GolfBuddy PT4 Review

The GolfBuddy PT4 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'GolfBuddy PT4'

GolfBuddy PT4
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Based on our experience with the GolfBuddy PT4 and on customer feedback that we have reviewed, we are not recommending it. Instead, we suggest taking a look at our current Best Golf GPS summaries.

GolfBuddy PT4 User Rating: 3.50 Stars 3.50 out of 5 (49 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

We’ve heard from enough users and had trouble with the GolfBuddy PT4 ourselves. We just cannot recommend this unit. We recommend you take a look at our current list of top golf GPS devices.

The highlight of the GolfBuddy PT4 is the size. Unlike other golf GPS handhelds, the PT4 is more like a good sized smartphone. Not everyone wants a big GPS, but it’s really nice to see those full hole views on the 4″ screen and it’s got room for pretty large numbers. Touch targeting is great, but because of the size of the numbers, we often have to zoom into the spot we are targeting in order to get enough precision. Fortunately, it has many levels of zoom, giving you an even better look at the hole. We give the PT4 the edge over Garmin on screen size and readability.

We also like the green view options on this GolfBuddy. Touch targeting the pin is easy and there is a second option for viewing the green, that adds a grid and even bigger numbers for the distances.

The GolfBuddy PT4 comes with a 47 page manual vs. the Garmin Approach G6 that has a four-page manual. There are lots of people who would be thrilled to get an electronic gadget that came with the detailed manual, so that’s a plus. However, the Garmin G6 is so intuitive, that you don’t really need much instruction. With the PT4, you should at least take it with you to the course in case you run into something that’s not so intuitive.

The scoring and stats on the PT4 are not as easy as we’ve found on any of the Garmin models, but then again, it’s not that hard. It’s just a little confusing the first time you press “Score” and it’s asking you which nine you are playing. Seems silly, since it should know what hole you are playing.

We’ve had a couple of problems with the GolfBuddy, but we’re not exactly sure what caused them. On one occasion, it seemed to totally freeze up and since the manual wasn’t handy, we had to wait until the unit ran completely out of battery for it to shut down. Another time, the unit found it’s way to a language with which we weren’t familiar. Let’s just say it took a little luck to find our way back to English. Only more testing will tell whether these issues were flukes or flaws.

In the end, we do not recommend the GolfBuddy PT4. GolfBuddy has done a great job with their smaller voice GPS models, so don’t write them off altogether.

GolfBuddy PT4 Specifications
GolfBuddy PT4
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life 8 hours
Battery Lithium-ion recharge
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 5 in. x 2.7 in. x .59 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 4
Resolution N/A
Display Type Color TFT LCD
Weight 5.39 oz.
Rainproof water resistant
Touch Screen Yes
Touch Targeting Yes
Manual Pin Positioning Yes
Stat Tracker Yes
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 Larger Screen makes graphics and numbers easier to see.
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SkyCaddie Touch Review

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

'SkyCaddie TOUCH'

SkyCaddie TOUCH
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SkyGolf is rolling out a new full-featured handheld golf GPS. Our SkyCaddie Touch Review will be up soon, but for now let’s take a look at how the features measure up to the competition.

SkyCaddie TOUCH User Rating: 3.80 Stars 3.80 out of 5 (58 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.
  • Bluetooth updates through your phone – Using an iPhone or Android smartphone app, you will have the ability to update your course maps whenever your phone is connected to the Internet. We haven’t seen this with any other brand and give a thumbs up for the idea.
  • Preloaded with 35,000 courses – this is the same as it’s competitors, except for the fact that SkyGolf charges you an annual fee to access those preloaded courses and other brands do not. SkyGolf claims to have better maps because they are “ground verified”, but to our knowledge there is no hard data that suggests that SkyCaddie maps are truly better.
  • 3″ high-resolution glove-friendly touchscreen – This is a nice size screen for a golf GPS with full hole views. It’s the same size as the latest Garmin models.
  • Interactive HoleVue™ – A fancy name for being able to get the full layout of the hole and allowing touch targeting to any point on the hole.
  • Patented IntelliGreen® Technology – The green view on the SkyCaddie TOUCH changes with your angle of approach. It is also quite detailed, showing bunker carries and green depth information. We’re not sure this isn’t information overload for most golfers, but we’ll have to wait and see.
  • Dynamic RangeVue™ – SkyCaddie will display multiple arcs on the screen showing possible layup distances and their locations. This handy feature will save you the time of touch targeting in some instances.
  • Auto Course Select – As with pretty much every golf GPS today, the SkyCaddie TOUCH will figure out where you are and show you the nearest golf courses.
  • Auto Hole Select– Another feature present on most units that moves to the next hole presumably while you are on your way there.
  • Auto Zoom – As you move forward on the hole, the hole view zooms with you.
  • Digital scorecard and stat tracking – The unit will store up to 20 rounds and the information can also be uploaded SkyGolf 360 for storage and interesting analysis.
  • Measure shot distance – Another feature found on most golf GPS devices, the SkyCaddie TOUCH allows you to measure any shot.

Although quite popular due to a big marketing budget, recent SkyCaddie models get only mediocre reviews. Hopefully the SkyCaddie TOUCH will be the model that breaks that trend. If the Bluetooth connectivity works well, it should be a big help, but we still don’t like the annual fees when there are other devices on the market with great ratings and no fees. Check out Garmin’s line of full featured golf GPS devices, for a no-fee solution.

SkyCaddie TOUCH Specifications
SkyCaddie TOUCH
Slope No
Vibration n
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 4 in. x 2.3 in. x .7 in.
Weight 3.8 oz.
Battery rechargeable Li-ion
Battery Life N/A
Display color
Rainproof N/A
Magnification N/A
Maximum Range N/A
Minimum Range N/A
Notes Bluetooth connectivity to smartphone app that allows for course updates and round uploads for analysis.
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
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Garmin G8 Video Review

Click here for our written review of the Garmin Approach G8.

Garmin G8 Video Review


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Garmin S6 Review

The Garmin Approach S6 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'Garmin Approach S6'

Garmin Approach S6
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Just when we thought the Garmin Approach series had reached the peak of potential in a golf GPS watch with the Garmin S4, they introduced one with even more features. In our testing for the Garmin S6 Review, we found some pros and some cons, but we can definitely recommend this golf watch for some golfers. Keep reading to see if it’s for you.

Garmin Approach S6 User Rating: 3.75 Stars 3.75 out of 5 (290 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

First of all, let’s take a look at the features that set Garmin S6 apart from the Garmin S4:

  • Dedicated CourseView button. We love the dedicated GreenView button on the S4 that made it easy to see the green shape and adjust the pin location to get more precise distance. The S6 replaces that button with a CourseView button. The first press of the CourseView button shows a graphic view of your landing area. This is pretty cool and important when you are playing unfamiliar courses. You can manually pinpoint and get distance a target, but remember this is a small screen, so not quite as easy as doing it on a handheld unit. A tap on the top of the screen will take you to the GreenView which shows the shape of the green and surrounding hazards. It also allows for manual pin positioning for getting a more precise distance. Although it is only one extra button press to get to the GreenView, we found it a little annoying on approach shots that the green view didn’t come up immediately.
  • PinPointer blind shot assistance tells you where the pin is, even if you can’t see it. It’s not as good as having your caddie run to the top of the hill to show you the line, but it’s way better than nothing if you can’t see where you need to be aiming. Since this isn’t a feature that you will use often, the trick is remembering how to get to it! (Tap the screen until it shows up.)
  • SwingTempo™ and TempoTraining™. Although some users like this feature, we weren’t sold. We had a five-handicapper with a decent swing test this and the swing tempo didn’t even remotely match with the “average pro” tempo. Do we think our test subject should spend hours on the range trying to create a swing that matches this watch… No! If you happen to be working with an instructor on Tempo, it’s possible that this tool could be useful, but it’s definitely not a feature the would convince us to buy this watch.
  • SwingStrength™. We had high hopes for the SwingStrength aspect of the Garmin S6, but in our testing, we just couldn’t get readings that made sense. To set it up, you choose what type of club you are using… for instance “short iron”. Then you hit a shot and if you think it was a great shot, the watch will use that as the baseline swing. For our tests, we used wedges, hoping to learn how hard to swing for those shots closer to the green that don’t require a full swing. Unfortunately, most of our half swings registered over 100% on the SwingStrength meter even though they clearly weren’t going as far as our baseline shot. As much as we like idea of this feature, we’re hoping Garmin will put some more work into developing this technology.

Like the Garmin S4, the Garmin S6 has a glove-friendly, high-resolution touchscreen. Distance to the front, middle and back of every green, plus par and hole number shows on the main screen. In addition to the doglegs and layups already included with the course maps, you can save custom points for future reference. As with most GPS devices, you can measure your shots.

We think the scorecard and stat-tracking features are super easy to use and it can also utilize handicap information. The Garmin S6 can connect via bluetooth to your iPhone and get notifications but we didn’t always stay connected. It comes preloaded 38,000 international courses and never have any subscriptions or fees.

We like the Garmin Connect website and seeing our rounds and stats broken down in different ways, but we do wish that the site provided a way to edit your round information. If you simply forgot to record the last hole of your last round before uploading, you can’t really do anything except delete the round or your stats will be off.

In conclusion, we don’t think the Garmin Approach S6 is for everyone, but if you have the budget for it and frequently play unfamiliar courses, it’s definitely worth considering. The trade off is whether having the convenience of a watch is worth the sacrifice of the larger screen on a Garmin handheld. We lean toward the convenience of the watch and S6 definitely brings something new to the table with the CourseView screen.

If you don’t play many unfamiliar courses or if the S6 stretches your budget a little too tight, you should take a look at our latest picks for the best golf watches currently on the market to see which one suits your style of play.

What users of the Garmin Approach S6 are saying…

  • Many users liked the special features on this watch… SwingStrength, TempoTraining, PinPointer and fairwary touch targeting.
  • As expected, with all those features, this watch didn’t get the best feedback with regards to ease of use and intuitiveness.
  • Many users struggled with getting enough precision with manual targeting. Using a stylus or golf tee was suggested by several users.
  • Some users complained about battery life. Although it should get two rounds before needing a charge, we recommend charging it every time.
  • A number of users were disappointed in the brightness of the display, but just as many were happy with the high resolution color display.
  • Several users felt the swing metrics were worthless.
  • The sound for TempoTraining isn’t loud enough for some users to hear under normal range conditions.
  • Quite a few users felt that this watch was not worth price.
Garmin Approach S6 Golf Watch Specifications
Garmin Approach S6
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life 10 hrs GPS / 20 wk
Battery rechargeable Li-ion
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 1.8 in. x 1.8 in. x .56 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 1"
Resolution 180x180
Display Type hi-res color touch
Weight 1.6 oz.
Rainproof Yes (50 meters)
Touch Screen Yes
Touch Targeting N/A
Manual Pin Positioning Yes
Stat Tracker Yes
Digital Scorecard Yes
Computer Analysis Tools Yes
Ground Verified N/A
Alternate Targets Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes, providing Pin Pointer, Tempo Training, and Swing Strength are not used
Notes Swing tempo trainer and swing strength measurements. Notifications from iPhone available via bluetooth.
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GolfRangefinderShop.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you buy anything after clicking through, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep the site up and running, so thank you! 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.
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Garmin G6 vs SkyCaddie

Here, we will breakdown the differences of the Garmin G6 vs Skycaddie SGX and SGXw, but we can tell you up front, that we think there is a very clear winner.

Garmin G6 vs SkyCaddieSince we feel so strongly about this, we don’t want to waste your time by making you read through to the end, before giving my bottom line, so let’s start there!

The SkyCaddie SGX and SGXw have terrible user reviews and they make all those unhappy buyers pay annual fees. On the other hand, the Garmin gets excellent user reviews and doesn’t charge any fees ever. On that note, the winner is…. the Garmin G6. Yes, it may cost a little more on the front end, but you are likely to have less headaches and spend a lot less over the lifetime of the device.

Other than price and user ratings, there are a few differences between the Garmin G6 and the two Skycaddie SGX models.

  • The screen size on the G6 is 2.6″ and it’s 3″ on the SkyCaddie. Although only a little larger in screen size, the SkyCaddies are otherwise quite a bit larger than the Garmin.
  • The G6 has a nice touchscreen, while the SkyCaddie SGX has a little joystick and the SGXw has an optical trackpad.
  • All three units have bright color displays and allow you to get distance to any point.
  • SkyCaddie has Intelligreen and Intelligreen Pro technology. It’s not available on every course, but it’s nice technology when it is available. Intelligreen gives you a close-up view of the green shape and hazards from the angle you are approaching. On the Garmin, you get the close-up view of the green shape, but as far as we know, it doesn’t change with your angle. The Intelligreen Pro feature shows contours on the the greens, which is cool, but in all honesty, most golfers don’t have the time or ability to take advantage of this information.
  • The SkyCaddies have the ability to switch to a list view of hazards and targets, but switching screens, no matter how easy, isn’t preferable to having what you need on the main screen. The Garmin G6 shows a hole layout that includes those distances right on it, plus you can just touch the screen to the point where you want to layup and get the distance to that point and from that point to the hole. On the SkyCaddies, you have to get on the HoleVue™ screen and use the joystick or trackpad.
  • The SkyCaddie models also have the QuickVue™ and RangeVue™ screens that give you options for how you want to view your information… but seriously SkyCaddie, less is more! Sure this might be great for a geek who has six hours for every round, but for most of us, it’s just too much.
  • The Garmin G6 has a scorecard for up to four players and the SkyCaddies have a scorecard for one player. We figure most people will use a traditional scorecard when they are scoring for the group, so not really an issue. All three units allow you to track your stats.
  • All three units allow you to measure your shots and tag the club you used, so they can store the average distance you hit each club. All of these units also allow uploading the scoring and stats to your computer for analysis.

    • In summary, SkyCaddie just tries to do too much, making it expensive and potentially confusing for the players who use them. Garmin just makes it a little easier and without the burden of annual fees.

    Model SkyCaddie SGXSkyCaddie SGXwGarmin Approach G6
    Read Full Review Read Full ReviewRead Full ReviewRead Full Review
    Price Check PriceCheck PriceCheck Price
    GRS Score 3.60
    (367 Ratings)    		3.65
    (46 Ratings)    		4.20
    (648 Ratings)
    Height 4.8+ in.4.8+ in.3.7 in.
    Width 2.48 in.2.48 in.2.1 in.
    Depth .75 in..75 in..8 in.
    Weight 5.6 oz.5.6 oz.3.37 oz.
    Battery Li-polyLithium-ion PolymerRechargeable Li-Poly
    Battery Life 14 hrs maxN/Aup to 15 hrs.
    Rainproof water resistantwater resistantIPX7
    Pre-loaded with Courses Yes*Yes*27,000
    Instant Course Recognition YesYesYes
    Auto Hole Advance YesYesYes
    Course Capacity 50 Full50 FullUnlimited
    Touch Screen NoNoYes
    Stat Tracker YesYesYes
    Digital Scorecard YesYesYes
    Computer Analysis Tools YesYesYes
    USGA Compliant (local rule) YesYesYes, if Club Averages feature is not used.
    Alternate Targets YesYesYes
    Ability to Add Targets N/AN/AYes
    Measure Shot Distance YesYesYes
    # of Available Courses 30,000+30,000+29,500+
    Course Download Fees YesYesNo
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