Does Bushnell’s latest rangefinder have golfers walking on air?
Bushnell Pro XE laser review: The results
Sandburn Hall is a course with a lot of raised greens and, on an exposed site, temperatures can fluctuate between holes so I was really interested to put the elements mode through its paces.
It’s a very impressive feature. I was finding variations of eight to ten yards on some shots and the proof of accuracy was in the pudding.
When I executed the shot properly, I hit more greens. The calculated yardages – clearly and easily displayed on the simple to understand LCD screen – were a revelation.
Bushnell say the Pro XE can range more than 500 yards to a flag and this is also an accurate claim. On Sandburn Hall’s par 5 1st, which is playing more like a long 4 in the winter, I could range right through to the pin.
The magnification, which goes through to seven times, also produced a clear image.
If I had one minor issue, it was that the JOLT feature was intermittent. Sometimes I wouldn’t get the buzz, or the red circle, from yardages of 80 yards and in – with the viewfinder centred right on the flagstick.
But the numbers were so accurate that this wasn’t anything more than a cosmetic concern and it will probably perform better as the weather improves.
Bushnell Pro XE laser review: NCG verdict
We all know Bushnell make outstanding rangefinders and the Pro XE is no different. It’s a very well made unit, the housing is extremely durable, and accuracy with standard yardages is everything you would expect.
Slope with Elements, though, is the feature that will set this apart – and has the ability to make a huge difference to our games.
Of course, we’ve always taken wind, and other environmental features, into account when calculating our yardages. We know that differences in temperature affects how far the ball travels.
It’s quite impressive, though, to see that expressed in a definitive number and the reliability of the algorithm was quite confidence boosting. Once I trusted it, I began to discard the measured figure and take the adjusted number as read.
I simply hit more greens using this feature. It’s not legal in competition play but as I got used to seeing those numbers regularly, I could actually estimate the number to add on and that knowledge I could take into a competition.
The Pro XE is another exceptional rangefinder.
SRP: £449.
More information can be found on the Bushnell website.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
