Good deal from Skycaddie

[Wildrover]

Bought a Skycaddie Aire at the weekend, it's from their sport range and just gives yardages to front, middle and back. Best thing about it though is it comes preloaded with 30000 courses and no subscription charges for the life of the product. The no subscription offer is available to the end of the year on all of the Sport range.:thup:

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Bought a Skycaddie Aire at the weekend, it's from their sport range and just gives yardages to front, middle and back. Best thing about it though is it comes preloaded with 30000 courses and no subscription charges for the life of the product. The no subscription offer is available to the end of the year on all of the Sport range.:thup:

Or you could just buy a Garmin which has no subscription charges as standard. I still don't know how SC get away with charging subscriptions.

 

[Wildrover]

Because they actually walk the courses to map them, not use Google Earth, which means they are more accurate. So with this I get better accuracy but still with no subscription. Win win.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Or you could just buy a Garmin which has no subscription charges as standard. I still don't know how SC get away with charging subscriptions.

I think it's mostly because they always come out as the most accurate in GPS tests due to the fact (they claim) that they hand map the courses instead of using satellite images.

Of course it's another debate if knowing the green is exactly 174 yards away and not 172 or 176 makes a great deal of difference to the average happy hacker, but there you go.

And anyway, after using a Garmin sat nav in Cornwall last week I won't be using their products again. They need to work out that it will be quicker going down a main road at 50 then down in some cases literally a farm track at 10 mph. Yes theoretically the speed limit is 60 down some very narrow Cornish tracks, but using that as a basis for directing you that way as it will be quickest route is daft as you'll never get over 20 mph. And will spend half your time reversing to a passing point when you meet a car coming in the opposite direction.

 

[Linnets]

I don't agree with the accuracy complaint about Garmin, I have an S2 watch and in several comparisons with playing partners Sky caddies they have been within a yard of each other. And as a previous poster has said Garmin don't charge a subscription.

 

[Wildrover]

Most of the time there won't be a difference, but now and again there is an error, I had a Golf Buddy before and it was ok most of the time but I know for a fact that it is 15 yards out on our 8th. So what happens when you go elsewhere and are that kind of difference out without realising. I'll take the peace of mind along with the no subscription offer thank you.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

My garmin and my playing pals sky caddie were rarely more than a yard out when compared, which is more than can be said for our ability to hit a shot to within a yard. My playing pal has now gone over to garmin because of skycaddies continued subscription requirement.

 

[talksalot81]

What happens with these things when courses make alterations? Our course seems to change a green or add bunkers almost every winter... Does skycaddie come and walk the course regularly to fix this? How recent are garmin's images (google earth images of our course are old enough that they are wrong on almost half the holes)?

 

[User 105]

I know skycaddie will adjust. There was a change to our course. I rung up skycaddie, told them they had removed a bunker. They contacted the club, verified it and took it off the course. Took about 2 weeks from when I notified them of it to it being removed from the skycaddie map.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Walking course may sound more accurate but with the information available to Garmin from the various sources they use (which is unlikely to be Google Earth) I would say the difference would be negligible.

You then have to take into account the fact the the GPS receiver is likely to have an error of say +/- 3yds (how often have you stood next to someone with the same device and got different readings?)

Then, you have to ask yourself if the carry is 151yds or 154yds is really all that important. Lets face it, if you are going to carry a water hazard at 150ish yards, you would be stupid not to try to clear it by at least 15 yards anyway to account for your inconsistent strike.

Then, when going for the green, the pin is rarely right in the middle and is never on the back or front edges so to a certain extent, you are guessing.

Finally you have to accept that none of us can hit the exact yardage that the GPS tells us anyway.

All in all, there are so many variables, is the subscription really worth it?

Sorry for thread-jacking by the way

 

[User 105]

I'm with you on that hawkeye, my mates have different devices as well and rarely is there more than a couple of yards difference. I've always had skycaddies, mainly because they always seemed to top the reviews. But if I replace my SGX I'm probably going to go for a non subscription based unit. Garmin or gofbuddy, or maybe a laser.

I'd probably choose based on features rather than accuracy as they all seem pretty much the same.

 

[Wildrover]

Walking course may sound more accurate but with the information available to Garmin from the various sources they use (which is unlikely to be Google Earth) I would say the difference would be negligible.

You then have to take into account the fact the the GPS receiver is likely to have an error of say +/- 3yds (how often have you stood next to someone with the same device and got different readings?)

Then, you have to ask yourself if the carry is 151yds or 154yds is really all that important. Lets face it, if you are going to carry a water hazard at 150ish yards, you would be stupid not to try to clear it by at least 15 yards anyway to account for your inconsistent strike.

Then, when going for the green, the pin is rarely right in the middle and is never on the back or front edges so to a certain extent, you are guessing.

Finally you have to accept that none of us can hit the exact yardage that the GPS tells us anyway.

All in all, there are so many variables, is the subscription really worth it?

Sorry for thread-jacking by the way

I agree, I don't think the subscription is worth it which is why I had a Golf Buddy before. The whole point of the thread was just to let people know that they can get Skycaddie accuracy without subscription up to 31st December. I only found out by accident whilst "browsing" in American Golf.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I agree, I don't think the subscription is worth it which is why I had a Golf Buddy before. The whole point of the thread was just to let people know that they can get Skycaddie accuracy without subscription up to 31st December. I only found out by accident whilst "browsing" in American Golf.

I know, I appreciate that which is why I apologised for thread-jacking

 

[Wildrover]

I know, I appreciate that which is why I apologised for thread-jacking

No problem:thup:

 

[CMAC]

Bought a Skycaddie Aire at the weekend, it's from their sport range and just gives yardages to front, middle and back. Best thing about it though is it comes preloaded with 30000 courses and no subscription charges for the life of the product. The no subscription offer is available to the end of the year on all of the Sport range.:thup:

that looks ideal, is it just out as cant see it on their 'products' range at skycaddie website?

 

[GB72]

Apologies if this is thread jacking but I have always had an issue with the Skycaddie business model. If it worked like my car sat nav and updates were not compulsory to use the device then fair call, anyone who wants a newer map can pay the cost. By making it unuseable without paying every year and by backdating the renewal to the date it ran out, Skycaddie have killed off my interest.

If the business model ran similar to razors, electric toothbrushes etc where the device was cheap but the usage costs were higher (compare the subscription to razor blades, brush heads etc) then I would be more inclined to by one. Unfortunately, Skycaddie want to have their cake and eat it by charging high prices for the unit and chargin to use it.

I would also be interested to know how often skycaddie walk the course to update maps. If it is not every year at least to take into account course changes etc then that 'benefit' seems to be of little value.

I also note that Golfbuddy are advertising that they walk the courses as well now but they do that with no subscription.

I appreciate that the OP has found a better Skycaddie deal (only if the subscription waiver is for the life of the device) but I just do not buy into the Skycaddie business model so it is not for me.

 

[Wildrover]

that looks ideal, is it just out as cant see it on their 'products' range at skycaddie website?

Here you go.

http://www.skygolf.com/products/pro...IRE&returnurl=/Shop/RangeFinders/default.aspx

 

[GB72]

Here you go.

http://www.skygolf.com/products/pro...IRE&returnurl=/Shop/RangeFinders/default.aspx

On that one it only states that the device is free for 30 days, after that a subscription is needed.

 

[Wildrover]

On that one it only states that the device is free for 30 days, after that a subscription is needed.

It does on there, but I bought mine in AG on Saturday and all the info was on/in the box.

 

[Rooter]

What happens with these things when courses make alterations? Our course seems to change a green or add bunkers almost every winter... Does skycaddie come and walk the course regularly to fix this? How recent are garmin's images (google earth images of our course are old enough that they are wrong on almost half the holes)?

they do as far as i know as our club manager contacted sky caddie last week saying there had been a few changes, so SC were required to come over and re-measure. Follow @Skycaddiesteve on twitter, quite an insight..

Oh and i use a Garmin BTW!