Advertisement

Devil Ball Proving Ground: Bushnell Tour Z6 Rangefinder

Jonathan Wall

Welcome to Devil Ball's Proving Ground, where we put the latest golf gear through its paces. Today, we take Bushnell's compact Tour Z6 rangefinder for a spin around the course.

Tester — Jonathan Wall — Handicap: 2.1

Target Golf Audience — All players

Initial thoughts

Like the Pro1M -- which we reviewed earlier this year -- the Tour Z6 has a number of great features that are worth pointing out. For one, there's the great white/black color scheme that gives this rangefinder a classy look. Obviously, having a pretty rangefinder won't help you play better, but it's nice to see Bushnell maintaing the black/white/red look from the Pro1M on down to the slimmer Z6.

As far as features are concerned, here's a look at what you get with the Z6:

  • Tour Certified

  • PinSeeker Technology to zero in on the flag

  • Up to 1/2 yard accuracy

  • 5 yards-1,300 yards ranging performance (450+ yards to a flag)

  • Vivid Display Technology (VDT) for all lighting conditions

  • E.S.P. (Extreme. Speed. Precision.)

  • 6x Magnification (objects appear 6x closer)

  • Premium lens coatings for superb optical quality

  • Adjustable diopter setting

  • Rubber armored metal housing

  • Posi-Thread™ Battery Door

  • Waterproof (IPX7) and RainGuard HD lens coating

  • 3-Volt Battery and Premium Carry Case are also included

  • 2 Year Warranty

If you're wondering why I'm listing every feature, it's because I want you to notice that with the exception of getting an extra 100 yards to the flag, the Pro1M and Tour Z6 are almost identical in the almost every way.

Why is this important? I think some people would probably look at the Tour Z6 and automatically assume that just because it's smaller it likely doesn't have the same technology (especially since it comes with a cheaper price tag).

Wrong. Unless you need that additional "x" in magnification (7x vs. 6x), there's no reason why you can't pick up the Z6 and feel confident it'll give you the right yardage the first time you hit the target.

The slimmed-down look allows this rangerfinder to fit easily in your hand and fire. Now here's the one drawback to the Tour Z6. If you're the guy who enjoys shooting with the rangefinder in the horizontal position, the Tour Z6 may not be for you. Unlike the Pro1M, which allows you to shoot vertically or horizontally, the Tour Z6 only shoots from a vertical position.

On-course thoughts

I rarely take a golf cart when I go out and play, so the Tour Z6 was a nice change from the bulkier Pro1M, which used to hang on my bag and bounce around. With the Z6, it's compact enough to put in my pocket if I'm walking up to a shot with a couple clubs. I never felt like I had to keep a hand free just for the rangefinder.

Another nice addition? How about the addition of a decimal point when you get close to the flag. Sure, most of us likely couldn't tell the difference between 121 yards and 121.4 yards, but it's nice to know Bushnell is trying its best to give golfers the most accurate rangefinder on the market.

Final verdict

The old saying "the best things come in small packages" definitely applies to the Tour Z6. Just like the Pro1M, Bushnell's compact rangefinder not only hits the target with ease, I love the fact that you still get the one button operation, Vivid Display Technology and PinSeeker Technology for only $399, which happens to be $100 less than the Pro1M (Non-slope version).

If you're looking for a Bushnell that's reasonably priced but still has all the bells and whistles, this is the model to check out.

Price: $399

Got a product you want us to review here at Devil Ball? Shoot us an email at jonathanrwall@yahoo.com or reach us on Twitter at @jonathanrwall.