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With the Christmas money I received, I'm getting one of these devices. I originally intended on SkyCaddie as that's the big name in GPS units right? I was turned on to SureShotGPS by another member here at GR the other day at which time I didn't think much of it because their course database was slim, but after taking a closer look, the SureShotGPS looks SWEET and has been getting rave reviews!

I'm looking for someone who has personally used both that can weigh in here. Because right now I'm thinking SureShot all the way.

PROS:

1. Color display
2. Analysis software to analysis where you need to work on your game
3. Over time the device actually makes recommendations on what club to hit based on previous distances with that club.
4. 1 year free membership included with purchase
5. Only 19.99 per year after the first year
6. Extras included like the cart clip and belt clip where skycaddie they are extra

CONS:

1. 100.00 more than sky caddie sg3 (model I was looking at)
2. Not as many courses in the database.

I don't have either devices, but I am still struggling with this one myself.

I would want a device like these GPS devices that provides the whole course with exactly how far away I am from them, but I also want exact distance to the pin. A GPS device that tells me I am 140 from the front of the green and 170 to the back does give me some info, but not exactly what I want to the pin. They should put a GPS signal sender in the bottom of the cups or tips of the pins to get the full information.

My wife asked me how many courses do I play, that I have never played before, and that number for me is usually less than 10 per year. At those 10 courses that I have not played, how many provide yardage to the center of the green (cart or ground measurements), and that number is probably close to 10. It's hard to justify the purchase for me given these numbers. Especially with the 20 or 30 dollars a year membership fee added on.

If anything, I am leaning to the high-end rangefinder designed for golf, but these have their limitations as well from what I understand.

I believe SkyCaddie has a significant US user base and this will probably continue. This user base is instrumental to what the future offerings of the company will be. I'd go with SkyCaddie if your options are 1 or the other.

Yeah a yardage to the pin would be great, but using the front, center, back yardages wouldn't be hard to judge to the pin. Most courses will have a pin location for that day and tell you this location before you play so if you go to hole 1 and pin location is back right, you can just use the back yardage on the gps and you'll be there within a couple yards...that's good enough for me.

I just keep going back and fourth between the two. The only downfall of SureShotGPS is having to map most of my own courses the first time I play them and then I'll have them from there on out, but since their course library is slimmer than SkyCaddie, that's what I'd have to do. I cannot think of another point where SkyCaddie seems better than SureShotGPS...all signs point to SureShotGPS if you ask me.

You just know that within a year or two at the most SkyCaddie will have a device with color screen, game analysis software, etc... If I go with the SkyCaddie now, when they come out with this new model I'll be left wanting it for the extra features when I could go ahead and have it right now with the SureShot. I know what you're saying about the user base. That shows you that they'll be in business for a while to come...with some of the other players in the game such as SureShot with not as big of American fan base (yet) you never know if it will totally catch on or if everyone will just make SkyCaddie explode in business and put everyone else out of business.

SureShot has been featured on TheGolfChannel and everything though, so I think it's growing here in the US...they are just a newer company than SkyCaddie.

You'd think this really wouldn't be that hard of a decision, but man it's tough! lol

Heck, the more I look, a the Pinseeker Bushnell range finder might be the way to go. I mean it will work with any course without any downloading, give you basically the same info as a gps unit and you don't have to pay any regular yearly fees. So now I've got three things to choose from. lol

All I could suggest is try to find some people who have each one and hopefully play a round or two with them. There's no question I'm a huge SkyCaddie fan, but no way am I going to it's the best bet. I got a lot of rounds in with people who owned one and I think it's great, but I'm sure there are people with SureShot and Bushnell who feel the same way.

It's kinda like shopping for a new car....soo many choices!!!

Take your time and be patient. The PGA show is just around the corner (end of January), and that is where I expect to either hear new offerings from existing or new companies.

Either way, the prices should come down after that period of time. It's a never-ending spiral to wait, but you might be able to snatch a SG3 or Pinseeker 1500 at your price in the coming months on eBay.

Yeah, so many choices. It's like you want to choose the best one (if their is such a thing) and don't want to buy one and find out the other one you passed over had a feature that you wanted but didn't know about. I guess nothing will ever be perfect, just gotta take it for what it's worth. GPS might fail if it gets cloudy or whatever, laser might not pick up something if your hand is moving because it's windy....and the list goes on.

The only thing is that I don't know anyone that has a laser range finder or a gps device. I've never been on the course or seen anyone using one either (and I'm at the course a lot!). Maybe golfers in Kentucky don't use these things cause we're just that good at the game, we don't need them? that's why I've never seen anyone with them, I'm sure of it.

Yeah, I've got three months or so before it gets warm enough to start playing some serious golf, so I'm not in need of one immediately or even at all I guess. I've made it this far without one, I can do a few more months or year or whatever it may be.

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The only thing is that I don't know anyone that has a laser range finder or a gps device. I've never been on the course or seen anyone using one either (and I'm at the course a lot!). Maybe golfers in Kentucky don't use these things cause we're just that good at the game, we don't need them? that's why I've never seen anyone with them, I'm sure of it.
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Hey Mav, I can help you..........

Either hop in your car or jump on a plane in Kentucky and come out to Huntington Beach in Calif. I'll even pay for your green fees!

I tell you, if I had the money laying around for a plane ticket I'd be there in a second! I'm definitely not driving!

Why don't you just come to Kentucky and I'll pay your green fees.

I had a similar decision to make earlier this year, SureShot, iGolf or SkyCaddie? Here in the UK, the most comprehensive database of courses is currently SkyCaddie, both iGolf and SureShot didn't have any UK courses at all.... iGolf does not intend to 'map' UK courses for quite some time. Of the courses I play regularly (about 15), only 3 aren't mapped with SkyCaddie.

No contest really, decided on the SkyCaddie, bought it from a US eBay retailer at £100 ($190) less than UK supplier (including import tax & shipping) and am absolutely delighted with it so far.

Yeah I guess SureShotGPS is predominantly in Australia but I would assume it's getting bigger as the company is only a year old. At the current time I'm thinking the Bushnell is the best option for me right now. A few years down the road as these golf GPS devices mature and get better I might get one of those, but for the trouble of mapping a course if it's not been already and paying the 50 bucks a year just to be able to download the courses, and what if SkyCaddie suddenly goes out of business...all things to think about.

Hard decision but am starting to learn toward the Bushnell now. I know, I know...I can't make up my mind!

It's a risk we all take with technology........ like the TaylorMade R7 driver I bought a couple of years ago.............. can't use it in competition after the end of 2007, can part-exchange it for two buttons and a balloon on a stick, and it cost me over $300...............
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Were you just saying hypothetically or were you serious that you can't use it after the end of '07?

Unfortunately, it's a fact. The model I bought is the earlier R7 Quad with the word 'Max' embossed on the toe end of the face - this means it is outside the COR values approved by the USGA and (more importantly for me) the R&A. I'm sure that you must be aware that these 'hot-faced clubs' are banned from competitive play from Jan 1st 2008, for some high-level amateur competitions they are forbidden now. deronsizemore, I see in your signature you use a Cleveland Launcher 460, if it's the NCX or NCX2, you're in the same position as me, on the hunt for another driver..

For everyone else, if you're not aware, I hope you don't get a shock if you look-up your driver at http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?actio...token=71925801 or http://www.usga.org/playing/clubs_an...ver_index.html

I hope SkyCaddie continue to be successful, the first one's to cover the market tend to be so......

I decided against receiving a Golf GPS system in lieu of receiving a Garmin GPS Nuvi 660 which I will use more often - especially with the traffic in the DC Metro region - and I can get to the golf course. I am also getting some skis, instead.

I will settle with the yardage books, if available and consider the Sureshot which seems to be more powerful and better for graphics than the Sky Caddie. The Caddie didn't get good reviews from readers of Amazon.com.

I would only consider a Bushnell with the slope function.