Golf GPS Units
Legal for competition play, Golf GPS Units are the simplest way to always choose the right club for the shot.
GPS (Global Positioning System) has been around for a while now. Originally developed as a navigation aid for aircraft and sea-going vessels, the technology soon found it’s way into recreation and ultimately, golf.
 | Golf Buddy Pro |  | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Golf Buddy Tour | | Review |
 | Garmin Approach G5 | | Review |
 | Garmin Approach G3 | | Review |
 | Sonocaddie V300 | | Review |
The first golf GPS units were clunky to say the least. Big, complicated and not very accurate, with a battery life which just about lasted for the front nine. Think early cell phones and you start to get the picture. The lack of accuracy wasn’t entirely down to the GPS units though. For national security reasons, GPS satellites were deliberately programmed to be out by anything upto 100 yards.
Technologies got better, national security issues changed and the new generation of golf GPS units are smaller, lighter, accurate and reliable. The introduction of WAAS or Wide Area Augmentation System means golf GPS is now accurate to within +/- two yards and for most amateur golfers, that’s plenty accurate enough.
Since 2005, golf GPS units have been deemed legal for competition play by both the USGA and the R&A, provided their use is allowed under local rules.
“A Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. However, the use of devices that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player’s play (e.g., wind or gradient) is not permitted”
Modern golf GPS units come with pre-loaded courses and the ability to add additional courses from the manufacturer’s libraries. These additional courses usually require annual subscriptions. Courses can also be mapped by individual golfers, so even if your local course isn’t available (which is pretty unlikely) you can enter the key features of the course yourself.
Our golf GPS reviews are all about getting you, the consumer, the best possible deal on a quality GPS unit. We compare all the main brands for features, ease of use and accuracy (more on that in our golf GPS accuracy article) and the overall value for money of the unit.
Our database of golf GPS reviews is getting bigger by the day as more and more golfers drop by to share their own experiences. Price wise we’ve got you covered as well. Our price comparisons make sure you get the best possible deal on your new golf GPS unit.
How We Rate Our Golf GPS Units
We use a sophisticated rating model based on complex calculations which does a load of really, really techie stuff. What it boils down to is this: Our rating system calculates the best rated golf GPS units based on user submitted ratings and reviews, not only our own ratings.
Thanks to our visitors who took the time to leave their own review, we end up with ratings which are unbiased and reflect what real golfers with real experiences of using GPS really think of the various products on this site.
Don’t forget to check our Golf GPS Comparisons. A side-by-side comparison of features and ratings for all the units on this site.
