IZZO Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit

by Izzo

Product Features

• Golf GPS unit for beginner to intermediate golfers for calculating distance to the front, center, and back of the green
• Stores up to 10 courses at a time; compatible with more than 12,000 U.S. courses
• Fast Insta-Lok technology; large easy-to-read display and 4 intuitive buttons
• Easy-to-use PC connection for downloads and charging; rechargeable lithium battery
• Runs for at least 12 hours per charge; measures 3.75 by 1 by 2 inches (W x H x D)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Golf is a game of precision, so why depend on ballpark guesses when estimating the distance to the green? Enter the Izzo Swami 1500, a fully featured golf GPS unit that offers everything you need to approach the pin with confidence. Powered by the latest SIRFStar III chip and equipped with Insta-Lok technology, the Swami instantly calculates the distance to the front, center, and back of the green on more than 19,000 courses across the U.S. and Canada, turning your golf game from piffling to precise. The Swami is easier to use and more accurate than a laser rangefinder. That's because the Swami measures distances without requiring a direct line of sight to the target, while a laser rangefinder can only measure to the flagstick or other defined objects within its sight. Plus, a rangefinder's accuracy is highly dependent on how far you are from the target, whereas the Swami's GPS technology is accurate to within a few feet. Most importantly, the Swami simply helps you play better golf. When you know the exact distance to the flag and the borders of the green, you can pick the right club for the distance and do it faster. No more wasting time searching for yardstick markers or sprinkler heads. Just upload the course from the online Swami Map Manager (subscription required) before your round, stand under an open sky, and the Swami's Insta-Lok technology does the rest, locking in the correct yardage to a target with minimal lag time. Even when riding in a cart, the yardage changes instantly.

The Swami stores up to 10 courses at a time and automatically recognizes the course you're playing upon powering up. The Swami is also a breeze to use, with intuitive buttons and a large display that allows you to quickly cycle from hole to hole. And even though the Swami is precise and user-friendly, it costs about half to a third as much as most other golf GPS systems. That's because Izzo streamlined the latest technology while maintaining only the most vital features in an effort to make the Swami more affordable. The navigator is built using the same state-of-the-art technology as the highest-end GPS units, but without the costly bells and whistles that most golfers don't really need or use.

The Swami is perfectly legal to use in many handicaps and tournaments, as both the USGA and the R&A have allowed the use of distance measuring devices when the local governing committee permits it. Users should always check with the local golf pro if the event is a USGA-sanctioned tournament before using the Swami on the course. Other features include an easy-to-use PC connection for downloads and charging; a rechargeable lithium battery that runs for a minimum of 12 hours per charge; a water-resistant housing; and OS compatibility with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. The Swami 1500, which measures 3.75 by 1 by 2 inches (W x H x D), carries a 90-day warranty.

Key Details:

• Insta-Lok technology provides accurate distance information to the front, center, and back of the green
• Large, easy-to-read display
• 4 simple-to-use buttons
• 19,000 courses available (U.S. and Canada only)
• Stores up to 10 courses at a time
• Automatic course recognition on power up
• SIRFstar III technology
• Simple, easy PC connection for downloads and charging
• Rechargeable lithium battery included
• Runs for a minimum of 12 hours without recharging
• Measures 3.75 by 1 by 2 inches (W x H x D)

The compact Swami 1500 includes a belt clip, USB cable, quick-start instructions

What's in the Box?
Swami 1500, belt clip, USB cable, quick-start guide.

Note: An initial $9.99 activation fee is required to download course maps. With this fee you will receive unlimited course downloads for one full year from the time of your activation. After one year, you are not required to reactivate. If you choose not to reactivate, courses loaded on your Swami will remain on the unit; however, you will not receive course updates or be able to download new courses to your unit unless the activation fee is renewed.

Buying Guide

Amazon.com Golf GPS Guide
Staying Linked in on the Links
Having a golf GPS unit in your bag is a bit like playing with your very own PGA-quality caddie. These little electronic wonders have evolved a great deal since the USGA deemed them legal for tournament play in 2005. Most models these days can provide you with quick and accurate information regarding distance to the hole and other targets and hazards; length of prior shots (often storable for future reference); course layout; distance to the front, middle, and back of the green; and more.

With a wide range of golf GPS device, feature, and subscription choices available on the market today, finding one that's right for you can be like finding the middle of the fairway when the winds are swirling. Amazon.com has put together a list of the top GPS units and their key specifications, below, to help you select your ideal model.

Navigating Your Options
Unit	Available Courses/Capacity	Membership Fees	Screen	Battery Type/Life
Bushnell Golf GPS 368100 Yardage Pro	12,000 (download up to 100 annually)/10	$34.99 annually	Black and white backlit LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/16 hours
Bushnell Neo Golf GPS	12,000 (download up to 100 annually)/10	$34.99 annually	2.1-inch, black and white backlit LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/16 hours
Bushnell Yardage Pro Golf GPS	12,000 (download up to 100 annually)/10	$34.99 annually	Black and white backlit LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/16 hours
Bushnell Yardage Pro XG Golf GPS	12,000 (download up to 100 annually)/20	$34.99 annually	2.2-inch, high-contrast black and white LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/16 hours
Bushnell Yardage Pro XGC Golf GPS	12,000 (download up to 100 annually)	$34.99 annually	2.2-inch, high-resolution backlit color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/16 hours
Callaway Golf uPro Golf GPS	18,000/50	None	320x240 high-resolution color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/12 hours
Callaway Golf uPro Go GPS	18,000 pre-loaded	One-time $49.99 activation fee	240x320 high-resolution color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/10-12 hours
Garmin Approach G3 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld	12,000/unlimited	None	160x240 transflective color TFT touchscreen	Two AA batteries/up to 15 hours using NiMH or lithium
Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld	12,000/unlimited	None	240x400 transflective color TFT touchscreen	Two AA batteries/up to 15 hours using NiMH or lithium
GolfBuddy Plus GPS Rangefinder	Over 14,000/1,000	None	High-resolution black/white LCD	Rechargeable lithium-polymer
Golf Buddy Pro GPS Range Finder	All available courses in North America/20,000	None	High-resolution black/white LCD	Rechargeable lithium-polymer with AAA backup
Golf Buddy Tour GPS Range Finder	All available courses in North America/20,000	None	Backlit color LCD	Rechargeable lithium-polymer with AAA backup/14 hours
GolfLogix GPS by Garmin (2008 Model)	15,000/20	$39.95 annually	1.25-by-2.25-inch backlit black and white LCD	Two AA/22 hours
GolfLogix GPS Smart Phone Membership and Ultimate Retail Accessory Kit	24,000/varies by smartphone	$39.95 annually	N/A	N/A
GPS Golf Guru 4 Precise GPS/PDA Golf Rangefinder with Multi-application capabilities	20,000/200	None	3.5-inch full color touchscreen	Rechargeable/14 hours
IZZO Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit	12,000/10	$9.99 annually	Black and white LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/12 hours
OnPar Golf Touchscreen GPS	13,000/300	None	Full color backlit touchscreen	Rechargeable lithium ion
SkyCaddie SG2.5 Golf GPS (Black)	16,000/varies based on membership plan	$29.95-129.95 annually, depending on plan	120x80 backlit black and white LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/14 hours
Sky Caddie SG3.5V GPS Unit	16,000/20	$29.95-129.95 annually, depending on plan	High-resolution 2.2-inch backlit color LCD	Three AAA
SkyCaddie SG5 Golf GPS (Black)	16,000/10	$29.95-129.95 annually, depending on plan	220x176 high-resolution backlit color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/14 hours
SkyCaddie SGX Golf GPS	30,000 pre-loaded	$29.95-129.95 annually, depending on plan	Three-inch, high-resolution transflective TFT-LCD screen	Rechargeable lithium ion/14 hours
Sonocaddie Auto Play Golf GPS	Pre-loaded with 18,000/30,000	None	220x176 high-resolution backlit color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/12 hours
Sonocaddie V300 Color GPS Unit	22,000/30	One-time $29.95 or $49.95 fee, depending on plan, or $5 per course after first five free downloads	2.2-inch high-resolution backlit color LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/15 hours
Sonocaddie XV2 Personal Golf GPS	22,000/20	One-time $29.95 or $49.95 fee, depending on plan, or $5 per course after first five free downloads	Black and white LCD	Three AAA/10 hours
Sureshot GPS Golf System	14,000/10	$29.95-199.95 annually, depending on plan	Full color backlit LCD	Rechargeable lithium ion/typically lasts for 36 holes

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 3 inches ; 9.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B001P829XC
• Item model number: Swami 1500 GPS
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (162 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,206 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #23 in Sports & Outdoors > Golf > Accessories > Golf Course GPS Units

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and Effective, October 17, 2009

By 

PW (southwestern VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: IZZO Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit (Sports)

This device basically does one thing, and does it well: displays distance to the green. One of the four buttons, labeled FCB, cycles through the distance to Front, Center, and Back of the green, so it is possible to determine depth of the green as the difference between front and back. The other three buttons are on/off, next hole, and previous hole. There's no touchscreen, scorekeeping, weather reporting, etc.

This is my evaluation, based on limited (several rounds) experience:

Pros
+ Simple and effective
+ Accurate (within a couple yards of on-course markers and center of green)
+ Good battery life (at least 4 rounds per charge)
+ Includes AC/USB adapter (computer not required to charge the device)
+ Large LCD display; numbers easily seen at a glace
+ No issues with software, setup, course selection, downloading
+ Good value, considering base price and $10 annual data fee

Neutral
o Plastic belt clip - I wonder how long until it breaks
o Overall size is not small, though effective use of front surface space with the LCD and buttons.
o Ten (10) course capacity is reasonable

Cons
- A bit thick: almost 1" at widest point on the belt clip.
- USB/charging port is not protected. What will happen when it gets wet?
- It only goes in the belt clip in one direction. If worn on the belt, you look at the numbers and controls upside down. Or, if clipped upside down, there is the risk is falls off the belt or out of the clip.

[end of review 10/17/09]

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best bang for the buck, September 16, 2009

By 

M. Thomas Diklich "Old Gamer" (Norfolk, Va USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IZZO Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit (Sports)

Simply put, this is the best deal on an entry level golf gps out there. All it does is lock onto the satelites fast, recognize the course you are playing without any input from you, and tell you how far you are from the center, back or front of the green. It updates constantly as you move, and all you have to do is hit the ^ button after each hole, advancing it to the next one. The readout is large enough to see from quite a distance, so you can clip it to the cart when carts are allowed on the grass, but it's more than small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket. If you are good enough to need distances to all the hazzards on each hole, and are willing to pay at least twice as much, look elsewhere. Otherwise, this unit this close to $100 is the bomb. Be sure the wall charger is included, 'cause some vendors are lowballing this unit without telling you it isn't in the box. (Charging it with the computer cable included requires that your computer and their software is running, and this can be a bit of a bother sometimes.) Their annual course download fee is only 10$, not the 35$ everyone else wants. It only holds 10 courses at a time, but downloading others is a snap and they will map any course for you that they don't already have. (they had all the ones I wanted already mapped) The charge lasts 12 hours, but you do have to be responsible enough to turn it off when you are done, something Izzo might consider correcting in the future with an auto off feature.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars IZZO Swmi, April 29, 2009

By 

John W. Byam (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: IZZO Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit (Sports)

The device is easy to use and does an excellent job for the money. It easily finds the course it is on and provides very accurate distance to the greens. One just has to remember to turn it off at the end of the day or the battery runs down.
An excellent value for the money.