Garmin Approach G5 Golf GPS

The Garmin Approach G5 Golf GPS is a color touchscreen model gps unit that features a large screen along with a rugged and waterproof shell.  Since the G5 is mainly a touchscreen, all features are managed through on screen menus.  The unit comes with Garmin’s database of over 14,000 courses preloaded on the device.  Unlike some of the predecessor golf gps units, no monthly or annual subscription is necessary to download courses to the device.  All preloaded courses are free and included with the price of the unit, and any updates can be downloaded from Garmin’s website for free.  The 14,000+ courses provides most everyone the course that they are playing, but some smaller or new courses may not be in the database. 

Features that you would expect in a golf GPS unit are available, including distances to and from anywhere on the course, score keeping and shot distance measurements.  Utilizing the touchscreen, just touch and drag the icon on the course layout to provide distance to any point on the hole.

OnPar Golf GPS

The OnPar Golf GPS is similar in size to an iPod Touch or iPhone.  This is golf GPS is one of the newer units on the market.  With any new device, there are problems, and OnPar experienced these problems including buggy software and lack of supported courses.  However, through upgrades and updates, the OnPar Golf GPS has been able to ease reported problems, and the device has become much more useful on the golf course.

The OnPar is a slim profile device, again similar to the iPhone, and uses a touchscreen for all interactions with the device while using it on the golf course.  All needed functionality, such as distance to targets, shot distance are available in addition to hole overviews and detailed green views and information.  Customers will be impressed with the high resolution, bright screen.  The golf course database is free with the purchase of the device, so you will not need to subscribe to a monthly service or need to spend any additional money to load courses.

SkyCaddie SG5 Golf GPS

The SG5 is the top of the line SkyCaddie golf gps product.  This device includes a large color display and an abundant of features.  However, unlike some of the newer top of the line golf GPS units, the SkyCaddie SG5 does not have a touchscreen.  Distances to holes are displayed in large numerics and the device can hold up to 40 separate targets per hole. 

SkyCaddie includes their Intelligreen technology with their devices, which provides distances to the front, center and back of each green.  Unlike some of the lower end golf gps units, the front, center, and back calculations are performed from the location of the gps unit in a straight line to the green.  This provides accurate distances to the green.  SkyCaddie measures the distances for their courses on the ground with specialized equipment instead of using satellite images.  The claim is that the distances are more accurate by using on the ground equipment instead of estimating distances from images.

The SkyCaddie SG5 will require an annual membership for access to the course database.  Prices range from $29.95 to $59.95 per year depending on the access you require from the database.

Sonocaddie V300 Golf GPS

The key feature of the Sonocaddie V300 is the color 3D display.  The Sonocaddie V300 has a large color screen, with hard button keys to interact with the device.  Each hole is displayed in full on the color screen, and your actual position will be tracked in real time.  Targets and hazards are all viewable on the hole layout including distance to the front, back and center of the green, and to water hazards, bunkers, lay-up areas and more.  Other features included in the Sonocaddie V300 are shot distance measurements and tracking, scorecard, game analysis and personalized course mapping.  Each and every shot can be tracked and saved to be reviewed at a later time.

Courses are available for download, but a membership is required.  The device can hold up to 20 courses at one time, and two memberships are available.  Birdie membership is a one time payment of $29.95 and allows 5 free course downloads.  After 5 course downloads, each additional course will cost $5 each.  The eagle membership requires a one time cost of $49.95 and includes an unlimited number of free course downloads.

Callaway uPro golf GPS

Callaway recently bought the uPro line of golf GPS devices.  The uPro is one of the top of the line golf GPS units on the market today and provides functionality unseen in other products.  It contains a color touchscreen including video flyovers of each hole.  As you walk up to the tee box of the next hole, the gps unit will begin to play a video flyover of the hole, including information about yardage lines.  “SmartView” is a feature that shows targets and distances from an aerial view.  AnyPoint technology enables you to measure the distance to any point on the golf course.  Thousands of courses are available for the Callaway uPro including aerial views, satellite images and flyover videos.  The unit only holds one course at a time.

There are two levels of golf course downloads for the Callaway uPro.  Basic course information is downloadable for free and the “Pro Mode” downloads cost $10 per course.  The “Pro Mode” downloads include the video flyovers.  Discounts are available for buying Pro Mode courses in bulk.

Callaway uPro GO Golf GPS

The Callaway uPro GO is a cheaper version of the Callaway uPro, and lacks the capability to play video flyovers.  The uPro Go includes 18,000 courses pre-loaded on the device, and requires no annual fees as opposed to the need to download courses with the uPro.  The uPro GO is similar to the uPro in the rest of the features and functions and includes a bright color LCD and easy to navigate menus.   

The uPro GO will display virtual greens and dynamically calculates the distance to the front, center and back of the green.  The hazard view dynamically generates and displays distances to hazards including carry distances. 

Golf Buddy Pro Golf GPS

The Golf Buddy Pro has some interesting and useful features but lacks some of the “cool” features of the higher end devices with color touchscreens.  The dynamic green view displays an image of the green depending on the angle of approach to provide an accurate display of your shot.  Target information comes preloaded with each golf course and you can add up to 11 personal targets per hole.  The Golf Buddy Pro comes preloaded with all available courses in North America with the ability to add International courses

A nice feature of the device is that it will automatically select and load the golf course for you utilizing the gps location information.  It will also automatically increment to the next hole depending on your location. 

The device contains a hi-res black and white screen, and includes the ability to keep track of scoring, driving distance and supports multiple languages.

GolfLogix GPS-8 Golf GPS

The GPS-8 is a simple golf GPS device powered by Garmin.  The device contains more than 22,000 courses preloaded on the device, and will automatically select the course and which hole you are on by your location. 

The device provides distance to the front, center and back of the green plus up to six hazards and lay-up distances per hole.  Shot distance measurement can be calculated for each shot and can keep track of each club’s distance.  The GPS-8 is waterproof and made for rugged outdoor use.

Sonocaddie XV2 Golf GPS

The XV2 is a cheaper golf GPS unit than the Sonocaddie V300 and has a black and white LCD screen.  The screen will display all necessary targets for a hole including the distance to the front and back of the green.  Another screen will zoom in on the green displaying the shape of the green and provide distances to the front, center and back of the green in large numbers.  Personalized targets can be added per hole.  You can also view driving distance and keep score with the scorecard.

The Sonocaddie XV2 can download from over 18,000 available courses for free.

SkyCaddie SG2.5 Golf GPS

The SkyCaddie SG2.5 is a cheaper version of the SG5 and does not include the color screen.  The SG2.5 contains a black and white LCD screen but includes many of the features of the SG5.  The Intelligreen Pro software is included which provides accurate distances to the green including contours and tiers depending on your angle of approach.  Other features include scorecard with handicap calculations, shot distance measurement, and dynamic yardages to hazards, and targets (up to 40 per hole).  The SG2.5 requires an annual membership to the online course database which starts at $29.95 per year.

Bushnell Yardage Pro Golf GPS

Bushnell entered the golf GPS market and purchased iGolf.  The Bushnell yardage Pro device is a simple device, similar to iGolf’s devices, but provides the necessary information to play a round of golf.  The device provides three screens or modes.  The “Play” mode shows the distances to the front, center and back of the green.  The “Scorecard” mode displays a scorecard including the hole in play, par, handicap and yardage from the tee box.  The “Drive Distance” mode displays the distance of the shot including the current distance to the pin.

The Yardage Pro uses the same golf course database as the iGolf products, which requires an annual membership to download courses costing $34.99 per year.

iGolf Neo Golf GPS

The iGolf Neo is the smallest and cost effective golf GPS device on the market.  This device will easily fit in the palm of your hand or in your pocket.  The device is dead simple and doesn’t contain many fancy features and functions.  Distances to the front, center and back of the green; distance to the pin and last shot distance are provided.  The iGolf Neo can hold up to 10 courses at a time.  Access to the iGolf website is necessary to download courses, which costs $34.99 per year.  The iGolf course database contains 33,500 courses world-wide.  Once a course has been downloaded to your computer, it does not need to be downloaded again, and the synching of the unit to the computer can change the courses loaded on the device.  So, if you download all of the courses you need in the first year, the membership to the iGolf website is not needed anymore. 

Read my full iGolf Neo GPS review