Thinking of getting a GPS unit for the coming year..

mcbush25 · December 20, 2007

Which one should I get??

Hello Gang,

I have been doign some research all day long on all of the different offerings from competing companies in the GPS unit business. I am considering a GPS unit this year and I am absolutely stuck on which one to go with. I have read all of the posts through a search and even analyzed Charlie Foxtrot's post with all of his great info on them, but I am still torn.

I really like the iGolf system and a majority of courses around me have been mapped at least on the green. My only concern is with their system can I take what they have mapped and add hazards?

Skygolf is a great system, but a little too pricey for my liking.

Sonocaddie is nice due to not having a yearly fee, but it would require a lot of personal mapping on my part as most of my courses aren't on there and the same goes for the Sureshot.

My question is of the group of peopl out there who use any of these products can you give me some pros and cons of these options and which one you like the best?

Thanks a lot in advance!

By the way....Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

C.J.

malasuerte · December 21, 2007

Only thing I can offer is on the Skycaddie SG4. I have enjoyed it greatly and have been nothing but pleased with it. I could be wrong, but I think it has the biggest selection of courses. May have changed with other companies now.

Hardware wise, I like everything about the SG4, except the connection to the computer....it has a weird screw in connection. The other models have a plugin which is relatively standard.

Buddy just got the SG5(color). SO far it seems quite nice....I don't see many improvements and physically it seems a little flimsier.

Customer service is VERY POOR! though.

Pinggolf04 · December 21, 2007

I love my SkyCaddie SG4. It is especially nice to use it when you have never played a course before. Most courses are also in the directory... I am pleased..

Boosty16 · December 21, 2007

My sg5 is amazing. It has every course but two I play. The two they dont have are the desert and lakes course in Primm. What I like the best is that you can measure how any of your shots went.

NicholasP · December 21, 2007

I have owned a SG2, SG3, SG4, and a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 rangefinder. Out of the GPS units no doubt the best and most accurate was the SG2. Having said that I currently use the Pinseeker and would never think of going back to a GPS unit. I can take my rangefinder to any course, get yardage to anything I want, not pay an annual fee, and it is 100% accurate. I would recommend looking into getting a Pinseeker 1500. They are a little pricey (can be had for less than $300 on an auction site) but it is a one time investment that you will use for years. I don't recommend downgrading to a cheaper rangefinder as the 1500 is far superior to all others I have tried.

mcbush25 · December 21, 2007

[quote name='knollwoodassistant' post='832881' date='Dec 21 2007, 11:16 AM']I have owned a SG2, SG3, SG4, and a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 rangefinder. Out of the GPS units no doubt the best and most accurate was the SG2. Having said that I currently use the Pinseeker and would never think of going back to a GPS unit. I can take my rangefinder to any course, get yardage to anything I want, not pay an annual fee, and it is 100% accurate. I would recommend looking into getting a Pinseeker 1500. They are a little pricey (can be had for less than $300 on an auction site) but it is a one time investment that you will use for years. I don't recommend downgrading to a cheaper rangefinder as the 1500 is far superior to all others I have tried.[/quote]

I have considered getting a rangefinder over a GPS, but leaned more towards the GPS as I am afraid it would take longer to lock onto a target. I do like the fact of having a rangefinder and not having to pay a subscription fee though.

Decisions, decisions!

Rhod · December 21, 2007

I love my SG3 and as far as paying a fee... that equals one rained out day of golf.

Q-Ball · December 21, 2007

Had the SG 2, 3, and 4 and for my money I would buy an SG2. As mentioned, it operated the best and can charge off the USB cable attached to the computer, or in some cases a cell phone charger. The 3 & 4 need special cables that they will sell you for $25 bucks a pop.

Get an SG2, don't look back. Someone is considering giving me $300 for my SG4 and if they do Im going back to an SG2.

I have a Pinseeker 1500 too, its the cats Shebang. Both have their uses, its all personal preference.

Foreleft · December 21, 2007

[quote name='mcbush25' post='833155' date='Dec 21 2007, 04:10 PM'][quote name='knollwoodassistant' post='832881' date='Dec 21 2007, 11:16 AM']I have owned a SG2, SG3, SG4, and a Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 rangefinder. Out of the GPS units no doubt the best and most accurate was the SG2. Having said that I currently use the Pinseeker and would never think of going back to a GPS unit. I can take my rangefinder to any course, get yardage to anything I want, not pay an annual fee, and it is 100% accurate. I would recommend looking into getting a Pinseeker 1500. They are a little pricey (can be had for less than $300 on an auction site) but it is a one time investment that you will use for years. I don't recommend downgrading to a cheaper rangefinder as the 1500 is far superior to all others I have tried.[/quote]

I have considered getting a rangefinder over a GPS, but leaned more towards the GPS as I am afraid it would take longer to lock onto a target. I do like the fact of having a rangefinder and not having to pay a subscription fee though.

Decisions, decisions!
[/quote]

I have and love the Pinseeker 1500. It takes me literally seconds to lock onto a target; that is a non-issue for me.

Gsco · December 21, 2007

I just got the new unit from iGolf (Neo). Posted on the gps comparison thread. Check it out, it's only $150 and it is awesome.

mcbush25 · December 21, 2007

[quote name='Gsco' post='833537' date='Dec 21 2007, 09:47 PM']I just got the new unit from iGolf (Neo). Posted on the gps comparison thread. Check it out, it's only $150 and it is awesome.[/quote]

The iGolf Neo is one I have looked at and is right at the top, but the SureShotGPS has come to the fore front today after I have read about it.

Still wouldn't mind some more opinions.....anyone use the Sureshot??

upndown1 · December 21, 2007

I have used the iGolf of a year. the price is right at an average of $175 NEW on eBay.

The iGolf will use regular AND rechargable batteries. Most of the others don't including the new cheaper iGolf.

It will hold more corses than most and yes you can map hazards and other points onto an already mapped course.

Some of my friends use the Skycaddies an I see no advantage but the movable yardage toggle on greens.

Rechargable and more storage and price is why I went with iGolf and if I had over to to again I still would

stevestrike · December 21, 2007

I've used the SureShot quite extensively. Course library is much better than it was a year or so ago. The display is nice and bright (backlight). Navigation is pretty simple, although I find the processor a little slow when moving through menus and navigating (I don't know how this compares to other units).

The unit is rather large, but it seem durable--I've dropped it many times! The software cannot be downloaded from their website, so don't lose the CD. It uses a standard USB connection for courses and charging, but there is no charging indicator to know if it's working, or if it's fully charged (have to go into the menus for that)--how about a red/green LED folks?

Downloading courses is a tedious process, and the unit only holds 10. That means I am constantly swapping courses out. To get a course, you have to "search" for ALL of the courses in your state to start with (every single time you go into the software to transfer courses). In Texas, that's a lot of golf courses. Several minutes later, and you can find your course in the list of hundreds, and transfer them (one by one) to your unit. The transfer process does not seem to be USB 2.0 either as it is rather slow. Being able to hold more than 10 courses would be nice, and a way to "save" courses you swap out frequently would be great to. As it is now, it's tedious at best, and I'm a person that enjoys gadgets and technology.

For $400, I don't think it's worth it. I think the $150 Neo is going to be hot (great price, great size), and the Sonnocaddie also seems like a winner (holds more course, AA batteries, no subscription).

I hope this helps.

upndown1 · December 21, 2007

oh and btw, those laser range finders are dead on accurate . . .

until it is a blind shot :cheesy:

mcbush25 · December 23, 2007

[quote name='upndown1' post='833575' date='Dec 21 2007, 10:40 PM']oh and btw, those laser range finders are dead on accurate . . .

until it is a blind shot :cheesy: [/quote]

That is one reason I would prefer to have a GPS as I might not always be in the best position.

Only problem is there are so many GPS units out there that I have hard time deciding which one. Skycaddie, iGolf, and SureShotGPS are my front runners, but I am still trying to figure out which would be the best for me.

hbear · December 23, 2007

[quote name='upndown1' post='833575' date='Dec 21 2007, 09:40 PM']oh and btw, those laser range finders are dead on accurate . . .

until it is a blind shot :cheesy: [/quote]

If it's over a crest or something it's still easy to get a yardage.
Go to top of crest...laser flag...then laser where you ball/gear is and add.

If it's over trees cutting off a dogleg or you are finding yourself 3 fairways over....well then you're out of luck of course.

But then again, I try not to put myself in those types of positions.
And it's a dogleg, unless I've played the course before, I tend not to get greedy and cut off doglegs in which I have no idea what's on the otherside, nor what I'm going to need to carry trouble.

GPS has it's advantages....but I still prefer my laser to get exact yardages to pins. (especially useful from 110 yards in)