Golf Monthly's Bushnell Tour V4 laser rangefinder review, the replacement of the popular Tour V3 which now has an extended range, faster focus and quicker distance display
The Bushnell Tour V4 JOLT laser is the long-awaited replacement to the popular Tour V3 JOLT model, a favoured choice among amateur golfers up and down the country.
The new Tour V4 is 30 per cent smaller and lighter, making it fit seamlessly in your hands and even your pocket. It also has a new Fast Focus system that allows you to adjust the focus with the same finger you use to fire the laser.
A change in the Rules of Golf, specifically rule 14-3 regarding artificial devices that came into effect from January 1st 2016, meant that slope lasers could now be used in competitions providing the function is disabled and there is a local rule in place allowing distance measuring devices (which pretty much all golf clubs in the UK have).
This means that golfers will be more encourage to buy the slope version, distinguished by its red trim on the front of the unit, of the Tour V4 JOLT (£315) knowing they can disable the feature and use it legally in competitions. This is ideal for golfers that play lots of different courses or hilly golf courses.
While the V4 is certainly more compact, the rough surfaces around the points at which it is in contact with your hand mean you don’t lose out on stability. It can be a little time consuming to turn the slope function on and off (it took us a few goes to master it) and the focus toggle is a little too stiff for our liking, but other than that the Tour V4 improves upon the Tour V3.
Increasing the range of the JOLT feature will please lower handicappers that hit the ball a long way and want to know the exact distance to pins on approaches to par fives. I even managed to pick out a flag that was 390 yards away, very impressive!
As always, Bushnell hasn’t scrimped on the carry case, which has a premium look to it and clips easily to the bag to allow swift access. The battery meter is another reassuring feature, keeping you updated on when you need to buy a replacement.
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