Easiest to read GPS?

[calgolfer]

Thinking of buying a GPS device as a gift for my wife (OK, I'll use it, too) but it has to be readable on course without reading glasses. Most I've seen have displays with small yardage numbers, which won't work for most 60-yr-old eyes . . ..

Suggestions?

[Fourputt]

Thinking of buying a GPS device as a gift for my wife (OK, I'll use it, too) but it has to be readable on course without reading glasses. Most I've seen have displays with small yardage numbers, which won't work for most 60-yr-old eyes . . ..

GolfLogix GPS-8 by Garmin. From all of the testimonials and reviews I've read, it seems to be simple to use and easy to read. And dependable. I ordered one for myself this week. My eyes are 62 years old today.

Before you buy one, read the review on the SkyCaddie at the Sand Trap review page. After reading that, if you're like me, you wouldn't buy one if it was offered for $10. Here's the link to the review: SkyCaddie

[Smallville]

To be fair, that review is 3-1/2 years old.

[Eeryck]

GolfLogix GPS-8 by Garmin. From all of the testimonials and reviews I've read, it seems to be simple to use and easy to read.

The advertise this model as the largest distance display offered for all GPS. They also advertise that they have a excelent autorange feature so the display is always showing just the most relevent information.

If I were to add a GPS the marketing literature on this model and the price point seem to make it a good choice. -E

[Fourputt]

To be fair, that review is 3-1/2 years old.

But the user comments haven't gotten any better. You have to read the whole page to get the real story. And if you go to any GPS forum, you get the same horror stories about most Magellan products (they are the ones who make SkyCaddie), and more to the point about their customer relations. GolfLogix may not have the pretty graphics, but that's just icing... I'm more interested in whether or not it's going to work when I turn it on, and in the fairly rare case that it doesn't, how I'm going to be treated when I contact their service department.

The GPS-8 is also the only one I've seen advertised as 100% waterproof. Some are just water resistant, and some aren't even that secure. The annual fee is just $29.95 for unlimited downloads, not just your home state. You download to your own computer and transfer the courses back and forth to it, not to and from a buggy and often slow website (Sky Golf) that may or may not be up when you need it. The GPS-8 also holds 20 courses at a time internally, instead of the 10 that most golf GPS units have. In the end the price is right ($299), and Garmin is still the world leader in GPS for auto, boat, hiking. I've been using a Garmin Nuvi 260 in my car for more than a year now and I'm completely satisfied with it. I will continue to patronize a company that takes care of me, and I see Garmin as that sort of company.

[Big_M]

Before you buy one, read the review on the SkyCaddie at the Sand Trap review page. After reading that, if you're like me, you wouldn't buy one if it was offered for $10. Here's the link to the review:

Looks like someone has already covered how dated this article is... all units have pros and cons... for me having to buy a yearly subscription is the killer... that's why I chose iGolf... cheaper, accurate, tons of courses, NO YEARLY subscription necessary (at least after the first year).

[Smallville]

Fourputt- As you can see, I also went with the GolfLogix! I considered Skycaddie but in the end I went with this instead. I love it! Part of what made me decide was the Garmin aspect (even though my GPS in my truck is a TomTom!). But the fact I know Garmin is going to be around in 5 years, helped me decide on the GolfLogix.

I'm just saying a review that old is outdated, maybe not for customer service, but if you only looked at it and said "only 5,000 courses, I'm not getting that one," it's misleading. Probably better to link a more current review.

[Guinness23]

I did a lot of research last year on this, and ended up going the opposite route with a Bushnell 1500 rangefinder. I could not be happier with it. Easy to use, accurate and it has saved me from some bad yardages. The cool thing is when you are at home, you can annoy your wife by telling her the church steeple is 613 yards away.

[Guinness23]

By the way has anybody had experience with the Upro Golf GPS? It looks cool, and has a flyover of the hole. Just curious.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

But the user comments haven't gotten any better. You have to read the whole page to get the real story. And if you go to any GPS forum, you get the same horror stories about most Magellan products (they are the ones who make SkyCaddie), and more to the point about their customer relations. GolfLogix may not have the pretty graphics, but that's just icing... I'm more interested in whether or not it's going to work when I turn it on, and in the fairly rare case that it doesn't, how I'm going to be treated when I contact their service department.

1. Two years ago I bought a SkyCaddie SG4. For several reasons I won't go into now I became very disenchanted with this unit and with SkyCaddie customer service.

2. On 11.07.08 I bought a brand new GolfLogix GPS-8 off eBay for $234.99 (+ free shipping) with the intention of using the SkyCaddie until it dies or until I play a course that is not on my SkyCaddie or until the 20 courses that are currently loaded on the SkyCaddie stop working (and I don't know whether that will happen). Because I "tried out" a GPS-8 while playing with a friend who had recently replaced his SkyCaddie with the GolfLogix unit I'm pretty sure I'll be satisfied with the GolfLogix GPS-8.

[jonjones]

I used both. They each did their job effectively. The SG5 has more bells and whistles, but, the GL8 does have larger numbers. I liked the idea of having more targets identified. I went with the SG5. It has worked flawlessly for me.

As far a price, yes, the SkyCaddie annual subscription is more and the unit itself is more expensive. But, I would suggest eBay. I bought mine for $300 new.

The GL8 is waterproof, but, I played in the rain once with the SG5 and it worked fine. I don't see myself doing any underwater chipping and putting so that was not a deciding factor for me.

I have not used any of the older SkyCaddie's so I can't speak to their quality or performance, but I have been happy with the SG5.