I'm In Two Minds

[beck9965]

With a birthday coming up next month my wife has asked me if i would like a Skycaddie, I'm just not sure if i would use one if i had it.
Are they worth having and do they really help with your game, or should i go with a nice new R9?

Phil.

 

[viscount17]

what do you play, where do you play?

GPS is very good if you play a lot of courses, - it's the ultimate strokesaver that's not going to disintegrate in the rain (though as SC doesn't give a hole plan I get a strokesaver as well, other GPS do though with varying degrees of accuracy/currency - just how old was that map image they've used?)

excellent, if like me, your distance judgment is iffy
very good practice tool, gives you distance, you learn what/how to hit to make the shot.

good for spoiling your ego - you think you hit 250+, the Mark Ball feature spoils your day when it insists it's 220.


if you play just a few tracks, frequently, probably not.

 

[DCB]

Skycaddie will last longer than a new R9

Just remember you'll have an annual sub to pay for the downloading of skycaddie courses. If you don't play a lot of golf then it's probably not worth it.

 

[Smiffy]

I purchased a SkyCaddie just after Christmas, and couldn't wait to use it. But after the initial excitement of my new toy subsided, I found I was using it less and less. So much so that I have just sold it.
The only times I found it of any use were..

a) If I was playing a links course where there is usually a lack of reference points (trees, buildings etc) to give you a sense of distance or "scale".

b) On par 3's played off winter tees or mats which are in a totally different place to where the usual tee boxes are.

The latter in particular I found of great use, but I can live without it to be honest.

It was also quite useful to "mark" your ball so that you could see how far you had actually hit your 300 yard drive...that brings you back down to earth with a bump I can tell you!

Not in any way shape or form trying to devalue their use on a course. But for me, they didn't really offer much to be honest.

 

[JamieSmith]

Hey mate

the way i look at it is ..... we manged to play golf without gps before so do we really need one?

I no people will disagree with me on this but its what people think at the end of the day, and i think the only 1 that can answer your question Phil is yourself, Does your game really need it? Will it improve with it?

Also about the R9 i think its a cracking looking driver,I heard is about the best driver on the market and will be for along time, But in my previous history on Taylor Made drivers i always seem to get alot more top spin and i dont get a good high ball flight like i do with my Titleist.

But like i said Phil its all what you want and what you have your mind set on? Prob best thing to do is if you can have a try with both prob quite hard with a skycaddie as they prob dont just hand them out but speak to Homer he is going this week to TM demo day you could prob ask for details and could maybe go try the driver.

 

[beck9965]

I purchased a SkyCaddie just after Christmas, and couldn't wait to use it. But after the initial excitement of my new toy subsided, I found I was using it less and less. So much so that I have just sold it.
The only times I found it of any use were..

a) If I was playing a links course where there is usually a lack of reference points (trees, buildings etc) to give you a sense of distance or "scale".

b) On par 3's played off winter tees or mats which are in a totally different place to where the usual tee boxes are.

The latter in particular I found of great use, but I can live without it to be honest.

It was also quite useful to "mark" your ball so that you could see how far you had actually hit your 300 yard drive...that brings you back down to earth with a bump I can tell you!

Not in any way shape or form trying to devalue their use on a course. But for me, they didn't really offer much to be honest.

This is what i'm thinking, will it be a 5 minute gimmick, I tend to get my yardages from course map books as i like to play by the feel and look of the shot.

 

[Smiffy]

I like to play by the feel and look of the shot.

That's how I play.
I never once used the SkyCaddie to it's full potential. It's not much good to me knowing that I have 180 yards to carry a bunker when I'm just as capable of fatting a 5 wood as I am a wedge from time to time.
All I ever used it for was to get distances to the centre of the green and as most courses have 150 yard markers I found I was glancing at them first and foremost, rather than the little black gadget hanging from the bag.
As I said in my first post, very handy during the winter when you are playing par 3's off of mats. Takes a lot of the guesswork out of it, because some of them can be 30 yards away from the normal tee box but at an angle. But I hate playing in winter anyway......

 

[thecraw]

Jamie Smith,

Wish I had that problem with my TM driver, I cant keep the fecker down, especially into the wind.

I still have not got round to trying a GPS, however if/when I do I will be looking at a basic model which tells me where front middle back is on the greens thats I require to know.

 

[JamieSmith]

TheCraw,

The only driver of Taylor Made's i act hit right what the CGB Max and i hit that with a regular shaft and it felt like the shaft what a peice of rubber tubing :|

I got nothing against Taylor Made just dont think there the clubs for me mate.

 

[Fyldewhite]

I've been considering buying a SkyCaddie for months but have always been a bit sceptical about benefits v cost. Anyway, I've just got a new phone with built in GPS so I downloaded Freecaddie to evaluate the potential benefits of GPS with no outlay.

Well, the positives are that it works, it tells me distances to the front/back of green as well as middle which is useful and also helps if I'm way off line (very rare lol!). It also helps on those 70/80/90 yard shots to know if it is a full shot or a bit less.

Negatives. For probably 70-80% of approach shots it tells me nothing I didn't already know.

Verdict: Nice to have but in no way essential. Looking forward to playing away a couple of times this week where it will be of more use I'm sure. However, given the total cost of SkyCaddie when other alternatives such as freecaddie/intelligolf are available I'd now never even consider buying one. Yes they have advantages over phone but IMHO not 200 quids worth.

 

[slugger]

I don't use Skycaddie, but do use GPS on the course. I now use it every time i'm out on the course. Even my home course where i normally play at least once a week, i use it every time. If you learn how to use it well, then you can use it to your advantage through exact club selection, knowing how far it is to certain points when you're off the fairway etc.

my opninion is that it's worth it.

 

[Parmo]

I have the Shotmiser G300 (which I won) and tbh I never use it and I wouldnt pay for a GPS unit if I had the knowledge of them before hand.

My pro is knocking R9 440's out for £220 but since he has seen my swing he thinks they too much for me

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been an SC fan since last March when I got the SC 5 for a ridiculously cheap price. I still use mine even though I predominantly play the same course most of the time. I find it still useful because

a) I tend to be a bit wayward off the tee so I can still get accurate readings to either get back into play safely or think about going for the green and perhaps more importantly

b) I now carry 3 wedges (52, 56 and 60) and SC is brilliant when I'm approaching the green as it lets me know what wedge I have in. Since practicing my wedge play at the start of the season and using SC I've come down from 14 to 11 and hitting my approaches much nearer

 

[JustOne]

I think they are excellent and I'd definatley get one if I were you. My brother borrowed mine and has LOST it... I'm gutted. Knowing your exact yardage is crucial, knowing it's a 9-iron to the front of the green and probably a 6-iron to the bak makes a huge difference with club selection, I wouldn't be without one..... (if only) ~sigh~

 

[Smiffy]

Knowing it's a 9-iron to the front of the green and probably a 6-iron to the bak makes a huge difference with club selection

But not if you've got to clatter a low scudding 4 iron out from under the trees eh James???

 

[DMC]

With a birthday coming up next month my wife has asked me if i would like a Skycaddie, I'm just not sure if i would use one if i had it.
Are they worth having and do they really help with your game, or should i go with a nice new R9?

Phil.

What will give you the most pleasure? thinking you have nailed one almost 300 yards or a wee machine telling you its only 250 yards?

 

[beck9965]

With a birthday coming up next month my wife
What will give you the most pleasure? thinking you have nailed one almost 300 yards or a wee machine telling you its only 250 yards?

Well the decision has been made and i pick up the R9 on Thursday (i might even sneak in the fairway wood as well) so i'll be using it in the comp next Sunday, handicap cut here i come.

Phil.

 

[Smiffy]

Well the decision has been made and i pick up the R9 on Thursday (i might even sneak in the fairway wood as well) so i'll be using it in the comp next Sunday, handicap cut here i come.

Phil.

Hehehehe!!
If only it were that easy


Good luck Geezer