New Golf Guru 4

[Rickochet]

[quote name='TonsOfSteel' post='1980395' date='Sep 30 2009, 03:44 PM']They're selling these on Amazon?

[url="http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Guru-Rangefinder-Multi-application-capabilities/dp/B002DE8JK4"]Golf Guru on Amazon?[/url][/quote]

There is nothing wrong with Amazon. That is where I usually go first when I am looking for something. It is a good company and shipping is fast. Stuff you get from Amazon can either be shipped from one of their warehouses or drop shipped from one of their affiliate companies. Golf Guru or one of it's vendors may be an affiliate company. It is just another marketing outlet. It does not mean Golf Guru is dumping the G4.

[randy6675]

[/quote]
[color="#FF0000"]As it stands right now, the extensive editing I did for my home course, adding and subtracting targets, can only be downloaded to the device I did the mapping with, the G003. As a result, I don't use the Guru4 when playing my home course even though I really like the better use of color and the more easily readable target screens.[/color]
[/quote]


Are you sure? I also have both the G2 and the G4. Before purchasing the latter, I called and asked if self-mapped courses could be transferred. The answer at the time was that they could take my map and turn it into one of theirs. I only had one course that I had mapped myself, because aerial footage was not available when I got the G2. After buying the G4, I noticed that they now had a community mapped course, so I did not pursue the transfer. May be worth a call.

[tnewc]

I'm on my third GG4! They have been very good about replacing the first two. They finally said there is a conflict with some wireless printers that put something on the GURU to identify them(or something). They have a fix if anyone else is having this problem. I still think it had something to do with tha NAV program. They exchanged that card, too. It seems to be working now, but it's early.

[cliffsails]

I have had my Golf Guru 4 since July. I have ordered a number of AerVue maps but have been very disappointed with the turn around time in getting the maps. They have been taking 3-4 weeks and longer which to me is really unacceptable. I can't plan that far ahead when playing a new course. Soon I'll be taking a trip with a bunch of buddies to the Robert Trent Jones golf trail in Alabama. I ordered maps for the seven courses we will be playing over 4 weeks ago and still haven't received them. I'm hoping that I'll have them before we leave in early November. To me, the AerVue maps were a major consideration in my purchasing this unit... I only hope they can get their act together on providing the maps. Has anyone else had the same problem?

[Rickochet]

[quote name='cliffsails' post='2011841' date='Oct 17 2009, 02:44 PM']I have had my Golf Guru 4 since July. I have ordered a number of AerVue maps but have been very disappointed with the turn around time in getting the maps. They have been taking 3-4 weeks and longer which to me is really unacceptable. I can't plan that far ahead when playing a new course. Soon I'll be taking a trip with a bunch of buddies to the Robert Trent Jones golf trail in Alabama. I ordered maps for the seven courses we will be playing over 4 weeks ago and still haven't received them. I'm hoping that I'll have them before we leave in early November. To me, the AerVue maps were a major consideration in my purchasing this unit... I only hope they can get their act together on providing the maps. Has anyone else had the same problem?[/quote]

The maps are slow coming in but you have to realize how inundateted they must be with requests after giving away all of those free credits. I am guessing that it will be some time before they get caught up. I have requested several regular course mappings and they completed them on the same day that I requested them.

[cliffsails]

I can understand that they have a backlog. But, one would think that they should have anticipated the requests and staffed up to meet the demand.

[Adamsguy]

Go on the website and send a note telling them your trip plan and I bet they will add the AerVue courses before you go on vacation.

[Rickochet]

[quote name='Adamsguy' post='2012182' date='Oct 17 2009, 07:16 PM']Go on the website and send a note telling them your trip plan and I bet they will add the AerVue courses before you go on vacation.[/quote]

Or maybe give them a call. Emails from them usually take a few days but I have always gotten a real person when I called.

[Rickochet]

[quote name='cliffsails' post='2011913' date='Oct 17 2009, 03:42 PM']I can understand that they have a backlog. But, one would think that they should have anticipated the requests and staffed up to meet the demand.[/quote]

I just checked my GG account and it appears that they have done Aervu maps for 6 of the 14 I requested. I requested those right after getting the free credits so that has been several months. It does appear that they are doing them in alphabetical order from the courses I requested and haven't gotten any new ones in quite some time.

It really doesn't matter for me since I don't use the Aervu info anywho. The Aervu map for me is a PITA and another click on the screen to get to the info I really use. I prefer the narrative distances listed in the non Aervu screens. Perhaps GG is spending time upgrading the Aervu to someone more useful instead of just cranking out useless maps.

BTW, has anyone gotten and newletters, emails or talked to GG lately? I haven't heard anything about them in months and am curious if any upgrades are coming out, new equipment, modules for the G4 etc.

[Adamsguy]

I haven't received any emails from them in quite a while. I did try the aervu feature last week and found not very useful. It doesn't seem to me to zoom in enough to know what sand trap or any other obstacle that you might be trying to avoid. Hopefully that will be coming in the near future.

[ez_dc]

So bottom line, are you satisfied with this unit or would you recommend another model?

[Rickochet]

[quote name='ez_dc' post='2031707' date='Oct 28 2009, 05:08 PM']So bottom line, are you satisfied with this unit or would you recommend another model?[/quote]

I am not sure who you addressed this question to but I am highly pleased with the Golf Guru 4. It does exactly what I wanted. It has a nice big screen for old eyes and yardages are accurate. I did not have a car navigation GPS so the $29 for the Guru nav package has been a very big plus. Customer service has also been top notch. And the GG golf course database is one of the largest. So many select a GPS based on features and don't even look to see if the courses they play have been mapped and are dissappointed later when they have few mapped courses.

[ez_dc]

[b]Rickochet, really, I was addressing anyone who would provide advice. Your comments were helpful to me. But I am gathering that the Aervu maps are less than optimal right now. Do you have any experience with the maps?[/b]

[Rickochet]

[quote name='ez_dc' post='2031843' date='Oct 28 2009, 06:12 PM'][b]Rickochet, really, I was addressing anyone who would provide advice. Your comments were helpful to me. But I am gathering that the Aervu maps are less than optimal right now. Do you have any experience with the maps?[/b][/quote]

I have 6 Aervu maps and I don't find them particulary useful as they are currently portrayed. But, I didn't didn't buy the G4 for the Aervu anywho. The standard course mapping does everything I need and GG has provided standard mapping requests and corrections within a day of my requests. I am a very happy Golf Guru camper.

Rick

[phil75070]

[quote name='ez_dc' post='2031843' date='Oct 28 2009, 05:12 PM'][b]Rickochet, really, I was addressing anyone who would provide advice. Your comments were helpful to me. But I am gathering that the Aervu maps are less than optimal right now. Do you have any experience with the maps?[/b][/quote]

Improvements suggested that might happen but I have no indication of when:

When hiding the ShotPlan feature the distances to targets will be displayed next to the red dots, this will eliminate the need to go to the “Target View” to see distances. The main use of the “Target View” would then be to present the names of the targets and show them in larger print. (My take: depending on how many targets are mapped on a given hole the screen may be too cluttered to be useful. We'll have to wait and see. It would work much better, in my opinion, if the yardages "popped" up when the particular red dot one is interested in is "touched".)

Also a zoom feature may be in the works.

[Adamsguy]

There was an update today when I sync'ed my GG. From what I can gather they added the Mark "X" feature to the main screen, no need to click on the menu to get to it. There may be other things added but that was what stood out right away.
Dennis

[bonasa]

Ditto

[Rickochet]

[quote name='Adamsguy' post='2032066' date='Oct 28 2009, 06:57 PM']There was an update today when I sync'ed my GG. From what I can gather they added the Mark "X" feature to the main screen, no need to click on the menu to get to it. There may be other things added but that was what stood out right away.
Dennis[/quote]

I synced after your post and played the other day and mine does not have the X (unless I missed it). I think I had to bring the menu up to get it. I am still using the original software to sync after having earlier problems with the upgrade. I wonder if that could make a diff?

[Adamsguy]

That could be why, did it say there was an update available? Mine did when I did the sync. Also they have added the ArVue Lite to my courses. The ArVue feature helps when trying to figure out a good lay up yardage.

[Rickochet]

[quote name='Adamsguy' post='2053059' date='Nov 8 2009, 07:57 PM']That could be why, did it say there was an update available? Mine did when I did the sync. Also they have added the ArVue Lite to my courses. The ArVue feature helps when trying to figure out a good lay up yardage.[/quote]

I didn't opt for the update. I will try it next time I sync.

Rick

[randy6675]

The update includes two other items that have not been mentioned here. First, and what a lot of people seem to have wanted, is if you touch one of the red dots on the aervu map, the yardage will be displayed. Second, the little metal button on the side that when held down for several seconds puts the unit into sleep mode (to conserve power) has been modified. If you just tap it, it locks the display. I am not sure what the functionality is for this, but it did cause some consternation for me yesterday. I did not know this had been changed, and I guess the button was getting bumped accidentally. The unit would then lock up, and I thought there was a software problem, and would power down, and then power back up. Of course, this lost my scorecard and stats for the round, which I have been using instead of writing on paper. When in lock mode, there is a small icon that shows up with a padlock on it. Unfortunately for me, the backlight is turned off when locked, and my presbyotic eyes could not see the icon until I put my reading glasses on after the round. Once, I figured out that this was what was causing my problems, I guess I am okay with it, as all it takes is another tap of the button. However, I still don't understand the functionality of it, and really wish that they would let us know exactly what changes are being made with the updates.

Concerning the aervu mappiing, I also got my first requested course (27 hole layout), when I first bought my unit in early September. Haven't had anything since. I complained a little, and we will see what happens.

Hope all of this helps someone, especially if you think your unit is locking up on you in the middle of a round.

[Adamsguy]

I played yesterday and noticed that at some point in my round I lost the yellow box and lines that are with it and was not able to get yardage distance which I find helpful on par 5's and longer par 4's. The red dot feature was still working. When I turned it off and on when I got home the yellow box was back.

[phil75070]

[quote name='Adamsguy' post='2062934' date='Nov 13 2009, 05:10 PM']I played yesterday and noticed that at some point in my round I lost the yellow box and lines that are with it and was not able to get yardage distance which I find helpful on par 5's and longer par 4's. The red dot feature was still working. When I turned it off and on when I got home the yellow box was back.[/quote]

You toggle the yellow box and lines (I guess they call it the "shot planner") by tapping in the upper left hand corner where the hole description is found. Tapping on the red dots to bring up the yardages is a nice improvement and with the "X" on the screen to start the marking process it makes the AerVu screen much more usable. All they need is to get a zoom feature working and it will go from a nice unit to a very, very good one!

[Adamsguy]

Thanks for the tip on the shot planner feature. I agree that when they have a software update they should let us know what they are updating.

[Adamsguy]

I tried using the screen lock feature but it doesn't seem to work on mine. The sleep mode works fine.

[Rickochet]

[quote name='randy6675' post='2062373' date='Nov 13 2009, 12:48 PM']The update includes two other items that have not been mentioned here. First, and what a lot of people seem to have wanted, is if you touch one of the red dots on the aervu map, the yardage will be displayed. Second, the little metal button on the side that when held down for several seconds puts the unit into sleep mode (to conserve power) has been modified. If you just tap it, it locks the display. I am not sure what the functionality is for this, but it did cause some consternation for me yesterday. I did not know this had been changed, and I guess the button was getting bumped accidentally. The unit would then lock up, and I thought there was a software problem, and would power down, and then power back up. Of course, this lost my scorecard and stats for the round, which I have been using instead of writing on paper. When in lock mode, there is a small icon that shows up with a padlock on it. Unfortunately for me, the backlight is turned off when locked, and my presbyotic eyes could not see the icon until I put my reading glasses on after the round. Once, I figured out that this was what was causing my problems, I guess I am okay with it, as all it takes is another tap of the button. However, I still don't understand the functionality of it, and really wish that they would let us know exactly what changes are being made with the updates.

Concerning the aervu mappiing, I also got my first requested course (27 hole layout), when I first bought my unit in early September. Haven't had anything since. I complained a little, and we will see what happens.

Hope all of this helps someone, especially if you think your unit is locking up on you in the middle of a round.[/quote]

It would really be nice if Golf Guru would email us about updates like this or post it on their website. I have really enjoyed my G4 this summer but GG's doesn't get a good grade from me on communication for non mapping issues. I emailed them several weeks ago suggesting a user selectable default hole screen and never got a reply.

[Mindflux]

Sent mine back over a week ago and have yet to receive a refund.

[Rickochet]

[quote name='Mindflux' date='01 February 2010 - 10:09 PM' timestamp='1265080142' post='2221094']
Sent mine back over a week ago and have yet to receive a refund.
[/quote]

Have you tried calling them? I would be interested in knowing if anyone is there answering the phone. Keep us posted.

Rick

[phil75070]

I have heard nothing since they last updated the Guru4. I sent an email directly to Mr. Cornish about two weeks ago with no response. Even the "Ask the Prez" button on the website on the Presidents Blog page isn't working. I just requested a couple of AerVu courses. We'll have to wait and see what happens. At least the site is still up and one can add courses.

[ronbo]

It wouldn't surprise me is this company went out of business. I've never understood the interest in this company, when there are so many better options out there to say the least. It never showed up in any mast retailers to give it any creditability. Am I missing something?