Last Updated:
Pre-loaded Courses: 35,000 from 30 countries
Display Area Size: 25 mm x 25 mm
Weight: 1.6 oz
Battery Life Time: 14 hours
Recharge Time: <3 hours
Operating Temp Range: 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
Waterproof: Yes
Tournament Legal: Yes
Our Rating: 
Bushnell Golf Excel GPS Watch Review – New to 2017
It was only a matter of time before Bushnell jumped into the race with a smarter than ever GPS watch for tee time. Much like their golf laser rangefinder line that was completely revamped, the golf GPS line has been too! The Excel is an update on the now discontinued NEO XS watch. But, how does the Excel excel above the rest?
The Excel GPS watch is brimming to the top with features all jam-packed into one device. One such cutting-edge feature is Bluetooth to enable direct integration with your smart phone. No longer are you limited to hooking up to a computer for updates and tracking progress.
As expected, the Bluetooth feature also allows you to receive all those alerts that hit your phone while you’re on the green. You might call it convenient, others might call it inappropriate. However, staying connected for emergencies, important events, and other such things might just earn you a brownie point or two with the other half!
Past the Bluetooth is the Swing Tempo feature built into the phone. You’ll know your swing stats and how to better choose your club, position yourself, and enforce the right amount of teeing power!
But, this isn’t all. There’s so much more to the Excel watch that we could go on and on. After all, it’s an Excel, it’s supposed to excel above the rest, isn’t it?
- Easy to use
- Integrate with Bushnell Golf app
- Full color screen
- Long battery life
- Tournament legal
- Price
Bushnell Golf Excel GPS Watch Q&A
There are five function buttons on the watch. On the left side are two buttons with the top left taking you to the Golf Menu and the bottom left taking you to the Menu. The top right button is Up, the middle right is Select, and the bottom right is the Down and Power button. Press and hold down the Down button for five seconds to power on and off.
The app is loaded with tons of helpful features. One such feature is the ability to book and pay for discounted tee times at over 7,000 courses in the United States.
When you’re in a jiffy, the most inconvenient experience is when the watch doesn’t locate the correct course. Using the Bushnell Golf GPS app on your smart phone, you can quickly locate and download the correct course. Use Bluetooth to instantaneously send it to your watch.
You also have access to full color aerial (bird’s eye) views of the course layout and distances, 3D flyovers, score tracking, swing analysis stats, and fitness trackers.
It has a full color display, auto brightness feature, up to 4 hazards per hole, and auto course and hole advance. It also has a step counter, Swing Tempo, Weather, stopwatch, timer, and alarm.
Bushnell designs long-lasting batteries that they say doesn’t ever need to replaced. In fact, trying to change the battery will void your warranty. If you feel your battery needs replacement, contact Bushnell before taking matters into your own hands.
The Excel has a long battery life of 14 hours of play. It takes less than three hours to come to a full charge. However, the Bushnell Neo Ion has a 16 hour battery life and only takes 2.5 hours to charge. The extra features in the Excel does require more power versus the Neo Ion.
You can. However, you won’t have access to use the watch to its full potential without use of the app. The Bushnell Golf GPS app is free to download.
Noteworthy Features:
- Bluetooth integration
- Weather access
- Pre-loaded with 35,000+ courses
- No annual fees
- Includes USB charging cord
Our Verdict on the Bushnell Excel
To ping up the strokes, the brand new Golf Excel watch helps Bushnell excel to first place with valuable technology that GPS users need on the green. For a golf watch, the price is a little hefty, and you might want to consider a handheld GPS golf device instead.
The Garmin Approach G8 Golf Course GPS is an excellent caddie on the course. It even has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity! Although it’s pricier than the Excel, you’ll eliminate the process of having to go back and forth between the watch and the Bushnell app. This is a bonus if you only want to deal with one gadget.
If the Excel watch is still out of your means, the Golf Buddy rangefinders can put you back in your budget. The Voice Buddy 2 is simple, easy to use, and you have audio distance readouts, plus, it’s under 100 bucks! The new Golf Buddy WT6 Golf Watch might not have all the bells and whistles of the Excel, but it still accurately gives you what you need – the distance!
The bottom line: the Bushnell Excel Golf watch is in a league of its own. Are you ready to make your par in Bushnell style?
