Garmin Approach S1 GPS Watch

Garmin’s approach S1 watch is on sale at GolfSmith for $149, down from the original $249.

I got an amusing press release from GolfBuddy recounting the story of a golfer on holiday who inadvertently racked up thousands of dollars in data charges using his phone as a golf GPS. The international charges ran to more than $3,000. I’m sure that was quite the shock when he returned home to Germany.

On a Boy Scout camping trip we took to Canada this past year, everyone was warned to turn their smart phones off—and leave them off—to avoid accidental international data charges.

The moral of the story, according to GolfBuddy is that he should have used a stand-alone GPS instead.

I’ve used a smartphone GPS on occasion and found two problems. First, it chews through the batteries. On my phone, I can usually only get through fourteen or fifteen holes. Second, on more isolated courses (and there are many of those in Michigan), I can’t get a proper signal.

You won’t have either of those issues with a dedicated GPS or a laser rangefinder.

The full text of the press release is below:

Seriously? I think it would be so loud as to disturb players on the other holes.

Game Golf is running an Indiegogo campaign for one of the most amazing pieces of golf technology I’ve seen yet. Watch the video for the details, but the short of it is that the technology tracks your rounds and statistics with a minimum of input from the golfer. There’s also a social component.

Swingbyte Golf Training Device

The Swingbyte is one a new breed of golf training devices that takes advantage of the tremendous computing power (relatively speaking) of our smartphones. The sensor sends data via bluetooth to the smartphone, which then can tell you how you’re doing.

I’ve had a great deal of success with a similar device, the Golf Sense 3D Golf Swing Analyzer. Follow the link for my review of the GolfSense 3D Swing Analyzer.

Garmin Approach G6 Handheld Touchscreen Golf Course GPS

I got a chance to play around with this Garmin G6 unit a couple of days ago at my local golf superstore. It’s much smaller and lighter than the Garmin Approach G5 I currently own—so much so that you could easily slip it into a pocket.

The size caused me some concern, because I had difficulty discerning points on the screen. However, the clerk showed me how the unit is designed to zoom in on various points on the hole, actually making it easier to fine tune locations and distances than on the G5.

The other thing that worries me a bit is the battery. Because it’s a rechargable unit, you need to always make sure that you’ve got the thing charged before you head out. With the G5, I just kept a couple extra batteries in my bag and was therefore never without the aid of my GPS.

Garmin Approach G5 Touchscreen Golf GPS

The excellent Garmin Approach G5 golf GPS is on sale at GolfSmith right now at around $300 off list. I own one of these and like it for the touch screen, the variety of courses available, and its subscription-free usage.