Bushnell Yardage Pro Review and Field Tests

While meeting with Bushnell at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show, we learned that the company had partnered with iGolf to offer downloadable course files from the world's largest GPS golf course database. Because of that partnership, Bushnell is able to jump right into the GPS competition without waiting to grow a library of their own. We really liked the thought of that, because we thoroughly enjoyed the iGolf GPS units we had tried in the past.

GPS is a new and hot technology in golf. Several companies are doing their best to provide golfers with pinpoint accuracy and a leg up on their competitor. Bushnell has put together a solid line of very accurate GPS rangefinders. It's time to stop spending $400 on a driver and hoping it will somehow help your game. Instead, check out these units that are guaranteed to help your score by taking the guesswork out of your round!

The great part about the basic black and white screen is that the batter lasts forever! I used this thing for 72 holes without any battery issue at all. That is perhaps my favorite thing about this unit. It is a major pain having to remember to plug in your GPS and charge it before every round. No need to worry about that with the Yardage Pro. It has a batter indicator on the screen that gives you plenty of warning before the battery expires.

Here are the Legend's basic specifications:

* Dimensions - 1.75x3.9x3.1 inches
* Weight - 7.2 ounces
* Accuracy - +/- 1 yard
* Magnification - 6x
* Display - LCD (even and odd numbers)
* Power source - 3-volt lithium battery (included)
* Field of view - 320 feet at 1000 yards
* Eye relief - 20mm
* Exit pupil - 4mm
* Modes - Standard, Scan, and >150
* Range - 15 to 930 yards, depending on target reflectance
* Accessories - battery, case, strap
* Limited warrantee - 1 year, parts and labor

There are three modes of operation: "standard," "scan," and ">150" (greater than 150 yards).

GPS companies will say that the most useful yardages are to front, middle and back of greens. That's arguable. For me, having the distance to the pin +/- 1 yard is amazing. On most courses you at least know if the pin is cut front, middle or back. With that info and the exact yardage to the hole, I step up with a lot of confidence in my club and shot selection.

The Sport 450 is compact and light weight. It is easy to carry and the battery life of the 9 volt battery that powers it is excellent. I have been using mine for over a year without having to change the battery yet. I have noticed that as the battery gets lower the effective range does begin to shorten. TheSport 450 is easy to use and can be operated in either a horizontal or verticle orientation. I have tried both orientations and got the same readings each time. the one button to activate the laser on the top (if held horizontal) of theSport 450 is large enough to be easy to find quickly without having to look away from your target to find the trigger. The 4X20 optics gives enough magnification to easily locate your target and still give alarge enough field of view to quickly pick up targets even at close range.