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Bushnell GPS vs Rangefinder

Gear Patrol pitted Bushnell’s Yardage Pro GPS against their Tour V2 Rangefinder.

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Patrick Tuttle

By Patrick Tuttle

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Golf is a game of decision making. Make the wrong choice and you can kiss your score goodbye. Ever tried to carry a water hazard, only to come up a one yard short? I hate that. How about striping a perfect approach, only to have it come up short, or worse, fly the green? Chances are you’ll never have a tour caliber caddie with yardage book in hand to save you. It’s time to take matters into your own hands. It’s time to invest in a little technological assistance. The question is: Rangefinder or GPS?

Our friends over at Bushnell were more than happy to help us answer this question. They sent over their Yardage Pro GPS and Tour V2 Rangefinder. The challenge was simple. Pit them head-to-head on the King’s North course at Myrtle Beach National.

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Yardage Pro GPS

This may be the easiest-to-use GPS device that I have ever seen. The outdoor LCD screen displays the distances to the front, center, and back of the green. The Yardage Pro’s on-board memory can hold up to 10 courses with score cards. It also come with a complimentary 1-year membership to iGolf.com. Unlike other GPS download plans, you keep all the courses you download, even if your no longer maintain your membership. So no lost courses.

To be honest, this isn’t a fair fight. The Yardage Pro GPS is a basic, entry level product. It’s meant to be simple to use and lightweight. In these aspects, it functions brilliantly. There are other devices that offer distances to hazards and doglegs, but they get prohibitively expensive. Bushnell has found a way to offer the essential information you need at a price that works for the average golfer’s wallet.

Cost: $200

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Tour V2 Rangefinder

The V2 has the same great design and feel as the original version but now comes equipped with the technology to adjust distances based on changes in elevation. One reading gives you the straight distance, below that the angle of elevation change and an adjusted distance are provided. Now when you play into an elevated green you’ll know if you’ll need that extra club.

Plus, the Tour V2 rangefinder offers the added benefit of being able to find the distance to other objects on the course with laser precision. Bushnell’s Pinseeker technology makes hitting the flag almost foolproof. That’s a claim that other rangefinders on the market just can’t make.

Cost: $350

Head-to-Head

I’m a rangefinder guy. I like to know how far hazards are off the tee. For me, the rangefinder is the closest thing to having a tour caliber yardage book. The GPS, however, has the advantage of being walked out by professionals and is über-simple to use.

If you are just getting into distance devices, the Yardage Pro GPS is a great place to start. It’s affordable, easy to set-up, and you keep the courses you download. If, on the other hand, you like to know distances to all sorts of targets, then the Tour V2 is going to be your best bet. Either way, both are lightweight, compact, and durable. Always a good combination for lugging around the golf course.

So what kind of golfer are you? Leave us a comment and let everyone know.