GPS - View of green important?

hawk45 · July 24, 2016

Some of value priced GPS devices (not full blown course view models) have basic green views (really just outlines). Do you feel this is a valuable feature and worth a higher cost or is knowing front/middle/back enough for you?

North Butte · July 25, 2016

Knowing the near, middle and far distances relative to the spot from which you're about to hit your shot is probably sufficient in most cases. The devices which give "front" and "back" as simply the distance to two arbitrary, fixed points are much less useful IMO.

Argonne69 · July 25, 2016

Absolutely. If you play basic courses that have more-or-less round greens, then it's not a big deal. However, tougher courses with odd shaped greens beg for a HoleView, especially if the pins are in sucker positions. For example, there may be only 15 yards of green to work with on a line to the flag, whereas there may be 30 yards of green on a line to the middle of the green.

North Butte · July 25, 2016

At my former club, the course of which I eventually played well over a thousand times, there's one hole that perfectly illustrates the benefit of the detailed green outline. The main part of the green is on a lower level to the left. But there's a literally eight foot deep bunker on the right front of the green and a tiny little section of green tucked behind the bunker. From the bunker lip to the deep rough over the green is just 21 yards and as a bonus the ridge that feeds back down to the lower left section sort of cuts in behind the bunker so if you are little left there's only about 15 yards to work with.

The GPS system with "front", middle, "back" fixed points are oriented with respect to the larger main part of the green which is fine 2/3 of the time when the flag is down there. But the distance to "front" would come up five yards short of carrying the bunker and the distance to "back" would land you in the rough. Depending on where you are in the fairway, there are spots where it would crazy to play to any of those three distances listed on those cheap GPS systems. The actual distance would be about halfway between middle and "back" with almost no room for error.

Of course after a year or so playing there I just needed to orient myself to the 100-yard plate in the fairway but for someone playing our course occasionally those GPS's were a nightmare.

hawk45 · July 25, 2016

Thanks everyone.. I decided to go with a Garmin G10 that shows the green outlines. Also allows me to move the pins for the nicer courses that regularly change pin locations (up/mid/back). . I play lots of courses with elevated greens, so you don't always get to see what you are working with out in the fairway. First GPS to go with my rangefinder, so hoping this pocket friendly option works. I didn't want to go with a big honking hand-held unit.

Foofighters · August 2, 2016

Thanks everyone.. I decided to go with a Garmin G10 that shows the green outlines. Also allows me to move the pins for the nicer courses that regularly change pin locations (up/mid/back). . I play lots of courses with elevated greens, so you don't always get to see what you are working with out in the fairway. First GPS to go with my rangefinder, so hoping this pocket friendly option works. I didn't want to go with a big honking hand-held unit.

Such a joke that they charge $20 for the Carabiner.

I was thinking of upgrading from the S1 for the same reasons you stated.

I still might splurge and try the x40 but prolly will wait for the next generation.