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 and check the manufacturer sites for the courses you most frequently play). In general, devices with full hole views have lower course availability than those without.

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 Worldwide (Updated Spring 2010)

Golf GPS Device Courses Available*
GolfBuddy World Platinum 26,000
GolfBuddy Tour 26,000
GolfLogix GPS-8 25,300
SkyCaddie SGX 24,000
SkyCaddie SG5 24,000
Bushnell Neo 22,000
Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC 22,000
Sonocaddie V300 22,000
Sonocaddie V500 22,000
Golf Guru 4 20,000
Golf Guru Color Guru 20,000
Callaway uPro 18,000
Callaway uPro Go 18,000
OnPar Touchscreen GPS 15,000
Garmin Approach G3 13,000
Garmin Approach G5 13,000
IZZO SWAMI 1500 12,000

* 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 states there were 15,979 golf courses in the United States as of January 1, 2010 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 and SkyCaddie SG5 achieved perfect scores, with Golf Guru Color Guru and GolfBuddy Tour rounding out the top tier in course coverage. All devices continue to creep upwards in course coverage since our initial reviews in 2009, and only two devices, the Garmin Approach G5, Garmin Approach G3 and the Golf Guru 4 have not cracked the 80% coverage level. Scores were out of a possible 100. Full detail of courses tested is available.

Table 2. Critical Golf Test Results – Course Coverage (Updated Spring 2010)

Golf GPS Device Course Coverage*
GolfLogix GPS-8 100
Golf Guru Color Guru 100
GolfBuddy Tour 99
SkyCaddie SGX 98
SkyCaddie SG5 98
Bushnell Neo 95
Callaway uPro Go* 95
OnPar Touchscreen GPS 92
IZZO SWAMI 92
Sonocaddie V300* 89
Garmin Approach G5 86
Garmin Approach G3 86
Callaway uPro* 84
Golf Guru 4 77
GolfBuddy World Platinum 46
Sonocaddie V500 14

* We define 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 Callaway uPro Go (GoMode), GolfBuddy World Platinum (full hole layouts and green information), Sonocaddie V300 (overhead maps) and Sonocaddie V500 (satellite images and video flyovers), 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 Spring 2010)

Golf GPS Device Top 100 Destination Best New Best Value Tolerable 20
GolfLogix GPS-8 20 20 20 20 20
Golf Guru Color Guru 20 20 20 20 20
GolfBuddy Tour 20 20 20 20 19
SkyCaddie SGX 20 20 19 20 19
SkyCaddie SG5 20 20 19 20 19
Bushnell Neo 19 20 16 20 20
Callaway uPro Go 20 19 18 19 19
OnPar Touchscreen 19 20 16 20 17
IZZO SWAMI 20 19 15 18 20
Sonocaddie V300 19 20 12 19 19
Garmin Approach G5 18 19 11 18 19
Garmin Approach G3 18 19 11 18 19
Callaway uPro 19 18 12 16 19
Golf Guru 4 15 19 13 14 16
GolfBuddy World Platinum 12 12 3 9 10
Sonocaddie V500 4 5 2 0 3

See our list of golf courses tested for full details.

Coverage by Geography

The breakout by geography in Table 4 shows that devices that aren’t in the top tier of our course testing generally have one or more regions that trail their strongest regions in coverage. Scores were out of 20 for each region.

Table 4. Critical Golf Test Results – Course Coverage by Geography (Updated Spring 2010)

Golf GPS Device West Southwest Midwest Southeast Northeast
GolfLogix GPS-8 20 20 20 20 20
Golf Guru Color Guru 20 20 20 20 20
GolfBuddy Tour 20 20 19 20 20
SkyCaddie SGX 19 20 20 19 20
SkyCaddie SG5 19 20 20 19 20
Bushnell Neo 19 19 19 20 18
Callaway uPro Go 19 19 18 20 19
OnPar Touchscreen 18 20 19 19 16
IZZO SWAMI 16 18 19 19 20
Sonocaddie V300 18 19 15 20 17
Garmin Approach G3 14 20 19 18 15
Garmin Approach G5 14 20 19 18 15
Callaway uPro 17 18 15 19 15
Golf Guru 4 17 13 16 16 15
GolfBuddy World Platinum 13 12 5 10 6
Sonocaddie V500 4 2 2 3 3

See our list of golf courses tested for full details.

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