Golf buddy gps

[USER1999]

I had a play with a golf buddy GPS in Florida, and was quite impressed. Easy to use, and best yet, no subscription, comes fully loaded with courses (so no faffing about downloading), and when you turn it on, it knows where you are, and what hole you are on, on what course.

I hadn't seen one in the flesh over here though. Seen the ads, but not seen one for sale.

However, this Sunday, my Dad comes round for dinner, and brings his with him. A new purchase, wanting to show it off.

So I turn it on, and stick it on the window sill to see what it comes up with.

As I am not at a golf course, it gives me a list of two. West Herts (my course), or Bushey Hall. If I select WH, then I find I am 5570 yards from the first green. I can then look at targets etc. Easy to use, screen is ok. No problems then.

But......

I live about 50 yards from The Grove, and it isn't one of the 20,000 (apparently) preprogrammed into the machine.

This means that before going to a course for the first time, you would have to search for it on the device, to check if it is loaded. By the time you have done that, you might as well have downloaded it onto a different device.

The biggest usp this thing has, is rendered useless.

 

[Imurg]

But at least you don't have to pay for your courses.
I've looked at the website and it appears most of the courses I've either played or going to play are there so I'd be happy to give one a go.

 

[Spoff]

If I select WH, then I find I am 5570 yards from the first green.

If you catch your first drive well and get a favourable bounce round the corner you could reduce this hole to a drive, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 7 iron and two putt for a solid par 28 start...

 

[theeaglehunter]

I would give it some consideration...but my course isn't mapped. For that reason I'm out I'd rather pay and have access to a greater range of courses (skycaddie) than not pay and be limited to a load of courses I don't want to / won't play. It's a great idea in theory but why do you need 20,000 courses on one unit? They may as well just have a skycaddie style database and let you download for free the courses you actually want.

 

[Brendan]

Which one did you use? the Pro or tour model.

As for sky caddie, they don't have the 3 main courses that i play on their database so i would be leaning towards the buddy.

Cheers

 

[USER1999]

No idea what model it was, but it was black and white screen. I can't see why that would make a difference though. As I said, nice machine, it just doesn't have The Grove on it (amongst others). I would be pretty cheesed off if I had spent £300+ on it, and turned up somewhere expecting it to be pre loaded, and it wasn't.

If SkyCaddie don't have your course (which is rare these days, have you checked to see if they call it something else? Not as stupid as it might sound, as I had real problems finding the Belfry) you can ask them to, and they will map it pretty quickly.

 

[SammmeBee]

So if the thing is preloaded with the courses - when the courses change how do they upload the changes to your machine?

 

[Dodger]

I was having a craic with a Skycaddie employee today and he tells me (not sure if it was spin) that only 43 UK courses are not on their system......just so happens I played one last night!

 

[Imurg]

So if the thing is preloaded with the courses - when the courses change how do they upload the changes to your machine?

You can download them from the website same as Skycaddie - you just don't have to pay for them.

I guess you may have to delete some but - hey who wants half of the courses they've got.