Updated on March 29th, 2023 at 03:35 pm
Knowing the distance to hit each one of your golf shots is vital to your success. Gone are the days of walking off yardage and relying on distance markers in the fairway. With a Golf GPS on your wrist, you will know the exact distance to the front, back, and center of the green.
Distance measuring devices provide quick, accurate spans, providing you with new levels of certainty on the green.
With a GPS device, you’ll consistently know whether you’ve chosen the right club for the shot while being able to commit to your shots handily. Nowadays, distance measuring devices come in varied guises, including polished Global Positioning System units and tech-savvy GPS watches.
Commit to your shot, and rely on the best golf GPS units to deliver accurate distances on the course.
Bushnell Golf Phantom 2 GPS
Our top choice
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Phantom 2 GPS is larger than its predecessor. But despite the increase in size, it’ll still fit in your palm. On the bright side, the larger frame means a larger screen with clearer graphics. Although some may find it bulky, it has several carrying options like clip-on and BITE Magnet with seven pounds of pull (enough for a steady mount).
Overall, it’s a simple (with only four buttons), fast and accurate device. Another significant feature is Dynamic Green Mapping which offers players front, back, and middle-distance measurements from any angle.
Moreover, the Phantom 2 sports a GreenView pin placement distance, allowing you to get precise yardage for specific pin locations. This feature is accessed with a single press of a button.
Notable features
- Integrated app
- BITE technology
- 18-hour battery life
- GreenView pin placement
- Large display that accommodates the list of all hazards in one display
Pros
- Great battery life
- Easy to use and large clear graphics
- Provides enough information
- Accurate and fast
Cons
- The integrated app doesn’t provide a lot of extra information
SkyCaddie SX550 Golf GPS
Best premium version
If you’ve been dying to get your hands on professional yardage and green book, the SkyCaddie SX550 is it. It’s designed to be your personal yardage book on the course, offering deep detail every week when on tour. The details are possible because of the 35,000 courses trained professionals have walked and mapped.
The setup is simple, and you get a year’s subscription to SkyGolf’s GPS services. Adding to its accuracy is IntelliGreen, which allows golfers to zoom in on the green and get dynamic distances to different points. The image rotates to provide better angles for better accuracy. On the downside, Skycaddie SX550 doesn’t factor in gradients and slopes when calculating distance.
Another cool feature is ‘Shot Tracking.’ You can choose the club you used for every shot and synch the round to SkyGolf 360 over WIFI for analysis. This helps you build a comprehensive playing profile with accurate course data.
Notable features
- Dynamic HoleVue technology helps you get accurate distances to hazards
- IntelliPath, which provides relevant distances to different targets on your path line
- Dynamic Rangevue helps club selection easier
- Tracks your scores
- IntelliGreen technology
- Water-resistant
- Battery lasts for 14 hours
Pros
- Large and clear screen
- Accurate and attention to details
- Multiple viewing options
- The touchscreen is responsive and fast
Cons
- Requires a subscription after the first free year
GolfBuddy Voice 2
Easiest to carry
The GolfBuddy 2 Golf GPS/Rangefinder implements all of the major elements of its prior form (Golfbuddy 1), all while offering up supplementary capacities that could help you breach 80 on the course.
Speaking of courses, Voice 2 offers a total of 40,000 courses to choose from worldwide. The 1” display is small but mighty, showing you the front, center, and back part on the green all at once. Just like the previous voice, Voice 2 offers Dynamic Green View Technology with accurate distance readings and a shot calculator.
If it’s important for you to have a device that is equal parts form and function, this would make a solid choice for golfers of all backgrounds.
Notable Features:
- Simple easy to use talking GPS functionality
- Accurate distances to front/center/back
- Dynamic green view technology
- Distance readings from the golfer’s perspective
Pros
- Available in a variety of fashionable colors
- Clear concise audio Readouts
- Voice functionality
- Access to the GolfBuddy Manager Program
Cons
- Limited lifespan
- Customer support is lacking
Garmin Approach G10
Best lightweight option
With buttons that are amply big and a price-point that’s attainable, the Garmin Approach G10 doesn’t fixate on vanity. Instead Garmin has concentrated on a building unit that is mightily definitive with distance up to a yard. If you’re not someone fully married to complexity, you’ll find that the Garmin Approach G10 is simple and easy to use.
Setup is a breeze and the compact, clip-on design is unpretentious yet sturdy. With a sunlight-readable display, you’ll be able to monitor distances and stats without having to squint. If you’re looking to get a leg up on your game with an easy and facile device, the Garmin G10 provides both certainty and precision on the links.
Notable Features:
- Sleek pocket-sized design (0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm))
- Hazards and course targets to identify locations
- Quickly see the distance to greens, hazards, and Doglegs
- Green View to display the shape on the green with added manual pin placement
Pros
- Very lightweight and unobtrusive
- Priced fairly
- Sunlight readable display
- 15-hour battery
- Compact clip-on design
Cons
- Can freeze at inopportune times
- Some quality-control issues
- Sat signal can go out in bad weather
Garmin Approach GPS Golf
The Garmin Approach G12 is created for use on golf courses, so it’s only logical that it comes with a monochrome display that’s easy to view. Visually, it resembles a Garmin watch without the lugs. Instead, it has a raised centerpiece that acts as the attachment point. And instead of five, it has four buttons.
On the back is a metal clip that clips to your pocket, bag, or belt. Weighing only 25.1 grams, you’ll hardly notice it’s there. The large display has multiple options, including a big number mode, making it easier to read in different lighting conditions.
The battery on the G12 lasts for 30 hours on a single charge. Its software comes preloaded with 42,000 courses from around the world, improving the course’s accuracy.
Aside from this, you get the Garmin Connect app for Android and iOS, where you can track trends and improve your performance.
Notable features
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- Battery life of up to 30 hours
- Green view that allows golfers to move the pin for accurate yardages
- A digital scorecard
Pros
- Accurate and affordable
- Easy to navigate and use
- Ideal for varied abilities
- It can be carried in different locations, including your pocket, hat, belt, or bag
Cons
- Has basic functions
- The side buttons are small and fiddly
Canmore H-300 Handheld Golf GPS Essential Golf Course Data and Score Sheet
If a concise handheld gadget is your preferred choice, then the CANMORE H-300 Handheld Golf GPS is a great option. Less than half the size of a classic credit card, the Canmore H-300 automatically draws up courses nearest to your location. All you have to do is start Golf Mode.
With the Canmore, you can start golfing promptly, with no prior setup or scanning required. Just roll up to your chosen course and get started. With 38,000 preloaded courses, you’ll find your course in no time.
Vital info is accessible in a flash, including space to the front, middle, and back of the green, par for the present hole, risk presence, and the tally for the prevailing hole.
Notable Features:
- Access to worldwide course data with over 38,000 worldwide courses.
- GPS course finder which grants easy-to-access distances
- Automatic course pullup
- Magnetic clip for use on the belt, hat, or golf bag
- High contrast white on black display
Pros
- Compact and easy to set up
- Easy-to-read display
- Vital info available at a glance
- Affordable
Cons
- The small size makes it easy to misplace
- The magnetic clip can be difficult to attach
The best golf gps unit is…
Bushnell Golf Phantom 2 GPS
Our choice for the best golf GPS is hands down the Bushnell Phantom 2. With definitive distance tracking and 36,000 preloaded features, you’ll find that the Bushnell is lightweight, easy to use, and accurate up to a yard.
After plenty of testing out on the course, we’ve found that one golf GPS sets itself apart from the rest. The Bushnell Phantom Golf GPS 2 is the best all-around GPS on the market today. With a large square shape and a well-designed readout, the Phantom is easy to discern yet highly accurate.
A great golf GPS should never be so complex that you dread putting it to use. The Phantom is all about simplicity, which makes it appealing to golfers from all skill levels. If you’re a mid-handicapper looking to jump to the single digits, this unit could certainly be a great place to start. When choosing a golf GPS, the extras should also come into play.
While some GPS units will allow access to relevant apps, many will also require a subscription for use. The Bushnell Phantom 2 offers free access to the Bushnell golf app, granting you a complete overview of the hole and precise distances.
With this GPS in tow, you’ll always have an easier time clearing hazards and navigating dog legs.
While there are suitable options if you’re looking for something lightweight or more resistant to the elements, Bushnell is a great overall choice if you want the best features from every GPS device currently available on the market today.
While the choice comes down to personal preference, utilizing our buyer’s guide is a great place to start.
Which golf gps is the best?
The perfect golf GPS can recast the way you play the game. With a GPS device, a golfer from any skill level carries the potential to perceive correct distances to the pin from anywhere on the course. When deciding which golf GPS is best for you, there are plenty of things to recognize, specifically size, portability, endurance, and efficiency.
Which is the best garmin golf gps?
Garmin is known for its slew of advancements in the range of golf GPS units. When it comes to the best Garmin has to offer, the Garmin Approach G10 named above reigns supreme. Not only is it the best lightweight option on the market today, but it is a full-featured apparatus in clip-on form. Unlike its forebears, the unit is remarkably slim and lightweight, chock full of preloaded courses.
With a high sensitivity GPS, you’ll handily discern information like yardage and hazards in a slight frame with a water rating of 5 ATM (50 meters). If it is important for you to have a device that is clear that can clip-on with ease and offers concise readings, the Garmin Approach G10 could just be a solid choice.
What is the best golf buddy?
For years, Golf Buddy has been churning out quality and precise handheld golf GPS units. Out of every GPS unit we’ve reviewed, the Golf Buddy Voice 2 may be the most beneficial and resistant. Not only will it exhibit the true shape of the green, but it can also demonstrate precise distances to disparate points.
About the size of a first-generation iPhone, the device is slight yet looks very high-end. Despite its premium and polished appearance, it is a device that is rugged and made to withstand the elements. If the idea of a small clip-on device doesn’t appeal to you, the larger size and resistant nature of the Golf Buddy proves an excellent choice.
What is better a golf gps or a rangefinder?
Both rangefinders and golf GPS systems have shifted the fashion in which we golf in the modern day. Each brings something to the table, yet you may still be puzzled as to if you need a GPS, a rangefinder, or both. Does one do a better job than the other? Is it necessary to have both in your bag? Let’s take a look.
Pros and cons of golf gps units
A golf GPS is pleasing because it can take on a wide cluster of forms. For instance, you can see yardage on a handheld device, a watch, or even a simple hat clip. If you’re someone who wants the greatest intelligence when playing a course for the first time, a GPS unit can be paramount.
Whatever you need to know, the unit will exhibit it right there for your examination. Everything from distances to hazards to bunkers is laid out before you without having to hire a caddie. The one dominant drawback to GPS devices and the prime criticism among golfers is that there can be a lack of accuracy to the pin.
Pros and cons of a rangefinder
Rangefinders are all about unadulterated accuracy. Some can even boast accuracy to half or a tenth of a yard. Another benefit to a rangefinder is that it can be used anywhere without having to download additional information.
The only overlying problem many rangefinders have is the measure of play. It can slow things down. A GPS can give you yardage as soon as you get to your ball. A rangefinder will require you to take it out and aim it at the flag to receive your number.
Which is better?
The decision between a GPS and a rangefinder comes down to personal preferences. Is it more important for you to have detailed information on a large screen or laser-perfect accuracy? The choice is ultimately up to you.
