Review: Callaway Hybrid Laser-GPS Rangefinder

The Best of Both Worlds

We hear it all the time, that something is the combination of all the best features available in an certain category. But the reality is that most of those combination turn out to either be heavily sided toward 1 feature or it ends up doing neither feature well. Like a driver that is forgiving and long seems to be one or the other. A course that is outstanding and affordable, usually one or the other. There was even a rangefinder a year or two ago that tried to combine laser and GPS that just looked and functioned poorly. The Callaway Hybrid Rangefinder actually is the best of both worlds. It does the laser very well and the GPS just as well.

I believe every golfer should use a laser or GPS for play. It will speed up play since they know the yardages, and it should help any golfer dial in their distances. If you are 150 from the pin and you hit a 9-iron all the time and come up 15 yards short, it should teach you something. I think either one can work and work well for your game. I prefer laser mainly because of battery life. I can throw a battery in it at the beginning of the season and it will usually last the whole year. GPS on the other hand usually only lasts a couple rounds at best. I sometimes forget to charge it so I don’t have it on the course when I need it. The reason the Callaway Hybrid Rangefinder is so good, is that it has both laser and GPS in a great looking and functioning package.

The Callaway Hybrid Rangefinder looks like your typical laser rangefinder. It is right in-between the large units and the small units in terms of size. So you can a unit compact enough for push-cart glove boxes, yet big enough that it feels steady in your hand. The
GPS is almost hidden right below the eye-piece. The black and white contrast LCD screen clearly and brightly displays front, middle and back yardages as well as hazard and bunker yardages if you toggle to them. The overall design of the unit is near perfect.

Another great feature is the retail package comes with 2 batteries for the laser, a case, a sleeve of balls and a divot tool. The value of this combo is really nice too. The GPS charges off a micro-USB plug which are so common, you probably already have a bunch of cords if you lose the one they include.

The Callaway Hybrid works just as billed on the course. If you want an exact yardage to anything, point and shoot with the laser. It has a chirping sound if you lock it on the pin. You can scan with it as well. The GPS will be running at the same time so you can always just peak at those numbers if you need front and back or just the center number. I actually put the rangefinder in my cup holder of my push cart and could use the GPS quickly. When I wanted the laser distance to something, I’d pull it out and shoot. The default setting on the GPS will power down part way through the round, so make sure to change that so you don’t have to reboot it while playing.

The GPS boot time is a minute or 2 so make sure to power the unit on prior to standing on the first tee. With 30,000 course you will most likely find the one you are playing. It will bring up a list of local courses and let you choose which one you are on. It will automatically advance to the hole you are playing, but you can manually advance it too. The button are easy to figure out and the unit is pretty intuitive.

The Callaway Hybrid Rangefinder is honestly one of the best rangefinders on the market and certainly a great deal with all that is included in the box. Even if you forget to charge the GPS part, the laser part still works perfectly. If you want both, just charge up the GPS every couple rounds so you can enjoy the best of both worlds on the course.

For more information: www.callawaydmd.com

Quick Hits
+Looks like a normal laser rangefinder
+Bright and easy to read GPS
+Nice extras included in retail package
+Both laser and GPS function perfectly on the course.
+Easy to use and set-up