Which is the Most Popular Golf GPS?

There has been a lot of interest in using GPS technology for golf and this has led to an industry within the very competitive golf industry. But which is the most popular golf GPS at the moment? The jury is out on this one! Certainly the ever popular Skycaddie range of models are still selling, but there popularity could be based on past reputation and not necessarily on new features. There are a lot of new models coming on to the market with new features to benefit the golfer. And like all technology the new models have more memory, are smaller in size, more versatile and often cheaper.

In addition to the golf specific GPS models there is software that can be used on mobile phones that provide the same or similar benefits.

So which is the most popular Golf GPS at the moment?

The iGolf Neo, which is the smallest, is proving to be very popular because of its price tag. At under $150.00 the Neo is something that most golfers are happy to spend on improving their game. Often the purchasers of the Neo are first time buyers or buyer's who are buying a golfer a present. And what a nice present it would make.

At the other end of the price spectrum is the uPro by uPlay Golf. At just under $400.00 the uPro features the latest in graphic technology, with a color screen and incredible graphics. The Pro Mode feature takes you on a helicopter video flight over the hole in play and includes detail of the undulations, hazards and everything that the player faces.

The uPro is selling very fast to those people who have been using a golf GPS for some time and to those who have no budget limitations.

Interestingly at $400.00 the golfer who plays once a week will have a caddie for life for the incredibly low price of under $8.00 per round in his first year, reducing to $4.00 per round in the second year. Do you think Steve Williams should start getting concerned?

Seriously though, all the Golf GPS models have an array of benefits and vastly different pricing structures. Some come with annual membership plans - a clever ploy by the manufacturers to generate cash flow. For your membership fee you are entitled to a certain, sometimes limited - with others not, amount of downloads and course storages. These are stored either on the unit itself or in cyberspace on a website hosted by the manufacturer.

There are the normal screens and then color screens. Some offer a digital scoring system whilst others are able to retain your scores, what club you hit over certain distances and the ability to analyze your game.

With some models you can plot your own points on the course.

The power source and the number of hours that the batteries last are important issues to consider.

Accuracy on all of the models depends on the amount of satellite signals each operates off. Generally the more satellites the GPS can access the more accurate the distances will be. These are all useful features and will benefit your game. For example knowing exactly how far you hit each club in your bag is something very few amateurs know. We all tend to think we can hit it further and it is a known fact that amateurs tend to leave more of their approach shots short of the green than to overshoot. Think of your own game.

Which is the most popular Golf GPS at the moment?

Personally I think this will depend on your budget. Certainly the iGolf Neo is a brilliant little model that will do what you need it to do. But it doesn't have a colour screen, will not keep your score and does not keep your statistics. You can however determine how far you hit each club. The models that fall into the 'most popular' category would include the following (in no particular order):

• iGolf Neo
• iGolf Caddie II
• Golf Guru
• Sonocaddie XV2
• Sonocaddie V300
• Skycaddie 2.5, Skycaddie 3, Skycaddie 4 and Skycaddie 5.
• Golf Buddy Plus
• Garmin Golf Logix GPS 8
• Sure Shot
• uPro.

When selecting a Golf GPS you need to write down the features you want, how much you are prepared to pay for these features and then compare apples with apples.

One thing is certain: once you have used a GPS for golf you will wonder why you never did it years ago.

I realize that I haven't directly answered your question "What is the most popular Golf GPS at the moment?" but I hope I have given you some food for thought in selecting the Golf GPS that is ideal for you. After all why follow the crowd?

Lawrence Bredenkamp is a qualified golf coach and a mad keen golfer. He has several golfing websites one of which is dedicated solely to Golf GPS.
This website has the most comprehensive comparison chart available on the web. It provides a full review of each of the most popular models and gives recommendations based on budget.
Buy your GPS using this information and rest assured that you have bought the best available for the money you have spent.

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By Lawrence Bredenkamp