Bushnell Tour Hybrid vs Garmin Approach Z30 Rangefinder: Read Our Head To Head Verdict

Golf technology has never been better, with rangefinders being one of the products to benefit from significant improvements over the last decade or so. While budget options have made a big leap and offer golfers serious value for money, the technology and performance on offer at the top end of the market is remarkable. The same can be said of the best golf watches, and best golf launch monitors as well.

Bushnell and Garmin are two of the market leaders when it comes to the best rangefinders and the Bushnell Tour Hybrid and the Garmin Approach Z30 are among the best we have ever tested. Which one is best for you though? Let's dive in and take a look.

Design

The Garmin Approach Z30 may not have the flashiest design, but its minimalist styling gives it a sleek, refined appearance in line with many of the best rangefinders. From the moment it came out of the box the device felt premium, and it comes supplied with a sturdy, well-made case featuring a zipper and elastic strap to keep it safe and secure, whether stored in or attached to your golf bag.

The Bushnell Tour Hybrid boasts a sleek, modern aesthetic with a matte finish and subtle blue accents for a refined look. Its compact form is enhanced by ergonomically placed grip textures and a clear button layout that feels premium in hand. The front showcases dual lenses framed in chrome, lending a polished touch to its sturdy build. Overall, it delivers a strong blend of style, ergonomics, and durability.

The Bushnell has a more premium look to it and we'll give it the edge in this category, but this is very much a subjective thing and some may prefer the simpler design of the Garmin.

Display

The Tour Hybrid brings together everything golfers love about the best Bushnell rangefinders, while adding a built-in GPS that projects yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green directly into the viewfinder. The 6x magnification delivers impressively sharp optics, making targets easy to pick out. If there’s a minor drawback (with the emphasis on 'minor'), it’s that the graphics could be a touch clearer in low-light conditions. Some other devices allow switching between black and red displays, which can improve visibility. That said, I never genuinely struggled to read the Tour Hybrid’s graphics. It isn’t flawless but it comes impressively close.

The Garmin Z30 quickly and easily captured yardages through a crystal clear viewfinder with x6 zoom and the focus can easily adjusted to your preference. You will be given both the yardage to the target and adjusted calculated yardage thanks to Garmin’s Plays Like technology - a yardage based on elevation change. While slope adjusted yardages are common on the beast rangefinders, the new Garmin Range Relay technology was really impressive and practical.

So which is best? Both have excellent displays and there is very little to choose between them.

Ease of use

We test a lot of golf tech and often the setup process of downloading apps, pairing via Bluetooth, creating new accounts etc can feel slow and frustrating. With that in mind, the Bushnell Tour Hybrid is refreshingly different. There’s nothing extra required; just switch it on and it’s ready to go. The built-in GPS activates automatically and locks onto the course in under a minute, usually considerably less, during our testing. We have used it across the UK and in Spain, and every time it instantly identified the exact course with impressive accuracy. We didn’t even need to check the manual as the setup really is that simple and intuitive.

As for the Garmin, there is a lot to love about it in terms of the features and usability once you are all set up, but it requires a little work to get there. For existing Garmin users, such as those who use of the best Garmin golf watches, this is not going to be an issue and once set up there are a lot of added benefits to syncing devices and connecting to the app. For non-Garmin users though this is not as straightforward as using the Bushnell.

A clear win for the Bushnell here.

Features

While one of the major attractions of the Tour Hybrid is its ease of use and simplicity, that does not mean it is lacking when it comes to features. In addition to its built-in GPS, the Tour Hybrid includes all the hallmark Bushnell features that have established the brand as a leader in laser rangefinders.

Having front, middle and back distances in the viewer is only a small amount of added information, but knowing these numbers and how that corresponds with the yardage to the pin really allows the golfer to make better decisions when approaching greens.

On a similar note, the Tour Hybrid offers slope-adjusted distances, both for the laser distance and the GPS distances, which is another invaluable feature when you're not in a competition. This can be easily toggled on and off with the slope switch on the side of the device. It's the first Bushnell device to offer slope-adjusted distances for both the laser and the GPS offers golfers a further layer of information when they are making decisions on the course. This is definitely one of the best rangefinders with slope out there right now.

Additionally, JOLT vibration provides a more pronounced feedback when the pin is locked, while a pulsing red circle gives a clear visual confirmation of the target. The device boasts a maximum range of 1,300 yards and delivers accuracy to within a yard for targets up to 500 yards away. With 6x magnification, the optics are sharp and easy to read, and the IPX6 waterproof rating ensures reliable performance even in heavy rain.

The Garmin Approach Z30 arrives ready to go, with plenty of charge straight out of the box. It provides standard yardages to the target along with adjusted “PlaysLike” distances that factor in elevation changes. When paired with another Garmin device - in our case it was the Approach S70 watch - the two work seamlessly together, sharing data to give golfers detailed insights for better club and strategy decisions. The Z30 displays distances to the front, back and pin, while relaying that information to the watch screen, along with the precise pin position on the green. For competitive play, a simple press of the top ‘mode’ button enables tournament mode, deactivating slope and signaling compliance with a blue indicator light.

Having yardages displayed constantly on the watch speeds up play, eliminating the need to recheck distances, while the bird’s-eye pin view helps golfers navigate bunkers and plan safer approaches. The Z30 is fully waterproof and includes a Find My Garmin function through the Garmin Golf app, which shows the device’s last known location if misplaced.

When it comes to features, it's a win for the Garmin.

Overall appeal

You can't go wrong with either of these excellent devices so the choose really comes down to what you are looking for in a rangefinder and how much you value ease of use compared to extra features and functionality.

The appeal of the Bushnell is its high quality performance without the user having to really do anything other than point and shoot. The added feature of GPS numbers and the extra information relating to the front and back of the green is a really nice addition that we think proves very helpful on the course.

The Garmin is perfect for the gadget loving golfer, especially when used in conjunction with other Garmin devices such as the excellent G70 watch. If you don't mind taking that little bit of extra time to sync to a smartphone app and perhaps a watch, you'll love the features on offer.

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Garmin Approach Z30 if...

- You don't mind pairing with a smartphone app
- You have other Garmin devices
- You are worried about losing your device!

Choose the Bushnell Tour Hybrid if...

- You want built-in GPS
- You want strong target lock feedback
- You want easier set up and less faff