Golf Buddy VS4 GPS

I bought this unit to replace my first generation voice buddy which is still functioning (but barely) after 2 years of usage. The old version's battery deteriorate to the point it barely covered an 18-hole round after just over a year of usage. When the battery is drained, the voice kept telling me to recharge in the middle of my swing - da. The newer VS4 promised a 10-hour battery range, let's see if it still does after a year or 2. The VS4 is better than the older version in the following:1) It seems finding the course a bit faster when start up. Although it still takes about 1 to 2 minutes to find it.2) It detects the next hole a bit sooner. The older unit takes a while to recognize the next hole even after I step into the tee box while the VS4 detects it as I approach the tee box.3) The display shows the distances for the front/middle/back of the green simultaneously while the old unit only shows 1 of the three depending on your setting. I love this.4) It has a dedicated procedure to reboot the unit if it crashes for any reasons - I never had to use this feature yet. The old version crashed easily especially during charging and it took me a while to figure out a way to reboot it.As always, I love the voice buddy in general, it tells me the measurement quickly and without the need to look at the screen. I am a fast player and I always hate seeing my buddies spending a long time on their GPS graphic to figure out the distance. I play golf overseas often and yet to find a course that it does not recognize. Charging the unit takes only an hour after an 18-hole round. Best of all, the measurement is accurate and consistent - I compare the reading with a laser unit and the markers on the course.

First time I used this, it took 15 minutes for the device to "find" the course. Second time I used it, it took another 15 minutes to find the same course and then started giving totally inaccurate yardage (321 yards to green, when it was about 90 yards). I tried doing an emergency reboot at home and the software on my Mac would not allow an update. (I have had no other problems with my computer or any other software). Tried to do this on a second computer with the same problem, inability to update the software. Customer service asked me to try on yet a 3rd computer, which I dont have and then asked me to ship the device to a service center for inspection. All in all I found this device extremely frustrating to use, both the device itself and the software that came with it I finally returned it.

Bought this for Christmas for my husband. Every time we golf he is either looking for the distance markers or guessing how far it is to the green. This little device is a real gem! He was able to try it during the holiday break. Clipped to the belt clip and away we went. Without pressing any buttons it would tell us what hole we were coming up on. (like we didn't know, LOL but it was nice to know that it knew where it was going). It would tell the drive distance and once we approached the ball out on the fairway it would nicely comment the distance to the pin like a personal caddy on his shoulder. It was not loud or obnoxious but rather that simple soft voice advising how much further to the pin. Well worth the purchase on this little device. Way less cumbersome then the finders and large GPS hand held.

After 1.5 years of owning the VS4, I would never buy this GPS again. The toggle buttons don't always work to see previous holes, etc. Can barely see the screen in sunlight. I tried to load the newest firmware on my MAC with the GolfBuddy in USB port, but program just keeps failing. Useless software program.It is approximately 90% accurate with yardages on the golf course. Problem is the screen is small and its hard to see the hole and Par numbers. It also takes a while to find the satellite and the course you are on. I have to power it up when I leave the house to drive to the course that may be 15-40 minutes away. By the time I arrive it found the course. And if you are close to another hole's Tee it takes a reading as if you are just Teeing off when you are really in the middle of your playing hole.

How did I live without this? Yes, everyone I know has one, but I was slow to purchase yet another golf toy. Now, I have my personal caddy who chats from my golf visor telling me the exact distance to the green. I've started talking to her now, which is funny (like, saying "thanks"). Much easier to use (all you do it turn it on and keep it charged). Has a volume adjuster. Much easier than a device where you have to focus on the flag, spend time waiting for the distance, and more waiting...this GolfBuddy is instant information at the touch of a button.

Works great but, short battery life (you have to charge after each round). Also, on a course where the tee boxes are near another tee box for a different hole, the GolfBuddy gets confused as to which hole you are on. not a big deal but not perfect either.The above was written in February of this year. Now, in September, the product no longer works. Will not turn on. Doesn't seem reliable to me. To you?I have contacted the manufacturer but no one answers the phone or responds to service requests online. Deca International.Don't buy this product

I have had this for 2.5 years, and it has probably been used less than 15 times. It has become very inaccurate, partway through 9 holes, it can’t find the course, and the GPS often thinks I’m on a different hole than I really am. It worked fine early on. This is a very expensive device to have only lasted 15 rounds of golf (most of them 9 holes). That makes it about $10 per 9 holes. Ugh. Can’t recommend.

This is an awesome product. I use it every time I play golf. I clip it right to my hat for convenience. When I play with someone with laser sighting, we are usually within a yard or two. I rely on it for almost every shot. My golf cohorts often ask me what my hat says to get their distance. Only downside is it only calculates distances to the greens (i.e. there is no way to sight for lay up shots). However, the convenience and significantly lower costs makes it the correct decision for me.

Awesome product! Used this for the first time on the weekend. It worked perfectly. I can't use traditional GPS rangefinders or phone apps because I need reading glasses to see the yardages, which are very impractical when you're playing golf. However, with the Golf Buddy, I can easily see and read the yardages, which are very accurate. I like that you don't have to fiddle with it to find your course - just turn it on a couple of minutes before you tee off. It's a very conveniently size, fitting in your pocket or even clipped onto your bag. I am a mid-handicapper but have been playing golf for over 40 years. I have used many different products to help me gauge distance to the pin, but over the last 5 years as my vision has declined, I gave up using them because I couldn't read the displays. So I went back to guessing distances based on the yardage markers, which is very inconsistent and can cause you to be out by as much as 10 yards. With the Golf Buddy I can also see front and back of green yardages. By the time we played a few holes, my golfing partners were all asking me for yardages, so I know it was accurate. I expect that it probably saved me a couple of strokes on my round the first time out. Once I get used to using accurate distances again, I am sure it will improve my handicap. I have heard that the batteries die after a season. Even if that does happen to this unit, I think it is well worth the investment each year or two.

I have been using this GPS for two golf seasons. Excellent product, precise GPS, voice loud enough and clear. Recharge quickly. A bit slow to locate the golf courses, sometime it takes more than 10 minutes. I am clipping it to my belt loop. But it is dangerous to loose it if you are using only the clip that comes with it. So, I put the clip on it and clip another clip to it (like a key chain), then I clip the second one to my belt loop, now it is safe.

I'm really enjoying my golf buddy. It's very accurate with the yardage and my only complaint is it's very heavy on my visor. I see you can buy a wristband to wear it as a watch but that's cumbersome too. Just a small complaint to keep it from being 5 stars but nothing that would keep me from purchasing it again.

This item definatly doesn't meet my expectations, for $200.00.It takes about half an hour just to find the satellites and another 10 minutes to find the course you are on and it is very slow determining the distance from where you are to the green.I feel for the money payed for this item the GPS should much faster and more accurate.

Super produit, facile d'utilisation et très pratique.