The device next utilizes prerecorded or mapped out directions of the golf range to inform you of the distance to any landmarks close by, such as the front of the green for that particular hole.

Now here are the five facts that will be a help to you in choosing the right golf GPS unit:

1.The course must be mapped: you won't get any useful information on a course the first time you use your GPS if the course hasn't been previously mapped by you, another user or the GPS company, and stored on your GPS device.

This shouldn't be a problem if you live in a popular area, but if you live outside a major city, you may need to manually map your home course the first time you play it. Also, some golf GPS company will "map a course by request" if they haven't done it yet.

2. Your golf GPS cannot function without satellite reception. This isn't a problem as much as it used to be, but a weak or non-existent satellite connection will still render your GPS useless.

3. A golf GPS cannot work in an area where it will lose satellite connectivity, such as under a canopy of trees.

4. Several of the GPS companies charge money for using their mapping service. Because units can only store ten to twenty courses, you may have to pay a fee to a company that provides course maps, such as iGolf, in order to download more new courses.

5. One of the huge advantages of a golf GPS is that you don't have to aim it at a target to get a yardage reading. This can especially useful if your target is not in your line of site; an elevated green or you are behind a bush for example, or in the wrong fairway (talking from my own experience here!).

What's Better: Using a Golf GPS unit or using a Rangefinder?

Think about this: "If I only had the option of having one utility, I would have to select a golf GPS device." Playing golf intelligently involves trying to get to the right regions of the greens and fairways.

GPS is the best system to show me the yardage for that "smart" location, because it gives me the whole distance, including the front, center and back as well as the green distance, unlike a rangefinder would do. The final thing to learn is that most GPS devices and rangefinders are available for use in golf games and even for handicaps, but you have to take notice that the laws of the game can be rewritten by the person in charge of the golf game.

By using the information you'll find in this article you will be able to make a more educated choice when you go out to purchase a golf GPS unit.