New iGolf Neo Model

[ajlee7]

Hi all,

 

I am considering purchasing the iGolf Neo. I currently have a Treo 700 connected to a GPS receiver via Bluetooth using iGolfGPS v3.0. I find that it is somewhat inaccuarate and unreliable. I attribute the inaccuracy not with the iGolf software and maps but probably the GPS BT unit. For those who have both iGolfGPS and Neo, can you tell me if you find the Neo much more accurate than using iGolfGPS on a PocketPC/PDA (assume same map coordinates)?

 

Thanks.

[tch_a]

For those of you who were among the early purchasers of the Neo back in Dec/Jan and who experienced the corrupted data point issue have any of you experienced the problem again since the firmware update?

 

I have had the software update applied and sorry to say the problem is still occurring.

 

Just trying to find out if I am in the minority

[chas521]

For those of you who were among the early purchasers of the Neo back in Dec/Jan and who experienced the corrupted data point issue have any of you experienced the problem again since the firmware update?

 

I have had the software update applied and sorry to say the problem is still occurring.

 

Just trying to find out if I am in the minority

 

Hi,

Although I purchased mine in April [i know that you wanted earlier], just want you to know that mine is working just fine. I'm sure that you will hear from others.

[newlydad]

Got mine in June.. No issues and has been proven to be very accurate.

 

The only issue is everyone else asking for yardages. There are bigger problems in the world :-)

[tsr74]

A couple of the courses that I play regularly have two greens on certain holes and rotate which is in play. Does this unit have accommodations for that? If so, how is it handled? I'm assuming that, if nothing else, 3 of the 4 additional points could be used to map the F/C/B of the alternate green.

[jskd82]

A couple of the courses that I play regularly have two greens on certain holes and rotate which is in play. Does this unit have accommodations for that? If so, how is it handled? I'm assuming that, if nothing else, 3 of the 4 additional points could be used to map the F/C/B of the alternate green.

 

I guess you could edit the course file and name it something else and just remap the greens.

[jskd82]

Got a chance to use my Neo for the first time today and I must say that I love it. It is the perfect size and I just store it in my pocket while playing. I am amazed that even when I put it in my pocket, it doesn't lose signal in fact the signal is very strong. That is something that I had trouble with my igolf caddie (the first version.) It is very accurate and gives me all the yardages I need. Mapping custom points on the course is also very easy. I'm glad I made this purchase and anyone thinking if they should get one, believe me and just go for it. I bought mine from ebay for $90 something bucks brand new ( 10% off coupon from ebay and 25% cashback from live search.)

[umpiremark]

Hello gang ... I posted on this thread about 4 pages ago that I was getting an iGolf Neo in May/June. I've used it all summer and cannot imagine how I ever played before without one! I made a bracket (using a 2" long, 3/16" thick piece of plastic) and screwed the beltclip to the bracket. With a knob/screw I attached the bracket to the unbrella hole on my Sun Mountain push cart. There it is, right in front of me; step up to the ball, look at front/center/back yardages and pick a club. The guys I golf with are either asking me for yardages or they went and bought their own!! I've added many points to the courses we play in league and on weekends; lay ups on doglegs, trees on the corner, points I wanna be to hit my favorite wedge from, etc. The unit aquires satellites quickly and is deadly accurate. The only thing the iGolf cannot do is help my putting .... aaarrrggghhh ... My recommendation is two-fold. One, get a GPS unit, I cannot imagine golfing without one, anywhere. Two, get this unit. It's inexpensive, durable, reliable and small - as well as easy as h3ll to use. With the unit on my cart using the bracket, hardly anyone knows I'm using a GPS. I just look down and go. I hope this helps someone because this unit is the best I've seen on any course. By the way, my one time fee to download courses? I still have 67 to go!! HAHAHA Enjoy all, I hope this rant (post) helps!!

[chas521]

Hello gang ... I posted on this thread about 4 pages ago that I was getting an iGolf Neo in May/June. I've used it all summer and cannot imagine how I ever played before without one! I made a bracket (using a 2" long, 3/16" thick piece of plastic) and screwed the beltclip to the bracket. With a knob/screw I attached the bracket to the unbrella hole on my Sun Mountain push cart. There it is, right in front of me; step up to the ball, look at front/center/back yardages and pick a club. The guys I golf with are either asking me for yardages or they went and bought their own!! I've added many points to the courses we play in league and on weekends; lay ups on doglegs, trees on the corner, points I wanna be to hit my favorite wedge from, etc. The unit aquires satellites quickly and is deadly accurate. The only thing the iGolf cannot do is help my putting .... aaarrrggghhh ... My recommendation is two-fold. One, get a GPS unit, I cannot imagine golfing without one, anywhere. Two, get this unit. It's inexpensive, durable, reliable and small - as well as easy as h3ll to use. With the unit on my cart using the bracket, hardly anyone knows I'm using a GPS. I just look down and go. I hope this helps someone because this unit is the best I've seen on any course. By the way, my one time fee to download courses? I still have 67 to go!! HAHAHA Enjoy all, I hope this rant (post) helps!!

 

 

You sold me. No wait, I already have one!

[GolfBargainHunters]

I ended up buying the iGolf Neo to try out since I had read most of this thread. I found it very easy to use and this first time I used it, I was playing with someone who had the SkyCaddie SG2. They pretty much had the same yardage readings. I'm very happy with the device and love the capability to track my shot distances.

[tsr74]

Add me to the list of happy iGolf Neo owners. I don't have any experience with other GPS units, so I can't make comparisons. However, I do know what I was looking for in a GPS (simplicity) and this one delivers. It feels solid, sturdy and well-constructed. I was surprised at how small this actually is. I just kept it in my pocket for the entire round. The four custom points are plenty for me. I didn't run it through a gamut of tests, I just ignored yardage sticks and sprinkler heads and based all club selections on the Neo. It didn't let me down. It sped up my round and I found myself playing a bit more aggressively and with more confidence being that I wasn't second-guessing myself on distances and club selection. All in all, I ended up having a really good round with this by my side.

 

P.S. Thanks jskd82 for the cashback tip!

[Mizzy4]

I bought the Neo after reading about it on this Forum. I must say it is the best thing to happen to my golf game. I was in the market for a GPS but the prices was holding me back. $300-$400 is too much. I looked at the uPro. The fly over looked really cool, but the $399 price tag turned me off. But when I read about the Neo, $150 was enticing. All I really wanted or needed was the yardage to the green. So the Neo was perfect. I got to play with it this Saturday and all I can say is "WOW!" :drinks: The measurement to the green was right on. Because I knew the yardage, it made it easier to commit to the shot. No second guessing about whether or not I am using the right club. I can now concentrate on my swing and have less thoughts going through my mind. I hit the greens more than I ever had and have gotten more birdie / par opportunities, it was great. My confidence when up on every approach shots. Couple of missed greens due to my error but because the distance was right it made for an easier chip shot. I love the size, its sturdy and the reception was awesome. I have no regrets, wish I had this sooner. Maybe my handicap would be lower. I can't wait to play again. ;)

[stevestrike]

I had an unusual experience today with my Neo. We played a new course today, and my approach shot came up short. Like 20-30 yards short. I figured I mis-judged the wind, and caught it a little fat. Then, my playing partner asked me for a yardage. I told him it was 135, and he says, "Well, since we are looking at the 150 marker ahead of us, I don't think it's 135, more like 160." He was right.

 

For the first time, the yardages were off--way off. Like 35-60 YARDS on every hole. I was sitting at the 150 marker, and the unit would show 185. I turned it off and back on; same thing. I could be standing on the front of the green, and it would say 37 Front.

 

I've never seen this before, and I am contacting iGolf support today.

[chas521]

I had an unusual experience today with my Neo. We played a new course today, and my approach shot came up short. Like 20-30 yards short. I figured I mis-judged the wind, and caught it a little fat. Then, my playing partner asked me for a yardage. I told him it was 135, and he says, "Well, since we are looking at the 150 marker ahead of us, I don't think it's 135, more like 160." He was right.

 

For the first time, the yardages were off--way off. Like 35-60 YARDS on every hole. I was sitting at the 150 marker, and the unit would show 185. I turned it off and back on; same thing. I could be standing on the front of the green, and it would say 37 Front.

 

I've never seen this before, and I am contacting iGolf support today.

 

Hmmm. You know, I've noticed some of the yardages being somewhat "off" also. Nothing major like you're describing but somewhat off nevertheless - not all the time though. I just wonder if the satellite reading where the green actually begins is picking it up at the wrong point?

 

I played with someone who also had a Neo and on a couple of holes our distances were different by about three yards even when measured from the same point - we really noticed it at a par-three. Now I'm wondering if our units were using different satellites even though the GPS units were identical?

 

Steve, let us know how you make out with customer service - thanks.

[BankerGolfer]

It's because of issues like these that I choose to use my trusty Bushnell 1500 Pinseeker. Granted that it's line-of-sight requirement results in a few times where it's limitiations are apparent, but the vast majority of times it's accuracy is readily apparent. Besides, I like knowing my EXACT yardage to the pin, not some Front-Center-Back of Green measurement. Maybe it's because I really like to make birdies, as opposed to settling for par.....

 

 

I had an unusual experience today with my Neo. We played a new course today, and my approach shot came up short. Like 20-30 yards short. I figured I mis-judged the wind, and caught it a little fat. Then, my playing partner asked me for a yardage. I told him it was 135, and he says, "Well, since we are looking at the 150 marker ahead of us, I don't think it's 135, more like 160." He was right.

 

For the first time, the yardages were off--way off. Like 35-60 YARDS on every hole. I was sitting at the 150 marker, and the unit would show 185. I turned it off and back on; same thing. I could be standing on the front of the green, and it would say 37 Front.

 

I've never seen this before, and I am contacting iGolf support today.

 

Hmmm. You know, I've noticed some of the yardages being somewhat "off" also. Nothing major like you're describing but somewhat off nevertheless - not all the time though. I just wonder if the satellite reading where the green actually begins is picking it up at the wrong point?

 

I played with someone who also had a Neo and on a couple of holes our distances were different by about three yards even when measured from the same point - we really noticed it at a par-three. Now I'm wondering if our units were using different satellites even though the GPS units were identical?

 

Steve, let us know how you make out with customer service - thanks.

[stevestrike]

It's because of issues like these that I choose to use my trusty Bushnell 1500 Pinseeker. Blah blah blah, Thread crap, blah blah blah blah!

 

Really? This is a thread about the Neo, not "GPS vs. Laser" or anything else. And after SEVEN pages of positive posts about the Neo, you can't just plop down some stupid line about how a laser is superior. You chose a pinseeker, good for you. Remind me to get the lay up yardage to that creek with your "laser" next time we're out too OK?

 

There are no "issues like these", just one poorly mapped course file, not the unit or the GPS technology itself.

 

I've used my Neo for almost 100 rounds so far this year, and have not had any issues like this before.

[phil75070]

I can't find anything that indicates the type of GPS receiver they are using or if the unit is WAAS enabled. This might help explain why there are distance differences between two units.

[chas521]

It's because of issues like these that I choose to use my trusty Bushnell 1500 Pinseeker. Blah blah blah, Thread crap, blah blah blah blah!

 

Really? This is a thread about the Neo, not "GPS vs. Laser" or anything else. And after SEVEN pages of positive posts about the Neo, you can't just plop down some stupid line about how a laser is superior. You chose a pinseeker, good for you. Remind me to get the lay up yardage to that creek with your "laser" next time we're out too OK?

 

There are no "issues like these", just one poorly mapped course file, not the unit or the GPS technology itself.

 

I've used my Neo for almost 100 rounds so far this year, and have not had any issues like this before.

 

Steve, I most certainly agree with you. I've used my NEO all summer long many times and it's never let me down. I've never lost the signal and it has always been faithful in all sorts of weather. I don't know about the rest of you but I play golf for the enjoyment and not for prize money as a living. I'm not too worried if my yardage is three yards off - it's just not that important to me. Hey, I could miss a three-foot putt just as easy as a twenty-footer. If I go out and shoot a 68 or an 88, there's always next week or the next time that I play. Heck, if I shot a 78 on the tour, McDonald's would be a great night out if you know what I mean.

 

I've played with laser folks and they asked me for the distance because they couldn't see the hidden pin. Why anyone on this site would want to take "shots" at us folks who are happy with the NEO - I think that it's their problem and not ours. Just my two cents.

[stevestrike]

I can't find anything that indicates the type of GPS receiver they are using or if the unit is WAAS enabled. This might help explain why there are distance differences between two units.

The GPS receiver is reportedly a SiRFstar III, and it does do WAAS.

 

I got the first reply from iGolf that they would be researching the issue. I'll post back when I hear more info.

[BankerGolfer]

Wow. Steve is as defensive as the Republicans about Sarah Palin's recent questionable interviews with news anchors.

 

All i did was point out a limitation of GPS vs. laser rangefinders, all in the context of the few posts that preceded mine, which did experience accuracy problems.

 

I never said that people who bought GPS devices were waisting their money.

 

Relax Steve and learn to have an open mind.

[pflogger]

SteveStrike,

 

I love my Golf Guru, but I have played with a couple of guys that own the Neo. It seems to be a pretty darn accurate device. Side by side with my Guru, they don't vary by much, if any. I was kind of surprised (and a little jealous) that the little bas'd Neo kept up with my Guru.

 

One fact of life that most GPS buyers can't seem to get past is, that outside of SkyCaddie, where they actually send someone out to map the course, everyone else relies on satellite or aerial imagery. Let me state a simple fact; satellite imagery, or anything else other than showing up at the course, ain't perfect. Courses change, imagery is outdated, and the mappers don't know they are looking at outdated imagery. They are putting out a map based on what they have, and are none the wiser about when that imagery was taken, and if the course has changed since then. It's only when one of us golfers goes out and plays that course, and some, or all the distances don't make any sense, and we send them a nasty email, that they realize something ain't quite right.

 

You say you have played 100 rounds without any issues. I'd say, when using a GPS device with maps from satellite or aerial imagery, that's a pretty dang good result!!! SkyCaddie is probably a 100 million a year company. All the rest would probably be lucky to hit 1-10 million. If you want the best shot at getting accurate course maps...PAY YOUR DUES (annual fees), otherwise you get what you get!!! This is not a shot at you Stevestrike, I know you are happy with the Neo, rather it's a wake up call to everyone that thinks every map from every Golf GPS company is going to be perfect every time. The real question is...who's listening to you when you have an issue, and who fixes it when notified????

[stevestrike]

Wow. Steve is as defensive as the Republicans about Sarah Palin's recent questionable interviews with news anchors.

 

All i did was point out a limitation of GPS vs. laser rangefinders, all in the context of the few posts that preceded mine, which did experience accuracy problems.

 

I never said that people who bought GPS devices were waisting their money.

 

Relax Steve and learn to have an open mind.

And all I said was to take that junk somewhere else. There are a BUNCH of "GPS vs. Laser" threads on the site, feel free to post your opinions. This thread was started to discuss the Neo GPS in paticular. Nice jab at Republicans, or Palin, or whatever that was supposed to be too.

[BankerGolfer]

My posts, as are yours and everyone elses on this forum, are not junk. We are all entitled to our opinions, even someone as ignorant and derisive as yourself.

 

If you don't like what I have to post, don't read it and simply ignore it. Pretend it wasn't for your consumption. Do whatever you have to do to remain uneducated and ignorant.

 

The posts that I provide are for others to read, not you.

[phil75070]

SteveStrike,

 

I love my Golf Guru, but I have played with a couple of guys that own the Neo. It seems to be a pretty darn accurate device. Side by side with my Guru, they don't vary by much, if any. I was kind of surprised (and a little jealous) that the little bas'd Neo kept up with my Guru.

 

One fact of life that most GPS buyers can't seem to get past is, that outside of SkyCaddie, where they actually send someone out to map the course, everyone else relies on satellite or aerial imagery. Let me state a simple fact; satellite imagery, or anything else other than showing up at the course, ain't perfect. Courses change, imagery is outdated, and the mappers don't know they are looking at outdated imagery. They are putting out a map based on what they have, and are none the wiser about when that imagery was taken, and if the course has changed since then. It's only when one of us golfers goes out and plays that course, and some, or all the distances don't make any sense, and we send them a nasty email, that they realize something ain't quite right.

 

You say you have played 100 rounds without any issues. I'd say, when using a GPS device with maps from satellite or aerial imagery, that's a pretty dang good result!!! SkyCaddie is probably a 100 million a year company. All the rest would probably be lucky to hit 1-10 million. If you want the best shot at getting accurate course maps...PAY YOUR DUES (annual fees), otherwise you get what you get!!! This is not a shot at you Stevestrike, I know you are happy with the Neo, rather it's a wake up call to everyone that thinks every map from every Golf GPS company is going to be perfect every time. The real question is...who's listening to you when you have an issue, and who fixes it when notified????

 

pflogger, nicely said and totally accurate. SkyGolf walks the course so increased accuracy is there over the use of aerial or satellite photos, but only if they have walked it since any changes or renovations have been made. Thus, there still can be "errors" while one waits for an update. The nice thing about units like the Golf Guru and some others where you can add or modify targets is the fact that you can correct any of those errors practically immediately. You also have the advantage, if you add targets yourself, of knowing exactly the point that is considered the "to" or "clear" point. For example, with a bunker, I don't know what point the mapper used, either walking or using photos. Is the point where the sand begins or is it where the slope begins leading to the sand? If I do it myself I know for sure. Also, there is only one unit out there where you can map the outline of the green yourself, the Golf Guru, in the event that there are changes to any of the greens.

[gib15]

just my 2 cents worth on the neo. got mine a couple of weeks ago and have used it 3 times now. really impressed for what i got pricewise ($135 with code at intheholegolf.com) yardages seemed fine, measured them a couple of times against the 150 and were +/-2 yards. really liked the ease of use since it fits in my pocket w/o feeling bulky. custom mapping of points could not be easier imo. never had a lag on getting yardage of more than a couple of seconds when either walking or riding to ball. shot distance feature is nice, u still get a center yardage while it is measuring your shot, which was nice as i was usually past my partners so i could at least throw them the center yardage and still get my distance of shot.

 

only thing that i found is that even though a course may be mapped fully, on some holes a fairway bunker or other point i wanted was not there even though it had space for it on that hole, but fixing that of course was a snap when i mapped it out myself.

 

also, i like the fact that if i wanted to, and i did, i could remove a mapped point and replace it with another one that was more relevant to my game on that hole.

 

finally, the usb charger is the same as my blackberry so charging is a snap and it is fast.

 

i used it for 27 holes and was only down to around %60 percent left, so not a prob for me as i charge it on the way to the course with my car charger before each round.

 

all in all, very happy with neo, i am a scratch golfer and formerly used a laser, now i love having the back and carry distance instead. i found that i am hitting it pin high even more so than before and not short siding myself long or short.

 

by the way, thanks to all the posts on this and other gps threads, really helped me make an informed choice on my neo.

 

gib

[stevestrike]

If you don't like what I have to post, don't read it and simply ignore it. Pretend it wasn't for your consumption. Do whatever you have to do to remain uneducated and ignorant.

 

The posts that I provide are for others to read, not you.

In case you didn't notice, this is my thread. It was started with a purpose--to discuss the Neo GPS. There is such a thing as staying ON-TOPIC. Nice personal attacks. You win at the internet. Way to go. :fool:

 

Back ON-TOPIC now, I received an answer from iGolf today that they had fixed the course. They didn't say what was wrong, only that I could download them again, and they would be correct. Total time was three days (Oct.1 - 3)

[rockinar]

Can anyone tell me if I need to have a subscription to iGolf to use the Shot Distance feature? I'm looking for a way to check my club distances, I don't care about the other features really. I use a laser for those.

[chas521]

Can anyone tell me if I need to have a subscription to iGolf to use the Shot Distance feature? I'm looking for a way to check my club distances, I don't care about the other features really. I use a laser for those.

 

That's a very good question. I could be wrong and I'm sure that someone will correct me if I am but as I see it the only time that you need a subscription from IGolf for the NEO would be to purchase pre-mapped courses. Since you would be "mapping" your own course by yourself [so-to-speak] for club distances, you wouldn't require a subscription.

[stevestrike]

Chas521 is correct. You do not need a subscription to use the shot distance feature or to map your own courses.

[Mizzy4]

Ok, I got the opportunity to play with the Neo three more times and my opinion has not changed but confirmed I made a GREAT buy. Case in point, on a par 4, second shot to an elevated green. I couldn't even see the flag. I had to walk up to see where the flag was (F/C/B). It was in the front. Went back to my ball got my reading, selected my club with the elevation calculated. The result... 5 feet to the hole pin high, BIRDIE. So how do I feel about the Neo, I LOVE IT. And really don't mind people asking me for the yardage either. I did not encounter some of the problems some of you are having with yardage being off by 30-60 yards. But I will keep that in mind. Also I did compare the accuracy with someone who had the SkyCaddie. For the most part we got the same reading but some were +/- 1-3 yards different. Not big enough to make a difference. Again, thanks for the great reviews and information expressed on this thread. You guys really helped me to make, in my option, a great buy on a great product.