Golf rangefinders are some of the most valuable items that a golfer can buy to use on the golf course and Bushnell is the leading brand. These items show golfers information on nearly every hole they are on, including yardage to the hole as well as information regarding hazards. In this guide, I’ll go over the best Bushnell golf rangefinders in full detail so that you know which one you should buy.
Bushnell used to have a lot of different models, but they have consolidated things into just three products. We’ll go through them in detail and also explain some of the older models you might be able to come across.
The Bushnell brand makes some of the best rangefinders that money can buy, so today we will be taking a look at what the brand has to offer, helping you to make a decision on your next purchase.
The Best Bushnell Golf Rangefinders
Best Bushnell Golf Rangefinders Reviews
Bushnell Pro XE
Best Premium
The Bushnell Pro XE is the absolute best premium rangefinder that Bushnell has to offer. It’s probably the best golf rangefinder you can find on the market, period. The original was released back in 2019, but Bushnell has been giving it constant updates and tweaks to keep its status as the best rangefinder.
The Pro XE features Slope-Switch Technology which easily allows you to switch the rangefinder in and out of Slope mode. When Slope is disabled, the Pro XE is legal during all tournament play. For those amateurs and beginner golfers out there, you can leave Slope mode on all the time. Slope mode on a rangefinder will give you precise distance to your target, but will also calculate the degree of slope and elevation on the way there to provide you with a “Play-like” distance.
This will automatically add or decrease yards to the target based on the slope calculated, providing you with the most precise, accurate distance you can get.
The Pro XE features Bushnell’s highest quality optics in a rangefinder yet with 7x magnification for easy focus on your target. New to this model is also a pulsing red ring that comes with the Jolt vibration when locking onto a target. This red ring helps ensures you have perfectly locked onto your target.
The Bushnell Pro XE is armored with a rubber housing and is fully waterproof and durable. You cannot go wrong with this rangefinder and is definitely at the top of the list for best premium rangefinder on the market today.
Obviously, the biggest downside to the Bushnell Pro XE is the price. You can definitely get rangefinders for less that do similar things. But for a premium rangefinder, you can expect to pay premium prices.
Click here to read our full Bushnell Pro XE review.
Things We Liked
- Pulsing red ring along with Jolt vibration makes sure you have locked onto your target
- Slope mode is incredibly accurate
- Integrated magnetic technology on the case allows you to stick it right to your golf cart for easy access every shot
Things We Didn’t Like
- Relatively expensive
Bushnell Tour V5
Best Value
The Tour V5 is a great rangefinder for average and intermediate golfers. If you are upgrading from the Tour V3 or V4, the V5 has a lot better clarity when looking into lens. The distance that the Tour V5 is also more accurate, precise to within 1 yard.
The V5 also has premium integration with the Bushnell golf app. When you use the app alongside the rangefinder, you will be able to view hole flyovers, premium hazard distances and hole layout information. The Tour V5 has JOLT, a vibration when it locks onto its target. This is a premium feature found in the Pro XE, so it’s a nice bonus here.
BITE magnetic technology allows you to snap the rangefinder to your golf cart and grab it easily.
Unlike the Pro XE, the Tour V5 doesn’t offer temperature or air pressure readings. And the display isn’t quite as clear, but it’s still an awesome device for the average golfer.
Things We Liked
- Pulsing red ring along with Jolt vibration makes sure you have locked onto your target
- Integrated magnetic technology on the case allows you to stick it right to your golf cart for easy access every shot
- Good integration with the Bushnell golf app
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not quite as clear as premium models
Bushnell Tour V5 Slope
Best Slope Mode
The Bushnell Tour V5 Slope is identical to the V5 rangefinder in nearly every way. It has the same display, accuracy to within 1 yard, and app integration. JOLT will vibrate when it locks onto your target as well.
The only differences in the Tour V5 slope vs Tour V5 are the extra $75 price tag and the added slope mode.
With Slope mode, the rangefinder will automatically calculate the slope and elevation on your shot and provide you an accurate distance based on those calculations. This is great because it will take up and down hill shots into consideration and add or decrease the necessary distance.
Slope mode is not legal for use in tournaments, but it can be toggled on and off on the side of the rangefinder. If you are a casual golfer, the extra price tag is worth the extra information that Slope mode will take into account.
Obsolete Bushnell Rangefinders
The following Bushnell golf rangefinders are no longer being sold through the official website or on on Amazon, but are still out in the wild. You might run into them used online or in your local pro shop.
Bushnell Tour V4
There are several products that we will be checking out today that fall under the Bushnell umbrella. So, to kick off this large list, we present one of the best products that Bushnell has put out to date with the Tour V4.
This rangefinder can help you find and tag hazards on the course from anywhere from five to 1000 feet. This will help you to always know exactly how far you are from a hazard at any given time, helping you to avoid potential perils.
The Tour V4 also can help you track the pin from over 400 yards out, helping you to make the right club choice to make the green. To help guarantee accuracy, the V4 will emit a vibration that lets the golfer know that they are targeting the pin, letting you know exactly how far from the hole you are.
If you are a golfer that is looking to take the competition to the big leagues, then you will be ready with the Tour V4, which is 100% tournament legal. When playing these professional games, you will be guaranteed to be able to see far out across the fairways, thanks to the fast focusing 5x Magnification.
On the downside for the Tour V4 is the accuracy of the unit if you are not of steady hands. If your hands are steady, then you should be able to get accurate readings every time. However, should you be a little shaky, the V4 has trouble getting certain readings, which makes it hard to use.
Overall, the Bushnell Tour V4 is a great product that most golfers can get the most out of… but is also just scratching the surface of Bushnell brand rangefinders.
Things We Liked
- Pinseeker with JOLT technology
- Effective range of 400 yards
- Tournament legal, pro certified
Things We Didn’t Like
- Not accurate in shaky hands
Bushnell Tour V3
The Bushnell Tour V3 is the previous model of the tour series, coming prior to the previous V4. As you might expect in this case, the product shares V3 shares a lot of similarities to its younger brother.
For example, you get roughly the same effective range as the V4, with a range of 10-1000 yards. You also get the same vibrating pin-seeker technology, which will vibrate the unit when you find the pin. While this feature is similar, the overall range of the pin-seeker is less, with an effective range up to only 300 yards.
What the V3 does have that the V4 does not, however, is an automatically updating “SCAN” mode. This mode will update your distance from the pin or hazards automatically, which eliminates the need for additional scans of the course.
As is the case for many of Bushnell’s “Tour” products, you will be ready to hit the course during a tournament with this rangefinder in hand, with the V3 being legal for tournament use. Any rangefinder could be the difference between victory or defeat during a tournament, so this will be sure to give you a leg up.
While maybe not as powerful as the V4 in some aspects, the Bushnell Tour V3 certainly has a lot to offer, and is just as good of a rangefinder as the newer V4 model.
Things We Liked
- Pinseeker with JOLT technology
- SCAN mode
- Tournament legal
Things We Didn’t Like
- Features may be overwhelming for new players
>> Click here for an in-depth review of the Bushnell Tour V3 <<
Bushnell Tour X Jolt GPS/Rangefinder
The Bushnell Tour X, the next rangefinder on our list today, is unique in the world of rangefinders, even within its own brand.
The Tour X comes equipped with “Dual Display Technology”. This technology makes it possible to switch between a bright red display or a black display, which can help a golfer to see the course in various lighting conditions. This, in turn, assures that the golfer can always clearly read the course.
Another unique aspect that the Tour X brings to the table is the ability to read slopes on a course. With use of the Tour X’s “Exchange Technology”, golfers can switch out their lens to be able to read hills and slopes on the fairway, which will allow the golfer to better adjust their shots to accommodate the terrain.
With the Tour X golfers can see further than with most other rangefinders, with an effective range of up to 1300 yards. This readout is almost always guaranteed accurate as well thanks to the Tour X’s “E.S.P” (Extreme Speed Precision), which provides fast and accurate yardage.
The only real issues with the Tour X are with the red display, as it can sometimes come out darker than intended, which can lead to small accuracy issues. This is due to the fact that the red display can become hard to read due to its darkness, making it hard to see the numbers on the display.
There also isn’t a mount for a tripod on the Tour X, which can be a nuisance to some. While not a big problem by any means, it can make the Tour X hard to use for those without a steady hand.
These are minor gripes however, as the Tour X far outweighs the negatives with positives. With benefits in multiple lighting situations, as well as providing long distance viewing, this is one tool a golfer cannot do without.
Things We Liked
- Dual display technology
- Pinseeker with JOLT technology
- Slope exchange
- Extreme Speed Precision
Things We Didn’t Like
- Red display can be hard to read
Bushnell Pro X7 Jolt Slope Rangefinders
Are you a golfer that wants to become professional, but your game is lacking a little extra “something”? If so, the Pro X7 just may be able to help you.
If you want range, you got it with the X7, which can give you a clear view for up to a mile out. Seeing as this is a much greater distance than you would need on a given hole (unless you are golfing on Mars), there should be no obstacle that you can’t spot in front of you.
This is further exemplified by the 7x magnification, which is where the X7 gets its name, and HD optics. These two features combine with 2nd generation E.S.P. Technology, which quickly scans and focuses the course, to give golfers the absolute clearest image possible through their viewfinder.
To help a golfer compensate for any incline or decline that the hole in question might be on, the X7 uses slope technology to give golfers accurate distance readings. And, much like others on this list, you will find that the Pro X7 contains pin-seeker and jolt technology, which vibrates your rangefinder when you locate the pin, letting you know just how close you are to the hole.
Unfortunately, all of these great features come at quite a cost, with a brand new X7 costing around the $450-$500 mark. In the tough economic times that we are in today, making a purchase that great may be tough for some people.
Also, unlike many other rangefinders available by Bushnell, the Pro X7 is not legal for tournament use. This makes the X7 great to practice your golf game as a whole, but not a great choice if you are looking for something to use during a local tournament.
With the kind of benefit that Pro X7 can give golfers, this shouldn’t be an issue, as with the X7 in hand you will be sure to be playing as good as a professional in no time.
Things We Liked
- Slope integration
- Extreme Speed Precision
- Pinseeker with JOLT technology
Things We Didn’t Like
- Relatively expensive
- Not tournament legal
Bushnell Tour Z6
As much as the Pro X7 rangefinder is a good product, many golfers may be looking for something that they can use in a tournament setting, but that still provides many of the same benefits. Enter the Bushnell Tour Z6.
The Tour Z6 has an effective range of 5 to 1300 yards, with magnification capabilities of up to six times. This will give you a complete and long range readout from every fairway to every rough on the golf course.
Should you be unfortunate enough to find yourself in a rainstorm while playing, then you will be in good hands the Z6. This is because the Tour Z6 is completely waterproof, meaning you never have to worry about water damage while playing.
As is the case with some other Bushnell rangefinders, the Z6 comes with the second generation Extreme Speed Precision (or E.S.P.) ability, which gives quick, clear, and accurate readouts on the rangefinder’s display. When you are trying to find the pin, the Z6 will emit a “jolt”, which will let the golfer know that they have targeted the pin, with accuracy within a ½ yard margin.
Keeping the image you see on screen crystal clear is the Z6’s use of “Vivid Display Technology”. This makes the image on screen vibrant and colorful, making it so what you are looking at through the viewfinder is as clear as it is in real life.
The only real drawback of the Tour Z6 is the lack of a reading for slopes, which can be forgiven, as this is actually one of the features that made the X7 illegal for tournament use. And with all the other features that the Tour Z6 has in tow, if you are looking for a rangefinder that you can use in competition, then look no further.
Things We Liked
- Fully waterproof
- Tournament legal
- Extreme Speed Precision
- Pinseeker with JOLT
Things We Didn’t Like
- No slope features
Bushnell Tour V4 Slope
We close out the list today with another version of the Bushnell Tour V4. This time around, we will be taking a look at the Slope edition of this Rangefinder.
As the name suggest, the slope version of the Tour V4 allows the user to accommodate for uphill and downhill slopes on the golf course. This will allow the golfer to make more accurate shots, as it helps to accurately calculate distance to the pin.
Another unique aspect that the V4 Slope has going for it is the overall size of the rangefinder. Easily held in the palm of your hand, this small rangefinder is easy to carry and transport around the course without becoming cumbersome in any way.
In other aspects, the V4 Slope is very much the same kind of great product that the original V4 model is. The Slope includes the same kind of pin-seeker technology, that sends vibrations to the user when locked onto the pin, as having the same kind of 5-1000-yard effective range, with the ability to read the pin from 400 yards out.
With not much negative to say about the V4 Slope, buying this rangefinder is a very safe gamble. If you are looking for a convenient and easy to use rangefinder, the V4 Slope is the way to go.
Things We Liked
- Slope integration
- Easy to hold
- Pinseeker with JOLT
Things We Didn’t Like
- Nothing much
Which of the Best Bushnell Golf Rangefinders is Best For You?
Before deciding on the right Bushnell rangefinder, consider these features.
Tournament Play
One problem that plagues a lot of rangefinders, even those outside the Bushnell umbrella, is whether or not the rangefinder in question is tournament legal. This is because, due to the kind of information that a rangefinder can give a golfer concerning the course they are playing on, these items can sometimes be seen as an unfair advantage.
If you are looking to buy a rangefinder for competitive play, try keeping an eye out for those products that say that they are USGA approved. Doing this assures that the rangefinder you are getting a product that is legal to use in a tournament, and means you won’t get reprimanded or disqualified for using it.
Also, kind of as a rule of thumb, a lot of the rangefinders that have slope detection features are NOT tournament legal. While this isn’t the case for all products with this feature, such as the Tour X, it is better to try and stay away from this feature if you are looking to play competitively.
Distance
Not all rangefinders are created equally. While some rangefinders can clearly see obstacles from over 1000 yards out, others struggle to keep up when looking that far out.
This is why the effective range of a rangefinder is important. While some rangefinders can claim to have a range of up to 1500 yards or more, these rangefinders’ displays sometimes becoming blurry when focusing from that distance.
For this reason, it is important to know that the display of your rangefinder can keep up with the distance that it can view. This way you know that everything you see on your display will remain crystal clear, giving you the best possible read of the course.
What Makes Bushnell Products Unique
Bushnell does a lot of things that many other brands do just as well, such as providing clear displays and accurate reads of the course. What makes the Bushnell product line unique, however, is the brand’s use of its “Pin-Seeker” and “Jolt” technology.
These two features give golfers an accurate detection of where the pin is located on the course, and provides a vibration to the unit when they find the pin. This gives golfers the ability to get the best possible result when shooting for the green, and helps to shave strokes off of their game.
Conclusion
Bushnell has simplified its rangefinder lineup in recent years, only providing three different models for the most part. If you can afford it, the Pro XE is the top rangefinder on the market today. For casual golfers, the Tour V5 is a more affordable option.
If you don’t plan on playing a lot of tournaments, then the Slope feature is awesome to have. It will automatically compensate for elevation and other factors in order to pinpoint the exact distance for you.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll have more piece of mind over what shot to play with a good golf rangefinder. If you buy one, comment down below and let us know what you went with.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API