Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch Review
This Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch review outlines an excellent product. Keep reading to see why it is our top choice for a wearable golf GPS. It is so popular that if you go to Amazon.com you will find that currently it is the Number 1 best selling Golf GPS. Not just number 1 for golf GPS watches, it is the best seller for all Golf GPS units.
If you wish to get golfing with one of the best available golf GPS watches and check the Bushnell Neo Ion Golf GPS Watch at Amazon you can go there here…, or you can continue to read our review.
This review outlines why this is such a highly rated Golf GPS watch, the features it offers, the pros and cons of this watch. You also see customer opinion for real users who have purchased this item. And we will outline why the Neo Ion is our favorite model. This will give you a clear idea of what this watch is all about so you can decide if it is the right choice for you.
Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch Review
The previous version the Bushnell Neo XS golf GPS watch was a best choice when it debuted in 2014. You can read our original review of the Bushnell Neo XS Golf GPS here.
The Neo XS replacement, the Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch is geared toward the golfer who is looking for the best value in a golf GPS watch. This watch provides a good blend of features along with an economical price.
A nice feature is the Neo Ion is still very light and just as comfortable to wear as the original model. Whether you choose to wear it as a golf GPS or as a normal wrist watch.
When you arrive at the golf course, you will find the Bushnell Neo Ion will detect the course you are playing. You will also like the automatic hole advance. Of course it displays accurate distances to the front, center and back of the green and as well as distances to doglegs and hazards.
GPS Watch Features
-The Ion is pre-loaded with over 35,000 courses in more than 30 countries.
-Auto Course Recognition and Auto Hole Advance,
-View Hazard/Layup Distances (up to 4 per hole)
-Odometer to track your golf round or other event distance and time
-Shot Distance Calculator
-choose units of yards or meters
-Stopwatch function and Timer feature
-View your latitude and longitude coordinates
-Legal for Tournament play
-One-year limited Warranty
Neo Ion Benefits
The Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch is quick and easy to set up and use and will be ready to go in a matter of minutes. Choose your favorite look from the color choices of black, Charcol or white.
With more than 35,000 courses from over 30 countries and there are never any membership or download fees.
Just like the original Neo XS, the Ion also offers Auto Course Recognition and Auto Hole Advance. Information displayed is easy to read whether you are checking front/center/back distances or the hazard and layup distances.
Up to 4 hazards and lay up distances per hole are displayed, to help you navigate the course. All this while still offering shot distance measurement.
And just like the Neo XS, an odometer function that tracks speed, distance traveled, and activity time is included withe the Bushnell Neo Ion golf GPS watch.
Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Display and Control Details
The display is vivid and easy to read even in bright sunlight on the golf course. And there are 5 language choices (English, Deutsch, Francais, Espanol, and Italiano). and the default user interface is in English.
This is a watch style golf GPS and it uses push button operation. There is an automatic course recognition and auto hole advance so it is possible to golf a whole round with minimal use of the buttons.
Battery Type and Charging
The rechargeable battery of the Neo Ion Watch provides up to 3 rounds of golf (based on an average of 4 hours per round), or one year of use in normal watch mode between each charge. When you need to check the battery life during your golf game simply press the MENU button and select BATTERY.
Please note that the during charging, the Neo Ion sits in a charging cradle and connects to charge pins on the back of the watch. If you damage it then you may need to purchase a special cable that most likely is only available from Bushnell should you ever need a replacement.
Watch Dimensions
With a size of a typical wrist watch and a weight of only 1.8 ounces The display area measures 23mm x 23mm and the overall watch dimensions are 15mm x 45mm x 54mm. The weights and dimensions reveal that the Ion is a light and comfortable GPS to wear, and that is confirmed by purchasers of this watch.
Watch Accessories
Included with the Bushnell Neo Ion GPS Rangefinder Watch are a Charging Cradle with USB Cable, a contact cleaning brush and user manual.
The USB charging cable connects the back of the watch to pins in the charging cradle so it appears to use a proprietary cable. If you damage this you likely need to re-order from Bushnell.
To connect to a computer requires a USB Port and Windows XP or newer, or Mac OS X 10.6 or newer Operating System
Pros
The NEO Ion is quick and easy to set up and get using.
It offers fast accurate distances to the green, hazards and layup positions.
The watch is very comfortable to use and wear.
Tee Time allows you to set up a tee time up to 1 week in advance.
Auto off feature to help conserve the battery.
Best if all the cost is economical.
Cons
The USB/Charging Cable uses special guide pins so is not a standard off the shelf USB cable.
The hazards feature is great, but hazards are shown as abbreviations so you will need to memorize these. For example LFB stands for Left Fairway Bunker. Once you have used the GPS watch for a while these should become more intuitive.
Consumer Reviews
At the moment there are over 200 Customer reviews on Amazon.com giving the Neo Ion an average of 4.4 stars out of 5, which is an exceptional rating.
Users like the ease to set up and use the unit and the high accuracy of the watch.
Other comments include how comfortable the Ion watch is and how it does not affect the golfers swing. And users are very satisfied with the battery life enjoying not needing to recharge after every golf round.
There have been mention strap breaking but the comfortable strap may give up some endurance for softness and comfort.
Neo Ion Price
As we mentioned at the beginning of our review, the Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Watch is geared toward the golfer who is looking for the best value in a golf GPS watch, and it does indeed come at an economical price.
The Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS Rangefinder Watch offers the must have features including distance to green, hazards and layups in a lightweight comfortable GPS watch.It provides long battery life, quick response, and extremely accurate distances.
This is our top pick for the best golf GPS watch you can get in 2017 due to it’s blend of performance, features and value price.
Amazon has great prices and delivery on this model. Click on the link below for more info and to see Bushnell NEO Ion Golf GPS at Amazon.