hasn't come up at all during all these years! As for the size comparison, I wanted to convey the size of the unit so I figured that using a tape measure would work, but even that may not convey the size of the Precision Pro so I figured that using a golf ball (which, as golfers, we are all familiar with the size of) would be a good way to represent it's size.

 

Oh MDGH.. As you know, I've had that rangefinder for about a month now. But until reading your stage 1, I never thought to use the band across the top and keep it unzipped. I've been zipping it up the entire time, to keep it from sliding or falling out. Genius!!!

 

This is why forum testing by multiple members is so great. You pick up great little things about a product you may not realize yourself, or don't see in the marketing info.

Precision Pro really thought out that feature as it was a well designed way to quickly put your Precision Pro in and out of the case instead of zippering it open and closed! It only takes a second to flip that band off of the post and pull out the Precision Pro.

 

MDGolfHacker