Quick Review of Callaway LR550

I struggled long and hard whether to purchase a GPS system or rangefinder. Price was not a concern as I am usually a sucker for new toys. I was looking for ease of use and accuracy. I had my heart set on the uPro and was ready to order until I played a round with my friends uPro about 3 weeks ago. The uPro is a real sweet unit but I had difficulty seeing the screen in the sun while walking and realized GPS is not for me after that round. A few things turned me off on GPS. One was that some of the greens here in IL are quite large, I mean really big. As you know GPS measures front, center and back of green. Well, when any part of the green can be 10 - 15 yards that is a one club difference! The uPro seemed quite accurate but since some of the greens are the size of Texas I was over/under clubbing. That coupled with the fact that it was difficult to read in direct sunlight, I would have to charge it often and I would have to spend another $80-$120 to purchase the courses I play I figured I would look into a rangefinder. As a side note, I have played many rounds with my father's Skycaddie so I knew some of the limitations of GPS but the uPro seemed so cool.

I focused on the Bushnell V2 (Scout 1000) and Callaway LR550. Even though the Scout 1000 was cheaper I thought the Callaway was a much better unit. It is waterproof, the Bushnell is not. It comes with a nice neoprene case, the Bushnell does not. It has better magnification and is easier to hold than the Bushnell. Lastly I thought the first sight technology worked much better than Bushnell's Pinseeker. The LR550 is super easy to use. Both weigh about the same. If you wear glasses or sunglasses the added rubber eyepiece really helps you block unwanted sunlight and keeps your eye focused. There is no boot-up or start-up time to speak of. You press power and it is instantly ready to go. Battery life is awesome! You can scan any object like front of green, sand, water, etc. It works really well. I purchased the unit 2 1/2 weeks ago and have played about 7 rounds with it. It is a keeper for sure!

I played last week with my buddy who has the uPro. On some measurements on large greens my instinct was correct. The GPS reading can be off by 10 yards or so. For example, on a long par 4 his uPro read 175 to center of green. My Callaway read 166 to flag! That is significant! GPS is good for someone who wants a close estimate. A rangefinder is much more accurate. I am quite pleased with my purchase. Funny thing is that one of my buddies in my regular foursome has a Skycaddie and will ask me when we are standing close to one another for a reading.

Adam

Thanks for the write up...Did you look at the 1500 Pinseeker model(s)? I am considering one of them for my purchase. I am also a sucker for gadgets but it seems that function may win out over form in this case. GPS is more visually appealing but I'm buying for dead on accuracy. Seems like rangefinder is the only way to go.

I have one of the 1500 Pinseekers (the one with the slope adjustment), and I have played with people who have had GPS systems, and I have to say that it is a great item for finding out true yardages to the pin, with or without slope. While the GPS was accurate, sometimes it would take a fews extra steps back and forth to update the positioning which was sometimes 5-7 yards difference, not a lot, but could be the difference between wedges on a short shot. Another thing that I like about lasers over GPS is that you can pick anything out on the course, like say a tree or a hill and know exactly how far it is to it, something that GPS can't always do.

yahtzee:

 

I looked at the 1500 at Golfsmith but due to the size, weight and lack of waterproof I really did not consider it. I would not consider the slope version as it cannot be used for handicap purposes, not that I compete but it's kind of like cheating. GPS is certainly more visually appealing but if you want pure performance, a rangefinder is superior.

 

I also like being able to "scope" anything on the course and get the distance. It helped me last week when I drove the ball into the adjacent fairway and I wanted to determine my distance to the end of the fairway I was supposed to be in. I found the yardage by scoping a tree at the far end of the correct fairway and took one club less to keep it in bounds. It takes seconds to get the distance as well.

 

Adam

yahtzee:

 

I looked at the 1500 at Golfsmith but due to the size, weight and lack of waterproof I really did not consider it. I would not consider the slope version as it cannot be used for handicap purposes, not that I compete but it's kind of like cheating. GPS is certainly more visually appealing but if you want pure performance, a rangefinder is superior.

 

I also like being able to "scope" anything on the course and get the distance. It helped me last week when I drove the ball into the adjacent fairway and I wanted to determine my distance to the end of the fairway I was supposed to be in. I found the yardage by scoping a tree at the far end of the correct fairway and took one club less to keep it in bounds. It takes seconds to get the distance as well.

 

Adam

 

Actually, the 1500 is waterproof. I picked up mine today and it is large. I noticed the Tour V2 as well but it didnt seem to have the pinseeker mode. Hmm.

Thanks for the review. Had been trying to decide between GPS and rangefinder and your post really sealed the deal for a rangefinder. I also seem to remember when I was attending practice rounds at PGA tournaments that they all seemed to be using rangefinders and not GPS. Dave

I have a 1500TE and love it. It is not too much bigger than the V2 but I find the extra magnification helps a lot.

I also have the Callaway 550 rangefinder. I got rid of a Skycaddie SG-2 when I bought the Callaway. It's dead on accurate and as other posters stated you can sight off anything on the course for lay-up or recovery shots. What worried me about the Skycaddie was that a friend also had a SG-2 and we could stand in the exact same spot and get different readings (sometimes 10 yards or more). I also like not having to worry about having to download courses (frees me up when on vacation to play whatever course is available - not having to stick to playing a course I downloaded on the SG-2). Just leave it in the bag and it's always ready to go.

I went with the LR550. It works really well but I wish callaway/nikon had a strap-on bag similar to bushnell.

I went with the LR550. It works really well but I wish callaway/nikon had a strap-on bag similar to bushnell.

 

 

Didn't your Callaway come with one of those large climbing clips? I use it to attach to my bag handle or next the the seat on the golf cart. It works quite well.

Great review. The thing is people swear by the gps systems but personally, nothing is as accurate as a laser.