Sonocaddie Vs. Garmin Golf GPS Review

Both devices feature color touch screens that can be read fairly easily in bright sunlight. You can use each to plot out yardages to particular hazards, measure your drives and determine the distance to the flag on each hole. Both have electronic scorecards built into them. The Sonocaddie offers slightly more information in its green view, allowing the player to pinpoint hole locations more precisely. The Garmin comes with thousands of U.S. courses pre-loaded and allows you to download course updates at no charge. The Sonocaddie comes pre-loaded but requires a membership for automatic updates. While other models charge a fee for this service, the Auto Play does not.

The Garmin Approach measures 5.8 x 11.4 x 3.5 cm. with a 3-inch screen in 240 x 400 pixel resolution. Weight is only 6.8 oz., and two AA batteries provide up to 15 hours of life. This device is waterproof and features a USB interface.

The Sonocaddie Auto Play is 10.8 x 5.8 x 2.8 cm. and slightly lighter at 4.95 oz. Featuring a 12-hour rechargeable battery and a 2.2-inch, 220 x 176 pixel screen, this device runs on a Windows 2000/XP/Vista format.

Sonocaddie makes four different models of GPS devices designed specifically for golf. Garmin makes only one golf-specific device but it widely known as a GPS pioneer, manufacturing devices for cars, boats, aircraft and all sorts of leisure activities.

The Garmin Approach retails for about $450 while the Sonocaddie is about $100 less. The Garmin features a user interface that is entirely controlled on the touch screen while the Sonocaddie has a unique keypad control system. The Garmin also has a significantly larger screen and a longstanding reputation as a GPS technology leader. For golfers who prefer the larger, touch screen interface and don't mind paying the price for reputation, the Garmin is hard to beat. However, the Sonocaddie provides bang for the buck with comparable features and technology at a significant savings.