Is TheGrint PRO Worth It Beyond Your Swingman?
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In a world full of subscriptions, why does a rangefinder need a membership to use? The answer is more complicated, and better, than you think.
The short version: your Swingman rangefinder doesn't need one. The laser, pin seeking, and slope all work out of the box. TheGrint Pro is something bigger. It is the membership behind TheGrint, the golf app trusted by millions of golfers, and the connected features in your Swingman's lens are only one piece of it. TheGrint PRO upgrades how you track, read, and play your whole round, and it happens to make your rangefinder smarter too. At $59.99 a year, here is what that actually gets you.
What works without TheGrint PRO
Every standard rangefinder feature works with no membership at all. Laser the flag, use pin seeking, flip on slope. That is the full rangefinder you paid for.
TheGrint's free app is also a complete golf app, not a time-limited trial. Free members get GPS on 40,000+ courses, hole-by-hole scoring, headline stats, live leaderboards, and 6 games.
What TheGrint PRO adds to your rangefinder
With an annual Pro membership, your Swingman connects to TheGrint over Bluetooth and shows:
- Front, Center, and Back distances to the green, right in the lens
- The pin's relative position on the green, front to back, after you laser the flag
Why the connected features are part of TheGrint PRO
Those green distances come from TheGrint's course mapping, the same data behind the app's GPS. Putting them in the lens means keeping that data synced to the device for every course you play.
We chose to bundle that into Pro instead of building it into the hardware price. That keeps the rangefinder itself more affordable, and it means new connected features can arrive over Bluetooth over time, without buying a new device.
What else you get with TheGrint PRO
This is the part most rangefinder buyers miss. The connected lens is one line on a long list.
Know where your strokes go. A Free membership shows the headline number in every stats module. TheGrint PRO opens the full detail: 50+ performance stats, plus Insights & Targets that compare you with similar golfers and show what to work on.
Read the green, not just reach it. Green Maps show the slope and break of the green in color, with arrows for direction, on 25,000+ courses. Free members get 3 lifetime views. Pro is unlimited, on your phone and your watch.
Plan smarter tee shots. Target Dispersion replaces the circular aimpoint on the GPS with an arc you set yourself, with your own width and draw or fade bias. Pro also adds Strategic GPS Points.
Leave the phone in the bag. Free includes GPS distances on Apple Watch and Wear OS. Pro adds watch score tracking, the watch Shot Tracker, the GPS Aerial Map, and Green Maps on your wrist.
Play more games. Free has 6 games. Pro has 11, adding Animals, Marks, Hot Potato, Vegas, and Wolf, plus Multi-Games and Presses for groups that like to keep things interesting.
Skip the typing. Pro includes unlimited Scorecard Picture Service uploads and unlimited score imports.
Save on gear. Pro members get 15% off TheGrint Shop products on every order in the Pro Members Only Shop, including rangefinders, gloves, speakers, cart mounts, tees, towels, and more.
Handicap, if you're outside the US. Pro includes a GHAP handicap. In the US, an official USGA Handicap ID is a separate purchase, and the Pro + USGA Handicap Bundle saves $20 compared with buying both separately.
Free vs Pro at a glance
|
Feature |
Free |
Pro |
|---|---|---|
|
Swingman laser, pin seeking, and slope |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Front/Center/Back and pin position in the lens |
No |
Yes |
|
GPS distances on 40,000+ courses |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Performance stats |
Headline numbers |
Full detail, 50+ stats, Insights & Targets |
|
Green Maps |
3 lifetime views |
Unlimited |
|
Target Dispersion and Strategic GPS Points |
No |
Yes |
|
Watch features |
GPS distances |
Adds scoring, Shot Tracker, Aerial Map, Green Maps |
|
Games |
6 |
11, plus Multi-Games and Presses |
|
TheGrint Shop discount |
None |
15% off every order |
Does the math work?
Pro is $59.99 a year, about $5 a month, with a 7-day free trial. The shop discount alone goes a long way: 15% off a $299.99 rangefinder would save about $45. Add a few gloves or a cart mount over the season and the discount can cover most of the membership.
The better question is whether you'll use it. If you track your scores, play with a regular group, or wear a golf watch, Pro adds something to every round, not just the shots where you reach for the laser.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to use my Swingman rangefinder? No. All standard laser features work without a membership. TheGrint Pro unlocks the green distances and pin position in the lens.
How much is TheGrint Pro? $59.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial. Monthly pricing is also available and varies by country.
What does Pro include besides the Swingman features? Full stats and Insights, unlimited Green Maps, Target Dispersion, watch scoring, 11 games, unlimited scorecard uploads, and 15% off TheGrint Shop.
Can I try Pro before committing? Yes. Start the 7-day free trial in TheGrint app and pair your Swingman to see the connected features on the course.
Read next: How to Use a Rangefinder Without Slowing Down Play
Sources for this post: TheGrint Free vs Pro, TheGrint features, Swingman launch post on The Range.
