Review: Bushnell NEO X GPS Rangefinder Watch
I thought this would be one more unnecessary gadget, especially since I am a purist and think all you really need for golf is a set of clubs, a box of balls, and some beer. Also since I suck, having too much information is sometimes a distraction. I have to admit there may be something to this Bushnell watch since the day I used it I had my best day ever on the course.
Difference Maker?
I really don’t think the Bushnell was the reason for my low score. I would have to attribute some of it to Budweiser and Aleve since I was feeling exceptionally good yesterday. The Rangefinder is pretty handy in determining the exact distance to the pin, for those of you that that info would actually matter. I really have no idea whether my 6 or 8 iron is better for a particular distance, and the beers don’t help that decision making process….
Tech Stuff
It has a 12 hour battery life which is just about enough time for me to play 18. Preloaded with the info for over 30,000 golf courses, once set it automatically advances to your next hole. There is GPS to tell how far it is to the pin, and hazards on each course are preloaded. The hazards display is a little useless, unless you have blind hazards that you can’t see with your own eyes. Plus, it was unable to warn me whenever my buddy Steve was about to hit; trust me, that is a hazard for everyone on the course. It also has a round odometer to keep track of how far you’ve gone, but doesn’t count all the driving around in circles I do looking for Steve’s ball in the rough.
Overview
If you are gadget freak, you’ll love it. I’m not so much into gadgets, but must admit it came in pretty handy. Most courses have markers in the ground every so often, and everybody has the 150 yards from the green post—but this little toy will tell you exactly how far it is to the pin from everywhere you may be. It would be helpful if it could tell me where the beer cart is and how long until she catches up to us, but I’m confident that will come with the updates that are available. It will tell you how long your round has been and you can use the GPS to figure how long, or short in Steve’s case, your drives were.
One other thing I forgot to mention, it keeps time too.
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