skycaddie sg5

[matthewsgolf]

Just used my skycaddie sg5 today for the first time in a proam event at a course i had never played before (pennant park -north wales) It was fantastic. really helped with working out correct clubs to hit of the blind tee shots. Very accurate (i also have a bushnell in the bag too)
I was a amazed at the info it gave me. Cant wait to use it again.
Andrew

 

[HomerJSimpson]

What a great toy it is. Don't you just love the fact you can hit it into another postcode and as long as you can find it to lay it the SC will tell you faithfully, every time, how far you have.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I think the best part about them is when you use it to find out your exact yardage, decide on the club you require, hit it perfect and see the ball land and run out pin high, as if everything was perfectly planned and then for once perfectly executed. I don't have a hand held device but used a buggy that had a built in GPS system that gave you the yardages. I will most probably have one on my christmas list this year though I think they are great.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

eaglehunter

I strongly recommend getting one for your birthday (if you haven't already had it) or giving the piggy bank a raid and getting one asap. They really do exactly as you describe and that feeling when you hit a 5 iron to 10 foot having looked at the exact yardage and knowing you were going to pull out a 6 is totally brilliant (insert smug smile here)

 

[theeaglehunter]

Yea my birthday hasn't already been so I will give it serious consideration, and I have got myself 6 weeks work sorted for the summer so should have some loose change pretty soon anyway meaning I could get one sooner rather than later . Cheers for the advice though, you are obviously very sure that it will be a positive move so I will most probably buy one.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It comes with the legendary homerJSimpson thumbs up but don't take my word for it. There are a few of us on here with SC or Caddy Lite and most seemed pretty pleased to have them

 

[brendy]

Please dont shoot me down here, this is a genuine question, if it works for you then fine, but bear with me on this one. How many single figure golfers actually use these gadgets, the reason i ask is that I think it is a little more helpful than necessary using outside information than the usual 100,150 and 200 yard markers. Im sure old Tom Moris etc never meant for their courses to be disected and made easier with these things.
As I said, I just dont get it but if you do, fine, please explain to me why these should be used when all the information you need is supplied on the course card,markers,your legs and eyes?

 

[theeaglehunter]

Yea don't worry I won't ask you for my money back if I don't like it...anyway I was wanting one/ considering one anyway. I do like my gadgets, golfing or anything else. I'm sure I would love it.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I don't have one so can't really answer Brendy (sorry was writing my post when you posted hence the second reply) but if I were to buy one it would be on the grounds that it is more accurate in terms of distance as well as easier to generate these crucial figures. I accept that single figure golfers may not need one but if they had the option of using there mates GPS or pacing out the yardage from the 150 marker I think the majority would use the electrical device. Just my opinion though.

 

[brendy]

Matey everyone has their opinion and is welcome to use whatever means they want, what got me thinking is that our markers are checked annually for accuracy and are kept +- an inch, I suppose they do move slightly due to mild errosion and soil shofting as it is saturated and dried out by the weather, but to me this is enough to calculate how far to the green then onto the flag, maybe this is a new fashion in golf and im a little old skool (haha im 31!!)

 

[theeaglehunter]

Nah I accept what your saying and agree about how yardage markers can be very accurate, althoguh I am not sure mine are checked every year (I may have to find out about that) plus the effects of soil movement on them is absolutely minimal and when I start worrying about inches of distance to the hole you can have a cut of my winnings . But it would certainly be easier to look at a screen than pace the distance out, but again I accept that particularly at my standard of play you may as well pace it out slightly inaccurrately as I am really not worried about a foot or so in distance. But as I said earlier its just a fun gadget and whilst it may not have any actual affects on your game for some the mental confidence it provides in having the right club in your hand is enough to inspire a better shot. Each to their own though.

*cough* old timer *cough*

 

[brendy]

Good reply matey, im not saying that -+ a few inches is going to matter either, just that they are pretty accurate.
I suppose my old fartedness in some ways is coming to the surface here! its not something ive pondered really for any amount of time before but I wonder if its akind to playing with players clubs rather than starting with big chunky oversize irons, if you learn the hard way perhaps its for the best, then again, that wont work for everyone either will it!!

 

[madandra]

Brendy, I use one because the course I play (Shotts) has inaccurate and at times NO yardage markers. My brother in law uses one at Colvilles Park in Motherwell because in their infinite wisdom the committee had all yardage markers lifted BECAUSE IT ASSISTED THE AWAY TEAMS IN MATCHES !!!!

So there are some instancies where GPS can speed up the play and as soon as I get comfortable with my home course I will tuck my Caddy Lite away until I am on a new course.

 

[brendy]

They lifted the markers? bloody hell thats pretty grim!
I have never used nor seen anyone use a skycaddy so any honestly want to know how it helps us, that aspect could definately be a time saver madandra.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

From my perspective I feel that it helps speed the game up. My course only has markers at 200, 150 and 100 which is great if you are playing from the short stuff and have time to pace from the nearest marker to your ball. Our scoresaver booklet has only minimal information on most holes (hence I have added my own yardages from SC to supplement these in competitive play).

The problem I am having is that on more than one occassion per round I am hitting from adjacent fairways. Apart from the old fashioned way of using my eyes and best estimation, the only way to get any realistic idea of how far to the green (or carry hazards) unless I hold everyone up by pacing it is to use SC.

I accept 100% brendy's argument that the better golfer will not benefit hugely from these devices (particularly as they tend to keep the ball on the hole they are playing). However one area they may benefit from is the facility for marking out how far a shot is struck. Surely even the best golfer would benefit from knowing they strike a 5 iron say 170 yards. Surely that must help them making club selection choices.

By using SC or similar on the practice ground it is possible to build up a realistic distance for every club, especially if you do it into and down wind to recreate the prevailing conditions on the course.

It is the old horses for courses scenario. I'm happy with mine and would recommend it to anyone who asked me. If you don't see the need or feel you would benefit leave your money in your wallet

 

[brendy]

Good for you mate, a clear and reasoned answer and there was me thinking i was going to get jumped on for asking what I thought might be a contentious question. Im glad I did as it has made me more aware of why they are popular.

 

[madandra]

Brendy, I always have to walk away from my ball deep in the woods to the centre of the fairway to get a yardage then tramp all the way back to my ball. With the CL I just move a yard or two until there is a break in the follage so I can see the number on the screen and then hit my ball again and again and ag....

 

[USER1999]

I can see how it gives yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, but how does it know where the pin is?

Obviously a bushnell lazer jobby reflects off the stick so you know exectly. Another question though, seeing as I know nothing about either of these gadgets. Do you need a special type of flag stick with a bushnell? When I played in the states, the pins had some reflective crystals inserted in them for use with range finders.

 

[Doh]

Im with Brendy on this one although some good arguments for them also. I prefer my golf o-naturel if i stray off the fairway then the satisfaction of working out which club to use from a unfamiliar yardage and getting it right means i can trust my own judgement and feel and that runs throughout your game.

 

[Marko77]

How many single figure golfers actually use these gadgets,

I'm single figure and use one and know others that are thinking of getting one now they are becoming more and more accepted for use because they see serious benefit in having that distance information instantly to hand. The problem in this area is that whilst clubs have permitted them for use in competition the County has yet to approve it for use in their own specific competitions.

One might ask, why do people have GPS in their cars? Surely they have some rough idea where they are going and how long it will take to get there? I don't have GPS in my car but understand why others might choose to.

I really don't understand why people roll their eyes at the mention of GPS. Fair enough, it isn't natural, but neither are graphite shafted clubs, oversize irons or are the variety of putters or balls on the market today.

Lets all go back to hickory shafts, mashies and pencil carry bags if we want it all natural and fair.

The GPS does nothing but tell the player information. That player then has to use that information so, there are still a number of variables that can affect the outcome.

We are in an age where slow play is the burning issue. My own feeling is that this kind of device is an aid to that issue.

Watch someone on the course with a yardage book pacing around and time how long it takes them from arriving at their ball to when they actually hit it after their pacing about and practice swings.

Of course not all players, pace out yardage or take practice swings and forgive me for my generalisation here, but the players that don't are generally not single figure handicaps but they complain at the players that do (from my experience)