Bushnell Hybrid Rangefinder Review

For our Bushnell Hybrid Rangefinder Review Summary, we read dozens of user reviews and noted the most commonly mentioned pros and cons. Here’s our takeaway…

Take a quick look at the pros and cons mentioned by users or scroll down for our full assessment and the product specs.

Listed in order from most mentions to least

• Having GPS and laser in the same device.
• Easy to use
• Accuracy of laser
• Worth the money
• Accuracy of GPS
• Improves scoring ability
• Good battery life
• No fees
• Size and weight
• Shot distance measuring feature
• Pinseeker makes getting yardage to the flag fast and easy
• Lots of golf courses
• Preloaded

Listed in order from most mentions to least

• Having to manually find the course. (Note: Auto course recognition is a feature of this the Bushnell Hybrid rangefinder. One user mentioned that after updating courses online, the problem with auto recognition disappeared.
• Battery life too short (If you’re used to only replacing the battery once a year in a laser, remembering to recharge can be an issue.)
• Accuracy of GPS
• Not worth the money (the price has dropped dramatically on this, so it may depend upon how much you paid)
• On long distances, it requires steadiness
• GPS features are basic

Having GPS and Laser in the same device, was mentioned by more people than anything else in the nearly 50 reviews I read. Laser gives extremely accurate yardages to any target that you can get in its sights. The GPS gives distances to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as various hazards and layup positions. Those types of targets are difficult, if not impossible to get with a laser. That’s why we believe the Bushnell Hybrid Rangefinder is the best overall rangefinder on the market, at least until it gest some competition. That said, there was a surprise in the my analysis of the results that causes me to qualify that opinion in a big way.

Here it is… The Bushnell Hybrid Golf Rangefinder IS the best overall rangefinder (GPS & laser) for SOME users. If you’re the kind of person who is going to remember to regularly charge your rangefinder, then this is an excellent choice for you. What could really be better than having GPS and laser in the same device? But if you’re like me and just want to leave your rangefinder in your golf bag and have it ready to play at a moment’s notice, this may not be for you. In fact, you might want to head right on over to our Best Golf Rangefinder post.

My expectation before reading the reviews was that the laser and GPS battery would be separate, thus even if the GPS was dead, you could still use your laser. That’s not the case – the Bushnell Hybrid uses a single rechargeable battery and if it’s dead, neither the laser or the GPS will function. I’ve been using a laser for a long time and I carry an extra 9-volt battery in my bag, for the once a year when it dies. Considering how random my golf schedule is, I can’t imagine that I would be able to have my Bushnell Hybrid charged up for every round. For me, that is a deal breaker. But I know plenty of people who use GPS and remember to charge it up regularly. Their the ones I think would do well to make this purchase.

I’m still impressed with the GRS Score this device received. In GPS, it ranks very close to the top of models with similar GPS features. In Laser, it’s ranking isn’t at the top, but we believe that is largely because units with GPS rarely rank as high as laser.

Model	Bushnell Hybrid
Type	Hybrid
Download Fees?	No
Height	2.1 in.
Width	2.6 in.
Depth	4.3 in.
Weight	8 oz.
Screen Size	N/A
Resolution	N/A
Battery	Li-ion recharge
Battery Life	14-16 hrs
Display	LCD
Rainproof	N/A
Water Resistant	N/A
Pre-Loaded	16,000+
Course Capacity	N/A
Available Courses	16,000+
Ability to Add Courses	Yes
Auto Course Recognition	Yes
Auto Hole Advance	Yes
TouchScreen	No
Touch/Cursor Targeting	No
Pin Position	Y*
Measures Shots	Yes
Stats	No
Scorecard	No
PC Analysis	No
PC Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	Yes
Ability to Add Targets	Yes
Hole Overview	No
Green Rotate	N/A
Magnification	5x
Maximum Range	1000
Minimum Range	10
Slope	No
Notes	-
Bushnell Hybrid	Regular Price $499.00 Today $399.99 Order Now
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