To beard or not to beard

I don't have a full blown, unabomber beard going but I have a little more than a five o'clock shadow. It's a stubble. I've had it for a while and I have to admit I kinda like it, but I wonder if it might be something worth getting rid of.
The pros: hey, it makes me look like a man, man. Plus, I have a round, chubby face, and I think having the stubble gives me a little something to hide behind.
The cons: I don't really have a good read on how the ladies feel about the stubble. I have one female friend who absolutely loves a little stubble, another one who hates it, so it is really a crap shoot.
Plus, like long hair (which I don't have) you have to keep up with the stubble or it turns into so weird patchy thing on my face. That's the worst. Stubble can quickly go from a little hair paint on your jaw to something that looks diseased.
If I had readers, I would now open it up for some kind of discussion, especially to the ladies, to see where I stood but, in the end, I guess I'll just have to keep asking this age-old question: to beard or not to beard?