Just paid the skycaddie subs

drawboy

drawboy

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Another £30 for the year. I view it as good value though for what you get. I play virtually every weekend and some evenings in Summer weather permitting of course and it works out cheap enough if I break it down I suppose. I know there are units out there that are sub free but if I sold mine (SG5) I wouldn't get a lot for it and buying a new unit would cost around 5 years subs anyway. Ho hum it's paid now.
 
In a situation like yours it's pretty much a no-brainer - keep the SC until it dies then replace with a new SC (a non-subs one if they're still doing it) or a different brand.
These days I can't understand anyone buying a GPS with a subscription.
 
I paid mine a couple of weeks ago and justified it to myself in much the same way.

It is a dilemma though, I've had it 6 years so paid £180 in subs. Do I keep doing this and spend another 200 quid or buy a garmin G6 or something and never have to pay subs again?

It all depends on how long I'm going to keep using it or how long it will last, I do begrudge it every time I pay it.
 
If I had a SC I'd probably do the same as you, but I'd begrudge it every time I had to pay. If I was buying a new one now it would be subs free.
 
I got the SC5 in Feb 2013 and got the first year subs free so this is my first year of paying for this particular model. Like the OP I play an awful lot so the cost of the subs is actually miniscule when you break it down over the course of the season
 
Our course is going through lots and lots of changes, and skycaddie are the gps that have done the updates as they have been changed. All the other units are out of date and still shows the old course and setup.
 
I've got the Sc 2.5 subs are due in June I am going to South Africa in November so will buy the world wide subs then I am going to get the SC Aire (no subs)next year and sell my Sc 2.5.
 
drawboy said:
Another £30 for the year. I view it as good value though for what you get. I play virtually every weekend and some evenings in Summer weather permitting of course and it works out cheap enough if I break it down I suppose. I know there are units out there that are sub free but if I sold mine (SG5) I wouldn't get a lot for it and buying a new unit would cost around 5 years subs anyway. Ho hum it's paid now.
Click to expand...

I paid mine 5 days late. After feeling relieved I'd got away without the "penalty charge" (barclays bankers) I realised (on opening my emails) that they'd offered me £10 off the day it became due.... as a temptation.

I ***** hate skycaddie. They make it up as they go along.

I think all of us who got into it early doors regret the sub fee. But, the catch 22 is the catch 22.

Personally speaking, if my SG dies on me, I will NEVER buy from them again. So, in the long run, they will lose. :)
 
Can't understand why people use a sky caddy when there are other items out there that offer the same thing but without the need for subs ?

Are the items themselves cheaper to buy ?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Can't understand why people use a sky caddy when there are other items out there that offer the same thing but without the need for subs ?

Are the items themselves cheaper to buy ?
Click to expand...
As I said earlier, skycaddie is the only one (compared to garmin/golfbuddy) that is correct on my course.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Can't understand why people use a sky caddy when there are other items out there that offer the same thing but without the need for subs ?

Are the items themselves cheaper to buy ?
Click to expand...

When GPS took off a few years back Skycaddie were the best, arguably they still are. The unit were freely available and good value. Also some other manufacturers charged subscription too.
Over time, units fro Garmin, GolfBuddy and others appeared that didn't charge subs.
SC continued to chare subs citing the fact that they walk every course and map them more accurately than competitors.
If my Garmin is a yard or 2 out compared to a Skycaddie I can live with that.
 
Sold my SG5 when the reminder came up after the free year. I rarely play away from home course and it doesn't change very often so the "we walk the course" thing didn't hold water in my eyes. Haven't missed it if I'm honest
 
BTatHome said:
As I said earlier, skycaddie is the only one (compared to garmin/golfbuddy) that is correct on my course.
Click to expand...

Not sure about Golfbuddy, but a quick email to Garmin to advise of course changes or a request for a new course are usually sorted ok for their next free update. I've certainly had loads of updated courses in nearly every update :one:
 
I would not mind if the Skycaddie units were cheap and they made the money on sibscriptions. Problem is they want to have their cake and eat it by making money on the unit and the subscriptions. Also do not like the fact that the unit becomes a brick if you do not subscribe. My car sat nav still works if i do not update the maps so why not your golf gps
 
GB72 said:
I would not mind if the Skycaddie units were cheap and they made the money on sibscriptions. Problem is they want to have their cake and eat it by making money on the unit and the subscriptions. Also do not like the fact that the unit becomes a brick if you do not subscribe. My car sat nav still works if i do not update the maps so why not your golf gps
Click to expand...

Because for the car gps you have bought the information, but for the skycaddie you're only renting the information. (Note that this only said as explanation and not as justification). And you can still use it for self-mapped courses.

I know that skycaddie still say they are the only ones who walk the courses -which can't be cheap, so I guess they have to recoup the cost somehow. But given that general opinion seems to be that people prefer to give up a few yards accuracy for a subs-free unit, then I can't see skycaddie's business model lasting much longer. Or will it?
 
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