GPS question

[mship]

Thinking of adding a GPS this year. Since there are so many models and features available it's a bit overwhelming. Lots of bells and whistles that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't need or use. One I'm not sure of is the feature some have where you can move the cursor on the green and estimate where the pin is at for an even more accurate distance. You could also use this to get a distance to a ridge through the green or a false front, etc.

Seems this would almost be the best of both worlds. Front, back, center, and hole layout of a GPS and laser scope-ing the pin, sort of. Has anyone used this? Is it as useful as I think it would be or is it really just another gotcha trick that isn't as cool as it appears?

Thanks for the input.

[Fourputt]

I use both a GolfLogix GPS and a Bushnell Tour V2 laser. I use each when it is the best tool for the task. Usually the laser for approaches inside of 150 yards, but not always. Just depends on what seems best for the situation.

[r23]

I have a skycaddie sg5 that has those features. I think they come in handy, if the gps say's 107 to the pin,am i good enough to hit a shot exactly 107 yards, no(i wish), but if i'm attacking the green from the right side, or left side of fairway,and the green is some funky shape, the pin in the back upper corner it's easier to just move cursor up to the upper corner than to figure the distance from just front, middle, and back.

[kevbro]

hi mship,
personally I would not recommend purchasing a dedicated GPS device ... !
Skycaddie etc in UK can be about £250.00, I have used one, and Caddyaid also ... I consider them vastly overpriced and overhyped.

I suggest you give Freecaddie(dot com) a try ... it is simply used on a GPS capable mobile phone or PDA, and incurrs no network charges.

quite simply I find Freecaddie does everything I need, very quickly and efficiently .... and for Free (and only about $15.00 for Pro versions)
give it a go - you have nothing to lose,
Kevin

[dgny06]

The Callaway uPro is great. I believe it is still the only GPS that has real images of the course rather than just a digital layout. Battery life is not bad either. You get about two rounds per charge.

[kevbro]

Caddyaid has real images also, and they cliam not to not use Google Earth as the source as some do,
but that they are taken with a million pound wing-mounted camera !
I have my doubts, and find that it is very fiddly and slow to use when in play.

with Freecaddie, the relevent distances, including shot distance, can be seen at a glance.
all the other features can be used with simple screen touches or swipes.
if I seem biased ... I am guilty ! .... and am a definate convert having used the others.

[Fourputt]

  kevbro said:

Caddyaid has real images also, and they cliam not to not use Google Earth as the source as some do,

A lot of peole can't get by on the short battery life with a phone app. If you want to play 2 rounds in one day you're screwed. My GolfLogix with Energizer Lithium batteries gets 5 or 6 rounds on 2 AA's and they can be replaced in about 60 seconds. Then too a lot of people don't have that kind of phone. I don't, and I don't plan on getting one... never could figure out why I'd want one.

[kevbro]

I fully appreciate your comments, and admire the battery life you get, however ...
I easily get a full round from my old HTC P3600 phone, and on days where I do 36 holes I simply change battery if needed.

Freecaddie can run on virtually all modern Smartphones and most do include internal GPS,
and since the battery is only running the GPS, the phone signal can ven be turned off since no network is needed.

I also run Tomtom Naviagtor on my phone, so have a Phone, Satnav, and Golf GPS all in one device for just over £120.00.

in this, as in all things, I only express my opionion ... each to is own ... but good exchange of views is refreshing.