GPS devices

I know others have posted about this before, but anyway; I have some money burning a hole in my pocket and after booking some lessons have been contemplating a gps device. I have read some online reviews but would appreciate any advice from actual users.

I've got a Golf Buddy World. works really well and very accurate.

One off payment with no subscription.

Automatically loads the course you are playing.

Played 2 rounds this weekend using it on the same charge.

Been testing a Golf Buddy Platinum for Darren, must admit for a self-confessed luddite on the things it is pretty impressive. Not sure if it's the same model as yours Adrian, but I used it in the Algarve earlier this year and got 3 rounds out of it (battery warning came up on the last 18th) and they weren't exactly quick rounds either. Not sure when (or if) Darren is going to post my initial review though....

I tested the same Golf Buddy Platinum that Tim is using, plus the Sky Caddie SGX and the Garmin G6. Golf Buddy won it easily for me.

Small and light without being too small to use, good touchscreen and easy to read in bright sunlight (big fault on the Garmin that one). Loaded the course straightaway without searching and the scoring was easy to use too. To be honest, if I had the cash burning a hole like you I would happily go out and buy one now

As a slightly alternative option, I use the Garmin S2 watch. I tried a 'pocket' GPS but found the in and out of the pocket annoying. The watch is a quick glance at the wrist and you have your distance right there. For me its a security blanket of the 'feel' distance, which I am pretty good at and getting better.

I don't feel the need for the maps and distances to every single obstacle, you may vary. I find if I obsess about the 4 bunkers and 1 water hazard, I'll end up in one of them, better to just notice the distance of where you are intending to go not where you are intending of not going.

Thanks for the replies, seems like golf buddy is the way forward. Just to complicate things, I have also been looking at laser scopes. Any advice on which is more useful of the the 2, laser or gps ?

The Golf Buddy World is a different shape and colour to the platinum/ platinum world but more or less the same functions.

Works in the rain too as its waterproof/shock proof.

I attach it to my trolley using a mobile phone holder and in the winter I can clip it to my carry bag using the holder it comes with. I've never use it by taking it from my pocket( that would drive me mad).

I have used a laser rangefinder and never got on with it, I prefer the GPS handset everytime

Ah yes, just had a look Adrian. Personally I found the supplied holders a bit of a pain in the backside, far too tight to slip in a and out easily, so I just left it in my back pocket.

I use a Skycaddie SG5.2 (i think that is the version). I bought it second hand and it is fine for me. I can download any away courses and have yet to visit a course which wasn't available - even country courses in New Zealand are there.

I would only really trust it for a single round battery wise You can amend the pin position by hand but I usually just use front/back/middle of green values and estimate It does give you fairway information, distance to bunkers/ditches but you have to be careful as sometimes courses have made changes and they aren't yet in the system I find it very quick and easy and it actually speeds up my round as I can see distance immediately and then decide which club based on weather. It is quite expensive to pay the worldwide subscription each year (need it for NZ)

Husband (low handicapper) swears by a laser pin seeker thing. It is a Bushnells and once he got used to it he gets his distance in seconds. When I caddy for him I have to get to the ball and work out distance by the time he gets there! Anyway - he would never change as he says it is more accurate. No oncosts except a new battery each year.

Tim,

If you can hang on until the game at Minch, I've got an SGX & a Bushnell Pinseeker. You can have a look / try of them as we'll be in the same group.

I also tried the golf buddy & if I didn't have a SGX I would of bought one, however since trying out the Laser I must admit I do like having very accurate yardages & have been flying my ball pin high more so than just using the front, middle & back yardage from the SGX.

Tim I have a sureshot. �30 for lifetime subs. Can have 40 changable courses. Love it !

I have had a bushell and found it hard to pick up the flag on a windless day. But good for seeing if the group in front are out of range.

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Dave,

My bushnell pinseeker is great, never had a problem picking up a flag in any condition. It also has the 'slope' feature which comes in handy

John, I found it OK on an open course but if there were trees behind the flag then I got spurious readings. Granted very good under the right conditions. But I love my sureshot. Isnt slope feature not always allowed John. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Have you got the 'pin seeker' version?

Yes the slope is not allowed in comps but during practice rounds it's good to use so I can gauge how much the slopes increase / decrease.

I played Ullesthorpe in Leicestershire 2 weeks ago and for the first time had the use of a GPS attached to the buggy. As I had never used one before I relied on the card, my eyes and knowledge of my ability to select clubs and shot type. Interestingly I left most medium/short iron approaches short of the greens. As the course was long for me and with generously wide fairways, it was only in respect of the short approaches that GPS would have been useful. Am going back to play the course again in a couple of weeks and have decided to put the GPS to full use and see how I get on. I have had a cheaper end version of a rangefinder for years now but I rarely take it out of the bag. Perhaps I should have used it, not knowing the course.

Dan,

Only problem is phone apps etc are illegal in any club competition as per the r&a rules.

Not sure if it's still true, but the use of GPS devices was illegal in competitions organised by the Welsh Golf Union. Turned up at Conwy for an open and the pro shop did a roaring trade in course planners when everyone found out.

I remember that Tim!!

Looks like the welsh have backed down??

http://www.golfunionwales.org/buggies-dmds.aspx

Tim,

I swear by my laser range finder, I've got a Nikon 1200, which has a bit more magnification and better reciever for the signal. With your handicap if you want to know the yardage, it's because you can do something with it. The problem I found with gps is that you have to rely on the course being laid out as it expects (i.e. no new bunkers/streams etc), with a 40 yd deep green, you only (possibly) have front middle or back, based on flag colour, and the gps will have centre, front and back. The laser will tell you how far it is to what you can see. Likewise anything you want to avoid, you can laser a bunker and find out it is 230yds from the tee and so decide to play a 3 wood rather than driver with a bot of certainty.

GPS are useful for seeing the layout for a hole, but I don't find them as good for yardages. My club yardage accuracy is so much better now and my scores are better for it, certainly alot less chipping from just too long or short, (however just as much from the sides!).

Don't get me wrong, I think GPS are a good idea, but I think the lower the handicap the more accuracy is needed and so a Laser would probably be better.

Col

Kevin,

"Yes the slope is not allowed in comps but during practice rounds it's good to use so I can gauge how much the slopes increase / decrease."

Guys I may sound a bit thick here, I know what a slope is but what exactly doe your gizmo tell you regarding slope. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Dave,

The slope feature on the Laser devices works out the distance to the target and the degree from flat that it is, enabling you to know how far to hit it. E.g. if the distance is 150yds, but it is 10 degrees up slope it will tell you that it plays as if it is 175 yds, etc. Comps usually allow you to know "facts" about the course, such as how far away something is, but the slope then acts as an "aid" to help you work out a real distance, hence it is not allowed in comps.

Does that make sense?

Guys info here from Barry Rhodes plus the R&As rules guide, which quite clearly shows you can't use a slope device in a regulation competition.

http://www.golfshake.com/improve/view/4121/Distance_Measuring_Devices_DMDs_The_Facts.html

Iam thinking of buying the new bushnell neo plus golf watch, like the idea of a watch rather than getting a hand held device in and out all the time. Anyone got/used one?

Here's the review compiled from Tim, John and Chris of the Golf Buddy Platinum:

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/5473/Golf_Buddy_Platinum_Review.html

and this is Tim's unabridged version:

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/5293/Member_Review_Golf_Buddy_Platinum_GPS.html

I have done a lot of research on what's out there as have been thinking about getting one myself.

As a bit of a test I played a round with my brother who has one and decided to see what difference there was between me guessing the yardage and my brother telling me what his GPS said.

I was no more than 5yrds out every time, so now I am not so sure about spending �200 on a Garmin G6 which I thought looked the best option on the market.

I might keep the cash in my pocket for the timebeing

Owen did a feature on GPS devices earlier today

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/5495/2013_Golf_GPS_Units.html

Nigel

I gave the Garmin G6 a trial along with the GolfBuddy Platinum and Skycaddie SGX. the garmin was the one I was least impressed with. My advice would be to get the GolfBuddy if you do get one; it's the one I would (and probably will) buy

I didn't even use the Garmin after I saw how small it was. The Golfbuddy was my favourite even though I own an SGXW.

Chris & John

Thanks for the advice, I was a little worried about the size of the G6 myself, however I like the lay up distance option and also the fact that it records your stats and the battery is rechargeable.

As you both rate the Golfbuddy better I will have another look at it as I can't remember why I discounted it in the first place.

Nigel,

The GolfBuddy has all the features that the Garmin does. I found it more intuitive and it picked up the course immediately. What put me off the Garmin was I had to type in the course as it wouldn't find it and the screen was difficult to read in sunlight (I know we don't get much of that but I was in La Manga!)