Golf rangefinder guide
Bushnell Golf Phantom 3 Slope Handheld GPS, Red/Blue (362404)
Golfers who want front, centre and back GPS distances with slope and scoring
The Phantom 3 Slope is Bushnell's compact touchscreen golf GPS with slope-compensated distances, 38,000-plus preloaded courses, GreenView pin placement, built-in scoring and a BITE magnet. Slope is switched in the settings menu, and Bushnell and the listing give different battery-life figures. Warranty is one year.
Listing checked . Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Published specifications
- Bushnell: models 362401 to 362404; this is 362404
- Bushnell: 60 x 76 x 18 mm; 78 g; 40 x 40 mm touchscreen
- Bushnell: up to 18 hours per charge; 3 hour recharge; USB-C
- Bushnell: 38,000+ preloaded courses; up to 6 hazards per hole
- Manual: slope on or off in settings; calibrate at tee or green
- Bushnell: 1-year limited warranty from date of purchase
Fit and limits
Strengths
- Slope-compensated front, centre and back distances without aiming at a flag
- Works without the app, with courses preloaded and no membership fee
- Scoring, round timer, odometer and shot distance built in
Caveats
- Battery life is 18 hours on Bushnell's page but 14 hours in the listing's table
- Listing says charger; Bushnell's box list has a USB cable, no charger
- One-year warranty, and the internal battery needs a qualified technician
A handheld GPS, not a laser
The Phantom 3 Slope is a small handheld golf GPS, not a laser rangefinder. It shows front, centre and back distances to the green from preloaded course data, so you do not aim it at a flag. The manual's cover lists four model numbers, 362401 to 362404, and this Red/Blue listing is 362404.
Bushnell's page gives 60 by 76 by 18 millimetres and 78 grams with a 40 by 40 millimetre touchscreen. The manual's specifications give 3 by 2.3 by 0.7 inches and 3 ounces, and the listing says 2.75 ounces. The manual describes the display as a monochrome LCD.
Bushnell says 38,000-plus courses are preloaded, and the manual says there is no software download or membership fee. Bushnell's page adds up to six hazards per hole, a GreenView screen where you tap to move the pin, and a shot distance calculator.
How slope works on a GPS
Bushnell's page calls the Phantom 3 the first handheld GPS with its patented slope technology. The manual puts slope on or off in the settings menu, and a slope indicator on the screen shows whether slope is calibrated or not calibrated.
The manual says to calibrate by taking the unit to a tee box or a green, and that a blinking slope icon means it needs recalibrating. Tapping the centre distance shows the straight-line figure for three seconds, according to the manual.
For competition, the manual's glossary says all Bushnell Golf rangefinders are legal for tournament play when slope mode is disabled, referring to USGA Rule 14-3. On this unit that means turning slope off in the settings menu. Check your event's rules with the organiser before relying on it.
Battery life: three different figures
Power is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery charged through USB-C. Bushnell's features section says up to 18 hours per charge, which it equates to four rounds, and its specs tab says 18-plus hours with a three-hour recharge time. The Amazon bullet is headed 14+ hours but its text says up to 18 hours, and the details table says 14 hours.
The manual's battery warning says not to open the unit, that the internal battery must be replaced by a qualified technician, and it lists temperature limits for charging and storage; read those limits in the manual.
The manual's troubleshooting section points to recharging the battery. The backlight can be set to off, 10, 15 or 30 seconds, or always on, from the settings menu.
Scoring, app and course updates
Scoring is built in. The manual describes basic mode for strokes only and advanced mode adding putts, fairways hit and approach, an optional score prompt, a round timer and an odometer. It keeps the ten most recent rounds on the device.
The manual states the Phantom 3 does not need the Bushnell Golf app to operate. The manual says pairing with the app over Bluetooth lets you update single course files and update the unit's software. Bushnell's page says multiple courses can be updated at once through its Update Manager in Google Chrome.
The manual says course updates happen automatically when the device is connected and the app is running. It also describes automatic course and hole selection, and a dual green display.
Box contents, mounting and water
Bushnell's box list is the device, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a belt clip and a carabiner. The manual's included items add a microfibre lens cleaning cloth. The Amazon Included Components field reads GPS and charger; neither Bushnell document mentions a wall charger.
The BITE magnet is on the back, and Bushnell's page says the Phantom 3's BITE has improved texturing and surface area. The manual's magnet warning is worth reading before use, and it notes the magnet can lose strength above 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bushnell's page and the manual's glossary list IPX6. The manual's care section says the unit is water-resistant but should not be exposed to heavy rain or direct streams of water and will not withstand submersion. The manual's care section also suggests cleaning it with a microfibre cloth.
Warranty and who this suits
Bushnell's warranty tab gives a one-year limited warranty from the date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship, with repair or replacement at Bushnell's option when the product is returned postage prepaid. Misuse, improper handling and service by anyone other than a Bushnell authorised service department are excluded. The listing also says one year.
The manual's battery warning says not to open the unit and that the battery must be replaced by a qualified technician. Software updates are made through the Device Update option in the Bushnell Golf app.
This suits a golfer who wants front, centre and back numbers without aiming a laser, likes built-in scoring, and will clip it to a belt or stick it to a cart. It suits you less if you want to laser the flag itself or want more than one year of warranty cover.
Check the current listing
Confirm the model, included parts and availability before ordering.
Primary sources
- Bushnell Golf product page for the Phantom 3 Slope GPS, with specs and warranty
- Bushnell Golf Phantom 3 Slope user manual, Models 362401 to 362404, linked from the product page
Primary sources checked .
Compare with
- Bushnell Tour V6 Shift Laser Rangefinder, Patriot Pack (202321P)
Cart golfers who want slope on by default and a visible way to switch it off
- Gogogo Sport Vpro GS24 Laser Rangefinder (White)
Golfers who want slope readings and AAA power and do not need a slope-off switch
- Blue Tees Golf Series 3 Max+ Slope Laser Rangefinder (Blue)
Golfers who want a slope switch and USB-C charging and play mostly in dry weather
- REDTIGER GolfVue Series 1 Golf Rangefinder, C001 (White)
Golfers who want a slope switch, a cart magnet and USB-C charging
- Bushnell Golf Pro X3+ Link Laser Rangefinder (202450)
Golfers who pair a phone for wind and want Elements in the play-as distance
- Bushnell Golf A1-Slope Laser Rangefinder, Blue (202510S)
Cart golfers who want slope in a pocket-sized, USB-C rechargeable laser
Side-by-side pages, this model next to: Bushnell Golf Pro X3+ Link Laser Rangefinder (202450), Bushnell Golf A1-Slope Laser Rangefinder, Blue (202510S), REDTIGER GolfVue Series 1 Golf Rangefinder, C001 (White).