Skycaddie - is it The Daddy?

[billyg]

Starting to flirt with the idea of getting one of these things and wondered if anyone had any input?

Prices seem to range from £170 to £299. If all I want is the raw GPS data what's to commend spending anymore than £170 on the entry level S 2.5? (apart from a colour screen etc.)

Any other manufacturers that match this brand for quality and reliability?

bill

 

[madandra]

billg, Marko77 has one and it is the dogs danglies. I have been looking at them for 3 weeks and am trying to get the most for my £. The Golf Plus Caddy Lite is only £129 new but I haven't seen on yet.

They are the future, like cheesecake and garlic bread.

 

[markwarne]

I have heard of these, but can't comment.

At the risk of being called an over-familiar contentious newbie, do you not think it takes an element of fun out of the game.

Obviously it helps to know your yardages and you could pretty much guarantee that if I was told the pin was 150yds away, I would take my 7 iron out and probably hit the best shot of my life over the green and into a pond / bush / back garden.

Cue Big Strop and Skycaddie going the same way

 

[madandra]

MW, perhaps when you first take up golf it is fun but when your only purpose in life is getting your handicap down you soon realise that blasting the life out of a 9 iron was never going to get your ball 170 yards to where you want it to be. The sky daddie concept actually speeds up your round as you don't have to pace everything out in order to hit the correct club.

Here is a link to the one I am looking at.


Caddy Lite SE

 

[Parmo]

Isnt it slightly cheating? I mean using gadgets to judge distance rather than golfing ability, I prefer to see golf as fun and a learning curve and these gadgets seem to make the game robotic.

 

[markwarne]

Good point I guess.

Given I am in the process of getting the handicap down from a high number (read: I am inconsistent), perhaps its a good thing for a few years time when I hope to be knocking on the door of single digits.

 

[billyg]

I have heard of these, but can't comment.

At the risk of being called an over-familiar contentious newbie, do you not think it takes an element of fun out of the game.

Obviously it helps to know your yardages and you could pretty much guarantee that if I was told the pin was 150yds away, I would take my 7 iron out and probably hit the best shot of my life over the green and into a pond / bush / back garden.

Cue Big Strop and Skycaddie going the same way

It's only really a minor step up from using a stroke saver combined with yardage posts or (in the case of my course) coloured blobs on the fairway. There never seems to be a blob around when I need one though- (no laughing at the back Smithers)

That's a tidy lookin' wee sleekit timorous beastie M. Bright pink - never loose that in the long stuff eh?

 

[MVP]

How do i know what courses it works on?????

 

[Marko77]

LOL, slightly cheating! Its just an advanced strokesaver - only instant knowledge. No pacing about taking up valuable minutes.

As Mad says, I have the Sky Caddie SG3 and am glad I bought one after thinking about it for nearly a year. At one glance you instantly know the distance so you can then turn attention to slope/wind....any other elements.

Does it take the fun out, no. It enhances my enjoyment as it arms me with more confidence to try and get the ball as close as I can. I find it more of assistance with shots 120 yards and in as I'm refining my short game swing I'm quickly learning what wedge/swing consistantly hits what distance.

Watch out, the PGA have just approved them for using in their competitions. I fully concede though that there will be traditionalists against this, but look at anything in life. There's always people ready to oppose something....

 

[billyg]

How do i know what courses it works on?????

go to the respective homepage,find the courses page and type in your course -it'll soon tell you if it's been mapped.

Skycaddie works with Mac (for those who need to know) still checking out the 'Lite'

There seems to be an annual fee to pay for access to the database and the amount of courses each model holds seems to vary.

 

[Marko77]

How do i know what courses it works on?????

From a Sky Caddie point of view, you check their website and each course has a rating 1-4 star.

4 star means you get more info, for example, standing on the tee it will advise to fairway bunkers...etc 1 star will just be green info.

You do have the option of mapping your own course. I guess it would take a fair amount of time to do this properly though.

As others have said, there is an annual fee. This allows unlimited downloads however there is a limit to how much a unit can hold. If you are only ever going to play say 10 courses then you don't renew, you can still use the device for these courses after year 1, you just can't access any more unless you pay again. At the moment there is no pay as you go service.

 

[billyg]

Are you happy with it Marko?

Which model do you have?

What's missing that might make it better?

What's it got that you never use?

Did you buy any accessory bits for it?

How's it hold up in the rain?

(sorry for firing so many questions)

 

[Marko77]

Are you happy with it Marko? Yes, very pleased

Which model do you have? Sky Caddie SG3

What's missing that might make it better? Nothing to mind, a Paula Creamer screensaver would be nice I suppose

What's it got that you never use? Its a pretty basic tool, not much not to use to be honest

Did you buy any accessory bits for it? No, it came supplied with a belt clip which I use to clip onto the bag - personally feel no need for a case, its a sturdy thing.

How's it hold up in the rain? Holds up well, I tend to make sure its covered by towel or in a pocket though. It is stated to be ok in the rain but better safe than sorry I say

 

[billyg]

Are you happy with it Marko? Yes, very pleased

Which model do you have? Sky Caddie SG3

What's missing that might make it better? Nothing to mind, a Paula Creamer screensaver would be nice I suppose

What's it got that you never use? Its a pretty basic tool, not much not to use to be honest

Did you buy any accessory bits for it? No, it came supplied with a belt clip which I use to clip onto the bag - personally feel no need for a case, its a sturdy thing.

How's it hold up in the rain? Holds up well, I tend to make sure its covered by towel or in a pocket though. It is stated to be ok in the rain but better safe than sorry I say

Thanks for that - plenty to ponder

 

[stevelockie]

Looks interesting. I have had a shot of the laser rangefinder gadget, can't remember the make. It was more expensive though, over £200 for the Daddy model.

 

[Parmo]

What next, something to take your shots for you

 

[toonarmy]

Isnt it slightly cheating? I mean using gadgets to judge distance rather than golfing ability, I prefer to see golf as fun and a learning curve and these gadgets seem to make the game robotic.

Erm, if using these is cheating a) every professional golfer in the world is a cheat and b) the R&A wouldn't have just allowed their use in all competitions.

I personally am waiting a while until the market takes off (as a result of the R&A ruling) and there's greater choice and pricing - I'm not spending more on one for golf than I spent on one for the car!

 

[Parmo]

I meant on ones self rather than by the rules. I would of thought part of the game was learning to judge distance and when you get it spot on it gives you something rather than a machine doing something for you, it just seems people want something to do everything for them was all I was saying.

Hey each to their own, I like the ability to judge distances and its something I have learnt and I really don't take it all that serious and when I get it right I prise myself rather than a machine.

 

[Marko77]

Parmo, like everyone, your entitled to your view.

Quick question though, how many tour pro's do you think are good at judging distances, etc and how many do you think would be lost without their caddy telling them every last detail?

I'd say 60% of them would be stuck.

 

[madandra]

REangefinders that guage the wind speed and direction are illegal but as Marko said this is just an instant strokesaver. It odes not tell you any increade in wind or elevation to the green that is still your call.