Garmin S2 vs Bushnell Neo-X

Garmin S2 vs Bushnell Neo-XAs the Bushnell Neo-X has been retired, we suggest taking a look at our Garmin vs. Bushnell Golf Watch article.

In the matchup of the Garmin S2 vs Bushnell Neo X, there is really only question you need to answer. Do you want your golf watch to have a scorecard feature? The two watches have very similar features, but the one that costs more allows you to keep score on it. If not for the scorecard feature on the Garmin S2, we would recommend the Bushnell Neo-X over the Garmin S2 just about every time.

Make no mistake, the Garmin S2 is an excellent golf watch. It’s just that the Bushnell Neo-X is significantly less expensive, is smaller, has a longer battery life and the user ratings are overall higher. All in all, the Neo-X is an amazing golf GPS watch, but not having a digital scorecard is a deal-breaker for a handful of users.

So the winner of the Garmin S2 vs Bushnell Neo X depends on your answer… We’d love to hear your preference in the comments below!

PS. There’s a new kid in town, the Bushnell Neo-XS that you should consider if you’ve decided that the scorecard isn’t important!

Model Garmin Approach S2Bushnell NEO-X Watch
Read Full Review Read Full ReviewRead Full Review
Price Check PriceCheck Price
GRS Score 4.41
(924 Ratings)		4.39
(469 Ratings)
Height 2.7 in.1.4 in.
Width 1.8 in.1.5 in.
Depth .6 in..6 in.
Weight 1.8 oz.1.8 oz.
Battery rechargeable Li-ionRechargeable
Battery Life 8 hrs / 3 wksup to 16 hours
Rainproof waterproof to 10 meterWaterproof
Pre-loaded with Courses YesYes
Instant Course Recognition YesYes
Auto Hole Advance YesYes
Course Capacity UnlimitedN/A
Touch Screen NoNo
Stat Tracker NoNo
Digital Scorecard YesNo
Computer Analysis Tools No*No
USGA Compliant (local rule) YesYes
Alternate Targets YesYes
Ability to Add Targets NoNo
Measure Shot Distance YesYes
# of Available Courses 30,000+30,000+
Course Download Fees NoNo
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Garmin S4 Golf Watch Review

The Garmin S4 Golf Watch has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

UPDATE: Our Garmin S4 Golf Watch Review is a little bit dated. We still think this is a great watch, but there are newer Garmin Golf Watches that outperform the S4 and cost less. The new Garmin golf watches provide distances to hazards, where the S4 only includes layups and doglegs. The Garmin S4 is a solid golf watch, but the price would need to around $100 to make it a good value.

'Garmin S4 Golf Watch'

Garmin S4 Golf Watch
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We’ve read dozens of user reviews and put the S4 to the test on several golf courses. First, let’s just say this is the slickest golf watch on the market and it does so many things well that it is our top pick in the golf watch category.

Garmin S4 Golf Watch User Rating: 4.06 Stars 4.06 out of 5 (276 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

For all it’s features, it is remarkably simple to navigate. The screen is easy to see and one touch will get you layup distances to the 50, 100, 150 and 200-yard markers. The touchscreen is perfectly responsive (once you realize it’s not supposed to be quite as sensitive to touch as your smartphone), the green view, scorecard and shot measuring features couldn’t be easier with dedicated buttons on the side of the watch. To move the pin, you press the green view button and press and drag your finger to the pin location and the distance will adjust. To enter your score, press the scorecard button and adjust the number of shots and easily add putts and fairways if you want. The watch calculates greens in regulation for you. If you use the scorecard on the first hole, it automatically pops up at the end of each hole, making it even more convenient. For all of that, the Garmin S4 is perfect!

There is one issue and it may be a factor for a few buyers. The S4 has the ability to connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth and display your text messages, emails, and other notifications right on the watch. It’s easy to pair the watch with your phone and amazingly unobtrusive. A small box displays the number of new messages on the screen when there are new messages. You can tap it to view the messages. The font for the messages is quite small, but you can adjust it by pressing the face once or twice and then scroll to read the whole message. You can easily go back and forth between your distances and your notifications. So what’s the issue? If you get too far away from your phone, the Bluetooth sometimes disconnects and does not always automatically reconnect. It won’t happen if you keep your phone in your pocket or clipped to your belt, but it happened way too often when the phone was left in the cart. Reconnecting wasn’t difficult, but it meant getting the phone out and turning the Bluetooth off and then back on. That defeats the purpose of having notifications in the first place, so for those who would use it with the intention of leaving it in a golf cart, don’t count on that feature. We reached out to other users and those who walked with their clubs and they had not experienced the problem. Even with this issue, we still think this coolest golf GPS watch on the market.

Garmin S4 Noteworthy Features
  • can display text and email messages and other notifications from your iPhone.
  • high resolution touchscreen easily readable even in bright sunlight
  • provides distance to the front, middle and back of every green, plus layups and doglegs.
  • dedicated “green view” button for easy access to manual pin positioning
  • detailed stat tracking
  • preloaded with over 30,000 golf courses
  • battery life lasts up to 10 hours in GPS mode.
  • waterproof to 10 meters
  • allows the creation of custom yardage points
Garmin S4 Golf Watch Specifications
Garmin S4 Golf Watch
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation N/A
Battery Life 10 hrs GPS / 6 wks
Battery rechargeable Li-ion
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 2.41 in. x 1.83 in. x .58 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 1
Resolution 128 x 128
Display Type hi-res touchscreen
Weight 2.06 oz.
Rainproof Yes (10 meters)
Touch Screen Yes
Touch Targeting No
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 N/A
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes Can receive email, text messages and notifications from smartphone. You can also print your scorecard from you computer after your round.
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User Manual for Garmin S4 Golf Watch

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The Callaway uPro MX+ is a Great Deal!

The Callaway uPro MX+ has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'Callaway uPro MX+'

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It all started with a disastrous product launch and many headaches for those who made an early purchase, but now, the Callaway uPro MX+ is a great deal for golfers.

The early ratings for the uPro MX+ were horrible mainly because the Callaway uExplore website wasn’t working properly for registrations and downloads. Unfortunately for Callaway, they didn’t recover quickly enough to overcome the poor start. For consumers who are looking to buy now, there is an excellent value to be had in the Callaway uPro MX+.

Callaway uPro MX+ User Rating: 3.28 Stars 3.28 out of 5 (35 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

Although we formerly recommended against buying the uPro MX+, the reviews have gotten much better over time and the price is so low on this unit that you really can’t go wrong. It comes preloaded with courses in Basic Mode and GoMode and now there are no fees for downloading courses in ProMode. The features rival those found in $300 devices.

A full-featured golf GPS under $75 is unbelievable, so despite the ratings scores, the uPro MX+ is definitely worth a look!

Noteworthy Features
  • Aerial photography and aerial flyovers (ProMode)
  • Anypoint Technology allows you to find distance to any point, plus how much distance remains to the hole (ProMode)
  • Over 25,000 golf courses preloaded (Basic Mode and GoMode).
  • In GoMode, distances to front, middle and back of green, plus greenside hazards.
  • In GoMode, touch targeting to any point on the green.
  • In GoMode, you get renderings of the green and greenside hazards.
  • In Basic Mode, distances to the front, middle and back are displayed in a large font.
  • All modes have a scorecard feature that can track score, putts, greens in regulation and fairways hit.

If you’re buying the uPro MX+, consider picking up an extra battery so you can get in an extra round!

Callaway uPro MX+ Features and Specifications
Callaway uPro MX+
Course Download Fees No*
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes*
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation N/A
Battery Life N/A
Battery N/A
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 4.09 in. x 1.97 in. x .65 in.
Measure Shot Distance N/A
Screen Size N/A
Resolution N/A
Display Type Color
Weight 3 oz.
Rainproof N/A
Touch Screen N/A
Touch Targeting N/A
Manual Pin Positioning N/A
Stat Tracker Yes
Digital Scorecard Yes
Computer Analysis Tools Yes
Ground Verified No
Alternate Targets Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle N/A
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes ProMode provides actual aerial views (not renderings) of each hole with flyovers and Anypoint technology for shot planning.
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GolfBuddy VT3 + Watch Review

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

'GolfBuddy VT3 '

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

GolfBuddy VT3 User Rating: 3.00 Stars 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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SkyCaddie BREEZE Review

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

'SkyCaddie Breeze'

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Our SkyCaddie BREEZE Review Summary will be available after the units are shipped in October 2012 and users have had a chance to review them.

Our first glance at the specs and features has us shaking our heads and wanting to send you straight over to our Best GPS for Golf article.

SkyCaddie Breeze User Rating: 4.17 Stars 4.17 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

We keep hoping SkyCaddie will get the message that golfers don’t want to pay annual fees and deal with downloading golf courses each time they decide to play a new course. When we saw the name “BREEZE”, we though for sure this would be the one. But no, not only are there annual fees, but SkyCaddie offers other ways to increase the price of their latest GPS rangefinder, by offering “Feature Packs”.

Here’s how it works… The SkyCaddie BREEZE comes preloaded with “up to 30,000” golf courses. However, the only information it provides is distance to the front, middle and back of every green. The screen looks to be bright and the numbers are big. It has a shot measuring feature and a one-player scorecard feature. That’s about it for the unit unless you choose to spend the money for an Feature Pack or two or three.

Even though it’s extremely basic in features,you still must purchase an annual membership. It’s not totally clear what membership packages will be for the SkyCaddie BREEZE without any of the Feature Packs, but we think $19.99 annually. If you pay for the Feature packs, the annual fees may be even higher. The membership fees for the SkyCaddie SGX are in the $30 – $60 range, so that would be our guess.

From where we sit, if you want a basic golf GPS, skip the SkyCaddie Breeze and look at the Golf Buddy Tour or the Bushnell neo+. Neither one has any fees, plus you’ll get distances to hazards and you’ll definitely pay less for the device.

SkyCaddie offers three different “Feature Packs” and so far, we don’t see any pricing information. Even if they were free, we’d still be unlikely to recommend the SkyCaddie BREEZE. Besides annual fees, you have to download the courses if you want the extra features. There are several full-featured GPS devices available that come preloaded with full hole layouts and never charge any fees. The Garmin Approach G6 may be a little more expensive on the front end, but by the time you pay fees and buy Upgrade Packs, it’s probably similar in price… and you won’t have to deal with decisions and downloads. You just buy it, charge it and go play golf.

SkyCaddie BREEZE Features and Specifications
SkyCaddie Breeze
Course Download Fees No*
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life N/A
Battery Rechargeable Li-Poly
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 4.8+ in. x 2.48 in. x .75 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 3 in.
Resolution hi-res
Display Type Transreflec ColorTFT
Weight 5.6 oz.
Rainproof water resistant
Touch Screen No
Touch Targeting Y*
Manual Pin Positioning Y*
Stat Tracker No
Digital Scorecard Yes
Computer Analysis Tools No
Ground Verified Yes
Alternate Targets Y*
Green Rotates to your shot angle Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes Upgrade packs can be purchased to increase the features. Basic mode only included front, middle and back distances. Annual fees apply
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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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