Don't waste your money on a SkyCaddie...

[Doh]

I've got a SC 2.5 like me it's simple it's also accurant weather prove, quick and has all the yardage infromation i need and i can get three rounds in before a recharge.

I am in the fortunate postion where i dont mind paying for the updates because i can afford them and i bought the SC knowing this. so i got what i wanted and i suppose thats what it's about.

 

[thecraw]

Well I have just bought the Skycaddie 2.5 and paid £165 + £30 for a yearly subscription. I think its fantastic and having tried the applications on my iphone I dont even think they come close to matching my skycaddie.

If your new software is good then I'm glad you got a bargain however I dont think I have wasted maoney on my Skycaddie and would still recommend it to anyone.

 

[Sam]

Provided the carried device has sufficient accuracy in measuring distance to satellites (and enough of them) measurements from "ground plotted" courses will always be more accurate than those from "map plotted" courses.

Well put argument but the conclusion aint always the case. My system (Intelligolf) and most others permit a 'mapped' course to be checked as you go round for the 1st time so, for example, arriving at front of 1st green you would survey location and register it overwriting the mapped location. I checked every one in the early days - didn't need correction - never bothered since.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Skycaddie is mapped on the ground, not using google maps. It isn't a question of 'when someone clicked the button'.

Yes, they make a play on that with their advertising but it doesn't make much difference in reality. I did a yardage chart using Google Earth a couple of years ago now when it first came out. When checked with with SC and/or Freecaddie the degree of correlation is very good. For example, I've just measured the 100m at Crystal Palace track at 99.71m on google earth......it's still a 52 wedge for me.

There's no reason why measuring between two points on google earth or whatever, should not be accurate - measuring the 100m on an athletics track should be accurate. Two point on a map should be the same distance apart as the same two points on the ground. But "mapped" GPS golf devices are measuring the distance between one point "on a map" and another on the ground - which is a different principle altogether.

Think of two copies of a map on tracing paper - if they don't sit perfectly on top of each other then the measured distance between a point on one map and another point on the second map will be inaccurate. Thats the problem with google maps - they don't necessarily sit accurately on the real earth.

Provided the carried device has sufficient accuracy in measuring distance to satellites (and enough of them) measurements from "ground plotted" courses will always be more accurate than those from "map plotted" courses.

Yep, I accept that there may be differences but from what I have actually seen and measured they are minimal. The point I'm trying to make is not to get too hung up on accuracy when we are talking about a system which is not perfect anyway. I think the more important issues are cost/other functionality/build/ease of use etc. For example the laser rangefinders are more accurate than GPS and can be used anywhere instantly, but, have to be got out of bag every time are troublesome in the wind/rain. I'd base any decision on things like that not accuracy.

 

[Tiger]

Mike will GM be throwing a good caddie into the laser, phone, gps debate. I'm a novice but am hoping to develop my own personal 'hawk eye' and it would be interesting to see how a human measures up.

The issue for me is that all the device does is give you a number. But that doesn't take into account how the greens/fairways are playing, your ball striking that day, the wind, your adrenaline, your confidence etc.

The device gives you a number and you interpret it. My question to the gadget people is do you approach a shot and think this looks like a 6 iron and then the gadget confirms you were right. Or do I live in the land of make believe?

 

[SammmeBee]

The issue for me is that all the device does is give you a number. But that doesn't take into account how the greens/fairways are playing, your ball striking that day, the wind, your adrenaline, your confidence etc.

The device gives you a number and you interpret it. My question to the gadget people is do you approach a shot and think this looks like a 6 iron and then the gadget confirms you were right. Or do I live in the land of make believe?

The device gives you an accurate starting point to take into account all the other factors, which does help - they are like Sky+ once you've used it you don't actually realise how you lived without it before....

 

[Imurg]

Just out of interest - when you upgrade or get a new phone, can you take the software with you or do you have to "buy" it again?

 

[Tiger]

I don't have Sky+ either. I'm a bit of a Neanderthal aren't I. Anyone know how to make a fire?

 

[Tiger]

Just out of interest - when you upgrade or get a new phone, can you take the software with you or do you have to "buy" it again?

I can't speak for all phones but on iPhone a record of all your applications is stored by iTunes so if you change to another iPhone you can still access all your applications when you synchronise the new phone.

 

[RGDave]

I can see the sense in using an application on a phone if that suits. I suppose for those people with expensive phones, the world is moving pretty darn fast. I simply buy a new handset every two-three years and avoid any contract.
I am impressed with the way things are moving, but I can't see that buying a dedicated unit is so daft.
Potentially, I could use a PC to record TV or listen to the radio but I don't. IF I had an iphone/smart phone, then clearly a GPS app' makes sense - however having a £200-300 phone (which I'd presumably need for work/social) hanging off the side of my bag seems slightly risky.
Each to their own. I'm still considering a GPS unit t.b.h. but as it's taken a few months to "allow" myself to spend £100 on a new club, I think it could be a long way off!

These new phones are clever....I guess eventually, all out needs (phone/camera/music player/sat-nav) will all come under one hand-held unit...it is already for some, but plenty of us still don't need or want such all-encompassing gadgets. Besides, the technology isn't exactly 100% reliable yet....ipods and iphones are not the greatest as yet, if my mates experiences are anything to go by.

 

[Imurg]

Sooooo....
If you change from an Iphone to a Nokia for instance??

 

[Tiger]

I think you're screwed!!! I haven't spent much on applications yet but those who have are tied to iPhone. I'm sure some clever techie people out there will think of a work around and I'm not sure what Google Android and Nokia N95 use.

To be honest though I love my iPhone and have it protected in an otterbox defender so it can go pretty much anywhere with me. It would take something pretty special to make me switch. However, I think companies are looking to secure brand loyalty through applications but when they launched smart phones they had no idea apps would be so popular.

If you do want a gps for your golf but are unlikely to take full advantage of a smart phones functionality get a Skycaddie. You pay about £10 a month extra on your bill to cover your web access and phone subsidy. That's £120 a year, much more than a skycaddie subscription.

Golf apps are only really useful for those people who would have an iPhone anyway!

Hope this helps.

 

[Screwback]

I think the Bushnells will be really good for practising.

Are you telling us that you can use the Bushnell to get the distance on each ball you hit ? That's got to be some focusing system.

No but at the driving range i use there are some flags that dont have yardages on and my sky caddie does not tell me the yardage to them unless i walk out and measure it ( and risk getting hit) but if you had a bushnell you would be able to get yardage from where you are standing and work on it from that.

 

[Pants]

OK. So you are talking about practice at the driving range rather than a practice ground and using the Bushnell to measure how far away the unmarked flags are.

Some ranges down here might have the odd 125 or 175 yd markers but most just have 100, 150 or 200 so you still have to guess to possibly the nearest 20 yds or so how far you have just hit the ball.

And then you have the problem of how much further/shorter more left/right a proper golf ball would go when hit on the course

I don't particularly worry about distances at the range. I am more concerned about accuracy and grooving a swing. Haven't quite cracked that bit yet though .

Sorry mate but I don't think that I would buy a laser rangefinder just for the driving range. I'll just go for the Skycaddie for out on the course - which it is designed for and does what it says on the packaging.

 

[Screwback]

Sorry mate but I don't think that I would buy a laser rangefinder just for the driving range. I'll just go for the Skycaddie for out on the course - which it is designed for and does what it says on the packaging.

I completely agree with what you are saying.

I was only saying i thought the bushnell would be good for the range. I have a Sky Caddie SG4 and its a great piece of kit. wouldnt change it for anything else it does exactly what is required.

 

[rickg]

Sorry mate but I don't think that I would buy a laser rangefinder just for the driving range. I'll just go for the Skycaddie for out on the course - which it is designed for and does what it says on the packaging.

Clearly, no one would buy a laser rangefinder just for the range, it's just an added bonus that it can be used for this. However, there are also other advantages:
Once you have bought it, there is no other outlay (other than batteries).
It also magnifies the image that you are looking at; Especially handy if your eyesight is not as good as it was
It not only gives distance to the flag, it will pick up pretty much any object, bunkers and other hazards, trees etc.
You don't have to download courses from the internet and can use it at any course, (local rules permitting).

I think both GPS and laser each have their own pro's and cons. Personally, I favour the laser having used one for the last 6 months and I wouldn't be without it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One of the greatest things my SC5 has doen for me is allow me to hit balls on the practice ground and measure exact distances with the "mark ball" feature. By hitting down and into a slight wind (about 10mph or a one club wind) I know exactly what my average yardage is and can make an accurate assessment based on the SC yardage and the conditions.

Its been said by others and is also a valid point, the major problem with a rangefinder is that if you tend to visit other parts of the course other than the hole you are playing like I do, its not always possible to get a line of site reading. At least with the SC or similar GPS device the potential trouble is there on a screen for you to decide how to proceed (glory or safety)