Golf Gadget that is Worth the Money

I’m not the greatest golfer by any means, in fact, my handicap index is currently 17.6. What does this tell you about my care for the game, not much?  I’m one of those players that has a good swing but can’t put the consistency together. This equates to high scores.

I work on my game during the short summers but I only show a few solid rounds a season. Golf is one of those games that you can always improve. My ultimate goal is to have fun with the people I’m with while trying to make a few good shots along the way.

Anyway, let’s get into the reason for this article.

I mentioned on a couple of pages that I would be doing reviews for both business and personal items. This is one of those personal reviews that will most likely not help you make money but it could help your golf game.

At the previous club, I belonged to, I was able to use the laser link white magic range finder(Upgraded Model). It allowed me to point the red dot at the flag and tell me very accurate distances. The flags had glass reflectors that were made for this purpose.

The new club I’m at doesn’t have the same reflectors. My white-hot doesn’t pick up the small reflector on the flags. I get spotty results and it isn’t trustworthy. Now that I’m looking to play more I need to know distances without slowing down the pace of play.

This is when I was introduced to the Bushnell Phantom GPS Range Finder.

I’ve seen all kinds of GPS range finders on the course. From watches, Cart GPS and phones. Although I like watches, I’m not too into wearing one when I play.

The Bushnell Phantom had me hooked at first sight. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket but the size is big enough to see the numbers clearly.  It gives three numbers when going around the course. The biggest number is the middle of the green and the other two are the front and back of the green. This is pretty standard for a GPS unit.

Once you get your GPS, for me I got it from Amazon, right here.

You will want to plug it into the charger and get it up to 100%. This way you are good for at least two rounds. Go through all of the settings that they recommend. Turning on Bluetooth allows the unit to download the latest courses and updates from your phone or other devices. This is pretty simple to do and most likely won’t have to be done very often. You will have to create an account on the Bushnell website.

Bushnell has over 35,000 courses in its database. I’m pretty sure you’ll be covered if you are traveling to play golf.

Once you get to the course you are playing, and whether you are walking or riding in a cart, it’s best to turn it on when you tee off. This will avoid the unnecessary use of the battery. I learned this early on. It does take a few minutes to establish a GPS connection. Once it does all you have to do is select the course you are playing. It will list the closest courses to you within so many miles.

Once you select the course you are well on your way. It automatically picks up on hole number one. Should you start on a different hole it’s really easy to advance it to the hole you’re playing. It will pick up the yardage quickly.

The compact size makes it nice to put in the cart. All you have to do is attach it to one of the bars on the golf cart. Let the magnet do the work. Only when you hit a really big bump should you worry about the magnet dislodging from the bar. It could happen so be aware.

TIP: Also, if you are playing with someone that hasn’t played with it before, remind them that the unit is there in case they use that handle to get out of the cart. They may not see it and knock it off.

Accuracy of the Phantom

This Bushnell GPS has been spot on the whole time I’ve used it. I have about 10 rounds in now and every time I’ve played with someone with a spotting scope rangefinder, my GPS is within one yard. This saves a little hassle when pulling up to anyone’s ball. You can easily give them an accurate number should they ask.

Here are my pros and cons after using it for a period of time.

PROS

1. Small form factor which makes it very portable. “Compact”
2. Magnet to attach to the cart. – This magnet is very strong and withstands the big bumps you may take on the course.
3. Front, Middle and Back numbers displayed on one screen – Middle of the green number is always the biggest.
4. Over 35k courses are available. Pretty much every course is on this or can be downloaded with ease.
5. Spot on Accuracy
6. Reasonable cost.

CONS

1. Battery Life – Although it’s not bad it would be nice if it lasted a little longer. I recommend you get the unit that comes with the battery backup. The link in this post shows you that item.
2. Put your name on the unit – In case you bump it off somehow. This is your chance to have it returned to you if someone were to find it.
3. Searching for Your Course – Sometimes it can take some time for the GPS to connect. Not a big deal but it’s not instant.

Final Bushnell Phantom Thoughts

If you don’t like sticking rangefinders up to your eye every time then this product is for you. Super accurate numbers are what this device is all about. It doesn’t have every bell and whistle but overall it hasn’t failed me when it comes to numbers. I do have some small concerns of it getting lost or even broken in my bag since it is so small. I’m confident after using it a few times that taking care of it is part of my routine just like putting a glove on.

I hope you found this Bushnell Phantom GPS review helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. Check and see if it is on sale right now.