GPS - inexpensive and accurate
Pros: No annual fees or update costs, Touch screen, Thousands of pre-loaded courses, Accurate, Uses AA Batteries (2)
Cons: Screen a bit hard to read in the shade, Yardages only given to greens and hazards
I have tested the yardages against laser sightings and course yardage markers and the GPS readout is within 0-3 yards of the alternate measurements. The fact that it uses AA batteries makes it easy to take on the road since replacements are easily obtained. I have 4 rechargeable batteries and use 2 in the unit and 2 as a spare. One can get 2 full rounds out of a set of rechargeable batteries. You do not have to remember to load a course prior to playing, just go to the course, turn it on and select the course from the menu of nearby courses. Once you purchase the unit there are no additional fees and one may update the unit from the Garmin site at no cost.
The touch screen allows one to get customized yardages from your position to locations on the golf hole. The screen detail, however, does not show bordering woods, trees in the fairway or the start/end of down slopes - just hazards (bunkers and water). On sunny days, it is easy to read the screen in full sun and oddly the screen is harder to read in the shade.
It took me only a round or two to get comfortable with operating the unit. I am no techie so anyone will quickly learn all the features and how to use them.
