I HAVE USED A "SKYCADDIE" FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 YEARS NOW. ALWAYS HAD SOME SORT OF GLITCH. LIKE NOW, WHEN YOU CALL IN FOR HELP, YOU HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 45 MINUTES TO 90 MINUTES WAIT TIME FOR CUSTOMER CARE. (IF YOU'RE LUCKY) THAT'S NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I SENT AN EMAIL OUT ON MONDAY, MAY12th, ASKING FOR SOME TECHNICAL HELP, 4 DAYS LATER, STILL NO HELP. I HAVE A SKYCADDIE SG4, WHICH IS NOW PRETTY BASIC. THE ONLY PROBLEM...I CAN'T DOWNLOAD ANY NEW COURSES, BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS STUCK.
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br / NOW, I HAVE PURCHASED A SONOCADDIE V300. GAME OVER...NEW FULL COLOR COURSE LAYOUT. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU WISH IS THERE. I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER GPS SYSTEM OUT THERE STANDS A CHANCE...AT LEAST FOR NOW. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE ANSWERED ON THE THIRD RING, AND ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANKS, RUDY THOMPSON
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br /P.S. THEIR PHONE # IS 1-800-336-6264

I received my Sonocaddie V300 from Amazon last week. The software installation went well on my laptop but created a minor challenge on my desktop. Registration was trivial, with the "free" Eagle membership being automatically granted without having to request it. I immediately downloaded all the courses I normally play, and the process was quite fast. I have used the Sonocaddie on the course, and it is very effective. I especially like knowing the distances to the green even if you are far off the fairway. It agrees quite well with the markers on my home course. I acquired 11 GPS satellites within 5 minutes the first time I powered up the unit. And, it is refreshing not to have a $50 annual fee as in SkyCaddie or a $25 fee for Golflogix (your unit is useless unless you are current in your membership with those companies). I decided it was much more important to see the relative layout of the entire hole, especially for courses not previously played, so I chose the V300 versus other brands. I could not be more pleased. Move quickly to receive the one-time Eagle membership for free - deal expires June 30.

This was a tough purchase as I had narrowed my selection to three choices, and there is not a whole lot of reviews on the V300 available as of yet. Got it for Father's Day (Love Amazon's Wish List), and played my first round with it today.
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br /Hole depictions were fairly accurate, and the ability to adjust/add lay up points, hazards etc. was easy and intuitive. Seemed very accurate. You do have to select what hole you want to play as it doesn't seem to automatically advance to the next one (easy to do, especially if you are using the built in score card).
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br /Would love it if you could learn all of the features on a sample course while you are at home, as you can't do much until you are at the course.
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I purchased this product after having problems with the UPro GPS device. That device, while the perfect size and extremely accurate, didn't display the ProMode brightly enough to be seen on a sunny day and quit after 3 holes. I spoke to the Denneco office in New Hampshire and they were extremely helpful. They even gave me a 60 day time period to test the product, rather than the 20 days stated on the Sonocaddie website. I have used this device for three rounds and it acquires satellites very quickly and is very accurate. In checking the with course markers, I only found variances of between 1 and 3 yards, but in each round I have played, I was able to access 10 satellites which helped the accuracy. The device is easy to read in bright sunlight, simple to use and has all of the courses that I play available on their course list. I did contact Sonostar and asked them to add Chambers Bay in University, WA. and they did that in one week. I just asked them to add three courses in Whistler and they immediately responded and said they could have that done in two weeks. Everyone I have spoken to at Denneco and Sonostar have been great and they have went the extra mile to service my requests. The SkyCaddie technical and sales personal could take some lessons from these people. SkyCaddie only tops the Sonocaddie in the category of arrogance and who wants to pay $50 per year just for the privledge of using their device? I like the scorecard feature, the fact it can store 30 courses, it is easy to add course obstacles, its simplicity, downloading courses was a no brainder and the accuracy of the device. I would highly recommend this device. It was a good purchase for me.

I received this GPS yesterday and used it today after quickly reviewing the basic manual. The GPS is relatively small and easy to carry around. The screen is very bright and easy to read in direct sunlight. This GPS is fairly intuitive once you know what each button functionally represents.
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br /My buddies and I have tried various GPSes and laser rangefinders. The newer generation of GPSes such as SonoCaddie and uPro seem to combine the best features of GPSes and laser system.
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br /Pros:
br / 1) Top down graphical view of entire hole not just the green
br / 2) Relative distances to hazards on the hole
br / 3) Ability to add/edit icon waypoints on each the hole
br / 4) GPS tracks quickly and accurately
br / 5) Track and analyze previously played rounds
br / 6) Rugged and weather sealed against the elements
br / 6) Rechargeable system that provides 12+ hours of usage (not verified)
br / 7) Stores 30 courses in memory
br / 8) Free one year membership to download all courses (limited time)
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br /Cons:
br / 1) Manual is pathetic
br / 2) Buttons are stiff and must be pressed very hard
br / 3) GPS reacts sluggishly when browsing through list of courses
br / 4) Some buttons/features are not functional on certain screen views
br / 5) GPS looks cute
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br /In general, I'm very pleased with this product. My friends who own SkyCaddie SG4, Skycaddie SG2 and Bushnell Pinseeker rangefinder really liked the SonoCaddie.

got mine just hours befor we went to CO. to play a corse. had it set up and downloaded the corse we were going to play, in less then and hour. after figuring things out . Then found out the corse had it`s own gps on the carts. but the sonocadie was within 2-4 yards . dident have much time to check things out . they had someone going around macking sure every one keeps moving. could see the screen clear and was geting 8-10 satlite signals the hole day. the battery barly got off full. the rubber casing stayed in shirt pocket. will recomend to every one i see.

I am ecstatic that I have added the Sonocaddie V300 to my golf bag. It is a nice piece of equipment. I have not played as much golf this year as I usually do, but I have been successful every time I have searched for a course I was going to play. It is very user friendly. I really like the pro scorecard feature because it tracks your stats with minimal input.
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br /The sole missing feature is a moving cursor on the courses with the full color layouts. It does a good job of describing the major points of interest and the shape of the holes with the full layout. However, if you want real detail for lay-up purposes you have to program additional markers on specific holes for the next time you play that course (not very useful if you are only going to play the course once).

I did a lot of research about the different golf GPS units on the market and read a lot of reviews. Of the other devices, those that had more features (and were more expensive) often got disappointing reviews while those that were more basic often got great reviews. The Sonocaddie V300 seemed to be the only one with advanced features and great reviews so my concern was only that there were so few reviews. I attempted to find the Sonocaddie in my local golf stores and ultimately called the company where I was informed that they were currently only selling the unit online. I decided to take the risk and order the V300 and I'm glad that I did.
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br /I registered for the "Birdie" membership with Sonocaddie for $30 for the life of the product that gives me unlimited access to U.S. courses. Every course that I would want to play in my area (Utah) was available. It was very easy to download the courses that I planned to play and load them on the V300.
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br /I have used the V300 4 times since I purchased it and I'm loving it more each time. It is extremely easy to use and very accurate, typically within 1 to 2 yards of the markers on the course. Some courses had many additional points already marked on the holes, and for the ones that didn't it was very easy for me to add my own to mark places where I wanted to lay up or how far to the end of the fairway on a dog leg for future rounds. It takes only several seconds to add your own points. The Pro scorecard feature is also wonderful and gives you a detailed analysis of each round you score on it.
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br /So far, I have to say that this was a great purchase and will take strokes off my score. It is feature rich and easy to use. I couldn't ask for anything more.

I've had my Sonocaddie for a month or so now. It is really great. Boots up quickly, in my area gets 9 or 10 satellites; very accurate. Very light and easy to use. Like the fact you can program change courses on your own. Only negative is lack of courses already mapped, but the company is good to map them for you when asked. You actually get a real person to answer when you call. I have two other units, an IGOLF and a GolfLogix. The first is a piece of crap, the latter is a good unit, but your must keep your membership current or you can't use the unit. The Sonocaddie also keeps your score holds a bunch of courses. I'm very satisfied.

This is something I can say certainly that delivers as promised. I have always struggled with my distances, especially in unmarked or poorly marked courses. Let's ignore the shots in the other fairway... This little gem really let me step up to the ball with confidence knowing I had the right club in hand, and that is truly valuable in a game as mental as golf. That said, I found the marked items within ~5yds at worst of the mapped spots on the downloaded courses. Rumors aside, they take your course request, use a satellite map and upload gps coordinates. 5yds is close enough for a cruise missle and frankly I'd like to meet an amateur golfer who lands their shots in less than +/- 5yds accuracy regularly. They take a couple weeks max but plan ahead if you are taking a trip or your home course isn't uploaded yet and get that email in! You can map it yourself too and if you are reallllly nice, you can upload it so others may use it. It won't have the right shapes to the holes but that's a minor point. That said once around the course and I had the coordinates updated making them less than 6ft off. Very nice but it didn't change anything as mentioned above. Side benefit- IT REALLY SPEEDS UP PLAY!! I wish everyone had one.
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br /Other features-
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br /I LOVE THE ADVANCED SCORECARD! I put in shots, sand hits, fairways hit, greens hit, and putts and not only do I have an accurate card but I get pro stats like fairway %, sand saves, ave putts per hole total putts, etc. It really makes your weak spots stand out and allows you to focus your practice time.
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br /The driving distance feature is fun but a fairway drive on a marked course will do the same thing. Still.... it's fun to see 315yd on the screen!
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br /Theres a tracker that shows you where you were on the hole. It maps a point at intervals you define (10 sec, 1 min, etc.) and draws a line. I don't know how useful this is but it's hilarious to go back and trace your path (amazing how many circles I made in the woods!). You can mark your shots with another feature that allow you to see your progression on a hole. I don't know how useful this is to an amateur.
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br /Overall I found the customer service to be a 10/10. They are responsive, polite, and eager to make you happy. Bravo!!! No yearly fee (though a one time subscription I don't understand, just up the price a little). If I had to do it all over again, I would just as happily slap down the 400 bones for this little bad boy.

Sonocaddie V300 Color GPS Unit I read as much as I could on the different GPS systems for golf and thought that the Sonocaddie had the best reviews. Having used it I am impressed with the amount of information provided, the color display and the unit's accuracy. The battery life is excellent. Also, as regards customer service, I was concerned that it would not live up to its reviews, especially since other companies seemed to have poor service. I broke the lens on the cart path, totally my fault. I contacted the webs site, and received an answer almost immediately, from Jessica. I sent the unit back, and for $29.00, the unit was repaired sent back in less than a week.
br / I recommend this unit to anyone interested in a good golf GPS system. You will not go wrong dealing with Sonocaddie.
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Now this is the best toy a golfer can buy! Easy setup (Can't wait for them to get the software for Vista 64 so I can move it to my personal unit but for now it is on my laptop). Course description is perfect, yardages are spot on. The only thing I hate is that little golfer guys shows that I am in the rough a lot!
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I'm bummed about this GPS. I was pretty excited about it. Got it Friday, tried it for the first time today. And I'm sending it back.
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br /GPS info to the green was accurate on 16/18 holes. The other two weren't even close - I was standing just off the green, and it said I was 100+ yards away.
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br /But, even worse, the course layout information wasn't even close. Only one or two holes even resembled the holes we were playing!! More than half seemed to be inverted - showed me standing on the green when I was in the tee box, and showed me at the tee when we got to the green!! It was just the layout - the yardage showed the correct distance to the green, even though the picture showed it at the other end of the fairway.
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br /Maybe it's just really bad luck on this first course I tried, but it was so far wrong that I'm not going to bother trying more.

Sonocaddie is awsome. The only drawback so far is a few courses have not been mapped and one course I played had 2 holes reversed, but for the most part the distances are within 2 yards of what course markers say. I think this is a great product and would highly reccomend.

I love it! The first time I took the Sonocaddie out I hit more greens than I ever have on the approach. The full-color, full hole layout makes golf a real pleasure to play, on any course you choose. Nice little tip for the beginner is to start out just using the basic features of the Sonocaddie, yardage and the normal scorecard. Did I mention the scorecard feature is AWESOME??! The thing lets you keep track of your total score while you play, and if you use the pro scorecard feature tracks your percentages and stats as you play. Very handy for tuning the parts of your round that need attention.
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br /The only bummer I can see two: you can't keep track of your buddies' scores on this unit, and for courses that don't have all the information entered it might take a couple more steps to use (full course info includes hole layout, yardage, and scorecard par for all holes). But nonetheless, even the Skycaddie users I've played with love the flexibility and color feature of this unit (haven't run into an SG5 user yet though). $50/lifetime is also hard to beat for the membership fee (one time!).
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br /Makes Golf Fun!

I purchased the V300 in May. This is definitely one of the best golf related purchases I have ever made. The graphics and yardage distance are pretty accurate. It is very easy to use. It has all the courses I play. I would definitely recommend this to anyone in the market for a GPS.

It is with disappointment that I am returning this unit. I have used it for about a month and on several courses trying to evaluate it.
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br /First the pros: There are no annual fees associated with the Sonocaddie. I signed up for the one time "Birdie" level that allows me to download any course in the US so that is a real bargain. The setup and operation are very easy and I did not have any trouble downloading the software or understanding it. The graphics are quite good as well. The best thing I can say about the Sonocaddie V300 is that the customer service is TERRIFIC. If not for the customer service I would have rated the product even lower.
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br /Now the Cons: It just did not work very well. On one course that I used it on it worked quite well compared to the yardages that were provided on sprinkler heads, yardage markers, etc. On the other 3 courses I used it on there was as much as 100 yards difference in what the V300 showed and what it actually was. Most of the time it was 20-30 yards off. I had excellent satellite reception (9-10 satellites). I contacted the manufacturer about this and was told to provide a course layout and they would re-evaluate it (again the response was within a very short period). The problem with this is, is that I bought the device to have someone tell me how far I am. I also believe that the inherrent problem is that they do not have any "people on the ground" so to speak doing the actual measuring. I think they are relying on maps and drawings instead.
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br /I do believe this may become a useful tool in the future if they make some changes in how they acquire yardages. In the meantime (and at a little more expense) I think there are better products on the market.

Purchased the V300 to replace Golflogix that was stolen. I was unable to download courses to device. I called customer service and was told "there must be something wrong with your computer." The device never worked so I returned it. Unfortunately I purchased a membership which they refused to refund because of their policy.
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br /I contacted Golflogix and received a $150 discount since my first one was stolen to purchsed a new device. I also requested a refund of my original membership fee but was denied for same reason as Sonocaddie. However to my surprise once I purchased their device and purchased a second membership Garmin did refund the fee. My computer downloaded several courses without issue.
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br /I saved several hundred dollars by returning the V300, have a Golflogix that works great and learned a $32 lesson about poor customer service regardless of company policy.
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We bought this for our son's birthday - he absolutely loves it! Does everything it says it does, now my husband wants one of his own!

Before I ordered the Sonocaddie V300 I checked the list of available courses and was surprised that few courses in Michigan are available. Requests for courses to be mapped by Sonocaddie returned a statement that said satellite information was not available for courses in my area (central Michigan) and therefore Sonocaddie would not be able to provide course mapping for me. I could map the course myself and submit it to Sonocaddie for distribution to others. At the current cost of $399 I find this to be too expensive given that other GPS units have my local courses available. That's too bad because from what I have read the Sonocaddie V300 looks well designed.