Coach Ritz

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I am new to this site, I hope this question is in the right place and that it hasn't been asked before.

Of the current GPS units.
UPro, Golf Guru,Sky Caddie SG5, Sonocaddie V-300

Does anyone have a preference for any of them. Please tell me why you chose the one you did. thanks in advance for all your help.
 
The uPro looks cool but I don't have one. I have one not on the list.
 
Check out the main site Coach, we did a review of the UPRO. I use a Skycaddie, but if you live in an area that has UPRO courses, it is hands down the best we have seen. The UPRO is my next golf purchase.
 
Upro by farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
 
Anyone know what the GPS accuracy really is / can be?

Often with cart GPS units they will be sitting right behind another cart and they will be off by 5 yards, often in the wrong direction - the front cart reading a larger number than the back cart.
 
Every GPS has a +/- 3 yard margin of error.
 
I have a uPro and like it a lot. It is easy to use and see in the sunlight. Basic mode is sufficient for most uses (F-C-B distances) but pro mode is occasionally indispensable as it can measure to anywhere.

I do have a couple of nits to pick though:
1) the screen scratches very easily and they don't recommend using a screen protector - I keep it in my pocket without anything else and it has several moderate and tons of minor scratches.
2) the holes sometimes advance on their own as I walk - the advance button must be compressed between my pants or leg and the unit, this problem can be resolved by leaving the unit in pro mode because holes only advance manually in basic mode.
3) the battery doesn't last too long. Its not as bad as some have complained, but I often forget to recharge after a round and there is not enough juice for a second. You would need a second battery for 36 hole day.

Overall, I would recommend the unit highly, but I would recommend using a screen protector despite the company's advice. I wish I had done so before mine got all scratched up. Now I'm looking for a uniform scratch pattern . . . :bulgy-eyes:
 
I have a Upro as well. I have been using it for a little over a year and really enjoy it. I have been trying to think of some negatives but I really can't come up with any that affect me.

I don't ever play 36 holes in a day (body won't permit it) so battery life is not a problem for me. I always recharge it as soon as I get home. That has become a habit so that I don't forget.

I put a screen protector on it before the first time I used it and it's been on their over a year-no probs. I used this one, link below.

ZAGG | Search Results

Upro has promised some enhancements to the device which were supposed to be available this spring but we haven't seen anything yet. Things like score keeping capability, voice commands, maybe some other things that I can't remember. No big deal really. All in all, I'm very happy with it.
 
Every GPS has a +/- 3 yard margin of error.

That isn't completely correct. There is a percentage weighted variable in the accuracy rating for GPS units, and it applies to every such unit made, whatever the purpose. Most golf GPS claim to be accurate to +/- 3 yards, but to make that claim they only have to be that accurate 51% of the time. Typically, a consumer grade GPS is off by up to 10 yards 10% of the time, and will on occasion lose the signal completely. This can also be exacerbated by a low battery. Also, the info used to acquire the data can be off by an equal amount, thus skewing the end result even more. You may be within 3 yards of the point that was input in the programming, but that point may be off by 3 or more yards too.

These are the things that the manufacturer doesn't tell you. :confused2:
 
I use the SG2.5 SkyCaddie and am pleased with it overall. I am not happy that the screen got some sort of discoloration on it and it is a little difficult to view in certain conditions. I don't know what happened, but it must be a materials problem. I am considering switching to the Golf Logix GPS for iPhone. I tried out the free version and liked it a lot. Its only 40 per year, but I am concerned that courses where a good cell phone signal does not exist may be problematic.
 
That isn't completely correct. There is a percentage weighted variable in the accuracy rating for GPS units, and it applies to every such unit made, whatever the purpose. Most golf GPS claim to be accurate to +/- 3 yards, but to make that claim they only have to be that accurate 51% of the time. Typically, a consumer grade GPS is off by up to 10 yards 10% of the time, and will on occasion lose the signal completely. This can also be exacerbated by a low battery. Also, the info used to acquire the data can be off by an equal amount, thus skewing the end result even more. You may be within 3 yards of the point that was input in the programming, but that point may be off by 3 or more yards too.

These are the things that the manufacturer doesn't tell you. :confused2:

So what you are saying is 60% of the time it works EVERY time? I have to give props to my skycaddie in the fact that anytime I play with someone with a laser range finder there is no more than a yard difference in our distances. When I get to the point where 1 yard affects my shot I'll have to start hiring a caddy to walk the course for me b/c anything else will be unacceptable. :bananadance:
 
I have the Golf Logix and it is OK, but be prepared for it to drain your phone battery very, very quickly. On my Blackberry I cannot play a complete round with it running. I also found it to be a little more cumbersome to use. I play in a lot of tournaments also and most won't let you use it as it is on a phone, which is not allowed in the tournaments, even if you can turn off the phone feature as you can on a Blackberry. So I switched to the Garmin and have been happy with it.
 
I used to double-check my GPS with a laser rangefinder because I was skeptical. It was rarely off by more than a yard. Now that everyone has a GPS or laser, we frequently compare and the numbers are always within 2 yards of each other. I can't hit my clubs within 2 yards of a target, so that margin or error is just fine by me.

I've never experienced a 10 yard error.
 
I have the Golf Logix and it is OK, but be prepared for it to drain your phone battery very, very quickly. On my Blackberry I cannot play a complete round with it running. I also found it to be a little more cumbersome to use. I play in a lot of tournaments also and most won't let you use it as it is on a phone, which is not allowed in the tournaments, even if you can turn off the phone feature as you can on a Blackberry. So I switched to the Garmin and have been happy with it.

I was confused for a second but then realize you have GolfLogix software on your phone, not an actual GolfLogix unit. The actual unit lasts several rounds on a set of batteries and if it carps out on you during a round you just pop a couple more in. Just uses regular batteries.

My GPS is pretty spot on with my Bushnell rangefinder too. I've never seen a big discrepancy between the two. Two or three yards maybe? Of course I don't use the rangefinder with most every shot of any distance like I do the GPS.
 
I used to double-check my GPS with a laser rangefinder because I was skeptical. It was rarely off by more than a yard. Now that everyone has a GPS or laser, we frequently compare and the numbers are always within 2 yards of each other. I can't hit my clubs within 2 yards of a target, so that margin or error is just fine by me.

I've never experienced a 10 yard error.

We do the same thing in our reviews on the devices. Check them with multiple units and most are right on track.
 
I was confused for a second but then realize you have GolfLogix software on your phone, not an actual GolfLogix unit. The actual unit lasts several rounds on a set of batteries and if it carps out on you during a round you just pop a couple more in. Just uses regular batteries.

My GPS is pretty spot on with my Bushnell rangefinder too. I've never seen a big discrepancy between the two. Two or three yards maybe? Of course I don't use the rangefinder with most every shot of any distance like I do the GPS.

Yes, on my phone. I didn't even realize they have a stand alone unit. The same with my Garmin, usually someone in the group also has a laser and they are always very similar in yards as was the Golf Logix on my phone when I used it.
 
So what you are saying is 60% of the time it works EVERY time? I have to give props to my skycaddie in the fact that anytime I play with someone with a laser range finder there is no more than a yard difference in our distances. When I get to the point where 1 yard affects my shot I'll have to start hiring a caddy to walk the course for me b/c anything else will be unacceptable. :bananadance:

No, I'm saying that 51% of the time it will be within +/-3 yards. All I'm saying is that the GPS manufacturers don't tell you the whole story. Most of the time when I compare my GolfLogix GPS with my Bushnell Tour V2, they are within a couple of yards, but occasionally they will vary by quite a bit, as much as 5 or 6 yards. I had a friend with a Sky Caddy which one day suddenly went off the charts... one time it would 10 yards off, next time it's 30 yards, then 5 yards. After about 10 minutes of that, it straightened out and started working just fine again, and it's been within the standards of GPS accuracy ever since.

The point being that there is a built in unpredictability that you simply can't always account for. I'm not ragging on GPS, I have and use the GolfLogix myself. I'm just saying that the potential is built into them for significant errors, and if you depend totally on the GPS, there will be a time when you look at the shot result and wonder what happened. I always double check my GPS readings by trying to be aware of where I am on the hole so I can judge whether it's giving me a reasonable number or not. And I use my laser for most approach shots from 150 yards in.
 
I have the Golf Logix and it is OK, but be prepared for it to drain your phone battery very, very quickly. On my Blackberry I cannot play a complete round with it running. I also found it to be a little more cumbersome to use. I play in a lot of tournaments also and most won't let you use it as it is on a phone, which is not allowed in the tournaments, even if you can turn off the phone feature as you can on a Blackberry. So I switched to the Garmin and have been happy with it.


I had heard that was a problem and it suggests that you buy an auxiliary battery pack for the iPhone if you use it. However, when I downloaded and ran the iPhone version for one round, I had 90% of my battery left when I finished the round. I did put it to sleep between readings and that required me to wait a few seconds upon waking it for the GPS to work, but that really never was a problem. I also turned off the "auto brightness" and set the brightness to the halfway point. I could easily read the display and that saves a lot of battery power. The other thing that just eats the battery is leaving the WiFi antenna activated. I turn it off when I am not close to a WiFi station. All in all, it worked fine for me and didn't drain my battery.
 
My sky caddie unit has "gone off the charts" a few time. Most of the time however it seem to do this when I was near two greens at the same time. Like it was trying to read both greens at the same time. Once I had moved away from that area(s) it went back to normal. Myself, I always allow for a distance issue. On courses I am not familiar with, I always take more club than the GPS yardage might indicate. Kind of like being in between clubs.
No, I'm saying that 51% of the time it will be within +/-3 yards. All I'm saying is that the GPS manufacturers don't tell you the whole story. Most of the time when I compare my GolfLogix GPS with my Bushnell Tour V2, they are within a couple of yards, but occasionally they will vary by quite a bit, as much as 5 or 6 yards. I had a friend with a Sky Caddy which one day suddenly went off the charts... one time it would 10 yards off, next time it's 30 yards, then 5 yards. After about 10 minutes of that, it straightened out and started working just fine again, and it's been within the standards of GPS accuracy ever since.

The point being that there is a built in unpredictability that you simply can't always account for. I'm not ragging on GPS, I have and use the GolfLogix myself. I'm just saying that the potential is built into them for significant errors, and if you depend totally on the GPS, there will be a time when you look at the shot result and wonder what happened. I always double check my GPS readings by trying to be aware of where I am on the hole so I can judge whether it's giving me a reasonable number or not. And I use my laser for most approach shots from 150 yards in.
 
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