“Golf Buddy World”

Regular Price $329.99
Today $214.99

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The Golf Buddy vs SkyCaddie debate really comes down to three things: Perceived Accuracy, Price and Convenience…

The reason we say “perceived accuracy” is that SkyCaddie’s biggest selling point is that they “ground verify” all their golf courses. The way we understand this, is that SkyCaddie sends real people and specialized equipment out to golf courses to verify that the targets ARE where their satellite images have shown them to be. Golf Buddy relies on the satellite images. Does that make SkyCaddie devices more accurate? It sounds good, but we don’t know if there is any real confirmation of this. What we do know is that SkyCaddie users seldom ever mention a problem with accuracy. On the other hand, most users of Golf Buddy GPS devices are also happy with the accuracy.

Price: The cost of SkyCaddie’s on-going ground-verification of targets are passed on to the consumer, not only in the price of the SkyCaddie, but also in annual fees. Golf Buddy will cost you less off the shelf and there are no fees.

If you’re still on the fence, then convenience may be the factor that pushes you over… Although the recent models of both Golf Buddy and SkyCaddie come “preloaded” with thousands of courses, the current SkyCaddie only has basic information about those courses. Registration, fees and computer syncing are required to get the full hole views. Golf Buddy’s current model has the full view of most courses preloaded and does not require registration or fees to use them. Courses that are added to Golf Buddy’s database after the unit is manufactured can be downloaded to the device via computer sync. FYI… most users who give poor ratings to SkyCaddie, are the ones who have problems with online registration and syncing.

Golf Rangefinder Shop’s Take:

If your perceived accuracy of SkyCaddie has you leaning toward making that purchase despite the higher price and extra work, consider one more thing before you buy… a Bushnell Hybrid laser/GPS. Over the life of the device, the Bushnell should cost less than a SkyCaddie with annual fees factored in. The Bushnell Hybrid laser feature is pretty much as accurate as you can get in a rangefinder. The GPS built into the side of the Bushnell Hybrid gives you a quick glance at yardages to the front, middle and back of the green as well as hazards. If accuracy is your main consideration, the Bushnell Hybrid makes more sense if you have no concerns about using a laser. 

If convenience and price have you ready to order a Golf Buddy, it’s probably the right choice for you. However, if you haven’t considered buying a laser or hybrid rangefinder, we encourage you to take another five minutes to explore the laser golf rangefinder vs GPS debate.

Golf Buddy vs SkyCaddie is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. Golf Buddy Platinum Review
2. Golf Buddy Reviews
3. Golf Buddy World Review
4. Golf Buddy
5. Golf Buddy Accessories

“Bushnell XGC+”

Regular Price $279.95
Today $149.99


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The Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC+ was introduced in October 2010, but there still are only a small number of user reviews. We’ve read everything we could find for our Bushnell XGC+ Review and in spite of its mediocre GRS score, there are still some users who might want to consider buying this model.

Bushnell XGC+ Plus Review Score: 7.29 out of 10 (17 reviews)

We believe the Bushnell XGC+ offers the lowest price by a good bit of any golf GPS device with full hole views and NO membership fees. There is a small caveat to the membership fees issue… Basically, Bushnell includes a one year membership to iGolf so you can download course maps and course updates. After the first year, you don’t have to pay membership fees unless you want to download additional courses with full maps. The course maps you already have on your XGC+ will remain there. If you do decide you need more course maps, iGolf annual membership fees have typically been very low.

The Bushnell XGC+ Plus comes preloaded with basic information to over 16,000 courses. That means you can open up the box when it arrives and take it out to play without syncing it with your computer. Even better than that, it means that you can show up at a course when you haven’t had time to download it and still benefit from having your Bushnell GPS with you. Within 45 days of starting up the XGC+ for the first time, you’ll need to register it on your computer. You can then select up to 50 golf courses to download with full maps to store on your unit. Whenever you sync your device, any updates that have been made to any courses, will be downloaded. The Bushnell XGC+ also includes scorecard, statistics and shot measuring features.

Conclusion: if you’re on a tight budget and you want more than just numbers on the display, this may be the golf GPS for you. If you have a bigger budget, we suggest checking out the GolfBuddy World.

Remember there were not many reviews to consider, so most of the pros and cons listed were mentioned only two or three times each.

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of of mentions high to low):

Bushnell XGC+ Features and Specifications

Model	Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC+
Type	GPS
Height	3.85 in.
Width	2.15 in.
Depth	.75 in.
Screen Size	2.2
Resolution	hi-res
Display Type	color
Weight	N/A oz.
Battery	Li-ion recharge
Battery Life	16 hrs max
Rainproof	Yes
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	50 Full
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	N/A
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	N/A
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	16,000+
Add Courses Manually	No
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	No*

Bushnell XGC+ Plus Golf GPS

Bushnell XGC+ Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. iGolf GPS neo and Bushnell neo
2. Bushnell neo+ Review Summary
3. Bushnell Hybrid Golf Rangefinder Review
4. Bushnell Medalist Rangefinder Review
5. Bushnell Tour V2 Review Summary

Izzo Swami 3000 Review Score: 8.49 out of 10 (55 reviews)

Overall, we feel the Izzo Swami 3000 is a unique offering in the golf GPS world. As of this writing, it has by far the lowest price point of any preloaded golf GPS device on the market. For a street price of less than $90, you can have an easy to use, easy to read, GPS that is quick to acquire yardages to the front, middle and back of the green… AND it’s preloaded with over 19,000 golf courses. Out of the box, you just plug it in to charge it and it’s ready for play. There are no required downloads and there are no fees. If you are just looking for the basics, this is hard to beat.

Make no mistake though, it is basic. There are no alternate targets (hazards and such). Distances are in a straight line from you to the front, middle and back of the green, so doglegs aren’t taken into account. There are no stats and no scorecards. If you’re looking for basic, but not quite this basic, we suggest reading our Bushnell neo+ Review as the next step up.

Most of the reviews we read were from users who got what they expected in terms of features, and were pleased by the performance of the Izzo Swami 3000. The few who were most unhappy were those with defective devices and felt the customer service from Izzo was lacking.  The two things that stood out on the negative side were the lack of an auto forwarding to the next hole feature and a charging indicator. To be fair though, only a small percentage of users mentioned either of these shortcomings and besides, they are hardly deal breakers. There were also a  couple of problems with the golf course being recognized on start-up, but most users reported that took two minutes or less.

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of mentions high to low):

Most Mentioned Cons(in order of mentions high to low):

• No indicator when charge is full
• No auto forward to the next hole (1 key press is all that is required)
• Slow customer service
• Occasional questionable accuracy
• No doglegs or alternate targets
• Problems with auto course recognition

Izzo Swami Features and Specifications

Model	Swami 3000
Type	GPS
Height	1 in.
Width	3.75 in.
Depth	1 in.
Screen Size	N/A
Resolution	N/A
Display Type	N/A
Weight	N/A oz.
Battery	N/A
Battery Life	12 hrs
Rainproof	No
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	N/A
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	No
Stat Tracker	No
Digital Scorecard	No
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	No
Aerial Hole View	No
Green Rotates to your shot angle	N/A
Measure Shot Distance	No
Magnify Hole View	N/A
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	19,000+
Add Courses Manually	No
Compatibility	Windows
Course Download Fees	No

Izzo Swami 3000

Izzo Swami 3000 Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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3. Best Golf Rangefinder 2012
4. Where are the best deals on Golf Rangefinders?
5. SkyCaddie SGXw Reviews

“SkyCaddie SGX”

Regular Price $429.95
Today $238.98

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Our SkyGolf Skycaddie SGX Review of Reviews takes into consideration the pros and cons most mentioned by users in reviews all over the Internet. We do the research and pull it together in summary to make your decision a little easier. We also calculate our own GRS Score based on user ratings from a variety of websites, to help you compare devices.

Although the SkyCaddie SGX GRS rating is a little low, what we noticed is that most users who were actually putting this device to the test ON the golf course, were loving it. The lower ratings were coming from those whose out of the box experience was so bad that they never even got it to the golf course.  SkyCaddie has fixed many of the initial problems and its ratings scores are going up. Initially the SkyCaddies SGX debuted on our GRS Scores at 6.95 and has now climbed to 7.56. All we’re saying is that if you are willing to take a little risk and possibly invest some time getting it set-up, the SGX may be the golf rangefinder of your dreams. If you’re looking for a safer bet, definitely take a look at our GRS Scores and review summaries for golf GPS devices.

SkyCaddie SGX GRS Score: 7.89 out of 10 (264 reviews)
Most Mentioned Pros:

• Large clear screen
• Easy to read in sunlight and shade
• Acquires distances quickly
• Accuracy
• Good battery life
• Scoring and Stats capability
• SGClub – uploading scoring and stats
• User friendly and easy to navigate
• Mac and PC compatible (see problems under Most Mentioned Cons below)
• HoleVue (when available) giving you the ability to get distance to any point on a hole
• Size
• Stores 50 full-featured courses. Basic information for 30,000 courses is preloaded (requires membership after 30 days)

Most Mentioned Cons:

• Registration and syncing problems with Windows 7
• Bugs that weren’t worked out before release
• Hardware problems (SkyCaddie did replace the units)
• Wait times for customer service (likely has improved since the initial release)
• HoleVue not available on all courses (SkyCaddie claims to be adding hundreds of courses each month). Make sure it’s available on your favorite courses before you buy.
• Learning curve for using advanced features
• A few users felt that some of the numbers were a little small (ex. shot measuring feature)
• Membership fee
• Buttons and joystick a little difficult for some users

Top Features of the Skycaddie SGX:

• 3 inch display with impressive readability
• Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that lasts up to 14 hours of continuous use
• Intuitive and easier to use, even with a glove on
• TruePoint Precision Positioning Technology – super accurate and fast
• Offers up to 30,000 pre-loaded, making it “Ready to Play” out of the box with basic green information
• Ground-verified course maps… SkyCaddie® mappers walk every single course
• Interactive HoleVueâ„¢ with Zoom capability – HoleVue gives access to finding a distance to any point on a hole. Hundreds of courses are being added to HoleVue every month.
• SkyCaddie®’s patented IntelliGreen® technology that displays the exact shape of the green and automatically rotates the green to match a golfer’s angle of approach
• Golfers will be able to use the SGX to learn how far they hit each club almost automatically when SmartClub Technology is launched early this summer.
• Digital Scorecard and Stat Tracking tracks key game statistics, including: greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, and total putts

Skygolf SkyCaddie SGX Feature Table

Model	SkyCaddie SGX
Type	GPS
Height	4.8+ in.
Width	2.48 in.
Depth	.75 in.
Screen Size	3 in.
Resolution	high
Display Type	TFT-LCD
Weight	5.6 oz.
Battery	Li-poly
Battery Life	14 hrs max
Rainproof	Yes*
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes*
Course Capacity	50 Full
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	Yes
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	Yes
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	30,000+
Add Courses Manually	Yes
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	Yes

We do our best to obtain information about product features, but make no guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.

Skycaddie SGX Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. Skygolf SkyCaddie SGX Review of Reviews
2. SkyGolf Skycaddie SGX
3. SkyCaddie SG5 Review
4. SkyCaddie SG3.5 Review
5. SkyCaddie SGXw vs SGX vs SG5

“Bushnell neo+”

Regular Price $199.99
Today $97.30


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For our Bushnell Neo+ Review, we took notes on over 40 reviews from everyday users. By far the most common theme of all the reviews was the ease of use of the Bushnell neo+. Accuracy, price and size were also common praises of this small GPS rangefinder. In total, about 89% of all comments noted were positive and of the few negative comments, we didn’t think any were “deal breakers”, but take a look for yourself at our list of most mentioned pros and cons below.

Notes about the Bushnell neo+ GPS rangefinder:
The neo+ is preloaded with front, center, back of the green distances and custom points (hazards) for courses throughout the United States and Canada. International courses can be download manually. The neo+ also features a high resolution screen, auto-course recognition, auto-hole advance and large text menus. Although it comes preloaded and there are no fees, it does require that you hook it up to your computer and register it within 45 days of its first GPS fix. At that time, it will update (sync) the course database.

Golf Buddy Platinum GRS Score: 8.53 out of 10 (68 reviews)

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of mentions high to low):

Most Mentioned Cons (in order of mentions high to low):

• Didn’t always recognize golf course. (Bushnell suggests moving to a clear, unobstructed view of the sky. Also manual search is available.)
• No hole views or color screen (not a complaint as much as a mention)
• Size is small, which is easier to lose
• Courses outside of U.S. & Canada must be downloaded
• Requirement for registration via computer
• User Manual is online
• Occasional accuracy problems
• Sync with computer cleared manually added information

Bushnell Neo+ Features

Model	Bushnell neo+
Type	GPS
Height	2 in.
Width	3.5 in.
Depth	.5 in.
Screen Size	N/A
Resolution	N/A
Display Type	monochrome LCD
Weight	N/A oz.
Battery	Li-ion recharge
Battery Life	14-16 hrs
Water Resistant	Yes
Waterproof	No
High Sensitivity Receiver	N/A
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	16,000+
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	No
Stat Tracker	No
Digital Scorecard	No
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	No
Green Rotates to your shot angle	N/A
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	No
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	16,000+
Add Courses Manually	Yes
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	No

Also check out our iGolf GPS neo and Bushnell neo Review Summary.

“Bushnell neo+”

Regular Price $199.99
Today $97.30


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Bushnell neo+ Review Summary is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. Bushnell Tour V2 Review Summary
2. Bushnell XGC+ Review
3. Bushnell Hybrid Golf Rangefinder Review
4. iGolf GPS neo and Bushnell neo
5. SkyCaddie SG5 Review Summary

“GolfBuddy World”

Regular Price $329.99
Today $214.99


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Although our Golf Buddy World review won’t be available until it’s been field tested by real users, this latest release from GolfBuddy looks very promising. The reason we say that is that it appears from the specs, that the only differences between the Golf Buddy World and its predecessor the Golf Buddy World Platinum are the size and the price. Both are smaller on the new Golf Buddy World! Here is the side by side comparison.

Model	Golf Buddy World Platinum	Golf Buddy World
Type	GPS	GPS
Height	4.3 in.	4.1 in.
Width	2.4 in.	2.2 in.
Depth	1 in.	.07 in.
Screen Size	3 in.	2.7
Resolution	240×400	240×340
Display Type	Color TFT LCD	Color TFT LCD
Weight	5.15 oz.	4.2 oz.
Battery	Li-poly	rechargeable
Battery Life	10 hrs	10 hrs
Rainproof	No	N/A
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes	Yes
Course Capacity	40,000	40,000
Touch Screen	Yes	Yes
Touch Targeting	Yes	Yes
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes	Yes
Stat Tracker	Yes	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	No	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes	Yes
Ground Verified	No	N/A
Alternate Targets	Yes	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes	Yes
Measure Shot Distance	Yes	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes	Yes
Slope	No	No
# of Available Courses	35,000+	35,000+
Add Courses Manually	N/A	N/A
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	No	No
We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.

Golf Buddy World Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. Golf Buddy Reviews
2. Golf Buddy Platinum Review
3. Golf Buddy vs SkyCaddie
4. SkyCaddie SGXw vs SGX vs SG5
5. Callaway uPro MX Review

We’re talking about golf GPS devices with hole views, alternate targets, scorecards, stats and more. You’ll find that the top scores generally go to the more basic GPS rangefinders that provide distance to the front, middle and back of the green and little more. The reason for that is likely that the learning curves and expectations are lower for those models. The Golf Buddy Platinum is the first full-featured device we’ve reviewed that cracked the top five in our ratings list and it has landed at #3.

Golf Buddy Platinum GRS Score: 7.81 out of 10 (114 reviews)

The biggest complaint may be fast fading away and may not be relevant to you at all. A fair number of reviewers were disappointed to find that some courses did not have full layout view available. It would be understandable to be upset if the courses you played the most, only displayed front, middle and back yardage when you expected hole views and touch targeting. However it’s important to understand that Golf Buddy has been adding full layout view courses at a very fast pace. You can check out their website to see if the courses you play are available in full layout view. If they are and you’re looking for a full-featured GPS golf rangefinder, take a close look at the Golf Buddy World Platinum. Ease of use, accuracy and no fees were the top compliments by paid by reviewers.

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of mentions high to low):

Most Mentioned Cons (in order of mentions high to low):

• Not enough courses in full layout view (see our comments above)
• battery life (2 rounds or less reported by several users)
• Needed to update on computer to get full layout view of some courses
• Problems with accuracy
• Limited alternate targets (Note: on courses with hole layout view, you can use touch targeting to anywhere)
• Difficulty using touchscreen
• Poor technical support

Golf Buddy World Platinum Features and Specifications

Model	Golf Buddy World Platinum
Type	GPS
Height	4.3 in.
Width	2.4 in.
Depth	1 in.
Screen Size	3 in.
Resolution	240×400
Display Type	Color TFT LCD
Weight	5.15 oz.
Battery	Li-poly
Battery Life	10 hrs
Rainproof	No
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	40,000
Touch Screen	Yes
Touch Targeting	Yes
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	35,000+
Add Courses Manually	N/A
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	No
We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.

Golf Buddy World Platinum – $239.99

Golf Buddy Platinum Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. Golf Buddy Reviews
2. Golf Buddy World Review
3. Golf Buddy vs SkyCaddie
4. Golf Rangefinder Buyer’s Guide
5. Best Golf Rangefinder 2012

“Garmin Approach S1″

Regular Price $249.99
Today $206.00


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Our Garmin S1 Review Summary reveals a new champion in the GPS golf rangefinder category. Yes, we’re talking about the Garmin Approach S1 golf watch, whose main function is to provide GPS distances to the front, middle and back of the green. No fancy hole layout views, no distances to hazards, no color on the screen… so what is it that sent this GPS golf watch to the top of our GRS Scores for GPS rangefinders? It’s super convenient and super easy to use. That’s not all that users liked about the Garmin S1, but those are the two things most mentioned in reviews we read… and we read as many as we could find. Some golfers will want more features than are available on the Garmin S1, but if you’re looking for something that actually reduces the distractions during your round, this one is worth a look. Don’t stop here, take a look at the list of pros and cons before you decide this is what you’ve been waiting for.

Garmin Approach S1 Review Score: 9.12 out of 10 (311 reviews)

Most Mentioned Pros (in order of mentions high to low):

Most Mentioned Cons(in order of mentions high to low):

• Takes some care to hook up to charger
• No digital scorecard

Garmin Approach S1 Features and Specifications

Model	Garmin Approach S1 Watch
Type	GPS
Height	2.7 in.
Width	1.8 in.
Depth	.6 in.
Screen Size	1×1
Resolution	64×32 px
Display Type	monochrome LCD
Weight	1.8 oz.
Battery	Li-ion
Battery Life	3 wks / 8 hrs GPS
Rainproof	Yes
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Course Capacity	Unlimited
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	No
Stat Tracker	No
Digital Scorecard	No
Computer Analysis Tools	No
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	No
Alternate Targets	No
Aerial Hole View	No
Green Rotates to your shot angle	N/A
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	No
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	14,000+
Add Courses Manually	No
Compatibility	N/A
Course Download Fees	No

Garmin Approach S1 – $206.00

Garmin S1 Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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2. White Garmin Approach S1
3. Garmin G6 Approach Reviews
4. Garmin G5 Approach Reviews
5. Stat-Tracking Software for Garmin Approach G5 Golf GPS

$299.00

Our SkyGolf Skycaddie SGX Review of Reviews takes into consideration the pros and cons most mentioned by users in reviews all over the Internet. We do the research and pull it together in summary to make your decision a little easier. We also calculate our own GRS Score based on user ratings from a variety of websites, to help you compare devices.

Although the SkyCaddie SGX GRS rating is a little low, what we noticed is that most users who were actually putting this device to the test ON the golf course, were loving it. The lower ratings were coming from those whose out of the box experience was so bad that they never even got it to the golf course.  SkyCaddie has fixed many of the initial problems and its ratings scores are going up. Initially the SkyCaddies SGX debuted on our GRS Scores at 6.95 and has now climbed to 7.56. All we’re saying is that if you are willing to take a little risk and possibly invest some time getting it set-up, the SGX may be the golf rangefinder of your dreams. If you’re looking for a safer bet, definitely take a look at our GRS Scores and review summaries for golf GPS devices.

SkyCaddie SGX GRS Score: 7.89 out of 10 (264 reviews)
Most Mentioned Pros:

• Large clear screen
• Easy to read in sunlight and shade
• Acquires distances quickly
• Accuracy
• Good battery life
• Scoring and Stats capability
• SGClub – uploading scoring and stats
• User friendly and easy to navigate
• Mac and PC compatible (see problems under Most Mentioned Cons below)
• HoleVue (when available) giving you the ability to get distance to any point on a hole
• Size
• Stores 50 full-featured courses. Basic information for 30,000 courses is preloaded (requires membership after 30 days)

Most Mentioned Cons:

• Registration and syncing problems with Windows 7
• Bugs that weren’t worked out before release
• Hardware problems (SkyCaddie did replace the units)
• Wait times for customer service (likely has improved since the initial release)
• HoleVue not available on all courses (SkyCaddie claims to be adding hundreds of courses each month). Make sure it’s available on your favorite courses before you buy.
• Learning curve for using advanced features
• A few users felt that some of the numbers were a little small (ex. shot measuring feature)
• Membership fee
• Buttons and joystick a little difficult for some users

Top Features of the Skycaddie SGX:

• 3 inch display with impressive readability
• Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that lasts up to 14 hours of continuous use
• Intuitive and easier to use, even with a glove on
• TruePoint Precision Positioning Technology – super accurate and fast
• Offers up to 30,000 pre-loaded, making it “Ready to Play” out of the box with basic green information
• Ground-verified course maps… SkyCaddie® mappers walk every single course
• Interactive HoleVueâ„¢ with Zoom capability – HoleVue gives access to finding a distance to any point on a hole. Hundreds of courses are being added to HoleVue every month.
• SkyCaddie®’s patented IntelliGreen® technology that displays the exact shape of the green and automatically rotates the green to match a golfer’s angle of approach
• Golfers will be able to use the SGX to learn how far they hit each club almost automatically when SmartClub Technology is launched early this summer.
• Digital Scorecard and Stat Tracking tracks key game statistics, including: greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, and total putts

Skygolf SkyCaddie SGX Feature Table

Model	SkyCaddie SGX
Type	GPS
Height	4.8+ in.
Width	2.48 in.
Depth	.75 in.
Screen Size	3 in.
Resolution	high
Display Type	TFT-LCD
Weight	5.6 oz.
Battery	Li-poly
Battery Life	14 hrs max
Rainproof	Yes*
High Sensitivity Receiver	Yes
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes*
Course Capacity	50 Full
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	Yes
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Ground Verified	Yes
Alternate Targets	Yes
Aerial Hole View	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Magnify Hole View	Yes
Slope	No
# of Available Courses	30,000+
Add Courses Manually	Yes
Compatibility	Windows/Mac*
Course Download Fees	Yes

We do our best to obtain information about product features, but make no guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.

Skygolf SkyCaddie SGX Review of Reviews is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Related Golf Rangefinder posts:

1. SkyGolf Skycaddie SGX
2. SkyGolf Launches SkyCaddie Membership Benefits+
3. SkyCaddie SG5 Review
4. SkyGolf Introduces AutoView for the SGX
5. SkyCaddie SG3.5 Review

$169.98

For our SkyCaddie SG5 Review Summary, we carefully read nearly 70 reviews and wrote down everything users said about their SkyCaddie SG5 experiences. We counted which pros and which cons were mentioned the most frequently and have compiled our results.  The results are listed in order from most mentioned to least. We also average out user ratings from as many websites as we can find and come up with our composite GRS Score.

SkyCaddie SG5 GRS Score: 7.67 out of 10 (385 reviews)

PROS (In order of mentions high to low):

1. Accuracy
2. Easy Computer Set-up and Downloads
3. Easy to use
4. Lots of courses
5. Improves golf game
6. Intelligreen – exact shape of the green rotates to match your angle of approach
7. Fast distance acquisition from satellites
8. Speeds up play
9. Up-to-date
10. Color screen
11. Easy to read and easy to see in bright sunlight
12. Email support responds quickly
13. Digital Scorecard
14. Holevue – on some courses – graphic view of the hole that allows you to zoom and get yardage to desired target
15. Alternate targets – hazards, carries and layups
16. Stat tracking – fairways, GIRs and putts
17. No charge for feature upgrades
18. Good Customer Service (note: more people complained than complimented)
19. Good battery life
20. Intelligreen Pro – available on some courses. Displays green contours
21. Size
22. Club SG – Upload your scores and stats for analysis and sharing

CONS (In order of mentions high to low):

1. Annual membership fee
2. Poor Customer Service
3. Limit of 10 courses stored – $20 upgrade to 20 courses
4. If you don’t renew your membership, the courses stored on your device will stop working
5. Too big to fit easily into a pocket
6. Steep price
7. Learning curve and no instructions
8. Not waterproof
9. Doesn’t take Alkaline batteries, so if don’t get to recharge it before you play, you may be out of luck.
10. Software Problems
11. Does not come pre-loaded with courses

Golf Rangefinder Shop Summary: The one thing mentioned more often than any other in all the reviews we read, was how accurate the device was. One reason may be that SkyGolf, the maker of SkyCaddie GPS rangefinders, ground-verifies every course in their database. This means that an actual person goes to the golf course with specialized equipment to make sure the yardages are accurate. All other golf GPS devices use only satellite imagery. We don’t know of any studies that have been done to prove it, but this might mean SkyCaddie GPS devices are more consistently accurate than other units. Although nobody likes paying the annual SkyCaddie membership fee, many of those who mentioned it as a negative, felt it was worth it for the accuracy. Although “Annual membership fees” was the most mentioned CON, “Poor Customer Service” was the one that really got our attention. There were several users who had good experiences with customer support, particularly email and chat support, but there were more who had bad experiences. From telephone wait times to rude comments, over 10% of the user reviews we read, were unhappy with some aspect of technical support. Considering how many users are thrilled with their SkyCaddie SG5, we’re guessing most of them have never needed to contact Customer Service. That in itself is a PRO. We at the Golf Rangefinder Shop have set-up many SkyCaddies and downloaded many courses with no problems at all. Our Conclusion:

• If consistent accuracy is the most important feature that you want in your golf rangefinder AND a laser rangefinder isn’t your thing, then the SkyCaddie SG5 should definitely be on your short list. You should also be prepared to defend your decision to pay annual fees (hopefully for more consistent accuracy), as several GPS models are now coming pre-loaded with thousands of golf courses and no membership fees. Also remember that you can only store 10 courses at a time on your SG5 (20 courses after a $20 upgrade).
• If you have computer phobias and little patience with things like bad customer support, then you should look into getting a pre-loaded golf GPS device instead.

SkyCaddie SG5 Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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1. SkyCaddie SG5 Review Summary
2. SkyCaddie SGXw vs SGX vs SG5
3. Summary of SkyCaddie SG4 Reviews
4. SkyCaddie SG3.5 Review
5. Skygolf SkyCaddie SGX Review of Reviews

We’re anxious to hear more about this device, as we know there are many players who struggle to see the displays on other GPS golf rangedinders. We’re also impressed that LPGA legend Nancy Lopez will be in the both endorsing The Advisor, the world’s first talking GPS Rangefinder!

Talking GPS Rangefinder is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

Price and features are only half the battle… If Celestron can get off the ground in this market, you can bet we’ll have the Celestron CoursePro Elite Review Summary when the user reviews start rolling.

Celestron CoursePro Elite Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Garmin Approach S1 GPS Golf Watch Features:

• Preloaded with 14,000 golf courses, which means no subscription fees and no downloads. More course are being added all the time.
• Displays distance to front, middle and back of the green from your approach angle
• Ability to measure the distance of your shots
• In GPS mode, quickly locates nearby golf courses
• Auto forwarding to the next hole
• High-sensitivity GPS receiver
• Sunlight viewable with large numbers
• Long battery life – up to 8 hours GPS mode or 3 weeks in normal mode
• With GPS enabled, walkers can use the odometer on the S1 to see how far they have walked
• Automatic time and time zone detection
• Alarm
• Rugged, waterproof and lightweight
• USGA and R&A compliant

Garmin Approach S1 GPS Golf Watch is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Our SkyCaddie SG3.5 review summary takes into consideration pros and cons mentioned in user reviews all over the web. The GRS Score is a calculated based upon user ratings from a variety of websites to help when making comparisons between golf rangefinders.  Just as a side note, one of our editors was recently caddying in a group where a SkyCaddie SG3.5 was being used by a former LPGA star who now walks the fairways as a golf television commentator.

SkyCaddie SG3.5 GRS Score: 8.40 out of 10 (75 reviews)

Most Mentioned Pros:

• accuracy
• AAA batteries – no recharging worries if you carry an extra set
• color display
• choice of viewing formats
• ability to move pin location
• auto hole advance
• stat tracker – downloadable
• lots of courses
• compact size
• sturdy
• easy to use

Most Mentioned Cons:

• price
• Lack of good instruction manual
• difficult to read in direct sun
• uses batteries fast (3 rnds or less with alkaline). Using rechargeable batteries was recommended by several users

OVERVIEW OF KEY FEATURES

• IntelliGreen® Pro (Beta) adds the ability to view major tiers, contours, false fronts and mounds from your angle of approach to the green.
• HoleVueâ„¢ powered by TrueGroundâ„¢ Mapping Beta displays a graphical image of a hole using SkyGolf’s reliable TrueGroundâ„¢ mapping process. HoleVue availability is limited, but more courses are being added.
• SkyCaddie’s QuickVueâ„¢ displayes a virtual preview of the safest path from the tee to green.
• SkyGolf’s IntelliGreen® technology provides you with an eagle’s view of each green from anywhere on the golf course. The graphic rotates to provide front carry, back yardages, and green depth from your approach angle.
• Digital Scorecard allows you to enter your handicap into the preferences and the pars for your handicap are automatically highlighted on the digital scorecard.
• The SkyCaddie can tell you with a simple touch of a button how far you hit a shot and record the club used so you can refer back to it later.
• Instant Distances to Greens and Hazards
• Up to 40 targets per hole

Some features require a SkyCaddie Annual Membership

SkyCaddie SG3.5 Review is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Our SkyCaddie SG5 Review Summary takes into consideration user ratings, product features and the likes and dislikes most mentioned by users in their reviews. First we calculate our GRS Score based on over 100 user ratings from a variety of websites. Then we list the features of the device and summarize the pros and cons we have noted within user reviews from multiple websites.

SkyCaddie SG5 GRS Score: 7.16 out of 10 (241 reviews)

Features of the SkyGolf SkyCaddie SG5:

• Ground-Verified Course Maps – Only SkyCaddie walks every course to make sure you have information you can trust. Other GPS devices rely on satellite images.
• IntelliGreen® Proâ„¢ (Beta) – shows the contours of the green from your viewing angle.
• IntelliGreen® – shows the overhead view of a green and gives distances to the front and back from your viewing angle.
• HoleVueâ„¢ powered by TrueGroundâ„¢ Mapping Beta – displays a graphical overhead view of each holed. It is not available on all courses, but over 100 courses a month are being added.
• SkyCaddie QuickVueâ„¢ powered by TrueGroundâ„¢ Mapping – In QuickVue, you can see the distance of the hole, the hole shape, the shape of the green and the distance to your ideal target.
• Digital Scorecard –Keep track of your round with the SkyCaddie Digital Scorecard. Enter your handicap into the preferences and the pars for your handicap are automatically highlighted on the digital scorecard.
• Calculates your distances – mark the spot where you hit from and then when you arrive at your ball, you can find out exactly how far you hit it.
• Instant Distances to Greens and Hazards –distance to front, center and back show of the green, plus up to 40 targets each hole.

Most Mentioned Pros:

• Easy to operate
• Comes with travel case, car charger and LCD protector for no extra charge
• Gives you accurate distance for many targets and hazards from any angle
• Durable
• Battery life – lasts for 14 hours of continuous use
• Water resistant
• Large display fonts make it is easy to read
• Color LCD is easy to see even in direct sunlight
• Large database of golf courses
• Digital Scorecard

Most Mentioned Cons:

• Customer Service – long wait times for phone support
• Annual membership fee of $29. Discounts are available for multiple years.
• Only 10 courses at a time can be stored on the unit

Some users complained about installing and using the software for downloading courses. Based on our personal experience, we would say that installation is not a problem, but searching for and downloading courses is not altogether intuitive. However, once you get the hang of it, it’s no problem.

SkyCaddie SG5 Review Summary is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Our summary of reviews for the Izzo Swami GPS 1500 considers the pros and cons based on user comments from a variety of different websites. Additionally, we have also provided our own GRS Score  based on user ratings from multiple sites.

Izzo Swami 1500 GRS Score: 8.26 out of 10 (121 reviews)

The Izzo Swami GPS 1500 is  a basic model that give distances to the front, middle and back of the green. It has one of the lowest price points available in handheld GPS devices for golf.

Most Mentioned Pros:

• Low membership fee, only $10 annually
• Very easy to use and to set up
• Font size is large so it’s easy to see
• Accuracy
• Excellent Value
• Automatically recognizes the course you are on
• Very handy and easy to carry
• Friendly customer service

Most Mentioned Cons:

• Doesn’t have an auto off feature – remember to turn of the unit at the end of the day or the battery runs out
• Lacks some bells and whistles that more expensive models offer
• It takes time for the device to start up -  It takes about 90 seconds for it to start up, so it  is suggested that as soon as you arrive at the course, turn on your unit so it will be ready by the time you reach the 1^st tee
• No wall charger – the package comes with a usb-charger where you can charge the device while using your computer, however it does not come with a wall charger. One is available for purchase if you desire.

Some users reported having to wait longer than expected for unmapped courses to be mapped, but some also said it only took a day and even less than the estimated time of 5-10 days. A few users also said that in some circumstances, they experienced inaccuracies, but most were happy with the unit’s accuracy.

Izzo Swami 1500 is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Caddy GPS? You’re probably looking for a SkyCaddie GPS handheld device for the golf course. SkyGolf has lead the way in the development of the GPS Golf Rangefinder and it looks like they are continuing to raise the bar with the SkyCaddie SGX. One thing to keep in mind about SkyCaddie is that they actually send people out to each golf course to ensure accurate and relevant information. No guarantees that it’s perfect, but most other companies use satellite maps to build their databases. In spite of this, the competition among golf rangefinders has gotten pretty stiff, but remember that there is probably a unit for just about every budget.

Things to consider before buying your GPS Golf Rangefinder:

• Is my golf home golf course available on the unit?
• How accurate is it?
• Is there an annual membership fee on top of the cost of the unit?
• How many courses does it hold at one time?
• Is it preloaded with courses and ready to go out of the box?
• Is the screen color or black and white?
• Is the screen readable in bright sunlight and are the numbers big enough for me to see?
• How many targets are available on each hole? Is front, middle and back of the green all I need?
• Can I see the actual layout of the hole? In how much detail?
• Can I set my own targets on the the device?
• Will it track my statistics? Is it easy to do that?
• How easy or hard is it to download new courses?
• How many of these features am I likely to use?

On this site we’re attempting to summarize reviews and ratings from around the web to give you a complete look at the most popular products on the market. Take a look at our Golf Rangefinder GRS Scores and then link to individual review summaries to discover the things people consistently mention as pros and cons for each device.

Caddy GPS is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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If you’re confused because you’ve seen two very similar GPS devices with similar names on them (the iGolf GPS neo and the Bushnell neo), let us help clear it up for you.  When Bushnell got into GPS golf units in 2008, they partnered with iGolf for the GPS function in their Yardage Pro units. In 2009, the partnership was expanded as Bushnell acquired the rights to the iGolf ‘s line of handheld units. That’s when the labeling on this small unit changed from iGolf neo to the Bushnell neo. The GPS is still powered by iGolf and Bushnell has added two new products to its line, the Yardage Pro XG and the Yardage Pro XGC., both also powered by iGolf.  The neo gets good reviews under both names, but oddly enough, users have scored it higher when it’s labeled “iGolf”.  However we noticed that some reviews under one label were actually intended for the other.

Our GRS Scores are calculated using User Ratings from multiple websites.

iGolf neo GRS Score: 8.72 out of 10 (218 reviews)
Bushnell neo GRS Score: 7.55 out of 10 (44 reviews)
Combined neo GRS Score: 8.52 out of 10 (262 reviews)

Features of the Bushnell (iGolf) Neo:

• Gives distance to the front, middle & back of each green
• 4 custom points can be set on each hole
• Stores up to 10 courses
• Calculates shot distance
• Easy to use
• Rainproof
• Includes belt clip
• Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
• High contrast LCD screen

iGolf GPS neo and Bushnell neo is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Skycaddie SG4 GRS Score: 6.98 out of 10 (198 reviews)

The Skycaddie SG4 doesn’t quite get the same scores at more expensive models, but there are quite a few users that absolutely love this device. For the price, there’s not much else that compares, so if this one fits your budget, take a look below at our summary of pros and cons.

Most Mentioned Pros:

• Good customer service
• Ease to use
• Durability
• Easy to Read
• Accurate
• Ability to move the pin for more precise yardage
• Several users felt their scores had come down as a result of using this unit.

Most Mentioned Cons:

• Poor power cable design – this was the most frequent complaint.
• Slow to acquire satellites
• Loss of signal during round
• Inaccurate – this happens with many GPS units. Some users think it’s really accurate, while others do not. We noted more users felt the unit was accurate or (“close enough”), but a few were unhappy with accuracy.
• Battery life
• Subscription fees
• Poor customer service – Again, more users were pleased with customer service than displeased, but as more than one had problems, we felt it appropriate to mention in both pros and cons.

Summary of SkyCaddie SG4 Reviews is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Our Callaway uPro Review of Reviews is a summary or pros and cons that we’ve noticed from users on a variety of websites. We have also compiled user ratings from multiple sites to come up with our GRS Score.

Callaway uPro GRS Score: 7.61 out of 10 (159 reviews)

Most Mentioned Pros:

• Accurate
• Easy to Read
• Aerial hole view (in Pro mode)
• No membership fee (Courses are free in Basic Mode and you pay for each course you download in Pro Mode)
• Compact size
• Pro Mode shows distance to layup and distance to carry
• Customizable

Most Mentioned Cons:

• A little slow starting up
• Battery life could be longer
• Difficult installation for Mac users
• Course availability
• No stat/score tracking

Callaway uPro Review of Reviews is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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Skycaddie SGX Key Features:

• 3″ Display with greatly improved readability
• Long-lasting lithium-ion rechargeable battery (up to 14 hours continuous)
• More intuitive – the touchscreen has been eliminated to reduce problems caused by large hands and golf gloves
• TruePoint Precision Positioning Technology – ultrafast with unmatched accuracy
• Offers up to 30,000 pre-loaded, ground-verified course maps making it “Ready to Play” out of the box with basic green information
• SkyCaddie® mappers walk every single course
• Interactive HoleVueâ„¢ with Zoom capability – HoleVue enables the golfer to know the distance to any point on a hole. Hundreds of courses are being added to HoleVue every month.
• SkyCaddie®’s patented IntelliGreen® technology that displays the exact shape of the green by automatically rotating the green to match a golfer’s angle of approach
• Golfers also can use the SGX to learn how far they hit each club
• Digital Scorecard and Stat Tracking option to track key game statistics, including: greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, and total putts

The Skycaddie SGX looks like it’s taking the golf rangefinder game to a whole new level.

SkyGolf Skycaddie SGX is a post from: The Golf Rangefinder Shop

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