The GPS golf caddie is a relatively recent innovation that clearly is arriving as a truly accessible golfing aide for just about anyone. The Izzo Swami 5000 golf GPS unit is a great example that gives very exact information on tens of thousands of regulation golf courses around the globe. And its price is comparable to many affordable laser rangefinders, while its portability is even better.
The Swami 5000 GPS golf caddie is the latest generation of the popular Swami 3000, Swami 4000 GPS golf caddies and the Swami Golf Watch. The Izzo Swami 5000 gives some great new features in a more compact package that anyone who regularly carries a cell phone likely find just as handy. It has a larger display, very readable numbers, and simplified icons that make it a lot easier to understand the information provided.
Odds are any regulation golf course you likely will play already is included in the more than 38,000 included among the Izzo Swami course list. The GPS tracker automatically detects which golf course you are on and launches that map, right down to the exact hole.
If you are on a familiar course and pull out the Izzo Swami 5000 after playing a couple of holes, it will bring up the exact course and hole you are playing.
Pros:
- Maps of more than 38,000 regulation golf courses.
- Affordable price range.
- No fees for use or upgrades.
- Magnetic charger included.
Cons:
- Small display size.
- No USB charging cable included.
Unit Design and Dimensions
The Swami 5000 comes with a full-color 2-inch LCD display that is easy to read and shows the time and battery power level while you are golfing. It also indicates the hole and its par and gives you a running tally of round score in the lower left corner. If you are 2 over par it will show a +2, while 2 under par would be indicated by a -2 on the lower left corner, for example. That makes it a lot easier to keep an accurate score while speeding up the playing pace.
The entire unit is about the size of a small cellular phone and readily fits in the palm of your hand. The Swami 5000 Golf GPS measures 3.7 inches tall by 2.1 inches and is less than an inch thick.
It weighs about the same as a cell phone with a sturdy protective case and carries easily inside your front pocket. It also comes with a belt attachment for more convenient carrying and easier access.
Front, Middle and Back Distances Provided
Whether you are about to tee off or hit an approach shot to the green, the Izzo Swami 5000 tells you all of the pertinent distance data that you need to avoid hazards and hit your preferred target. When you are on the tee, it will tell you the distance to the front, middle and back of the fairway.
If there are hazards between the tee and the fairway, the Swami 5000 will tell you the distance to the front of the hazards as well as the distance in the middle and at the very back. That tells you how long you have to go to clear the hazard versus how far the ball can travel before arriving at the hazard.
That kind of data makes it a lot easier to choose whether you want to play aggressively and try to clear the hazard for the best approach shot or if you want to lay up the shot and play more conservatively.
The Swami 5000 gives you the same kind of data regarding the green to that you can make the best approach shot. It will tell you the distance to the front of the green, the middle, and the back so that you know exactly how large of a landing area your ball has to provide the best putt to beat par.
The distances indicated include the layup and carry distances so that you can make a better prediction of how the terrain could affect your shot.
Shot Distance Measurement and Digital Scorecard
The Izzo Swami 5000 golf GPS unit records the exact distance of every shot that you take whole on the course. If you are playing in a group and have a side wager on the longest drive, the Swami 5000 will settle any arguments with the most accurate distance readings for various drives and other golf shots. The GPS tracker will give the exact distance of every shot during the entire round.
The digital scorecard stores a record of every shot taken for up to 10 rounds of regulation golf. You must enter the results of each stroke as you complete them on each hole, and the scorecard will save them so that you can review them on your next round.
If you play the same course regularly, the Swami 5000 can hold information on your most recent outings to that you can review the data and improve your game during the next round at the same golf course.
Power Source
An included lithium-polymer battery provides more than 12 hours of electrical power, which is good enough for about three full rounds of golf on regulation 18-hole courses.
The Izzo Swami 5000 magnetic charger makes it a breeze to recharge the GPS unit by connecting the magnetic pins on the charging base to the charging port that is located on the back of the Swami 5000. It takes about seven hours to fully recharge a fully depleted battery.
The Swami 5000 also has a USB charging port, but neither a USB cable nor an AC adapter are included. Most people with cellular phones and tablet devices already have both, so the lack of inclusion is only a minor nuisance for some. It does help to keep the price more affordable by leaving out items that consumers likely already have at home.
Why Should I Buy One?
Deciding on whether or not to buy an Izzo Swami 5000 is a lot easier to do when considering the purchase price is lower than many of the best golf rangefinders. The convenience of having a digital scorecard makes it a lot easier to keep your score and verify it if anyone has any questions.
The unit is legal for tournament use in R&A and USGA events, but you should check with local organizers to ensure you are in compliance with local tournament rules if you enter an event. It can make your golf outing go faster while helping your score to get better with accurate data and histories of recent outings so that you can review them and make the best club and swing choices.
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