2019 Official Forum Member Review-Precision Pro NX9 HD Rangefinder

[Golfspy_CG2 16,068]

Precision Pro has folowed up it's NX7 rangefinder a Most Wanteed Wnner for Value with the NX9 HD.  Offering all the same technology from the previous version but enhanced HD optics take this price friendly range finder to a new level where it competes with some of the biger name brands. 

Precisionn Pro has provided the following testers all with the NX9 HD to test out on the range, on the course and any other interesting place they may decide to put it to work.

Follow along as they will be sharing their thoughts via a Stage 1 post in the next couple of days, then participating in an ongoing dialouge about their experiences, and wrapping up with a comprehensive Stage 2 post. 

Testing the NX9 HD are the following members.

jbmullin                                            Stage 1                Stage 2

jonmusc08                                      Stage 1                Stage 2

FromRighttoLeft                             Stage 1                Stage 2

Perserveringgolfer                         Stage 1                Stage 2

Russtopherb                                   Stage 1                Stage 2

B.Boston                                         Stage 1                Stage 2

poprocksncoke                             Stage 1                 Stage 2

GolfSpy_MPR                                Combined Review

[Jbmullin 217]

First off, a big thank you to the folks at MGS and Precision Pro Golf for granting us the opportunity to test the NX9 HD slope range finder. I was in the market for a range finder and having one fall into my lap for free was a great surprise.

Who am I and why golf? :

I am a Dry side Superintendent (lumber mill) and married to an amazing wife who does not care how much I golf as long as I don’t ask her to, I am a  father to 6 kids (blended Family) 3 boys and 3 girls, ages 17 to 10 and half of the year 3 of the kids are the same age, right now I have 3 13 year old’s.    4 of the 6 are all keen to golf and 2 of my 13-year-old boys make up my Saturday morning golf group. (all of us are lefties)

I grew up playing every sport but golf, excelled in Rugby as a “big boned” kid and played for 25 years until my body finally told me enough. I had dabbled in golf in my early 20’s , it was never something I seen myself wanting to do more of or as something I was aiming to get better at but just another reason  to be outside drinking beer on nice warm days.

My home course where I’m a member is The Dunes Golf and Winter Club in Grande Prairie, AB Canada.

 I have become a serious golfer, I still have fun with it and really encourage my kids to play,  but my mission is to keep improving, the more I improve the more I enjoy the game, the more I want to golf, it’s a vicious cycle.  

My clubs are always a work in progress I am always trying new clubs and tinkering , I currently am using the g410 plus driver and g410 3 wood, only constant has been the g700 irons , really can’t say enough good things about them, wedges I am 50/50 on and likely my next purchase and settled on the spider x putter. I switched to and committed to the snell mtb-x this year because soft is slow and I have been very happy with the results of switch from my old ball.

I score low to mid 90’s right now, 2 yrs. ago I was a worm killing, ball topping machine and would card somewhere in the 120’s so I am happy with where I am at but also know I can get better. As you can see from the picture below the unboxing section my weakness as per the Arccos sensors is my approach shots and mis judging distance to the pins and leaving myself a monster first putt.  I am currently  mostly happy with how I am hitting all my clubs other than chipping/putting.  Those are a continuous work in progress. The big test for me with the NX9 is to see if I can improve the short approach issue. will refer to again below but on to the unboxing.

I am a bit of a tech geek so I was stoked to get the notice the package had arrived. 

THE UNBOXING

 Very well secured , bubble wrap to protect and provide me a few minute of fun popping the bubbles.

 Very nice presentation

First look with the box cover removed 

 Under the range finder itself , again very well protected and padded for shipping. Case is somewhat padded for protection.

 

Inside the Case , hard to see.

 I am somewhat concerned about the long term durability of the carabiner, it seems a little light to be holding this to a bag over a long period of time, but easy upgrade.  Using the Tragically Hip Fully Completely record as my back ground.

Just over 5" long and 3.5" wide.

On to the star of the Show.

Some pics of the why we here:  next to my mouse

 

Next to my Pulp Fiction wallet .. reach in the bag and grab my …   wanted to keep this out of the R rating so hid the stitching

 

3 inches tall

4 1/4 inches long

Top view ,  green button is pretty much self explanatory , mode switches slope option on and off.

What’s all  in the box:

First Impressions:  well..  Impressed, (had a look at the precision pro website and the nx9 is sold out already so its a hot commodity) looks and feels durable. It’s very small, as you can see from the pic next to the mouse. I have bigger hands, so it took some getting used to.  Tried shooting a few things around my office and the picture is super clear, took a bit of work to be steady and hit what I was aiming for..   that’s still a work in progress while I have been testing on course.  I tried to take a picture through the scope and its not easy but will be part of my mission for stage 2.

The Goal: 

I want to improve my scores, who doesn’t.  I want to improve my approach game and not leave over 50% of my shots short as per my stats shared above.  I want to compare what Arccos is telling me my club distances are vs the distance I get from the NX9 and also compare the Arccos distances  from the flag to the nx9's measurements  and the hopeful  end result is that I am more informed and making a better club selection based on the data provided from both.  I am curious  to see how accurate my current information is. 

First GO:

I have used the NX9 in multiple range sessions and discovered that the markers are not accurate, some are 7 yards shorter than posted.

On course has been good, it does take work and patience to hold steady enough to hit the flag and not a tree 25 yards past it, I have done some initial comparisons between the two , but that will have to wait for stage 2.  I have used for 3 rounds now and intend on testing more next week, no wife + no kids = lots of golf and putting the nx9 through its paces.  Any questions or tests you want to see let me know and I will give it a go.  

Edited July 13 by Jbmullin

[Jbmullin 217]

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[JonMUSC08 278]

Intro
First and foremost I want to sincerely thank MGS and Precision Pro for this opportunity to review and KEEP the new Precision Pro NX9 HD rangefinder. I LOVE new equipment and especially love tech. My dream job was to be in product development for a major golf manufacturer so this is a piece of the pie! 
My goal is to provide all the answers to the questions our MGS community has regarding this new rangefinder. I will not be biased and want to provide the most honest review that I can. This is for US as a community and to empower the consumer to make the most cost-conscious decision when in the market for new equipment. 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send me questions or inquiries you would like answered regarding the rangefinder. 
 
The Personal Questions
•    A little about me… I’m 33, I do Project Management for a living, have a degree in mechanical engineering; married (abt a year & ½ ago) with a baby baby girl on the way, and live in Charleston, SC. We are very fortunate to have great weather 10 months out of the year to golf in. Golf has always been a passion of mine along with fishing. At this point I would say I am able to play approximately 12-15 rounds a year. I am very fortunate to have a great father-in-law who lives nearby who is also is my golf buddy. It works out even better that we are very competitive with our scores; always within 2-3 shots of each other. 

•    Where Did I Learn to Play: I first learned how to play golf through my dad at the age of 14. Mixing golf and baseball at that age was not good for either swing. Not wanting to give up either sport, I ended up just having a bad baseball swing. Since the end of my baseball career (HS varsity baseball), I can count on 1 hand how many golf lessons I have paid for. Given that I am currently a 14 hdcp, I feel pretty good about my game. 
•    Why Do I Play Golf: Golf = competition. I do not know how someone can play the game and not be competitive in spirit. And it is not necessarily competitive with one another, but with yourself. The constant desire to improve and want to improve. The emotional highs and lows behind great and awful shots. The adrenaline of hitting a low stinger through the woods and onto the green. Spending thousands of hard earned dollars on metal and graphite to gain a few yards here and there. It’s the 95% of us that are weekend warriors! We don’t play for money, fame, and endorsements (though I’m willing to if asked… ). But when we look at the scorecard and see PAR (70,71,72) in the last column, we compete on every shot to hit that one goal. THAT is why I play the game.  It’s the competition, it’s the drive for success, it’s the drive to hit PAR (or better). 

The Golf Questions
•    I am currently riding a 14.1 HCP Index and trending to a 13.6 as of recently (courtesy of The Grint app).
Attached is a picture of my past 20 rounds. I have been consistently lowering the score. As we all know, getting the time to practice and play consistently will help. I have made some recent club changes which are equating to more fairways and lower scores.

 

 

My starting Lineup
•    Driver:  Taylormade  M6 9* with 65g Stiff Mitsubishi Tensei Red shaft (New & custom fit to impove fairway %. LOVE IT)
•    3 wood:   Taylormade R11s with 70g rogue phenom stiff shaft (on the way out of the bag)
•    5 wood:  Taylormade  SLDR with stiff shaft (fills a yardage gap)
•    3 hybrid:  Taylormade  M4 with Atmos stiff shaft (new to the bag, barely hit so far. In to replace the 3 iron)
•    4 hybrid:  Taylormade  M2 with Reax stiff shaft (new to the bag, barely hit so far. In to replace the 4 iron)
•    5-pw irons:   Taylormade Rocketbladz tour with stiff KBS shafts. (on the way out once $ comes in) 
•    Wedges: Titleist 52, 56, 60  SM5 & SM6 (love the wedges)
•    Putter: Odysset 34"  2-ball original with superstroke grip (oldie but goodie)
•    Tracked By:  Arccos  (loving the system)

I love new technology! If only I didn’t have bills to pay… In the meantime I read up on all the newest clubs, tech, launch monitors, and review sites so when the time is right, I’m prepared! I’m like everyone else, we want the best bang for our buck! 
Currently I’m gaming a 2009 Bushnell V2 Tour Slope Edition rangefinder. This was in the early days of slope technology. It’s been 10years since I have really read up on rangefinders since mine has been going pretty strong. At this point, I believe you can find it on Amazon for under $200. SSSOO how has technology changed over the past 10yrs and is it worth the extra money or can any of our MGS community members find similar tech from past years to do provide equal value. 
One of my newest purchases over the past few months was the Arccos system. 
 I have been using Arccos for the past 6-7 rounds now and have really enjoyed it. HThe more shots you hit, the better the data. Data is king! 

 
First Impressions
•    Sleek
•    Small
•    Bright color scheme
•    Looks comfortable
•    Optics seem clear down the center
•    Optics may be a little fuzzy around the edges
•    Good case with carabiner clip

Precision Pro Claims:
There seems to be quite a few comparisons Precision Pro wants to make between their products and the industry leader (Bushnell). I want to take a closer look into some of the standout items that separate Precision Pro v. Bushnell:
•    Magnification (can you really tell a 1x difference)
•    Measurements (to .01 yards??????)
•    Care Package (seems like a customer service package which I hope I never need)
•    Lifetime batteries (hope this doesn’t burn through batteries)
•    Price (is it worth the money, is Bushnell overpriced, and can you buy an older yet equal model for less)

What I’m Looking for: 
•    Clarity; Great optics will really help on those 200+ yard yardage acquisitions. Is the contrast strong enough to read the display during high or low light scenarios. 
•    Consistency; If I shoot a yardage, how many times do I have to keep shooting to feel confident that it was correct.
•    Ease of Use; Does the pin locking technology work. Does it take forever (too many seconds) to give me a good reading. Is it easy to change modes. 
•    Hype; does it live up to the hype. Are you truly getting more for your money. Is the extra money worth it. 

 

 

 

Edited July 13 by JonMUSC08

[JonMUSC08 278]

Stage 2 Placeholder

[FromRightToLeft 81]

July 14, 2019 

 

(FYI I was away on a holiday so I have not received my rangefinder yet. I should have it this week I think and will complete stage 1 then.)

 

UPDATE! - The NX9 has arrived!

 

 

My first unboxing video, I apologize for the camera. I was trying to do it one handed and although it was in landscape mode it was upside down and this is the best I could do! Next video will be better!

 

First off I want to thank MGS and Precision for the opportunity, I really apprecaite it. I love golf gear and new tech.  I’m from Eastern Canada, Cape Breton Island to be specific. I live in Calgary, Alberta now and have for some time. The first time I was really aware of golf was when I was nine and I watched Jack Nicklaus win the Masters in 1986. It was a rainy spring day and there was nothing on TV but it. I was captivated for that day.  I think I had goosebumps. A few years later I saw Ian Baker Finch win the British Open and I immediately thought of that little nine-hole course my school bus drove by every day and had that feeling of excitement I still get in my gut when I go golfing.

 

Nobody in my family played but I called up right then and asked if they were open yet. The owner gave me a confusing answer to me at the time. “The Flags aren’t in yet.” I had no clue what that meant and assumed he meant he was open. I went up the next day and despite them being closed he let me and my cousin’s play. I was the only one that kept playing after that day. 30 years later and I still love the game just as much. I’m a total addict. I got down to an eight index and leveled out at around a ten, up until two years ago.

 

I think I mostly love the game because it’s really man against himself. It’s the ultimate test of self control. If you think you’re good at hiding your bad side, golf will sort that out and show you what you are. It shows you the truth. You can cheat if you want but you'll know the truth, there's no way around it. Golf is like your big sister growing up. She'll find all your weak spots and expose them.

 

Anyway, a few years ago I was having major back issues but wanted to get my first round of the year in anyway. This is May 23^rd, 2017. We get started on the back nine and on the twelfth hole I took a swing despite knowing my back was bad and heard a sickening “CRACK” and I dropped like a rock. I managed to get back to the parking lot and an Ambulance had to take me to the hospital from there. Found out I had disc issues, a compression fracture and osteoporosis. I got tested for everything under the sun as for a man my age (39 at the time), it’s rare to have osteo. Luckily (it often means bone cancer) for me it was just a genetic thing. With osteo, the disc issues and my stupidity it was a perfect storm haha!

 

Two years later and I’m back golfing again but learning left handed as it’s easier on my back. Just got a bone scan done and I’m increasing density due to exercise and medication. I’m currently a 34 index. My worst round is 138 and my low 104 from the wrong side of the ball. I don’t know if there could be anyone happier to be back golfing. I honestly didn’t know if it would ever be an option so the scores are secondary to that, however I’m a competitive s.o.b. so I want to get good again.

 

My goal this year is to break 90 although it’s been tough learning left handed so that is pretty ambitious. My putting is pretty good and my short game is coming nicely. I’m not hitting full shots solid at all, that is my biggest issue. I used to be a pretty long hitter so averaging 170 yards off the tee right now is a bit crappy to be honest. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate being out there, I do.

 

 

Here is my current swing:

 

 

 

 

I bought all used clubs (except for the Hogan wedge which is new) with graphite reg shafts as I assumed my club head speed wouldn’t get high enough to need stiff. We’ll see I guess. I din't get fit as I didn't know if I'd be able to even really play. Here is my setup:

 

 917 D2 - 10.5 

 G 5 wood

 G 7 wood

 G400 4 Hybrid

 G400 5 Hybrid

 Apex PW-6I - Recoil shafts

 Equalizer SW 

 MacDaddy C Grind LW

 Ketch Mallet

 

I have a Garmin vivoactive smart watch that has a gps. I’m not thrilled with it to be honest, it's a pain in the butt to use and very basic. I love golf gear and have had range finders in the past as well. I think both GPS and range finders have their uses. My old rangefinder was slow so I didn’t like it. I have Game Golf too but it doesn’t work that well in my opinion. Love the stats though.

I hope having this range finder will make it easier for me to judge how far I'm hitting my clubs and will help me over-club instead of under-club which is what I tend to do. I also really need it for the range as the targets aren't marked when I go usually. Or they are but not to the stall. 

Again, I'll update the post when I get my new NX9! 

Edit: Some pics from the trip including the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. 

 

[FromRightToLeft 81]

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[perseveringgolfer 3,869]

About me as a golfer

First of all thank you MGS and Precision Pro. I’ll do my best to keep up the standard of honest testing.

Secondly, I’m old……there….I’ve said it. I’m starting my sixth decade on this planet and I’ve chased the small white ball around it for five of them, and it still eludes me.

 

A long long time ago… on a planet we all live on, I was a teen……my uncle took my brother out to try golf, I said I’d tag along as it was summer, school was out and I was bored. He hated the game, I was hooked. The chance to smash a ball as hard as I could in any direction was too good an opportunity to pass up as my body was bursting with energy (those were the days)

 

I played the local muni as much as I could over that hot summer – I mention it was hot as Scottish summers are usually mild and damp – the 9 hole muni had it’s usual type of players, it ranged from kids who hit the ball and ran after it, ladies and old guys with all the gear and a scattering of ‘gangs’ who would either nick your ball or ask to see your driver then walk away with it calmly surrounded by their ‘henchmen’. The smaller and less brave thugs would just sit near a tee and shout abuse that Richard Pryor would have blushed at. I say ‘gangs’ but they were kids my age but street smart. Needless to say I became adept at playing quickly and ‘ready to run’ golf.

 

 

I gave the game up after that as I discovered girls, snooker/pool, alcohol and hanging out.

Started back again at 20, joined a club, handed in my three cards and got my first official handicap of 18. Hooked again I played and practiced in all conditions as I was going to be the best I could. I got down to a 5 in my first season and capped it by winning a comp with a sub par round and coming 6^th in the club championship.

 

Roll on a few years and the handicap hovered between 3 and 5 but I could also have a swing breakdown for weeks and couldn’t work out why. I’d never had a lesson and knew nothing about the technical side of the game. I had bought a set of Titleist blades off the shelf and adapted my swing to suit what I had – (decades later I looked at them in the garage to see they were regular lite shafts! Who needs fitted ) – So I started getting lessons and finding out about shafts, kick points, swing weights, launch angle blah blah and my game got consistently worse as I chased my swing issues through club tweaking and changing.

 

I call this period of the last 20 years my ‘talking golf era’. I could talk knowledgably about the tech and my head was full of the latest swing thoughts, top pro’s books and youtube golf gurus that guaranteed sure fire ways to fix my game and play like the pro’s. When I knew nothing I practiced until I found a way it worked. Now that I was armed with an encyclopedic knowledge I tried everything, usually at the same time. It’s a bit like going to the gym and straddling multiple machines while holding weights instead of working on my arms, then quads, then legs etc

 

Jump forward to present day and my love/hate relationship of the game is still as strong as it always was, but now just a tad more realistic. I have succumbed to the lure of new clubs as my very old Mizuno T zoid pro’s weren’t forgiving enough and the forgiveness promised by todays OEM’s was surely the only reason my 85 could have been 75, in my head! So I tried many fittings with many major names, settling on Titleist 718 AP2’s trying to capture my Titleist youth, they didn’t suit, so I traded and bought Mizuno MP18 SC’s with Modus 3 tour 105 in ‘S’. Happy with them for looks, feel and sound and will probably last me a long time. Driver was a Titleist 910 D3 9.5, just bought a Cobra F9 and getting used to higher loft and longer shaft. I have an  old Callaway Steelhead 4+ wood that is as precious to me as Stensons 3 wood. I use the Sky Caddie watch as I only (think I) need F/M/B yardages as I can see any hazards ahead. I still have a decent SS of 89mph with a 6 iron and around 100-102mph with driver, I just have to keep the body fit now as distance is definitely shrinking.

 

 

 I’m still competitive and I still envisage a sub par round when standing on the first tee, 4 hrs later I sign for ‘another’ 80-85 while muttering “there’s always next time”. I go home and self analyse from memory but it usually gets foggy, not because of age (I think that’s the reason but can’t remember lol), but playing the same course a lot it’s easy to mix up the poor drive on 4 with the great drive on 4 I played last week. I’ve never been that interested in golf gadgets that take lots of prep and even more attention on the course. Tried a laser once many many years ago and it was so difficult to see through and lock onto anything I gave up after 5 minutes. I do like tech though, that’s why I have the Skycaddie watch with F/M/B yardages, quick check and pull the right club. Stats I do like, my club puts up basic stats in your profile of rounds completed and it shows me weak scoring holes but that’s it. The only ‘issue’ with F/M/B yardages is it leaves lots of room for guessing i.e Pin looks like it’s nearer the back, middle is 150yds so it ‘must’ be ‘about’ 160yds, this leaves doubt in my head and indecision, but when you play a course at St Andrews the greens are enormous and it could easily be 2 clubs difference from middle to back.

This is where a laser trumps GPS. Taking doubt and indecision out and meaning I can swing smoothly and confidently at an exact yardage, rather than jumping on a 9 iron or holding back on a 7.

 

 

First Impressions

Quality looking box, nice graphics and colour plus it feels solid. Almost like it houses a prestige watch or expensive perfume.

Well protected inside with instructions (not needed really but clear and simple if you did) and the hard case protector for on course carrying.

 

The laser itself is smaller than I envisaged, but that’s a good thing, fits easily in my average man size hands with fingers naturally placed on the two buttons on top. One to ‘fire’ and one for mode. Eye piece is a soft rubber and easy, but firm, turning for focus, I say firm as that stops it turning by accident in the case and going out of focus. Soft rubber is essential for us glasses wearers as we have to bash it into the glasses lens frequently.

 

I read the enclosed instruction manual from cover to cover first, that’s not my usual style or even very manly as us men don’t need instruction literature, right men? But on this occasion and to ensure my MGS test was done properly and efficiently I thought it prudent to learn as much as I could before jumping in. It all reads easily, makes sense and easy to follow.

 

First use

Straight out the box I was lasering anything in the garden- Wow! My shed is 22yds from the house and the trampoline is 19yds….that’s good to know

First competitive round and I was peppering the pin, lasered the flag and knowing it was ‘X’ yards I hit an easy iron that landed pin high which actually caused me some anxiety as I’m used to coming up short, putting was poor so it was easy 2 putt pars. Fellow competitors told me afterwards they thought I was going to smash it today! I didn’t as I got defensive and made easy bogies but it was a joy knowing, and not guessing, a yardage.

Locking on took some time, had to fire a few times as I was lasering the tree or mound behind the hole, so to be sure I had to fire a good 4 or 5 times for safety. This will get better as I get used to it. A ‘welcoming’ vibration meant I hit what I aimed at.

I had the laser and case dangling on my push trolley which made it easy for access using the elasticated loop to open and close. One issue is the caribiner that holds it to the trolley. The spring coupling arm broke after 2 rounds, fortunately I noticed in my bag and it didn’t happen on the course. I DM’d a message via twitter to precision golf (without saying I was an MGS Tester) and they had a new caribiner in the post within hours- Excellent customer service. I might have to invest in getting a stronger one though, just in case.

One other very slight niggle is the ‘MODE’ button is right beside the ‘fire’ button and I found I’d switched from yds to meters without knowing, I only noticed when I lasered the 150yd marker at our range and it said 144!

Apart from that first impressions are very positive.

Fire any questions here to me or the other testers and we’ll answer as best we can.

Stage 2 will, or could be, more revealing with numerous rounds and practice under our belts.

 

 

Please note, the personal info at the beginning I’ve used from a test done last year but there’s a ton of new spies who wouldn’t have seen it.

[perseveringgolfer 3,869]

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[russtopherb 2,588]

 

So here we are, I’ve been lucky enough to have been picked for another product review and I couldn’t be happier! Many thanks to MGS and Precision Pro for this fantastic opportunity. 

My quick background refresher - I picked up golf roughly 6 years ago after my doc told me my knee could no longer handle running or skating. No more 5ks or roller hockey meant I needed to find another sport to play to stay active, and so golf it was! Some friends of mine had picked up the game a few years prior, so I was happy to join them out on the course. Before that, my golfing experience consisted of “caddying” for my father & grandfather when I was younger, which was really just me walking the treeline looking for balls, then hitting a few shots when the ranger wasn’t around. I also golfed in a few scrambles which were more of an opportunity to drink with my buddies than actually, y’know, PLAY GOLF.


My one and only scramble win, thanks to our single-digit cap buddy on the right!

With my work schedule and family commitments, I usually play around 20-25 rounds per year total. My season usually slows down drastically in mid-September when marching band season starts, as I am a chaperone & prop parent for our town’s back to back to back national champion band. Both of my kids have been involved for 6 years now and I have a blast helping out. 

National champions the last 3 years in a row!!

My son is also a golfer, having joined PGA Junior 3 years ago, and is now in his last year of playing 13u. I gladly give up my time on the course to walk with him during his matches. Golf is a great bond between the two of us (along with drumming and music) and we commonly hit local Par 3 courses along with the short game area of our local muni where we challenge each other during chipping and putting games. My dad will often join us, bringing 3 generations of the family out on the course together. My grandfather, at 91, had to finally stop playing a few years ago; he called me when he was 87 to brag about still being able to shoot his age and to laugh at me for shooting high 90’s-low 100’s. So golf has definitely been a big thing in my family.

Me and my son right before he decided to grow 6 inches in about 8 months!

When I’m able to get out on the course, I enjoy the quiet of being out in nature. When I was younger I grew up on 20 acres of wooded land out in western Massachusetts just off of the Connecticut border, so being out on the course reminds me a lot of the walks I would take as a kid, just exploring the woods & world around me. 

I’m currently carrying a cap of 21, mostly due to lack of playing recently. My bag reflects that of a higher handicapper - SGI irons in the Wilson/Staff D300, forgiving F6 driver set to 11.5*, and a Heavenwood that gets way more use than my hybrid. 



Being selected to review the PrecisionPro NX9 HD Slope is actually something I’m really excited about when it comes to my game - some swing solidifications over the past year have both increased my distance across the board, and have added a little more consistency. I feel that having a true distance device, rather than an app or GPS watch, will allow me to really dial in my distances and truly know what club I should be pulling in different situations. 

Up to now I’ve either been using a Bushnell Neo+ watch (outdated and a battery life that barely lasts 18 holes) or an iPhone app (FunGolf GPS or 18Birdies) to get distances out on the course. Both have their advantages and disadvantages:

Watch:
Pros - Easy to use, get distances quickly
Cons - No hazard distances, not good on doglegs

Apps:
Pros - See full hole layout, enter scores and stats while also getting distances
Cons - constantly taking phone out, manually changing holes, draining battery, takes a lot longer

Notice that neither of the above options provides slope, some that’s something new for me to hopefully take advantage of.

A few things I’ll be looking at while using the PrecisionPro NX9 HD Slope are how quickly I can get distances, how easy will it be to use out on the course, and do I feel that my game has improved as a result of using it.

First impressions

The NX9 arrived on my doorstep in a plain brown box that was just wider than the actual Precision Pro box itself. I was kind of surprised by how small the box was, however it’s well constructed and sturdy with a lot of great graphics that clearly demonstrate what the NX9 is capable of.

The NX9 itself is right on top when you open the box, nestled in foam with a foam underlayer on the top inside of the box for protection. My first impression when I pulled it out was “Wow this is really small and light”. It fits in my hand just fine, and the buttons on the top of the rangefinder to change modes and lock onto what you’re targeting are large and easy to find.

The case is also very light however it feels very sturdy. I particularly like the stretchy material inside the case that only allows you to partially open it, which will also help prevent the NX9 from potentially slipping out of the case. Given that I’ve never owned a rangefinder before, I’m not sure if other cases are built the same way. In any event (I almost went with “in any CASE” but decided that was a bit too on the nose) I really like that feature. 


To show just how small the NX9 is, here it is next to my iPhone 7 as well as the instructions booklet and registration postcard. It really is small, almost to the point where I might be a bit nervous about it out on the course. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Precision Pro devices so I highly doubt there will be any issues, but it was a minor impression that I got.

Speaking of impressions, as a marketing manager I immediately noticed the typo in the instruction booklet right towards the beginning. Not sure what a “magnent” is, but it’s nothing that’s in the NX9 next to the magnet. Yeah it’s a very minor thing and has absolutely NOTHING to do with the performance of the NX9, but like I said - it’s a first impression sort of thing.


I took the NX9 out on my deck and was easily able to change the mode to slope, and the measurement from meters to yards while I lasered various things in my yard and my neighbor’s yard.

To see how easy it was to use, I had my 13 year old son try it out. I didn’t give him any instructions at all and within 10 seconds he was giving me distances to the neighbor’s pool, the tree at the edge of our property, etc. He kept exclaiming how cool it was to feel the jolt when the distance locked on, which felt like it was almost immediate. 

I've already taken the NX9 out on the course as well as to a few local ranges to see how it performs. One of the ranges only had a few yards difference from what the sign said and what the NX9 lasered, and I'll honestly chalk that up to where I was standing on the course. Another range, however... yikes. I'm never trusting those signs again!

On the course, so far I've found that you need to laser your target at least 2-3 times to ensure you have an accurate reading. More than once the laser picked up the trees behind the flag even when the target was centered right on it. Maybe that's due to how small the device is and how steadily I was holding it, or perhaps it's a potential concern over accuracy. 

As far as distance accuracy, the NX9 was almost dead on with my Bushnell Neo+ watch, and within a yard or two of the 18 Birdies & FunGolf GPS apps that I commonly use.  

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to toss them in the thread and I’ll be happy to answer! Thanks for reading everyone!!

[russtopherb 2,588]

Stage 2 Placeholder 

[B.Boston 484]

Hi All!  Big thanks to MGS and PrecisionPro for the opportunity to test out the NX9 HD Slope Rangefinder!

For those of you who don’t know me, which is most of you, my name is Bryan and I am the short guy in blue in the photo below and I live in Bellingham, MA.  I have been golfing for as long as I can remember but got much more serious about the game after I graduated from Bentley University in 2009.  I play to about an 8 handicap and I am always trying to improve my game, but between work, 2 boys (and a baby girl due in 4 weeks) practice time is not what it needs to be.

Here is two videos of my swing in action a few weekends ago on a golf trip with some friends (those less handsome guys in the photo from earlier). I’m fairly consistent, and generally hit my irons dead straight and my miss is typically a small cut or push right. My driver tends to favor a fade, but I’ve mostly eliminated the big slice I had when I was younger.  A draw used to be a four letter curse word for me, but I am now able to hit one, just not always when I need to, so I favor the left to right movement if I can.

 

 

(Swing tips and heckling are fully approved should you wish to chime in)

I usually shoot in the low to mid 80’s and would say my biggest weakness is in chipping and pitching it close.  I’m working on this and trying to rely less on feel and have a system for yardages inside of comfortable full swings.  My driving has improved significantly (thanks SuperSpeed) and I’ve always been a good putter.

One of my strengths is also that I use technology to my advantage and have a good strategy to attack the course.  Of course, it doesn’t always work, but that’s why we play the game right!? During a typical round I will use both my Leupold GX-3i2 and a GPS app on my phone.  Off the tee I’ll use the GPS to pick a landing area based on the fairway and hazards and always look to see where the flag is with my rangefinder in relation to the front and back of the green to select an approach shot.

Here is a quick view of what is currently in the bag, and you can get specifics from my signature down below.  Most of my bag isn’t going anywhere soon and earlier this year I went down to my fitter and had my putter adjusted for me (counter weight and loft/length/lie adjustments).  But I have been swinging some newer drivers lately…

But that’s enough about me, if you’re still reading along its time we got to talking about this little green machine:

Let’s start with a recap of what Precision Pro has to say about the NX9 HD:

• Faster, Brighter, Better
  • On top of Slope Measurement and Pulse Vibration technology, Precision Pro is claiming a Brighter and Wider display to make finding the pin even easier.
• Built-in Magnet
  • Secures to the cart safely with the Magnetic Grip so that it’s always within easy reach before every shot.
• Easy to Pick up the Flag
  • NX9 HD’s embedded Target Acquisition Technology makes it simple to lock on to the flag even if you have shaky hands.

First impressions are positive. The packaging is high quality and the unit itself has a great weight to it.  I know this was mentioned specifically somewhere before that they wanted more heft, and it does lend it self to a feeling of quality and durability. 

The buttons are easy to press, and mode/menu items are easy to access and work well.  There are far fewer options compared to my GX-3i2, with no reticle options, and really just Slope/No Slope, and Yards/Meters as the options per the user guide.  Simple and functional, so no complaints there.  

Here’s a view through the lens showing some options/modes selected:

Two little questions are have from my first look at the NX9 HD are where is this lanyard supposed to connect to?

And how well sealed is the Battery door?  Not used to seeing one quite like this, so I’ll have to see if that is unique to Precision Pro designs or if it is more common on newer models.

As far as their claims go the magnet works as advertised!

But is it Faster, Brighter, Better? It certainly looks like a nice bright and wide viewfinder, and I have some tests planned to put that to the test. And is it Easier to Pick Up the Flag?  While most modern rangefinders are quick, I’ll make not of any difficulty in picking up the flag as there are a few situations I’ve experienced on the course that give some rangefinders fits.

You may be asking yourself why a rangefinder would help your game, and wether its worth it or not compared to using a GPS app or *gasp* the on course markers to the middle of the green. Now, we’re not all as good as DJ, but the point here is if you know your yardage, and know your swing, you are going to hit it closer.  I’ve found that using a rangefinder can be eye opening as to how far you actually hit the ball, while giving you the added benefit of knowing exactly how far to the flag. 

*Insider tip:  It is almost never a bad move to take the distance to the flag, and a GPS to the center of the green and play for a spot between the two favoring the center of the green.  Using the rangefinder alone can lead to a lot of short sided misses if you don’t take other positional factors into account.*

Stay tuned for updates and some head to head battles against another premium rangefinder (albeit one that is not a few years old).  I’ll test the NX9 HD and GX-3i2 side by side both at the range and on the course making note of their pros and cons.  I’ll also grab my friends NX7 Slope for some on course comparisons if possible as well.

Leave a note below and tag me if there are any specific tests you’d like to see done!  I can guarantee there will be more awkward viewfinder photos, probably some chicken scratch yardage comparisons, and most certainly some bad grammar too!  

Sound off below, let’s do this!

[B.Boston 484]

Stage 2 Placeholder 

[poprocksncoke 1,257]

 

Stage One – July 16, 2019 

 

First off I would like to thank MGS for the opportunity to test the Precision Pro HD!  This will be my first experiment other than a skycaddie (I’ll get more into that later) with distance golf equipment.  I  hope to do MGS proud and will try to answer as many questions you readers may have that I can.

 

I began golfing at the age of 10 with my father and my grandpa at a 9 hole course in Delano, California.  I remember the hot summers there in 100+ degree temperature being dropped off in the morning and picked up at the end of the day when my parents got off work.  I have played golf ever since.  Played for my high school team, Tulare Union and then for Bakersfield College.  Soon after college I started working at Wasco Valley Rose Golf Course.  While working at the golf course in Wasco I was elected to PGA membership in 1998 and worked in the golf business until 2004.  Other courses I worked at included Stockdale Country Club, North Kern, Hanford Country Club and eventually became Head Professional at the course I grew up on in Delano.

 

These days I don’t get a chance to play often as I used to (although that used to be everyday so…) my family which includes a 4 year old keep pretty busy these days but I typically can still keep it in the 70’s.   If I were to list strengths of my game it would be putting and I am consistent with my driver off the tee.  When I used to play almost every day I considered myself to be a great chipper around the greens, these days I don't have the touch I used too, that’s the downfall of not enough practice time I guess.  If I did have to choose a weakness in my game it would be the gap between my 5 iron and 3 wood.  Have tried fairway woods and hybrids which I absolutely loath, just haven’t found the right one.  

 

Currently in my bag I have a set of the Ben Hogan Ft Worth Black irons 4-PW, Taylormade SLDR driver, Taylormade R11s 3 wood, Cleveland wedges and an Odyssey Sabertooth putter.  I still have a set of Callaway Apex irons that I use on occasion depending on how I’m feeling that day and if I want to do something different. 

 

I consider myself to be pretty tech savvy, I have worked on computers and can usually figure devices out by playing around with them.  My wife just says I don’t like reading instructions, maybe she’s right?  That being said, I currently get my yardages but the old tried and true method of using yardage markers and stepping it off.  We all know how accurate that is, right?  There was this one time I had a skycaddie though.  I just found it a little too troublesome to have to download new courses when needed and too make sure it was always charged.  Unfortunately the skycaddie fell victim to I forgot it in the cart one day.  I never bought any yardage device after that, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I didn’t want to I just didn’t.

 

My first impressions of the Precision Pro NX9 HD was that it is a very bright color, hopefully that the sturdy case and the strong magnet that I can attach to the golf cart will keep me from forgetting in in the cart!  Who am I kidding, I know there will be times I have to run back to the cart and pray it’s still there.  The Precision Pro NX9 HD also came packaged very well and also in the bright green box.

 

I am hoping with the use of the Precision Pro NX9 HD that I am able to become more accurate with my irons and not have to wonder if I got a bad yardage, didn’t hit it as well as I thought I did or just got a hold of that one!  There are a couple of holes out there I have questioned the yardage markers on and am anxious to see if it’s me or is it the markers?  Full well knowing it could still very well be me.  Stay tuned……..

 

 

 

 

 

[poprocksncoke 1,257]

Stage 2 Placeholder 

[GolfSpy MPR 5,316]

Admin reviews are a bit different format than the ordinary Stage 1/Stage 2. Through the next several weeks, I'll keep editing this post here with my observations about the Precision Pro NX9 HD range finder.

__________________________

I'll begin with my failed attempt at an unboxing video. I pulled the green box out of the shipping box and brought it downstairs to my putting green. My dog and youngest daughter also came down. Let's just say that it I never succeeded in getting the thing unboxed:

Later that afternoon, @Kirke and I sat down a filmed a more sedate unboxing, though with a couple of light moments courtesy of Kirke:

About me

I've chronicled the state of my game pretty extensively in this thread. I'm an entirely mediocre golfer, regularly playing most of my rounds around bogey golf. The strength of my game is my putting, which is better than average for my handicap. My iron play is also decent, in part thanks to the help provided by the PING G700 irons I was able to review last summer. My biggest weakness in my short wedge game, where I'm regularly throwing away multiple strokes per round.

My current distance measuring device is a budget laser range finder. It's a pretty utilitarian device. I've had no reason to distrust its yardages, but it is a challenge to lock on to a specific target. Holding it steady enough is very difficult, and I often take five or more measurements to get the flagstick rather than the trees behind the hole.

I have used the GPS features of a couple of different apps for getting yardages in the past, but I don't want to go back to those. I am very obviously a tech and data nerd, and I have a tendency to fiddle with these devices during a round, especially if they're not working exactly how they should. That kind of distraction has had adverse effects on my scoring. So a key feature I'll be looking for in the NX9 is its ability to get me a quick yardage without pulling my attention out of the round.

First Impressions

The other reviewers have done a great job taking pictures of the device itself. My opinion is that it is right in the Goldilocks zone for weight: enough that it doesn't feel like a cheap toy, but not too heavy for using.

Setup and use is pretty intuitive.

The case is well thought out. When not in play, the case can be zippered securely closed. During rounds, the elastic band easily holds the case closed while allowing quick access to the NX9.

Like others here, I've been very impressed with the magnet on the NX9. I've played one round thus far with a cart since getting my NX9, and the magnet held on the cart without any hint of failure. The only downside: I ended up forgetting it was stuck to the cart when I finished my round and left it behind. There's a happy ending to the story, though:

 

An Initial Concern

One early concern is the button setup. On top of the device, there are two buttons: the main button that powers the rangefinder on and triggers the laser, and the second button that switches the device mode and measurement unit (yards/meters). To change units, you hold the mode button for three seconds. That's just fine.

The concern I have is that a single tap of the mode button switches the NX9 from standard mode to slope mode. For me, this is not anything more than a trivial annoyance. It's very easy to accidentally press the mode button while grabbing the device.

My concern is for those who might use the NX9 is an official, sanctioned round of golf. Unless I'm mistaken, even in rounds that permit the use of rangefinders, the use of the slope calculation is not permitted. A scrupulous and honest golfer might easily (and inadvertently) put the rangefinder to his eye and find that he's got the NX9 in slope mode and suddenly be facing the prospect of a penalty.

[Jbmullin 217]

Stage 1 is up

 

 

I’m doing a lot of testing next week , please message or tag any questions you have or tests you would like see.

[B.Boston 484]

Stage 1 is live! 

Tag me with any question or comments you guys would like me to address during the review process!  I'll be sure to make note on any tests you guys come up! 

[russtopherb 2,588]

Hey Spies, my Stage 1 is now up!!! Give it a read and be sure to let me know if you have any questions!!!

 

[JonMUSC08 278]

Stage 1 is up!