Golf Rangefinder Reviews

Four Tips for Saving Shots with a Golf GPS App

golf GPS app screen shot Using a golf GPS app can be helpful to your game, but it can also be a big distraction. Here are four tips that can help you save shots, rather than blowing them because you were so busy trying to figure out how to measure your shot distance or enter your score. Getting too wrapped up in a golf app can take time away from your enjoying a beautiful day or good company and it can definitely take you out of the rhythm you need to play your best.

Download the app at home and spend some time learning how to navigate it. There may be a demo, or you can usually download a nearby course to check out the features. Read the instructions whether they are as a Help link within the app or on the manufacturer’s website. Make sure you know how to navigate between holes and how to get back and forth between any of the features you think you will want to use. Write down notes on how to do all these things and take them with you.
Make sure your phone is charged fully – a golf GPS can drain battery in a hurry. You might want to turn off Wifi and Bluetooth to conserve power.
Start slow. The first few times you use your new golf GPS app, arrive at the course early enough to get your course set up so you’re not doing it on the first tee. Then keep it simple – use the distances that it presents you and don’t mess with the scorecard or shot measuring features. Try to spend as little time as possible looking at your phone. Just let it do it’s most basic job and get good at utilizing that information.
Save the advanced features for a day when you have time… either when you are playing alone or when you are waiting on every shot. Refer to those notes you took when studying the instructions. Try to practice it so you get really fast at accessing any information you want, but don’t use features just because they are there. Use only the ones that you feel will really benefit your game.

One of our favorite golf GPS app is Mobitee. Download it and give it a try.

Tagged: Golf GPS Rangefinder Advice, iPhone, Smartphone Apps

GolfBuddy VT3 + Watch Review

The GolfBuddy VT3 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'GolfBuddy VT3 '

GolfBuddy VT3
Not Available

Check Newer Models
Laser
GPS
Golf Watches

Here are our preliminary thoughts for our GolfBuddy VT3 + Watch Review…

GolfBuddy VT3 User Rating: 3.00 out of 5 (11 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

The GolfBuddy Voice became a huge success not only with golfers who needed the auditory prompts, but with a much broader audience because of the size and performance. GolfBuddy is capitalizing on that success with several new units, including the VT3 which does not have the voice prompts, but has a touch screen and offers the versatility of working as a golf GPS watch or it can be detached from the band and will fit on a belt clip or visor, or easily into your pocket.

The VT3 has lots of features, including manual pin placement, shot measuring and a scorecard. On the other hand, you can simply leave it on the main screen and you will get distances to the front, middle and back of every green. The GolfBuddy VT3 comes preloaded with over 36,000 golf courses worldwide and never has any fees.

We’re definitely excited about the GolfBuddy VT3 and look forward to seeing how it stands up to the competition as both a golf GPS watch or simply as a small golf GPS.

GolfBuddy VT3
Course Download Fees	No
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Full Hole Views	Yes
Slope / Elevation	N/A
Battery Life	10 hrs
Battery	Li-poly rechargeable
Size (Width x Height x Depth)	1.72 in. x 1.68 in. x .38 in.
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Screen Size	1.5
Resolution	N/A
Display Type	LCD 16 Gray
Weight	.95 oz.
Rainproof	No
Touch Screen	Yes
Touch Targeting	Yes
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes
Stat Tracker	No
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	No
Ground Verified	Yes
Alternate Targets	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Notes	May be used with or without the included watch band. Can also be used as a GPS watch for tracking distance and time for walkers/runners.
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Tagged: Golf Buddy, Golf GPS Reviews, Golf Watch Reviews, Mid-Features GPS Models

Can You Use a Hunting Rangefinder for Golf?

One question we hear occasionally is “Can you use a hunting rangefinder for golf?”.

Yes No Maybe you can use a hunting rangefinder for golf! The quick answer is yes, but it’s not always as easy as using a rangefinder designed specifically for golf. Almost all name brand golf rangefinders are designed to pick out the pin from background objects by locking onto the object that is the closest to you. Bushnell calls it Pinseeker, Leupold calls it PinHunter and Callaway/Nikon refers to it as First Target Priority Mode. These technologies definitely make it easier and faster to get a reading about which you’ll feel confident.

Many hunting rangefinders are designed to do the opposite. They easily pick up the more distant objects, rather than closer objects. That eliminates the problem of leaves and brush in the foreground for hunters.

“GolfBuddy LR7”

Recently though GolfBuddy has been touting the GolfBuddy LR7 is good for hunting because it has three different modes. The Standard Mode which is a single button press that returns a single distance. It also has Pin Mode that scans for 10 seconds and settles on the closest target which is what you get with most laser rangefinders designed for golf. Scan Mode on the GolfBuddy, scans for 10 seconds, displaying the distance to any target that it hits. It doesn’t stop on the closest target, which should work best for hunters.

There’s no question that plenty of people use hunting rangefinders for golf and golf rangefinders for hunting. The results are often mixed, probably depending on the distance to the target and steadiness of the person using it.

Have you ever tried a laser rangefinder for golf and hunting? We would love to hear what worked or didn’t work for you. Leave us a comment below!

Tagged: hunting, Laser Rangefinder Advice, Nikon

SkyCaddie Aire Review

Our SkyCaddie Aire Review will be available as soon we get some feedback from users. This small golf GPS will be in stores soon, but rather than waiting, we would suggest buying a model with NO FEES, such as the Izzo Swami 4000.

The SkyCaddie Aire is a part of the Sport Series of golf GPS devices from SkyGolf. The Sport Series is sort of like the economy rack at SkyCaddie. The only problem is that these lower end SkyCaddie models still have annual fees, so they will cost you a good deal more than the price you pay for the unit. SkyCaddie wants you to believe that they are more accurate than other brands, but until we see user reviews that exceed the competition, we won’t be giving a thumbs up to any GPS golf devices with fees.

SkyCaddie Aire Noteworthy Features

Big, easy-to-read front, center and back of green distances
Over 30,000 courses preloaded
scorecard
Odometer and Calorie Counter
Waterproof: IPX 6
Clock, timer, alarm, pace-of-play clock
12 languages
8-10 hours of battery life

The difference between the Sky Caddie Sport Series and the Tour Series apparently has something to do with the quality of the GPS satellite. Here’s how SkyGolf describes it:

SkyCaddie’s Sport Series of products use CGT (Core Golfer Technology) technology to provide a more economical distance solution by substituting conventional GPS technology found in competitive devices in lieu of SkyCaddie’s unmatched, but more costly, TruePoint Positioning Technology.

We’re not sold and will watch to see what users think, but the bar has been set pretty high. The Izzo Swami 4000 is the same price with no annual fees.

Tagged: Basic Golf GPS Models, Golf GPS Reviews, SkyCaddie, Tournament Legal

Waterproof Golf GPS

Even the most fair-weather golfers get caught out in the rain once in awhile. That’s why it’s a good idea to buy a waterproof golf GPS unit.

Different manufacturers use different labels, so it’s a little confusing. The most useful waterproof/rainproof information comes IP Ratings, but not all golf GPS models use it. Some just use “rainproof” or “waterproof” and some don’t even say. Below is a list of golf GPS devices that claim some level of water resistance.

Waterproof and Rainproof Golf GPS
Garmin Approach S10 - Read Full Review We are thrilled that Garmin finally has a new basic golf watch. We think this will be the best-selling golf watch on the market for awhile to come. Why? Because it does everything most golfers want in a golf watch and it's lightweight and compact. On the main screen, you will see distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, plus the hole number and par. The shape of the green is also right there on the same screen. If you need hazard information, it's one screen away. Many golfers won't ever touch the watch after starting a round. A simple glance will tell them what they need to know. You can also keep score on this watch and upload your scores to Garmin Express so your playing history is always available. It doesn't offer a way of tracking your stats, so if you are looking for that feature, check out Garmin's other golf watches. Rating: Weight: 1.2 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Bushnell Phantom 2 - Read Full Review The Bushnell Phantom 2 is ready to go right out of the box. It has everything you need with no fuss. You turn it on and it finds the course and the hole and is typically ready for play in less than a minute. The large font and transreflective display make it easy to see in all conditions. The new stronger and larger BITE magnet holds firmly to your cart. If you’re walking, the included belt clip or carabiner will make it easy to find distances when you need them. It also has a new GreenView feature that allows you to get a more precise distance to the pin location. It has up to 18 hours of battery life and charges in less than three hours. And, by the way, it's fully waterproof so you can leave it up on those rainy days! Rating: Weight: 2.75 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Garmin Approach G12 - Read Full Review As expected, Garmin impressed us with this feature-pack golf GPS device. The most exciting thing about the Garmin G12 is the 30-hour battery life! That doubles the battery life of the Garmin G10 and it's 10 hours more than the Bushnell Phantom 2. At this price point, this will be the deciding factor for many golfers. Others will choose this model to use with the Garmin Approach CT10 Club Tracking System. The Garmin Approach G12 matches or exceeds the features of other golf GPS units in the same category. The price is a little bit higher, but if it's in your budget, the battery life, stat tracking, and analysis tools, make this worthy of your shortlist! Rating: Weight: .9 oz. Legal: Yes
Izzo Swami 6000 - Read Full Review This is one of our favorite golf GPS devices to look at. The screen is bright and colorful and the numbers are large and easy to read. It's also at a price point that we love! Even with the large bright screen, the battery life is still up to 16 hours. Although it has a scorecard, we don't think it's user-friendly and would not recommend this model to anyone looking for a scorecard feature. In truth, most users don't use their golf GPS devices for scorekeeping. If that is important to you, we suggest checking out models from Garmin. The Swami 6000 comes with a strong magnet for easy mounting to your cart or the included belt clip. It has distances to hazards and doglegs, and it has an IPX3 rating which should be good enough for most rainy weather conditions. Rating: Weight: 3.4 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
GolfBuddy Voice 2 SE - Read Full Review GolfBuddy increased the battery life in the GB Voice 2 SE to 20 hours. That's six more than the previous model and we are thrilled! Its ease of use is what makes it so popular. This compact, lightweight model has an LCD screen with distances to the front, middle, and back of every green. You can also switch to see the green shape. There are over 40,000 courses preloaded and you can update it with new courses anytime using the GolfBuddy GB Manager. Rating: Weight: 1.1 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
GolfBuddy Voice 2 - Read Full Review Every time GolfBuddy comes out with a new Voice model, it seems to get a little bit better. The GolfBuddy Voice 2 makes a huge leap with extended battery life. It boasts 14 hours which makes it the first one to be able to make it thru three 18-hole rounds. They've also added a choice of male and female voices. It's water resistant, has distances to the front, middle, and back of each green, and a shot measuring feature. The watch band can be ordered separately on Amazon. Rating: Weight: 1.02 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
GolfBuddy Voice X - Read Full Review We've been a fan of the GolfBuddy Voice line of GPS rangefinders for a long time. Each new iteration seems better than the one before and we hope that holds true for the new GolfBuddy VoiceX. The VoiceX adds quite a few features and a design change. Our favorite new feature is the automatic course update via Bluetooth and your smartphone. We also like the Big Numbers mode and manual pin positioning capability. Additionally, the new activity tracker could be a hit with walkers and runners. Watchband is available separately. Rating: Weight: N/A oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Garmin Approach S60 - Read Full Review Garmin's newest golf watch looks to be a sophisticated golf watch, fitness watch, and smartwatch. It will be released in the summer of 2017 and we look forward to exploring all the features here very soon! Rating: Weight: 1.8* oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Garmin Approach G30 - Read Full Review This full-featured little golf GPS unit comes preloaded with over 40,000 golf courses. You'll get full hole views of every hole and touch targeting to anywhere on a hole. When you bring up Green View, you can even adjust the pin placement for more precise distance. Although the G30 drops the "Plays Like" feature found on the Garmin Approach G8 that adjusts for elevation, it does connect with your smartphone to display, text messages, emails, etc. It is small enough to carry in a pocket but also comes with a clip and a lanyard for your belt or golf bag. This model also has 'Big Numbers' mode for distances to the front, middle, and back of the greens. Rating: Weight: 2.5 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
Izzo Swami Kiss - Read Full Review Unfortunately, we cannot recommend the Izzo Swami Kiss. Although Izzo has always offered a solid line of budget GPS products the Kiss has a few too many complaints for us to be able to get behind it. The biggest problem we noted is that the built-in magnet isn't strong enough. Even if the unit performed perfectly otherwise, it would be worthless if it bounced off the golf cart and was lost or broken. There are some users who are perfectly happy with the Swami Kiss, but we saw repeated complaints about the screen being too dark, limited hazard information, the battery life not living up to its promise, and defective devices. Check out our recommendations for the Best Budget Golf GPS. Rating: Weight: 2.8 oz. Legal: Yes	Order from Amazon
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