dropping the upromx

[csl928]

suggest another GPS please

Strictly based on principle I am going to return my Upromx. I like the prospects of the device but I can not fathom the idea of ever giving Callaway one more cent which i would have to do for pro-mode, so I will cut off my nose to spite my face so to say and go for one of the other units. I have one desire and its to be able to view a hole in its entirety and click different spots on the screen for distances to, and if possible from that spot how long itll be to the hole (for layup positon). obviously course availability is another request. I dont need club selection, distances, score keeping, or any of that stuff.

Thanks for the responses. I did a search and to be honest there are so many gps's and so many new devices, and just want some advice on which to get.

[Call Me Ishmael]

Good luck, not sure your device exists - none of them are perfect and some are downright overpriced. I did alot of research and found that a refurbished original Upro offered exactly what I was looking for. I got the mx when I found I could get one for a few bucks more. Maybe you could try an old Upro?

I take it price is not a factor? Maybe you should try out a friend's rangefinder and see if that is a better option for you than a GPS?

[TJCDAS]

Garmin G5 or G3.

[BlkNGld]

[quote name='csl928' timestamp='1307874575' post='3301381']
Strictly based on principle I am going to return my Upromx. I like the prospects of the device but I can not fathom the idea of ever giving Callaway one more cent which i would have to do for pro-mode, so I will cut off my nose to spite my face so to say and go for one of the other units. I have one desire and its to be able to view a hole in its entirety and click different spots on the screen for distances to, and if possible from that spot how long itll be to the hole (for layup positon). obviously course availability is another request. I dont need club selection, distances, score keeping, or any of that stuff.

Thanks for the responses. I did a search and to be honest there are so many gps's and so many new devices, and just want some advice on which to get.
[/quote]

An SGX would have what you want, at least for some courses.

[csl928]

thanks for the responses. I am looking at the garmin g3. I had a rangefinder. Loved it and probably should have kept it. Within 150 yards it is the best. But on doglegs, or uphill, downhill, blocked out, stuff like that, it was pretty useless. Also, I play the same courses over and over and often find myself blocked out from getting a yardage and when on vacation I would love the overall info a GSP gives. Also I play in the morning very very often and the fog/dew was a bit of a pain in the butt to get past with the rangefinder.

I see that none of the GPSs are perfect. I have one on my cell phone which is perfect. Simplegolf. Just a overhead GPS picture with two sticks (one on you and one where ever you want the distance to. But unfortunately my phones battery is lucky to last 3 hours while using GPS and also the screen is very tough to see in direct sunlight.

thanks for the responses.

[jones137]

I use a rangefinder, the Leupold GX3, coupled with Golfshots GPS on my iphone. I prefer the GX3 but on blind holes it's nice to have the GPS.

The GolfBuddy Platinum GPS is pretty solid.

[jim2722]

[quote name='TJCDAS' timestamp='1307986685' post='3303783']
Garmin G5 or G3.
[/quote]

+1

The Garmin G5 or G3 is pretty much exactly what your asking for. I had a G5 and lost it. Got a G3 and love it just as much. Does everything you were describing plus it's rugged and waterproof.

[jabrch]

I was debating getting an MX. With all the negative feedback - I'm going to hold on to my GolfLogix GPS-8 a bit longer. It isn't perfect, but it is simple and it clips onto my bag easily - and works like a charm. I don't like having to pay $30 a year - but if I don't play much outside my normal courses, I guess I don't have to...

[tommyh9991]

add another vote for the Garmin G3 or G5.

[csl928]

Ive been researching and researching. I think the G3 is the way to go. But now im hitting a semi roadblock. Callaway is saying they wont refund me because I didnt buy it from an authorized retailer (bought it off ebay), which if they had people with brains they would know is not the law. I wont go into detail because callaway reads these boards, but if they do read this post they better realize that they have to clean up their act and their site. Its becoming a joke now. Who ever is in charge over there should be fired.

[Call Me Ishmael]

It is getting very frustrating, I know. If you wait until the website is up you should be able to resell it no problem. Hopefully you have no other problems with the unit.

I'm trying to be patient with Cally.....not easy. I am a bit concerned that they can't even identify a date yet. Go Mode/Basic Mode works great on mine and I am impressed with the amount of courses built in but I did not buy a "Upro Go".

[Solutions Etcetera]

I have both the G5 and the mx (why? cause I am a bit fanatical about toys). I really wanted to like the mx because of the aerial imagery and size/weight. I passed on the original uPro because of too much button pressing and difficulty reading the screen. The screen on the mx is vastly superior. In fact it is better than the Garmin to the naked eye. They did a good job here and it is very readable in sunlight. However I like to wear polarized glasses and the Garmin is much less affected by them than the upro.

And the mx's interface is a big improvement. But with that said, the Garmin is still vastly superior from a usability standpoint. Much simpler and very intuitive. And not a single glitch in many rounds played. Once you get used to the fact that the touch screen needs actual pressure, and you calibrate it to your touch, it is very responsive and fast. The upro's spinning circle that seems to always come up is annoying. It just feels slow.

Battery life is also better - I can get three rounds easy on a set of AA NiMH rechargeable, and even keep a spare set of alkalines in my bag just in case I forget to charge the rechargeables. It is nice the unit never sleeps (only the back light dims - and a single touch anywhere restores it).

There are a number of other well thought out niceties of the Garmin. It automatically zooms in as you approach the hole; keeping your position at the bottom of the screen and the green at the top. The image even rotates as your approach angle changes. It always shows you distance to the green in fairly large numbers in the upper right hand corner. Pin positions stick; meaning if you move the pin on the green with your finger, that positions stays there in all modes and any shown yardage to the green is updated to that pin position.

The scoring is quickly and easily done if you use it, and the scoring entry screens automatically popup on the next tee if you elect to use it. It also can keep stats for all 4 players, and it asks you initially if you want to track stats for 'each' player when you enter the first score. I am very disappointed in how much fiddling it takes to enter the scores on the mx (and original pro for that matter).

Yes it is big and heavy, but I keep it in the cart most of the time. It being based on the Garmin Oregon chassis means there are some great mounting options dedicated to it (i.e. RAM).

If I do have to walk to my ball I put it in my pocket and simply throw it on the ground before making my swing. It being waterproof and built like a tank means I have no concerns about doing this… and I simply rinse it off with warm water and towel dry when I get home.

I originally had concerns about the screen not being glass and that it would scratch. That has turned out not to be the case.

I will revisit the mx again 6 or so months down the line. I really do think the aerial imagery is cool… and I am curious about the UTrack and other apps the unit seems to be destined for in the future… but for now the Garmin wins hands down.

Hope this helps.

[Call Me Ishmael]

The G5 is pricey. Does the G3 have similar performance?

[Solutions Etcetera]

[quote name='Call Me Ishmael' timestamp='1308086230' post='3307306']
The G5 is pricey. Does the G3 have similar performance?
[/quote]
Note that there is a $50 rebate through the end of July. That puts the G5 at pretty much the same price as an mx with unlimited pro mode.

But to answer your question… the G3 is identical; only smaller, and no stat tracking/club distance averaging.

Edit: As long as I'm touting the Garmin here I'll mention of couple of other neat things. In the scoring/stat tracking, you never have to tell it GIR. Just Score, Putts, and FW. It figures out if you hit the green based on that info and the Par of the hole. Plus you can easily change the Par of the hole should you be playing tees that change the Par from a 4 to a 3 for instance.

Another cool thing is that since this was based off a mapping GPS, the unit stores the GPS tracks of your golf rounds. These are standard Garmin track files on the unit when you mount it, and can be easily imported into Google Earth. The end result is an animated track of your golf outings in Google Earth; complete with timing and elevation profiles. You can relive any round at any time and even send them to friends so they can view them in Earth. Based on where you stop with the unit (it records timing and elevation intervals every few seconds), you can see where and how far you hit each shot. You can even see the speed at which you walk or how fast the golf cart was traveling at any point.

[Call Me Ishmael]

I see that rebate now...

Honestly, in hindsight I should have taken a harder look at the G3. Assuming my courses are available it has everything I wanted and the price is right.

[woods991]

[quote name='csl928' timestamp='1308020433' post='3305342']
Ive been researching and researching. I think the G3 is the way to go. But now im hitting a semi roadblock. Callaway is saying they wont refund me because I didnt buy it from an authorized retailer (bought it off ebay), which if they had people with brains they would know is not the law. I wont go into detail because callaway reads these boards, but if they do read this post they better realize that they have to clean up their act and their site. Its becoming a joke now. Who ever is in charge over there should be fired.
[/quote]
Well if that is true Cally reading boards then dear Cally get your head out of your A@#, this unit has problems, the Pro mode is garbage to pay for etc. Maybe you should steal some advice from your competitors, you know that practice well!!

[csl928]

yea Im seriously regretting not looking into the G3. Thanks for all that info solutions. I might go down your road and just keep both. Im soo hesitant about this MX. hesitant about keeping it and hesitant about returning it. The prospects are wonderful, but Callaway really did the wrong thing here

[Solutions Etcetera]

For the record… I don't think I'll be keeping the mx. I am on my second unit. And while I am not sure my first was defective, I had a number of issues that, when discussed with a Call'y rep, was convinced to return it. This second unit is clearly defective as the button is mounted offset from the motherboard making it hard to press from all but the bottom right corner.

 

 

Not sure who is building these for Call'y, but based on the number of problems I have heard about, it seems prudent to bail and look at it again later on down the road when we start to see more positive reports. It's a bit of a shame as I really did want the aerial imagery and a more pocketable device but two not so good experiences in a row is pretty much my limit… at least for now.

[junkfry]

Golf Buddy World(not Platinum)works very well with the specs you're looking for.

[milfordj]

I think there is another difference that really concerns me. Talking about "Viewability", the screen resolutions of the G3 and G5 are different, and I'm not sure if they are equally easy to view, especially while wearing sunglasses.

[quote name='Solutions Etcetera' timestamp='1308090293' post='3307484']
[quote name='Call Me Ishmael' timestamp='1308086230' post='3307306']
The G5 is pricey. Does the G3 have similar performance?
[/quote]
Note that there is a $50 rebate through the end of July. That puts the G5 at pretty much the same price as an mx with unlimited pro mode.

But to answer your question… the G3 is identical; only smaller, and no stat tracking/club distance averaging.

Edit: As long as I'm touting the Garmin here I'll mention of couple of other neat things. In the scoring/stat tracking, you never have to tell it GIR. Just Score, Putts, and FW. It figures out if you hit the green based on that info and the Par of the hole. Plus you can easily change the Par of the hole should you be playing tees that change the Par from a 4 to a 3 for instance.

Another cool thing is that since this was based off a mapping GPS, the unit stores the GPS tracks of your golf rounds. These are standard Garmin track files on the unit when you mount it, and can be easily imported into Google Earth. The end result is an animated track of your golf outings in Google Earth; complete with timing and elevation profiles. You can relive any round at any time and even send them to friends so they can view them in Earth. Based on where you stop with the unit (it records timing and elevation intervals every few seconds), you can see where and how far you hit each shot. You can even see the speed at which you walk or how fast the golf cart was traveling at any point.
[/quote]

[Solutions Etcetera]

[quote name='milfordj' timestamp='1308166083' post='3309867']
I think there is another difference that really concerns me. Talking about "Viewability", the screen resolutions of the G3 and G5 are different, and I'm not sure if they are equally easy to view, especially while wearing sunglasses.
[/quote]
The G3 is based on the Dakota series and while I have not compared them side by side, the general consensus is that the lower pixel density of the Dakota actually makes it a little more contrasty in sunlight, but that the backlight on the Oregon (G5) is brighter.

As always, if you wear polarized glasses, view one before buying as there is no way to predict the amount of blocking you will experience with any given screen assembly (the G5 is reasonably good in this respect), but it should be a wash with non-polarized glasses.

[Rickochet]

My wife gave me a Upro (not MX or Go) for Christmas. I already had a Golf Guru 4. It was DOA out of the box. It took me a month to get a replacement which was also DOA. I finally got a working unit 4 months from receiving the first. I sold that sucker as fast as I could.

I like the Guru 4 with the touch screen, overhead views, moveable target etc., but there was too much button pushing. I also found that I seldom used any info other that front, back and center of the green. I discovered the Garmin S1 Approach watch GPS and bought it. It only does F-C-B, shot measuring and odometer but that is all I really need. I have been wearing it for two months and really like it and don't miss the bells and whistles of the other units. It has 13000 courses preloaded. All you have to do basically is turn it on when you get to the course. It may not do as much as you want but this is my 4th golf gps and it is my favorite.