If you like the touchpad concept for laptop computers and tablet devices, then you likely will love the Voice Caddie’s new VC300SE voice golf GPS unit. The VC300 is an improvement on the popular VC200 golf GPS unit that gives you voice-delivered distances to the green in your choice of yards or meters. Unlike the VC200, the new Voice Caddie VC300SE review.
The VC300’s smooth plastic surface works just like a computer touchpad. You use either swipes or taps with your fingertip to activate it and obtain the desired information. It improves upon the prior-generation VC200, which only gives you the distance to the middle of the green. The Voice Caddie VC300SE gives you the middle, front and back distances to the green in your choice of eight widely used languages.
The VC300SE voice golf GPS is shaped generally like a guitar pick, measures 1.77 inches wide by 1.77 inches tall and is about a half-inch thick. It only weighs about an ounce, which makes it ideal for carrying. You can get one made with either a white or a black durable and water-resistant plastic shell. A clip on the back lets you affix the GPS unit to your belt, bill of your cap or visor, golf bag or other preferred location.
Pros:
- Auto recognition of golf course and hole.
- More than 30,000 golf courses.
- Shot calculator shows ball flight distances.
- Swing tempo helps to improve practice
- Choose among eight included languages.
Cons:
- No hazards data.
- No overhead views.
Automatically Recognizes Golf Courses and Holes
When you turn on the VC300, it will take about 5 minutes to recognize your GPS coordinates and load the appropriate golf course. With more than 30,000 regulation golf courses included that are located around the globe, odds are you live near several and your favorite golf course is included.
Unlike a GPS Rangefinder, it will take several minutes to recognize your location and load the respective golf course, so you should turn it on when you arrive and the golf course and before you get to your first tee. That will help to ensure the course is loaded and ready to go when you are, too. You’re your golf course is loaded, the VC300 will recognize the hole you are on and advance to the next hole after you exit the green.
Middle, Front and Back Distances to the Green
The Voice Caddie VC300SE is a very simple device to understand and use. The entire design is based on making it very easy for golfers to use and understand while also providing accurate distance readings to the green. It does its job admirably will with accuracy to within about a yard of the target.
A swipe of the VC300 will tell you the middle, front and back distances to the green. That only will come in handy at the tee when you are on a par 3 and want more exact distances to the green than those provided by the golf course.
Par 4, par 5 and rare par 6 holes will give you even better use with the VC300 on the approach shots, so you can get that coveted birdie putt. The unit adjusts the data based on your approach angles and includes compensation for layups and ball carry locations. It uses Voice Caddie’s V-Algorithm to calculate the layups and carry distances based on the golf course maps.
The proprietary algorithm makes use of the average distances covered by professional golfers and the elevation differential between the green and your ball’s lie. The compensated distance will give you the practical distance for which you need to shoot in order to clear rising terrain and ovoid overshooting the green when it is located at a lower elevation.
Voice Caddie VC300SE Review: No Hazards Data Included
If you like to know distances to various hazards while on a particular hole, the VC300 is not the tool to use. It does not provide any data on hazards, so you will have to rely on your eyeball estimation or use a separate laser rangefinder. Many golfers will be fine without the hazards data due to the accuracy of the green information and the generally affordable purchase price of the GPS unit.
Hazards mostly are not a concern on a par 3, especially when you already can get compensated distances with the VC300. Longer holes will require you to use better estimation for your approach shots. But a well-placed drive should put you in good shape to land the green on the initial approach, anyway.
Adjusts Greens Data Based on Approach Angles
The Voice Caddie VC300SE review of greens information adjusts based on your approach angle. You will get the correct middle, front and back distances to the green based on the actual angle of approach, which ensures you can get the best data possible to land a good shot and make an easy putt.
Unfortunately, you cannot adjust the pin placement to reflect the actual cup location on a particular hole. So you still need to make minor adjustments on your approach shot to get the ball as close to the cup as possible. You might even sink the approach and shave another stroke from your score.
Voice Caddie VC300SE Review: Shot Tracking and Swing Tempo
In addition to helping you on the golf course, the VC300 also works well on the driving range. A shot-tracking feature that you can use while playing a round will tell you how far the ball traveled while in flight. You can use that same feature while practicing so that you know which club and swing combinations need the most work.
An included swing tempo feature will help you to improve your swing by acting like a metronome that you can follow during your swings. When you use the correct swing tempo for a particular club or golf swing, it will help you to develop proper timing on the backswing and downstroke. When you get the correct tempo down and it becomes part of your muscle memory, you should see better scores while on the golf course due to improved swings with particular clubs and situations.
Why Should I Buy a Voice Caddie VC300SE?
If you love simplicity and accurate front, middle and back distances to the green, the VC300 is a great item to have. The Voice Caddie VC300SE review of more than 30,000 golf courses means your local regulation golf course likely is included as are those in any tournaments you might play.
The VC300 also works great with the swing tempo feature that helps you to truly get better with particular club and swing combinations. The correct swing timing makes a big difference in club effectiveness and your ability to control the golf shot on a consistent basis. The simple-to-use and very accurate VC300 is a real winner on the golf course.
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