The V100 GPS unit is one of the less expensive GPS units, however, if you are looking for a device that is easy to use, accurate and that does not break the bank in monthly or yearly subscription fees, then this one might be for you.
There are a couple of idiosyncrasies with it that you do need to know about however. First is that when you download a course from Sonocaddie's website, be sure and check the details. If that course doesn't have information listed as to origin of the information for you chosen course, it is probably empty of all information other than the course name. I downloaded Cedar Pines (local 9-hole course close to Wichita, Kansas) and though it shows up in the menu...it has NO yardages and only one Hole. I tried mapping that course manually and it wouldn't allow me to move past hole #1. It's no big deal for if you just start a "New Course" you can go ahead and map it manually. However, if you downloaded the course and it was empty, you will have to delete the course you downloaded from your GPS AND you will have burned up one of the initial 5 free course selections.
Again, that is not a big deal because most people will opt for the $30 one-time subscription that allows unlimited downloads.
When mapping fairway "targets" (hazards) from the Fairway View, the V100 shows you three lanes that represent the left rough, the fairway and the right rough. There are three positions in each "lane" to specify the type of hazard and supposedly, their relative distance from the green. HOWEVER, instead of having the potential of marking 9 fairway targets per hole, you have ONLY 3. You can place those three in any of the "lanes" but you can put only one in each of those relative positions from the green. For instance, you cannot put more than one target in the furthest position from the green even though one is in the right rough and the other in the left or in the fairway. Attempts to do so will erase the one previously entered. I did not see that limitation documented in any of the manuals nor in any of the reviews of the V100 that I'd found.
That really is the only "negative" comments I have about the little unit.
It is very good about locking onto satellites in my area even in cloudy weather (actually was misting the first time I used it and I was locked onto 9 satellites!)
After mapping the Cedar Pines course, I found the data provided by the GPS to be very accurate as confirmed by both checking it against Tee Box yardages and also by stepping off the distances on a couple of PAR 3's.
The "Mark" function seems to be accurate also as checked by stepping off the yardage from the point of the shot and the location of the ball after the strike. Unfortunately, my shots were not NEARLY as long as I'd convinced myself they were! Need to work on that
The displayed data (yardages) are easily read. The fonts are large and contrast is high.Get more detail about Sonocaddie V100 GPS Unit.
