GOLF GADGET REVIEW! – Bushnell Pro 1M Laser Rangefinder

Goodbye 1600 Pro, Hello Bushnell Pro 1M!

(Written By: GolfSpy Dave) Welcome to “Part 1” of the Golfspy Dave “Laser Rangefinder Round-Up”. Our first contestant is the 2012 Bushnell Pro 1M.  As you probably gathered from the line above, this laser is a replacement for the solid performing 1600 Pro model.  I was definitely a fan of the 1600 Pro, you can read the review HERE, but there were some issues with ergonomics and on course use that kept me from bagging that unit for the 2011 golf season.  When Bushnell announced the 2012 line-up, the Pro 1M definitely caught my attention.

Does the Pro 1M have the characteristically great Bushnell features while also addressing my issues with the 1600 Pro?  Could the Bushnell Pro 1M be the laser rangefinder of the 2012 season?

Cosmetics and Feel

The Bushnell 1600 Pro had a great feel in the hands, but was overall a bit large and cumbersome on the course.  I am very pleased with the new, more compact design of the Bushnell Pro 1M.  Like its 1600 Pro predecessor, the exterior of the Pro 1M is multi-material in composition and is used in horizontal orientation.  I found the Pro 1M slightly more compact feeling than the Pro 1600, fitting snuggly in my hands.  You will find tacky and comfortable rubber where your fingers interact with the unit, again promoting ergonomic usage.

While the 1600 Pro had a professional looking, yet somewhat utilitarian, grey, black, and silver color scheme, the Pro 1M sports a bolder black and white styling.  The “trigger” button for the laser is also now bright red, which adds to the aesthetics, but also helps you to find it instantly.  I think that the unit is significantly more attractive than the 1600 Pro.  Although the Pro 1M is still larger than many of the vertical-firing lasers out there, it definitely has the style and looks to compete with any other laser in the marketplace.

Cosmetics & Feel Score: 20/20

Performance

Here are the Bushnell Pro 1M Specs:

• Tour Certified
• PinSeeker Technology to zero in on the flag
• +/- 1 yard accuracy
• 5 yards-1 mile ranging performance (550+ yards to a flag)
• Vivid Display Technology (VDT) for all lighting conditions
• 7x Magnification (objects appear 7x closer)
• PowerBoost™ for 35% more Acquisitions
• Posi-Thread™ Battery Door
• Waterproof construction
• RainGuard HD lens coating
• 3-Volt Battery and Premium Carry Case are also included
• 2 Year Warranty

One of the things that I loved about the 1600 Pro was that it felt sturdy and very waterproof.  I had reservations about taking an expensive and possibly delicate piece of electronics out on the wet course.  While it is more of a looker than the 1600 Pro, the Pro 1M retains the rugged pedigree from its predecessor.  Don’t freak out if you drop it in the wet grass, it’ll survive. It seems like it could even make it through a parking lot “oops” or two.  You know those laptop computers that they use on construction sites?  That is what the Pro 1M reminds me of.  Excellent survivability.  Should you have an “accident”, the Bushnell Pro 1M does have a two-year warranty.

Ease of Use

The Bushnell Pro 1M keeps to the standard laser operation scheme.  Push button to turn on, and then push again to target the flag.  Very simple.  Pinseeker™ technology allows you to pick up the flag, even when other objects are present in the targeting field.  Want to know distances of multiple targets, just hold the button and scan around.  Get your number(s) and then put it back in the case.  The Pro 1M can take care of that whole “turning off” thing for you.

On the Course

The Bushnell Pro 1M is a fast laser rangefinder.  Powers up fast then finds the target distance almost instantaneously. I did not ever feel any kind of lag with the unit and the Pinseeker™ technology just flat out works.  Like the 1600 Pro, the optics of the Pro 1M are amazingly clear, providing no image distortion even with the 7x magnification. Accuracy to a yard from 550 yards out seems to work quite well for my present golf game.  If you need something more accurate than that, you may want to double-check how far you are actually hitting the ball…

Up to this point, you may be thinking that the Bushnell Pro 1M is just the Pro 1600 with a new chassis.  If that were the case, the Pro 1M would still be a great unit as was the 1600 Pro before it.  However, the Pro 1M also comes with Bushnell’s new Vivid Display Technology (VDT).  In common speak, VDT represents a replacement of the traditional black display in the unit with a bright reddish-orange one.  The word “vivid” is definitely deserved.  Under all light conditions that I played with the unit, the VDT display was excellent.  You even have the ability to adjust the brightness of the display to one of four settings via the MODE function.  It was nearly impossible to get a focused photograph through the unit, but this should give you a feeling for the new display.  *NOTE –  the display is much brighter than shown in the photo.

One of my play gripes with the 1600 was the horizontal, two-handed operation on the course.  With the 1600 Pro, I kept knocking off my hat every time I brought the unit up to my eye.  I didn’t experience any of this agitation with the Bushnell Pro 1M.  It is still a horizontal and realistically two-handed unit, but it does seem to “fit” better.  I realize as I write this that it is possible that the 1600 Pro and the Pro 1M actually have the same overall dimensions, as I didn’t measure them.  Even so, whether it is physical or psychological, the Pro 1M seems more compact than the 1600 Pro and is definitely more pleasurable to use on the course.

The Bushnell Pro 1M also comes with the great carrying case, a welcome Bushnell standard.  The case clips to the bag/cart, and closes with both magnetic and zipper closures.  While I have yet to find a need for it, the Pro 1M also comes with an accessory mount at on the bottom.  The owner’s manual does mention something called a 360R-Retractor that “attaches the rangefinder to your golf bag for easy access while walking the course”.  Maybe that’s like one of those retractable key chains that custodians have.  That would be cool with a laser.  I may have to check this out…

Performance Score: 60/60

Value

The tournament edition Bushnell Pro 1M lists for $499 with the slope version coming in at $599.  This definitely places the Pro 1M at the top of the laser rangefinder scale.  While I would otherwise classify the unit as flawless, I am not sure about the pricing.  The tournament version of Bushnell’s Tour Z6 lists for $399.  Just from looking at the specs, I am not totally sure why the Pro 1M costs $100 more than the Tour E6.  Never fret though; the Tour E6 is currently in for testing.  I’ll definitely explore this c-note discrepancy.

Value Score: 18/20

Overall Score: 98/100

Summary

The Bushnell Pro 1M starts off the 2012 laser rangefinder reviews with a lead-off homerun. Out side of a pricing question, I really cannot come up with a fault in this unit.  Even the horizontal operation that I didn’t like in the 1600 Pro is quite easy and manageable in the Pro 1M.  Other lasers better look out.  The Bushnell Pro 1M has set the 2012 bar very high!

LINKS:

Product page:  Click Here
Amazon:  Click Here
Review of Bushnell 1600: Click Here