Gps And Golf Carts - A Winning Combination

By Author: Jeffrey Veal
Total Articles: 21
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When someone mentions global positioning systems, or GPS for short, golf isn't the first thing you think of. Automobiles, boats, cell phones, etc., are most commonly associated with GPS. But lately, you're likely to find it installed on the rental carts at some of the more prestigious golf courses. The great thing about this is you can see how far your ball is from the hole you are playing, along with your location on the map. Selecting the proper club for the next shot is a no brainer. If there is an obstacle in your shot path, such as a hill or tree, the GPS can determine the height of it. You can then decide what kind of arc you will need on your shot to get over the obstacle.

A great thing about this device is that it actually cuts down on your time on the course. No more blind shots into the sun since the GPS displays the distance to the hole digitally in standard or metric measurement. This will speed up your club selection since you will know the exact distance. With the time you save managing the course, this will improve your skills a lot faster. You won't cause the group behind you to have to wait since ...
... you'll know which club to use. It can be embarrassing and demoralizing to have to let the group behind you play through because of slow play. All you have to do is turn the GPS on, and it will give you the measurements. With the data you're given, pick your club and make the shot. Nothing could be easier.

The good thing about this for course owners is there is no cost for the satellite service. Since the government owns the service, everybody has access to it. There are different types of units, and the one we're talking about here will provide golfers with the desired information. When you enter the location of the flag, the device will give you the correct distance to the hole from your location. The course usually provides high speed internet access, which is needed by the device to carry out its tracking abilities. The signal from a remote modem is picked up by the GPS device, where it is linked to a mainframe computer and then a satellite delivers the information. This all takes place within a few seconds.

Many golf course owners have purchased GPS for all of their carts mainly due to the extra features that come with the service. From any computer, you'll be able see the location of all your carts right there on the screen. This will help you evaluate the pace of play for the entire course. This will allow you to foresee many problems before they occur that might need the intervention of the course ranger. The price for a GPS device installed on a cart can cost anywhere from six hundred dollars on up. For the individual golfer, this unit can cost between two and four hundred dollars. Luckily for course owners, this price will be a lot lower if they are buying the system for a fleet of golf carts.