Help from Above For Golfers.
The Approach G5 by Garmin, and the uPro Go, by Callaway, are two of the top-rated golf GPS units.
GPS units have revolutionized how many golfers approach their game.
It's one thing to know how far it is to the next pin, it's quite another to be able to target a specific point on the course and know the exact yardage to that point, including a birds-eye view of your position in relation to the hole.
How they work The global positioning system, or GPS, is currently comprised of 32 satellites in geostationary orbits around the Earth.
This means that the satellites are fixed in their positions above the Earth's surface.
In order for your golf GPS unit to work, it needs to be able to "see" several of these satellites at any given time.
Using the known positions of several satellites, your golf GPS unit will immediately and accurately locate your position on the golf course, or any point on the green you want to pinpoint from where you're standing.
The Garmin Approach G5.
The G5 is a solid, waterproof unit that has only one button, which turns it on and off.
Otherwise, all of the functions are accessed through a touch-screen system with large icons, much like the display of an iPhone or iPad.
The menu icons and the resulting information are displayed on a bright three-inch diagonal color screen.
The Garmin G5 comes pre-loaded with more than 13,000 golf courses in the United States, and you can download additional courses from Garmin.
com.
There is no annual fee for accessing courses, as you will find with some golf GPS units.
The Approach G5 will also keep a scorecard for up to four players.
You can even download those scores on your home computer and analyze them over time.
To do this you'll use an included USB cord, which is also used for downloading new courses via the Internet.
The Garmin G5 is small, and weighs in at just under 7 ounces with batteries installed, so you can easily slip it in your shirt or pants pocket and refer to it often.
Because the G5 can store the average distances that you hit with each club, you can learn how far you generally hit with, say, a nine-iron.
Over time, this can help you build confidence in your game.
About the only downside of the Garmin G5 is that the batteries are not internally rechargeable; it uses to AA batteries, which will usually take you through two rounds of golf.
However, you can certainly use rechargeable batteries, so if you carry an extra set of fully charged batteries with you, you won't be left high and dry in the middle of a round.
And the G5 will "remember" your position and information if you need to replace batteries during the middle of your game.
The Callaway uPro Go GPS.
This is also a full-color golf GPS unit that comes pre-loaded with more than 18,000 golf courses in the United States and Canada.
At only 3.
4 ounces, it is one of the lightest golfing GPS units available.
The uPro takes a different approach to showing you the course, using two modes.
In Basic mode, use get the Green View and the Hazard View screens.
These easy-to-understand graphic screens show the distances you'll need to set up the perfect shot.
In the Hazard View mode, you'll see the distance to the front of the hazard in the distance required to carry your ball over it.
The Green View shows the distances to the front, center, and back of each green.
In the optional Go Mode, you get the AnyPoint View, which lets you measure the distance to any spot on or around the green.
The uPro Go screen shows crisp details, even in direct sunlight.
In side-by-side tests with the G5, the uPro seemed to lock onto the GPS satellites more quickly, and stayed locked on even when players moved under heavy tree cover.
Unlike the Garman G5, the uPro Go has an internal rechargeable battery that lasts 10 to 12 hours on a charge, which should take you through two or even three rounds of golf before it needs recharging.
The downside of the uPro Go is that it requires an additional $50 fee to activate the advanced Go Mode Functions.
Also, the uPro does not have a built-in scorecard feature like the G5 has.
But even with these two drawbacks, the uPro is, out-of-the-box, a very capable unit that can greatly enhance your golf game.
So, which unit is better: the Approach G5 or the uPro Go? It's a tough decision, because the two units each have their plusses and minuses.
I give the final nod to the Garmin Approach G5 because of the simplicity of the operations on the touchscreen, the built-in scorecard, and the out-of-the-box functionality of all systems without paying an extra fee.
But if you like the idea of the internal rechargeable batteries and the super accuracy of the Callaway Go Mode, the uPro Go is also a very capable unit for any golfer.
The Approach G5 by Garmin, and the uPro Go, by Callaway, are two of the top-rated golf GPS units.
GPS units have revolutionized how many golfers approach their game.
It's one thing to know how far it is to the next pin, it's quite another to be able to target a specific point on the course and know the exact yardage to that point, including a birds-eye view of your position in relation to the hole.
How they work The global positioning system, or GPS, is currently comprised of 32 satellites in geostationary orbits around the Earth.
This means that the satellites are fixed in their positions above the Earth's surface.
In order for your golf GPS unit to work, it needs to be able to "see" several of these satellites at any given time.
Using the known positions of several satellites, your golf GPS unit will immediately and accurately locate your position on the golf course, or any point on the green you want to pinpoint from where you're standing.
The Garmin Approach G5.
The G5 is a solid, waterproof unit that has only one button, which turns it on and off.
Otherwise, all of the functions are accessed through a touch-screen system with large icons, much like the display of an iPhone or iPad.
The menu icons and the resulting information are displayed on a bright three-inch diagonal color screen.
The Garmin G5 comes pre-loaded with more than 13,000 golf courses in the United States, and you can download additional courses from Garmin.
com.
There is no annual fee for accessing courses, as you will find with some golf GPS units.
The Approach G5 will also keep a scorecard for up to four players.
You can even download those scores on your home computer and analyze them over time.
To do this you'll use an included USB cord, which is also used for downloading new courses via the Internet.
The Garmin G5 is small, and weighs in at just under 7 ounces with batteries installed, so you can easily slip it in your shirt or pants pocket and refer to it often.
Because the G5 can store the average distances that you hit with each club, you can learn how far you generally hit with, say, a nine-iron.
Over time, this can help you build confidence in your game.
About the only downside of the Garmin G5 is that the batteries are not internally rechargeable; it uses to AA batteries, which will usually take you through two rounds of golf.
However, you can certainly use rechargeable batteries, so if you carry an extra set of fully charged batteries with you, you won't be left high and dry in the middle of a round.
And the G5 will "remember" your position and information if you need to replace batteries during the middle of your game.
The Callaway uPro Go GPS.
This is also a full-color golf GPS unit that comes pre-loaded with more than 18,000 golf courses in the United States and Canada.
At only 3.
4 ounces, it is one of the lightest golfing GPS units available.
The uPro takes a different approach to showing you the course, using two modes.
In Basic mode, use get the Green View and the Hazard View screens.
These easy-to-understand graphic screens show the distances you'll need to set up the perfect shot.
In the Hazard View mode, you'll see the distance to the front of the hazard in the distance required to carry your ball over it.
The Green View shows the distances to the front, center, and back of each green.
In the optional Go Mode, you get the AnyPoint View, which lets you measure the distance to any spot on or around the green.
The uPro Go screen shows crisp details, even in direct sunlight.
In side-by-side tests with the G5, the uPro seemed to lock onto the GPS satellites more quickly, and stayed locked on even when players moved under heavy tree cover.
Unlike the Garman G5, the uPro Go has an internal rechargeable battery that lasts 10 to 12 hours on a charge, which should take you through two or even three rounds of golf before it needs recharging.
The downside of the uPro Go is that it requires an additional $50 fee to activate the advanced Go Mode Functions.
Also, the uPro does not have a built-in scorecard feature like the G5 has.
But even with these two drawbacks, the uPro is, out-of-the-box, a very capable unit that can greatly enhance your golf game.
So, which unit is better: the Approach G5 or the uPro Go? It's a tough decision, because the two units each have their plusses and minuses.
I give the final nod to the Garmin Approach G5 because of the simplicity of the operations on the touchscreen, the built-in scorecard, and the out-of-the-box functionality of all systems without paying an extra fee.
But if you like the idea of the internal rechargeable batteries and the super accuracy of the Callaway Go Mode, the uPro Go is also a very capable unit for any golfer.
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