Martin Hopley
By

In one sentence I can summarise this review by saying that the GolfBuddy VS4 is the same as the excellent white GolfBuddy Voice+ GPS but in new colours and with a better clip and strap.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

I could leave it there, but I like the VS4 because it's fun, so I will run through the product again for those who are new to the world of speaking GPS devices.

The VS4 is light and small, measuring just over 4cm square, so the idea is that you can wear it or place it on your bag. Several options come to mind such the belt, but my preference would be the rim of your cap as then you can listen to it talking to you.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

Last time I christened the voice Doris and what she does is tell you the distance to the centre of the green when you click the button on the bottom right of the front of the VS4. Push and hold the button and Doris tells you the front and back yardages too.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

There is a volume control, or you can mute her, but hearing her whisper in your ear is part of the fun, although GolfBuddy has not taken up my suggestion of defaulting to the last option selected if you just wanted front and back all the time.

If you want to just gaze at the VS4 then the centre, front and back yardages are all shown on the LCD screen at the same time and that is pretty much all the information you get.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

The VS4 starts up quickly and within 45 seconds Doris had greeted me with a welcome message and had found the course I was playing and I was ready to go.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

The VS4 auto-advances from one hole to the next and this was very accurate and timely, but you can also advance the hole manually if it gets confused by pushing the front and + buttons at the same time.

There is a shot measuring function initiated by pushing the P button on the left hand side and then starting and stopping the measuring using the front button. Nice for measuring those big drives.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

Apart from the new black/red and white/gold colour options, the other good thing about the VS4 is that they have improved the clip.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

On the previous Voice+ the clip was built into the back of the device, but now it is detachable. This means that you can orientate it whichever way you want without having to delve into the settings to flip the screen display on the device.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

In addition the VS4 the device can be removed from the clip and placed on a much sleeker watch strap fitting that at least could pass as a GPS watch without raising too many eyebrows.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

The supplied watch strap is quite chunky and large so it may not suit smaller wrists, but is still light and comfortable and certainly better than the white rubber effort supplied with the Voice+. There is an option to just show the time, so if you can't be without your VS4 then it can serve a purpose whilst on your wrist as you count down to your next tee time.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

The VS4 is recharged through the supplied AC adaptor and micro-USB cable that also attaches to your computer to download software and course updates without needing a subscription.

GolfBuddy VS4 Voice GPS

GolfBuddy's maps are generally pretty accurate and with a capacity of 37,000 courses, I have yet to find one home or abroad that it has failed to find.

Overall I think the unique aspect of the spoken yardages makes the VS4 really stand out from the crowd. The small size and light weight make it one of the best devices for wearing on your hat or belt, especially if you go for one of the optional extra belt clip accessories.

Being small and talking is its niche and it does it all very well, so if you want a little buddy on the golf course to tell you the yardages then the VS4 will be your perfect friend.

Golfalot Rating: 4 stars
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GolfBuddy VS4 Golf GPS Rangefinder - Product Details

UK Launch01 April 2014
UK Launch RRP£159
USA Launch01 June 2014
Device TypeGPS Handheld
ElevationNo
Shot MeasurementYes
ScoringNo
Power OptionsRechargeable
SubscriptionNo
DimensionsWidth: 45mm, Height: 45.5mm, Depth: 12.5mm
Screen SizeWidth: 26mm, Height: 14mm
Device Weight29 grams
Course Capacity37,000
Manufacturer's WebsiteGolfBuddy Website

User Reviews

August 2016

I used my Golf Buddy VS4 for the first time on Tuesday. I must say the unit is extremely accurate and efficient. It found my course right away and was ready to go. I didn't think it would work at this particular course because there is absolutely no cell phone reception there. The features on the Golf Buddy are very user friendly. The the only thing it lacks is distances to hazards. But that was no big issue. Overall I'm quite happy with the Golf Buddy.

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