50 Words or Less
The Bushnell Tour Hybrid rangefinder is one of the most impressive distance measuring devices I’ve ever tested. Seamless integration of GPS with a top shelf rangefinder.
Introduction
Merging a rangefinder with a GPS is the final frontier of distance measuring devices. It’s been tried many times – Bushnell themselves had a Hybrid in 2018 [review HERE] – but the combination has never been a huge success with golfers. The latest attempt to bring these two technologies together is the Bushnell Tour Hybrid. With a clean exterior and all the information right in the viewfinder, could this be the final evolution of rangefinders?
Set Up & Ease of Use
Typically this section is pro forma for a rangefinder, but with the Bushnell Tour Hybrid, it’s critical. Making the GPS work as easily as the rangefinder is the key to this device being a success.
The rangefinder portion of the Bushnell Tour Hybrid works as you would expect. Pushing the blue power button turns the unit on, pressing it again brings up your distance. Holding down the middle button brings up the menus where you can change from yards to meters and turn the GPS on and off. The slope function is controlled by a slider on the side of the rangefinder.
Where the Tour Hybrid gets impressive is the way it integrates the GPS. To start, this unit actually has a GPS built in – it’s not just syncing data from an app on your phone. If the GPS function is turned on, the nearest course will appear in the top of the viewfinder when you power on the Bushnell Tour Hybrid. Once you’ve confirmed the course, every time you power up the rangefinder, the Front/Middle/Back yardages display above the aiming reticle. You can change holes with the grey buttons on the top, and the distances update instantly. This is the easiest-to-use, most seamless GPS integration I’ve ever seen.
The Tour Hybrid can be connected to the Bushnell Golf app to update course GPS maps. After you link the device the first time, this process is quick and easy. Moreover, this is not something you should need to do very often.
Features & Accuracy
I don’t want to bury the lede: the Bushnell Tour Hybrid is the most impressive rangefinder/GPS combo I’ve ever used. The way that Bushnell built the GPS right into the viewfinder is genius. You don’t need to think, “The flag is 150…I should check the F/M/B yardages” because all the data is right there. This is a huge advantage on the course because you’ll instantly know if a pin is near the front or back edge of the green.
Now we can get into the details. The rangefinder itself is very strong – in the high end for both speed and accuracy. Its slope adjustment works well, and I love the dedicated slider for turning it on and off.
The GPS is similarly accurate – always within a yard of other GPS devices and course markings. Where the GPS elevates itself is with slope adjustments. If the slope compensation is turned on, it works for not just the laser but the GPS, too.
One of the biggest questions I had about the Bushnell Tour Hybrid was the battery life, since the replaceable CR2 battery is being asked to power both the GPS and laser. Per Bushnell, the Tour Hybrid should last 30 rounds. That may be more golf than I play this season, but I will update this review if my experience deviates from that significantly.
The Bushnell Tour Hybrid is a full sized rangefinder that’s on the heavier side. Above, you see it next to the Bushnell Tour V5 [review HERE] for reference. It weighs in a 9.3 ounces, which makes sense given that it contains not just the internals for the rangefinder but also the GPS.
Finally, the Tour Hybrid has all the Bushnell signature features that regular users have come to love. Pinseeker with JOLT and Visual JOLT leave no doubt about whether or not you’ve locked onto the pin. The BITE magnetic mount lets you stick the Bushnell Tour Hybrid to your cart without worrying that it will fall off. With 6X magnification and a 500 yard range to the flag, you’ll be able to see and measure anything you can hit.
Value
The Bushhnell Tour Hybrid retails for $499. Please consider supporting Plugged In Golf by buying it HERE.
If you want a premium Bushnell rangefinder, I would recommend the Tour Hybrid above the Pro X3+, which costs $100 more [review HERE]. For those that want a rangefinder/GPS hybrid combo, the only other one on this level is the Voice Caddie SL3 [review HERE]. They have the same price but approach the GPS element very differently, so it’s up to the individual which features they value more.
Conclusion
It’s been a while since a rangefinder really blew me away, but the Bushnell Tour Hybrid did just that. For me, this is the perfect integration of GPS and rangefinder technology, and it will help you play better, smarter golf.
Buy the Bushnell Tour Hybrid HERE
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