Bushnell Tour V5 Shift review: How does it perform?

I always think that one of the hardest pieces of equipment in golf to improve on is a laser – and especially a Bushnell one.

When you’re the undisputed market leader and golfers have been relying on you for years, why would they invest in a new model?

To an extent, Galvin Green have the same issue with waterproofs. It’s not like your Bushnell laser is going to wear out or become unfashionable and how could any new laser be more accurate?

By the same token, the Achilles’ Heel of the laser is its inability to see through hills and trees and zap flags that are hidden out of view. That’s not going to change any time soon.

And yet, for all that, the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift must count as one of the company’s best products to date.

What’s so clever about it? Here are some of the key features:

• The viewfinder is much brighter than on previous models so even on a sunny day you’ll have no problem seeing what you need to.

• The Shift function gives you a ‘plays like’ distance that takes into account whether the shot is uphill or downhill. This feature is not legal in competition but toggling a switch turns it on and off. It’s a very handy feature to use in practice and for recreational golf.

• When your Bushnell Tour V5 Shift detects a pin, you get a red ring around the viewfinder as well as that trademark Bushnell ‘buzz’ so you know your target has been locked in on.

• A magnetic grip allows your Bushnell Tour V5 Shift to attach securely to a cart or any other such surface.

The key difference between a Bushnell laser and pretenders to the crown tends to be how easy it is to zap your target and how crisply it returns the data.

I can tell you that the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift will help you to build trust in its capabilities and accuracy very quickly and that can only lead to you approaching your next shot with greater confidence.

At £359, it is certainly not cheap but it represents a sound investment in a product that comes with a two-year guarantee and is likely to serve you for much longer than that.

Bushnell Tour V5 Shift laser & Bushnell Tour V5 laser: The Details

Available: Now

SRP: Bushnell Tour V5 Shift £359; Bushnell Tour V5 £299

What’s the difference between the two models?

The Shift is the functionality that calculates yardages with slope taken into account.

More information: Bushnell website

Dan Murphy

Dan loves links golf, which doesn't mean he is very good at it. He is a four-handicapper at Alwoodley. A qualified journalist and senior editor with 25 years’ experience, he was the long-time editor of NCG. His passion is golf courses and he is the founding editor of NCG Top 100s course rankings. He loves nothing more than discovering and highlighting courses that are worthy of greater recognition.