GPS Watches

[BestKeptSecret]

I ran into the new Bushnell Golf Neo+ GPA Rangefinder watch tonight and was wondering if anyone has used this? Or the Garmin Approach S1W? How is the product and is it a good investment? Better than a laser rangefinder? And just general thoughts on these new GPS watches coming out...

 

 

[Guia]

I have the Garman and I like it.

[Jarri]

I use Garmin and it's accurate on 17 of the 18 greens (the 18th green it's off by about 15 yards and that's because they re-built the green 15 yards to the right).

So very accurate for my course at least.

Battery lasts 2 rounds...

Looks very nice.. made of durable material so no chance of breaking it on the course.

The only complaint is not being able to map your own course.

[Stuart_G]

[quote name='BestKeptSecret' timestamp='1339040562' post='5045106']
Better than a laser rangefinder?
[/quote]

Based on the other laser vs gps discussion - I'd stay away from that one.

[golfnut-2X]

my daugther plays a lot of tournament golf and as a caddie i use both the garmin v6 and bushnell range finder (accuracy plus depth in front behind pin). i wish i bought the watch because of juggling taking the v6 off the clip and back is a pain. plus i can have her where the watch.

i may break down and get it but need to test it. i saw yesterday there are two versions. the $300+ version you can move the pin location. the cheaper version just gives you front, middle, back.

has anyone tested the version where you can move the flag. does it work well or not?

[Stuart_G]

That's the garmin s3 - I'm pretty sure there is a "review" / discusion on it if you search in case someone with more experience doesn't answer here.

[talan]

I have heard from a friend who has one that they work great. However, I havent had the chance to give it a try so I can only pass along info from him.

[bag302]

I tried a garmin s1 and it was simple to use and gave accurate info to the front middle and back of green. I used my Nikon 500g to shoot the flag. The combo really helps in club selection.

I ordered a wr62 golf watch because it has distances to hazards and doglegs which the garmin does not do. The wr62 is cheaper also. However, it is an unproven product that hasn't shipped yet. I hope to receive it by the 4th of July. I am growing impatient though with the delays and may just get the garmin

[avgjoe]

WR62... when will it actually be available? seems the date keeps getting pushed back....

[bag302]

[quote name='avgjoe' timestamp='1340237394' post='5138666']
WR62... when will it actually be available? seems the date keeps getting pushed back....
[/quote]

I was told by them today that they are shipping the end of June.

[CypressC]

Don't forget the GolfBuddy Voice - just got it and played a round with it. Works great. Will be trying it at my home course later this week where I know the yardages like the back of my hand, but so far, so good!

[Ozsouthpaw]

Have a Garmin S1 and find it easy to use and quick. I went to a course I had never played last week , walked up to first tee,clicked on start round ,it told me I was on first tee at .....golf club and away I went. How easy is that

[Clark55810]

I have both the S1 and MotoActv. Previously used SkyCaddie, Golf Guru, and iPhone Apps (Golf Logix, etc).

I really like both and use them in different ways.

When I am just out practicing or playing in an event that my score doesn't really make a difference, I use the S1. Yardages are only front, middle, back, but that is enough. It is comfortable to wear (more comfortable then the MotoActv). You can get 36 holes out of one change if you play fast (2 - 4 hour rounds)

When I am playing to keep score, track my stats, or need target yardages, I use the MotoActv. The recent upgrade to the software made it much easier to use. The only disadvantage of the MotoActv is that the battery doesn't last for 2 rounds and it is not as comfortable as the S1.

One other major advantage of the MotoActv is that the GPS tracks your "path" on the course. If you mark your ball position it will track your shots and display them on a map on their web site. That is really useful to review your round and see where your shots went.

The MotoActv software is really new, so it is changing very rapidly.

Clark

[alevine]

I too am interested in the WR62. I just checked on the tgw.copm website and it says that it is not expected to ship until 7/13. I growing impatient and may just get the S3.

[doubleagle2]

I have had the S1 for about a year works really well I also carry a GX-3 laser for when I want to know exact yardages but for speed of play the S1 is great. I recently purchased the Bushnell neo+ watch same as the S1 great the thing I like better about the neo+ is the battery life. The S1 has it got older if all went well I could squeeze 36 holes out of it but it would die towards the end of the second round if play was slow. The neo+ has 13 hours on GPS mode and a year as a regular watch verses the S1 8 hours GPS and 14 days as a watch. They are both good for what they do but the battery life of the neo is better for me

[Howie]

I have the Garmin S1 and find it particularly helpful to confirm an accurate reading on my laser. There are instances when a laser might be picking up background items (e.g, trees directly behind a green) instead of the flagstick and the S1 is a nice validator. It also comes in handy when a laser reading is not possible. As also mentioned by another, two rounds is about what I get from a full charge.

[greens hit]

Does the garmin have a watch function?

[10of14]

WR62 and the S3 are similar in that they both measure to hazards and the S1 does not. I will look forward to reviews on the WR62.

[butch33611]

I have the garmin s1. Im an average player and just knowing the distance to the back ,middle,and front of the green is good enough for my game. Its light and could not be eaiser to use. Just push start the round and away you go. I also like the messure shot feature. When you hit that bomb drive you set it to messure shot, walk to your ball and find out exactly how far it went instead of having to guess. It also validates those long drive stories to your buddies that know you actually messured that 305 bomb you told them about. If your playing on strange courses it really comes in handy to know the distances. Your not messing around with a hand held gps, getting it out and fooling around with it and putting it away. You just glance at your wrist and pick a club. I never play without it.

I dont know how I played all these years without it. Its like having your own personal caddy.

[SALUKI LEFTY]

I picked up a Garmin S3 a few weeks ago and I'm really liking it. Spot on to my Sky Caddie yardages so that's a good thing.

I think this paired with a laser would be the perfect combo as others have noted above.

[alevine]

Does the S3 give you distances to fairway bunkers? The literature for the WR62 indicates that this information is provided. If the S3 does this I may just get it rather than wait for the WR62.

[Linkkingx]

If I'm not mistaken, the S3 doesn't have hazard information pre-loaded. The only points it has are doglegs and the front/center/back of the greens. You can customer map the hazards, but that seems like a hassle and does you no good if you're playing a course for the first time. Can anybody confirm this?

[SALUKI LEFTY]

[quote name='Linkkingx' timestamp='1340815494' post='5177996']
If I'm not mistaken, the S3 doesn't have hazard information pre-loaded. The only points it has are doglegs and the front/center/back of the greens. You can customer map the hazards, but that seems like a hassle and does you no good if you're playing a course for the first time. Can anybody confirm this?
[/quote]

I believe you are correct. I get front middle back and layup yardages like 200, 150, 100, etc and doglegs. I love it, same yardages as my sky caddie. Haven't tried mapping, not sure I will, I know my course pretty well.

[jgolfin]

I have had the bushnell neo+ watch for two weeks. After using it at three different courses I wish I would have purchased it at the beginning of the season. It has been spot on and already has helped my score by changing clubs to the right yardage. Stop at your ball, look at your watch, pull the right club and you are on the green. I love not searching for yardage on the cart paths and sprinkler heads. It does speed up the round.

[SteveL1]

[quote name='alevine' timestamp='1340673433' post='5167182']
Does the S3 give you distances to fairway bunkers? The literature for the WR62 indicates that this information is provided. If the S3 does this I may just get it rather than wait for the WR62.
[/quote]

My understanding, and I may be wrong on this, is that the WR62 only gives two hazards per hole and will defalut to green side bunkers first. Only if there are less than two would you get any fairway hazard info. Seems backwards to me as I would want any fairway harzards before green side. If you hit it in a fairway hazard, it won't matter if there's and greenside bunkers anyway.

Again, I may be wrong on this as I'm just starting my search for something.

[Shemp]

I have the Garmin s3 and I'm pleased with it for my needs. Very convenient, the pin move feature works as advertised. I miss the distance to hazard features, but you can set those yourself by diving a bit deeper in the menu. Two years ago only one caddie I had in Scotland was wearing a Garmin. This year they almost all were wearing them. Really speeds up a round and very accurate.

[IC3BURGH]

I'm not a big watch person, but I hate digging my phone out of my pocket to get readings. I think this would be a far better option, if the size was right.

Which of all the GPS watches has the smallest face?

[Willie Malay]

I never wear a watch. Ever. Got the S1 and although I wouldn't say it was small or sleek I never notice (after the first day). I never once noticed it while swinging a club even when it was new-to-me. I wear it pretty much all the time now and find that odd....for me.
It's taken 20 strokes off my game and added 100 yards to my drives!! Had to sneak that in
In reality I actually like wearing it.

[freed0m]

Curious questions to right handed golfer, which wrist (left or right) do you wear your GPS watch to play?

[Willie Malay]

Right handed. Left wrist.