• Home
• Golf Gift Ideas
• GPS Devices (NEW!)
  • Intro to Golf GPS Devices
  • Bushnell Neo
  • Callaway uPro
  • Callaway uPro Go (NEW!)
  • Garmin Approach G5
  • GolfBuddy Tour
  • GolfLogix GPS-8
  • Golf Guru 4
  • Golf Guru Color Guru
  • iGolf Neo
  • IZZO SWAMI 1500
  • OnPar Touchscreen GPS
  • SkyCaddie SG5
  • Sonocaddie V300
  • How We Test
  • – Setup
  • – Course Availability
    • – Detail
  • – Ease of Use
  • – Course Detail
  • – Features
  • – Accuracy
  • – Cost/Value
• Laser Rangefinders
• Laser Rangefinders with Slope
• Carry Bags
• iPhone Golf GPS Software
• Balls
• Books and DVDs
• Fitness Equipment
• Push Carts
• Training Aids
• About Us

• 
  
  

  Sign-up to get the latest reviews and product news from Critical Golf

  Our strict privacy policy keeps your email address 100% safe & secure.

How We Test: Course Availability

Every manufacturer states that it has thousands of golf courses available in its database (see Table 1) – but we think it’s more important to know if they actually have the courses that you play (see Table 2). We also tested how easy it is to map courses that aren’t available from the manufacturer, and in cases where the course is mapped and available, if you can add more targets points to each hole.

Table 1. Manufacturer Claim of Courses Available (Updated Summer 2009)

* Source for “Courses Available” data was each company’s website or marketing literature. Golf Guru 4 does not disclose the number of AerVu courses available.

For reference, the National Golf Foundation estimated that there were 15,970 golf courses in the United States as of December 31, 2007 and Golf Digest estimated the number worldwide at over 32,000 as of 2005.

Our Survey

We took a cross-section of 100 public courses across the country and searched to see if the courses were available for each device. In order to avoid having a skewed result, we tried to utilize as broad and representative a sample as possible.

To test if there were specific areas lacking in course coverage:

• 20 courses were selected in each of 5 geographical regions of the United States – the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West.
• Courses from 48 states were represented in our survey.

Selections were also evenly dispersed among 5 different types of courses:

• Top 100: The best of the best, these 20 courses are listed among the top 100 public courses in the country as determined by various publications.
• Destination: This group consisted of 20 resort courses that didn’t quite make the grade for Top 100 awards.
• Best New: As a test of how quickly companies make new courses available, we selected 20 courses recognized by various publications as among the best new courses of 2007 or 2008.
• Best Value: We decided to test whether companies would map courses for the frugal golfer, and found 20 courses recognized by various publications for their value for the money (”Best Public Courses Under $50″, et al).
• Tolerable 20: Finally, to see if course coverage extended to the average golfer, we selected 20 public golf courses that received absolutely no accolades – the type of munis and other local courses that the average duffer plays every weekend.

The Results

Overall Coverage

As shown in Table 2, the GolfLogix GPS-8 (perfect score!), SkyCaddie SG5, Golf Guru Color Guru and GolfBuddy Tour comprise the top tier in terms of course coverage. The Garmin Approach G5 and OnPar are improved from our initial test, but still lagging the field. And while we expected the Golf Guru 4, as a newly introduced device, to trail the field, how FAR behind it was did shock us. Scores were out of a possible 100. The complete list of courses tested may be found here.

Table 2. Critical Golf Test Results – Course Coverage (Updated Summer 2009)

* In Summer 2009 we redefined our course coverage statistic to only count a course as “covered” if it was mapped in the most advanced mode a device provided. Thus, in the case of the Callaway uPro, only courses for which ProMode maps are available are counted as “covered”, with similar analyses for devices such as the Sonocaddie V300 (overhead maps), Golf Guru 4 (AerVu maps) and Bushnell Neo (distances to hazards). The change in our methodology results as more and more devices evolve to providing overhead maps. We believe consumers want to know if these devices they are buying are able to deliver what is promised, and not a lower level of service.

Coverage by Course Type

When it came to course type (see Table 3 below), it was clear that coverage of “Best New” courses is the differentiator between the upper echelon and also-ran competitors in this category. That wasn’t too surprising (we would presume that the primary challenge for the makers of these units will always be keeping up with new courses that open) – but we were pleasantly surprised to see most units providing solid coverage of the Tolerable 20. Scores were out of 20 for each course type.

Table 3. Critical Golf Test Results – Course Coverage by Course Type (Updated Summer 2009)

See our list of golf courses tested for full details.

Coverage by Geography

The breakout by geography in Table 4 shows that the Callaway uPro’s overall ranking was undone by weakness in the Midwest, West and Northeast, and the GolfBuddy Tour was disappointing in the Midwest. Scores were out of 20 for each region.

Table 4. Critical Golf Test Results – Course Coverage by Geography (Updated Summer 2009)

See our list of golf courses tested for full details.