Bushnell Pinseeker Rangefinder

FYI: You can't use that model for rounds used to establish a USGA handicap and it can not be used in tournaments.

Scott

Here in Florida, we can use rangefinders in State and County tournaments, but not the one with slope. You can't even use it even if you turn off the slope function, by penalty of DQ.

It's a great unit, but the one without slope is prefered if you play tournaments at all. If not, it's even more helpful than the standard one.

The ironic thing is the slope feature is so incredibly inaccurate that I can't imagine anyone uses. My wife got me one for an anniversary gift when they first came out. I can count on one finger the number of times I used the feature. You'd have a 40 foot drop on a 150 yard shot and it would say play it like it was 148.

As a straight rangefinder it is FANTASTIC!!!

LOL in South Florida we are basically playing on flat terrain anyway

[quote name='mantan' post='813475' date='Dec 5 2007, 04:59 PM']The ironic thing is the slope feature is so incredibly inaccurate that I can't imagine anyone uses. My wife got me one for an anniversary gift when they first came out. I can count on one finger the number of times I used the feature. You'd have a 40 foot drop on a 150 yard shot and it would say play it like it was 148.

As a straight rangefinder it is FANTASTIC!!![/quote]

If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate

[quote name='Coach Ritz' post='813476' date='Dec 5 2007, 04:59 PM']LOL in South Florida we are basically playing on flat terrain anyway [/quote]
Don't you take an extra club for that 1' uphill shot here in S. Florida? We need a wind indicator more than a slope feature!

[quote name='chipper3344' post='813477' date='Dec 5 2007, 02:02 PM']If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate[/quote]
It's only extremely accurate if you input the right information. You can't go from 6 iron to pitching wedge and expect it to provide accurate distance unless you give it new trajectory data. Also, if you input 8 iron data but hit a knock down shot, the reported distance won't be correct. More trouble than it is worth....at least it would be for me.

Scott

I dont know if I want the GPS or if I want the Pinseeker, I dont really want to pay that extra 30-50 dollars extra a year with the skycaddie GPS. One thing I read before was that you can see how far you hit the ball with the pinseeker too. How is that possible? Is it like hit the ball and then shoot the pinseeker at the ball to see how far you hit it or something? One more thing. Is it easy to be able to tell the distance to like the front of a green by shotting the front edge of the green?

[quote name='sidewinder' post='813545' date='Dec 5 2007, 05:04 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813477' date='Dec 5 2007, 02:02 PM']If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate[/quote]
It's only extremely accurate if you input the right information. You can't go from 6 iron to pitching wedge and expect it to provide accurate distance unless you give it new trajectory data. Also, if you input 8 iron data but hit a knock down shot, the reported distance won't be correct. More trouble than it is worth....at least it would be for me.

Scott
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure my unit has never correctly worked in that regard. The slope feature never shows more than 2-3 yards difference regardless of elevation change. No biggie, as I am usually pretty good at making those adjustments on my own.....

[quote name='sidewinder' post='813545' date='Dec 5 2007, 06:04 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813477' date='Dec 5 2007, 02:02 PM']If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate[/quote]
It's only extremely accurate if you input the right information. You can't go from 6 iron to pitching wedge and expect it to provide accurate distance unless you give it new trajectory data. Also, if you input 8 iron data but hit a knock down shot, the reported distance won't be correct. More trouble than it is worth....at least it would be for me.

Scott

[/quote]

You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.

[quote name='mantan' post='813598' date='Dec 5 2007, 06:44 PM'][quote name='sidewinder' post='813545' date='Dec 5 2007, 05:04 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813477' date='Dec 5 2007, 02:02 PM']If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate[/quote]
It's only extremely accurate if you input the right information. You can't go from 6 iron to pitching wedge and expect it to provide accurate distance unless you give it new trajectory data. Also, if you input 8 iron data but hit a knock down shot, the reported distance won't be correct. More trouble than it is worth....at least it would be for me.

Scott
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure my unit has never correctly worked in that regard. The slope feature never shows more than 2-3 yards difference regardless of elevation change. No biggie, as I am usually pretty good at making those adjustments on my own.....

[/quote]


Yea that stinks...it should definitely give you more than a couple yards with elevation change. Even shots that look flat are usually + or - a couple degrees and that can equate to like 3-6yds

[quote name='mantan' post='813598' date='Dec 5 2007, 06:44 PM'][quote name='sidewinder' post='813545' date='Dec 5 2007, 05:04 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813477' date='Dec 5 2007, 02:02 PM']If your range finder said 148 on a shot that plays 150 with a 40 foot drop i think there a problem with your range finder or user error....because my slope feature is extremely accurate[/quote]
It's only extremely accurate if you input the right information. You can't go from 6 iron to pitching wedge and expect it to provide accurate distance unless you give it new trajectory data. Also, if you input 8 iron data but hit a knock down shot, the reported distance won't be correct. More trouble than it is worth....at least it would be for me.

Scott
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure my unit has never correctly worked in that regard. The slope feature never shows more than 2-3 yards difference regardless of elevation change. No biggie, as I am usually pretty good at making those adjustments on my own.....
[/quote]


This is unfortunate. I was thinking of getting the unit with the slope feature because the courses I play have a lot of elevated greens. Now I'm not sure what I should get if it doesn't work properly. How accurate is the non slope unit to elevated greens?

[quote name='chipper3344' post='813610' date='Dec 5 2007, 03:51 PM']You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.[/quote]
Wow. That's no good. The slope is calculated on what Bushnell thinks your ball trajectory is going to be for a given distance? I don't know about you, but within the group I play with there are three very different trajectories for a 150 yard shot. One guy hits the ball real high, one real low and two of us somewhere in between. For the slope calculation to be accurate, the trajectory needs to be correct. It would appear guessing would be just about as accurate....

Scott

One thing I read before was that you can see how far you hit the ball with the pinseeker too. How is that possible? Is it like hit the ball and then shoot the pinseeker at the ball to see how far you hit it or something? One more thing. Is it easy to be able to tell the distance to like the front of a green by shotting the front edge of the green?

Has anyone tried out the new Bushnell Tour v2? It is supposed to be smaller than the 1500 or Medalist with 5X and pinseeker.

[quote name='thattigga' post='813761' date='Dec 5 2007, 06:12 PM']One thing I read before was that you can see how far you hit the ball with the pinseeker too. How is that possible? Is it like hit the ball and then shoot the pinseeker at the ball to see how far you hit it or something? One more thing. Is it easy to be able to tell the distance to like the front of a green by shotting the front edge of the green?[/quote]

Hit your ball and shoot it or go to your ball and shoot back at a landmark. The Pinseeker is very easy to use especially with the 7X magnification. You can easily pick up the front of the green, front/back of a trap, dog legs, end of fairways, cart paths, and landing areas.

I'm not quite sure some of you guys quite appreciate the technical wonder this little unit is.
Obviously, when your PS w/ slope shows only 2-3 yards difference between line of sight yardage and the elevation corrected one, there's something wrong with it. There indeed have been reports of problems with that unit on the forums.
As for the different trajectories...no way the unit can know your specific trajectory to accurately calculate distance based on that. What they probably did, was to input an average trajectory into the unit. Meaning that estimated distances may not be 100% on the money for you, but after a while of using the PS you should know where to add or substract a little...

Unless there is a big false front or a slope of some sort just short of the green there is no way to know the yardage to the front of the green. You could use a pin chart to estimate the distance based on the distance to the pin though. But usually getting the distance to the front of the green isn't the problem, as that's clearly marked on almost every course, but getting the distance to the pin is what interests most people.

I've been using my PS w/ slope for nearly 2 years now, and it's been awesome. No breakdowns at all and slope function helps me immensely on certain up/downhill shots. Naturally I can't use it in competitions, but that's fine as long as I can play a practice round and get a feel for how much longer the relevant shots play, it's fine with me.

[quote name='sidewinder' post='813631' date='Dec 5 2007, 07:17 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813610' date='Dec 5 2007, 03:51 PM']You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.[/quote]
Wow. That's no good. The slope is calculated on what Bushnell thinks your ball trajectory is going to be for a given distance? I don't know about you, but within the group I play with there are three very different trajectories for a 150 yard shot. One guy hits the ball real high, one real low and two of us somewhere in between. For the slope calculation to be accurate, the trajectory needs to be correct. It would appear guessing would be just about as accurate....

Scott
[/quote]

I dont understand why you easily bash the feature. Have you ever tried it? Averages are very accurate. I've never made more birdies in my life and i attribute that to being pin high almost everytime. Just like a tour pro you get the yardage and then you adjust based on the shot your playing. It's giving you the yardage for a "normal" shot. Youre the one playing the shot so go by how you feel. It's definitely reassuring when you think you need an extra club uphill but the range finder tell you its actaully a club and half uphill. It's just like if you shoot a yardage with 0 degree of slope....theres still other factors such as wind and lie. In the end it comes to the person swinging the club.

I'm planning on getting the Bushnell with the slope feature, but would hate to buy it and Bushnell comes out with a new one in the next few months. Anyone here of any news about Bushnell's 2008 products coming out? I bought a skycaddie and a couple months they came out with the color screen.

chipper3344,

My comments were not a personal attack. Calm down....

Yes, I have used such as feature but not with a golf range finder. I discovered this issue when using a range finder with slope capabilities for hunting. If you did not enter the correct ballistic (trajectory) data, the range calculation would be off enough to be an issue.

Now golf isn't hunting but the issue is the same and trajectories vary more over a 0 to 300 yards in golf than they do in rifles. If the trajectory data fits your shot shape, then it will be very accurate. But, it could tell you need a club and a half more when all you really need is one club or maybe two clubs if you shot does not fit the shot shape Bushnell is using to calculate distance.

I love my Pinseeker 1500 and really dislike golfing without it. I play to the Rules of Golf because I post scores for handicap so I can't use a a range finder with slope distance calculation. So this is is a non-issue for me. But I actually know what I am talking about in regards to slope calculations....

Scott


[quote name='chipper3344' post='814201' date='Dec 6 2007, 06:09 AM'][quote name='sidewinder' post='813631' date='Dec 5 2007, 07:17 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813610' date='Dec 5 2007, 03:51 PM']You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.[/quote]
Wow. That's no good. The slope is calculated on what Bushnell thinks your ball trajectory is going to be for a given distance? I don't know about you, but within the group I play with there are three very different trajectories for a 150 yard shot. One guy hits the ball real high, one real low and two of us somewhere in between. For the slope calculation to be accurate, the trajectory needs to be correct. It would appear guessing would be just about as accurate....

Scott
[/quote]

I dont understand why you easily bash the feature. Have you ever tried it? Averages are very accurate. I've never made more birdies in my life and i attribute that to being pin high almost everytime. Just like a tour pro you get the yardage and then you adjust based on the shot your playing. It's giving you the yardage for a "normal" shot. Youre the one playing the shot so go by how you feel. It's definitely reassuring when you think you need an extra club uphill but the range finder tell you its actaully a club and half uphill. It's just like if you shoot a yardage with 0 degree of slope....theres still other factors such as wind and lie. In the end it comes to the person swinging the club.
[/quote]

Sorry for coming across as angry....didnt intend it as that way. Quick question though i know you cant use it in tournament play but i thought the slope feature was allowed for the posting of handicaps now? I dont have an official handicap but i was thinking of finally posting some scores next year and was interested if i could use my range finder. I did a search but cant really find anything.

Nevermind....i found it on the usga website. Can;t use slope!

Question: Is the slope feature something that can be turned on/off, or is it always displayed in the viewfinder?

If it's a feature that can be turned OFF, then I see no reason why a Pinseeker with Slope can't be used in tournament play or handicap-posting. I know rules are rules, but golf is very honor-system based, so if you can't trust a player to disable a dis-allowed feature then you can't really trust that same player to not improve their lie or count all their strokes either.

[quote name='chipper3344' post='814201' date='Dec 6 2007, 04:09 AM'][quote name='sidewinder' post='813631' date='Dec 5 2007, 07:17 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813610' date='Dec 5 2007, 03:51 PM']You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.[/quote]
Wow. That's no good. The slope is calculated on what Bushnell thinks your ball trajectory is going to be for a given distance? I don't know about you, but within the group I play with there are three very different trajectories for a 150 yard shot. One guy hits the ball real high, one real low and two of us somewhere in between. For the slope calculation to be accurate, the trajectory needs to be correct. It would appear guessing would be just about as accurate....

Scott
[/quote]

I dont understand why you easily bash the feature. Have you ever tried it? Averages are very accurate. [b]I've never made more birdies in my life and i attribute that to being pin high almost everytime.[/b] Just like a tour pro you get the yardage and then you adjust based on the shot your playing. It's giving you the yardage for a "normal" shot. Youre the one playing the shot so go by how you feel. It's definitely reassuring when you think you need an extra club uphill but the range finder tell you its actaully a club and half uphill. It's just like if you shoot a yardage with 0 degree of slope....theres still other factors such as wind and lie. In the end it comes to the person swinging the club.
[/quote]

I don't mean to be harsh but if you used the slope feature to make a birdie, you cheated...The slope feature is not legal and I can't believe the number of people that use it on a daily basis. It is great if you are scouting a course before a tourney but I would never use it for anything else. Just like using an illegal driver or carrying 16 clubs...

Yes you can turn off the slope feature. It's just a simple push of a button and slope is on or off. I agree on the whole honor system, but its definitely much more difficult to improve your lie without anyone knowing than it is to turn the slope feature on or off. How would anyone know the slope feature is really off? I know i probably wouldnt trust my opponent.. especially on a severely sloped hole and he sticks it to within 3 feet.

[quote name='chipper3344' post='815711' date='Dec 7 2007, 01:26 PM']Yes you can turn off the slope feature. It's just a simple push of a button and slope is on or off. I agree on the whole honor system, but its definitely much more difficult to improve your lie without anyone knowing than it is to turn the slope feature on or off. How would anyone know the slope feature is really off? I know i probably wouldnt trust my opponent.. especially on a severely sloped hole and he sticks it to within 3 feet. [/quote]

Incredibly easy to improve your lie. Incredibly easy to say, "I shot a 4 on that last hole" when you really shot a 5. Incredibly easy to cheat in a lot of ways, and golf/the powers that be/the PGA/your opponent can't possibly police each one, so they rely on your HONOR. So why can't they rely on you to NOT enable the feature?

[quote name='themouth1' post='815705' date='Dec 7 2007, 01:20 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='814201' date='Dec 6 2007, 04:09 AM'][quote name='sidewinder' post='813631' date='Dec 5 2007, 07:17 PM'][quote name='chipper3344' post='813610' date='Dec 5 2007, 03:51 PM']You dont need to input any information....just point and shoot. The range finder has a built-in table of average yardages and trajectories which calculates the distance for you.[/quote]
Wow. That's no good. The slope is calculated on what Bushnell thinks your ball trajectory is going to be for a given distance? I don't know about you, but within the group I play with there are three very different trajectories for a 150 yard shot. One guy hits the ball real high, one real low and two of us somewhere in between. For the slope calculation to be accurate, the trajectory needs to be correct. It would appear guessing would be just about as accurate....

Scott
[/quote]

I dont understand why you easily bash the feature. Have you ever tried it? Averages are very accurate. [b]I've never made more birdies in my life and i attribute that to being pin high almost everytime.[/b] Just like a tour pro you get the yardage and then you adjust based on the shot your playing. It's giving you the yardage for a "normal" shot. Youre the one playing the shot so go by how you feel. It's definitely reassuring when you think you need an extra club uphill but the range finder tell you its actaully a club and half uphill. It's just like if you shoot a yardage with 0 degree of slope....theres still other factors such as wind and lie. In the end it comes to the person swinging the club.
[/quote]

I don't mean to be harsh but if you used the slope feature to make a birdie, you cheated...The slope feature is not legal and I can't believe the number of people that use it on a daily basis. It is great if you are scouting a course before a tourney but I would never use it for anything else. Just like using an illegal driver or carrying 16 clubs...
[/quote]

I understand where your coming from but I'm not in a tournament or posting my handicap. I'm playing for fun. Whats the difference in scouting the course with my rangefinder and then adjusting the yardages the next day in the tournament? I still know the elevation change and how much different the hole plays. Watched Darren Clarke do this very same thing over the summer in a practice round. Tour players know the exact yardages on holes with major elevation changes. Just because theirs is in a yardage book and mines through a range finder i cheat. Dumb USGA rules!

[quote]Incredibly easy to improve your lie. Incredibly easy to say, "I shot a 4 on that last hole" when you really shot a 5. Incredibly easy to cheat in a lot of ways, and golf/the powers that be/the PGA/your opponent can't possibly police each one, so they rely on your HONOR. So why can't they rely on you to NOT enable the feature?[/quote]

I have seen a lot of cheats over the year when small bets are on the line. They are an ugly fact of life and golf...I would hate to rely on someone's conscience during an important tournament...

[quote name='themouth1' post='815726' date='Dec 7 2007, 01:40 PM']I have seen a lot of cheats over the year when small bets are on the line. They are an ugly fact of life and golf...I would hate to rely on someone's conscience during an important tournament...[/quote]
But isn't that what we do all the time?

We can't have a marshall follow each golfer around the entire round, so there is ALWAYS an element of trust.

[quote name='withdrew' post='815728' date='Dec 7 2007, 08:43 AM'][quote name='themouth1' post='815726' date='Dec 7 2007, 01:40 PM']I have seen a lot of cheats over the year when small bets are on the line. They are an ugly fact of life and golf...I would hate to rely on someone's conscience during an important tournament...[/quote]
But isn't that what we do all the time?

We can't have a marshall follow each golfer around the entire round, so there is ALWAYS an element of trust.
[/quote]


True enough but it is easier to watch people on the course than to know what they see in the range finder..