GOLF DIGEST GPS COMPARISON

[GOINDAHO]

http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/2009/01/gps

[pjccjp]

http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/2009/01/gps

I took a look at this the other day when the issue hit the mailbox. Unfortunately, it is really just a reprint of much of the company marketing literature. Now real insights as far as I can see.

[Fore_Man]

i was disappointed with the fact that they gave 1 gold and 5 silvers. I wish they would have scaled them or categorized them better based on like functions.

[InTheHole]

Those articles are woefully inadequate to GolfWRX'rs. There is so much research and discussion on these boards that when you read an artilcle like that it seems like they are stating the obvious, or they are missing a lot of detail.

 

For the majority of golfers, it's probably an informative article. But here, just go to the GPS forum and you'll get more info and real user observations.

[milfordj]

Very Suprised to read that I've got to start paying $5.00 (or was it $3.00) per course download for my Sonocaddie V-300 when they've been FREE up to now.

[Giantbear]

Very Suprised to read that I've got to start paying $5.00 (or was it $3.00) per course download for my Sonocaddie V-300 when they've been FREE up to now.

That is on the par membership, first 5 free and then $5 per after that. If you got the birdie membership, its a one time fee of $30 and free us downloads for life and $5 per for worldwide downloads.

 

How do you like the sonocaddie?? what do you not like??

[milfordj]

I wish we could better organize these forum topics. I'm going to answer your ? but first need to rant a bit. I started a Sonocaddie V-300 topic just to be able to discuss it, but never got any responses, and then I noticed someone else tried to start the same topic, but again no responses (I personally did not respond because I didn't want to repeat everything I'd said in numerous other forum topics, as I'll probably be doing today). I DO have the birdie membeership, so thank you for clarifying that for me. I personally own the V-300 and grey-scale Guru, plus Pinseeker 1500 rangefinder (you can see earlier discussions, possibly under other forum topics (see above rant) for why I did not like my previouosly-owned Color Guru) Now for my V-300 -- PROS: Love the visibility of the screen in direct sunlight OR in very dim light; Love the Hole Layout View when playing an unfamiliar course; Love the No Fee for Course Downloads (after the one-time "Birdie" membership fee); Love the fact that it maintains battery charge for NUMEROUS rounds of play; Love the fact that the screen stays viewable the entire time the unit is on, even without using backlight (unlike color guru); Love the unbelievable EASE of editing/adding/deleting hazards/targets (without having to go through miriad steps like even latest version of the guru); Love the fact that it very quickly acquires excellent sattelite GPS signal -- don't have to turn it on til 5 min before starting my round; Love the fact that, despite being slightly larger than Guru, it is easily worn on my belt while playing (unlike Bushnell 1500 Rangefinder); Love the "Feel" of it with the rubberized, "ridged", non-slip grip. CONS: NO Automatic Hole Advance; Due to my poor vision I have to use the Hazard (or Target) View rather than the Hole Layout View, in order to be certain I am using the correct yardage to the correct Hazard or Target -- this is possibly due to the fact that I generally add a lot of targets / hazard distances to various holes AND (another con), despite the EASE of adding targets / hazards, I've learned that unless you add them in the correct order from farthest from green - to - nearest to green, you'll have more difficulty reading the correct yardage that you are looking for (this may be true of ALL GPS units -- don't know as only other I own is the guru and it's too much trouble to try to add targets or hazards to it, IMO; I know others think it's very easy to do so); I've had to mail the scorecard with course layout for various courses to be mapped by Sonocaddie (though there are some that they could map without having to do this), and they lost, or never received, the last one I mailed them so I now have to wait til spring when I play that particular course again to get another card and mail it to them again (I don't have fax capability, or whatever that device is that can read a card and convert it to email); it does NOT have "intelligreen" or any other method for reading distance to F or B of green from EDGE of fairway -- it Always reads to a specific SPOT (which CAN be edited by user) on F & B of green which works best when approaching from Center of Fairway. I always use my Pinseeker to get exact distance to pin for short approach shots, so this latter shortcoming doesn't bother me as much as it otherwise would. I'm sure I've forgotten some Pros and Cons about this unit, but these are my most-noticed feelings about it. I NEVER use either V-300 OR guru for scorecard or stats; therefore, I cannot comment on these features. Sorry for the book, and I won't make any of these comments again on ANY of the GPS forums, though I may refer others to this particular entry.

[Giantbear]

Milford,

 

Thanks for the response, it was very helpful. I do have a couple of follow up questions:

 

 

1. On the green, does it just give front back (which could be left right if you are next to the green) or does it also give middle?? I am not as concerned inside of 80 yards as i play by look and feel then once i have the general yardage.
   
2. "it does NOT have "intelligreen" or any other method for reading distance to F or B of green from EDGE of fairway -- it Always reads to a specific SPOT (which CAN be edited by user) on F & B of green which works best when approaching from Center of Fairway." this statement concerns me a bit. Can you elaborate on how this works? can you move the spot during the round or does it have to be preset prior?? If i am 10 yards left of the fairway, it will give me yardage to the front of the green as though i am in the middle of the fairway, yes?? I guess this is where having a middle reference point on the green would be helpful.
   
3. When adding a reference point, do you have to be on the course or can you add them prior to playing?
   
4. Can you measure to a specific point on a hole?? ie. i am on an adjoining fairway and need to know how far it is to the middle of my fairway over some trees, can i do this on course?
   

As for you issue with the scorecard, most courses these days have copies of thier scorecards online, if you visit their web site, you can copy the picture of their scorecard and email it to sonocaddie for adding. If you give me the name of the course, i can help with this.

 

Thanks

[milfordj]

(1) V-300 DOES measure to middle of green, I assume half-way between mapped (or edited) spots for F & B, which is definately helpful for very long approach shots and for shots from middle of rough or from adjacent fairway; (2) the "measuring spots" must be pre-set prior to round to be used for your approach shot, but you can certainly change it when you get up to the green, for future rounds. On some of the greens I would find the spot at a location that didn't suit me (by noting where the unit indicated 0 yds) and reset it just over a bunker guarding the front-"left", for example, to let me know the minimum carry distance if having to go over that bunker. This was very easy to do, which makes the V-300 very appealing to me. (3) When editing a course I play regularly, I found it best to add the hazard or target prior to playing, JUST to REMIND me of the target or hazard I wished to add. It did not really save any time because you then still have to place that hazard or target ICON on the screen at the desired location AGAIN, before Standing at that "Spot" and Recording the distance to it (it will read 0 yds when you record it and then show the distance to that spot next time you use it). (4) NO! This is why I am very interested in units such as U-Pro and OnPar, which each have current disadvantages for ME (I won't elaborate a this point, in this forum).

[Giantbear]

Once again, thank you very much for your input

[8thehardway]

I've had to mail the scorecard with course layout for various courses to be mapped by Sonocaddie (though there are some that they could map without having to do this), and they lost, or never received, the last one I mailed them so I now have to wait til spring when I play that particular course again to get another card and mail it to them again

 

------------------------

 

Just a thought - when they reopen, ask the course to mail it for you or mail one to you

[milfordj]

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll try that.

[cristphoto]

What caught my eye was the accuracy results. They stated the BEST unit was accurate to 3 yards 90% of the time. What about the other units accuracy? Plus they didn't say which unit was best/worst. Useless - nothing more than another advertisement in my opinion. This is why I got rid of my SkyCaddie and got a Callaway/Nikon rangefinder.

[phil75070]

I am curious as to how they determined the accuracy as they don't mention that. For example, comparing distance readings to course markings may not be accurate as many have found them to be off. Those distance readings are also very dependent on the one who maps the course and if those maps are inaccurate then the readings would appear to be off and that does not attest to the accuracy of the receiver itself. Most actual users of golf GPS devices, people who don't just test them once but use them time and again will usually attest to them being more accurate than they are typically given credit for. On a device where I was able to map my own targets, distances are repeatable within 1 yard from one day to the next.

[cristphoto]

They used a laser rangefinder that was stated to be accurate to a couple inches.

[InTheHole]

They used a laser rangefinder that was stated to be accurate to a couple inches.

 

 

I'm sure they are accurate on a test range when mounted on a tripod and hitting a stationary target with plenty of contrast that is perpendicular to the laser.

 

On a golf course when held by a person shooting the laser at a moving pin in the wind (or a sloped bunker), be happy with a couple of yards.

 

That's all you need anyway, regardless of the device used.

 

Do you really choose a different club for 195 or 197 yards? Heck, I round that off to 200 anyway.

[cristphoto]

"Do you really choose a different club for 195 or 197 yards? Heck, I round that off to 200 anyway."

You're right. Sometimes too much information is a hindrance.

[78Staff]

Just some more info, I had the V300 for a round. It was a nice unit, but two things were the deal breaker for me.

 

* No auto hole advance. Once you have this it's hard to not have it. Kinda like TIVO/DVR ;).

 

* The screen would become cluttered on holes with more than a few yardarges, so you couldn't just "glance at it" like with some other models.

 

I'm sure these are issues that some won't care about, but for me it only lasted a round and I sold it. In fact, the person who bought it said the same thing about hole advance right away.

 

NOTE -They may have an update out by now that corrects this - I'm not sure.