Bushnell Phantom 2 Golf GPS Review

Bushnell Phantom 2 GPS Rangefinder

Bushnell Golf has long been seen as a leader in golf GPS rangefinder technology. Their new Phantom 2 GPS rangefinder is a portable device that can be mounted to any golf cart thanks to a handy magnet, and offers an impressive number of options to help your game.

Bushnell Phantom 2 Features

Right out of the box, one of the best features of the Phantom 2 is the large, easy-to-read font on its larger and improved display. The display is also “transflective” to provide high visibility even in bright sunlight. Far too often do competing devices become difficult to read due to glare. Bushnell addresses this head-on.

The font on yardage outputs is textured and darker than I remember on previous generations. Up to six different hazards can also be displayed (depending on the hole, of course), providing all the information you need to manage your way around any course.

Speaking of courses, over 38,000 golf courses have been pre-loaded into the device. There’s also an incredibly intuitive feature that allows you to cycle through different pin locations on any green, providing a precise distance to the pin. This might be one of the best new features in a device of this type, competing directly with laser rangefinders that are usually much more accurate.

Combine all of these features with an outstanding 18+ hour battery life and you’ve got one of the best GPS rangefinder packages available, if not THE best.

Performance and Overall Impression

While my time with the Phantom 2 has been brief as of this review, I'm still very impressed.

Having used past Bushnell generations, I was a little apprehensive as to the number of features that would differ that much from previous versions. I was wrong. While the core of the Phantom 2 is consistent with all GPS rangefinders — it provides you yardages, right? — the features described above are serious enhancements to an already great offering.

The smartphone app that pairs with the Bushnell Phantom 2 is also incredibly useful as it provides a full hole layout on your screen. The app expands your options that the Phantom 2 alone cannot provide, including finger-drag yardages to specific points on the hole and a digital scorecard.

Overall, this is a fantastic option for players who don’t want to use a laser rangefinder and want the convenience of an automatic GPS readout throughout their round. The new pin placement feature on the Phantom 2 allows for greater precision on approach shot yardages, which was incredibly useful during my rounds with the device. While I still prefer the use of a laser in specific situations — such as shooting distances to a tree or corner of a hazard — I don’t have enough of those situations to fully sway my opinion here.

The Bushnell Phantom 2 GPS Rangefinder retails for $129.99 and is available in different color options.