Skycaddie GPS or Rangefinder

[Fourputt]

If I was to do it, I'd go with the GPS. I've looked at some, and I would go with the iGolf GPS. It doesn't have as many courses available at the moment as Skycaddie, but it is more user programmable, allowing IIRC 8 points per hole to be user input (once you play a course one time and take a few seconds to record each of those points, you're good to go from then on), whereas Skycaddie only allows for 3 points, all on the green. For better information you HAVE to download it.

All that said, I don't plan to buy either one any time soon. I can't justify that much money ($300 and up) for something that really isn't going to help my game significantly. I'm a bit old fashioned. I am quite good at estimating distances, even if all I have for reference are markers at 100, 150 and 200 yards. I can estmate my distances from those points within about the same accuracy range as the GPS (+/- 3 yards or 9 feet), and my game (as well as most players) doesn't require any better accuracy than that. Sorry if this offends, but there are damn few players who have their club distances so refined that 9 feet makes a difference in the final result.

So, y'all have fun with your toys... I'd rather spend my limited resources on actually playing golf..... I can get airfare to Florida and 1 or 2 rounds for what that measuring gadget costs. :laugh:

 

[SunnyDaze]

Indeed you can WBL.

Sunnydaze, what rangefinder do you have? How is it?

I have the Bushnell Pinseeker 1500 with slope. I know the slope is illegal, but don't play tournaments, and my wife didn't know that when she bought it as a christmas gift in '05, so I use it. (Note - you can use it without activating the slope calculator) I like using it. It makes me certain of the yardage to the pin (or whatever target I chose). The new version coming out soon sounds cheaper, and even better. I find it fairly easy to find the target. I have also recommended the Pinseeker to a couple of others looking to spend money on something like this.

The only downsides to it that I have found are its size (it's not very small or light), and the monocle (sp?) for viewing. Sometimes the monocle is tough to use depending on the angle of the sun, but I just use my cap to block the sun.

The last comment I can think of right now is battery life: the first set of batteries lasted nearly a year, whereas my friend's GPS system ran low on battery power in the first month.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

If I was to do it, I'd go with the GPS. I've looked at some, and I would go with the iGolf GPS. It doesn't have as many courses available at the moment as Skycaddie, but it is more user programmable, allowing IIRC 8 points per hole to be user input (once you play a course one time and take a few seconds to record each of those points, you're good to go from then on), whereas Skycaddie only allows for 3 points, all on the green. For better information you HAVE to download it.

The iGolf is also only around $219 or cheaper, and as they allow uploads, assuming they stay in business their course database will likely surpass Skycaddie. If not, you still have the device you can program yourself. You can also copy the courses off to your PC, and store I believe 40 on the device. It concerns me that if Skycaddie goes under, the device will be pretty useless with exception to the courses you already have on the device. Granted, Skycaddie will probably be around but if not you are SOL, and have to pay for the membership to maintain your existing courses that will not fit on the device.

 

[zaphod]

Bushnell pinseeker without slope. Ive own both with and without slope and unless you see mountain goats in the rough the extra cost isn't warranted. I pay $450 for unlimited rounds on my local 9 hole tract so the extra greens fees are spent on courses all around Wisconsin( a golfers paradise with many hidden treasures courses). Even though many upscale courses offer in cart GPS I like to keep my boots on the ground. At times because of the weather its cart path only. Also with GPS you are limited to what is programmed in.
The pinseeker can be used for other activities such as hunting, setting up your touch football field and complying to that COURT ORDER OF STAYING 300 YARDS AWAY FROM YOUR TORMENTOR.

:hunter:hope this helps

so long and thanks for all the fish

 

[warbirdlover]

zaphod,

Where in Wisconsin are you?

 

[zaphod]

check out your post about badgers basketball and who wins superbowl.

central wis 20 miles north of Dells

 

[warbirdlover]

I just checked on the SkyCaddie site www.skygolf.com and they have most of the courses I play in there. I also asked them to get some others. I think I'm going to go this route after watching the informational on GC. Dumb or smart?

:laugh:

 

[LyleG]

My home course and the 2 others I play most frequently are now all set up on skycaddie. I am awaiting shipment of SC2 model.

 

[warbirdlover]

That's the version I'm looking at!

 

[LyleG]

Then get it. I cant see it as being anything other than awesome. I hate not knowing how far things are, and trusting course yardage markers can be sketchy at best, and besides they dont put yardage markers for hole 4 on the fairway of hole 5 so really what good are they?

 

[titaniummd]

I am debating on Golf GPS systems versus Rangefinders with slope

Skycaddie Pros
More courses
True Green
Stores 10 courses if they are plotted by Skygolf

Skycaddie Cons
Annual fee
Store courses in a 'Skycaddie Vault' - when your subscription expires, your vault is gone
Stores only 5 courses if you plot them

iGolf Pros
Cost
Can download courses to your PC
Weather proof, like the Skycaddie SG3
Can plot 8 hazards on a course

iGolf Cons
Fewer courses compared to sky caddie

Sureshot GPS Pros
Keep track of stats, scores, golf club distances
Color screen
Stores 10 courses
Excellent customer service
Keep track of 15 hazards

Sureshot GPS Cons
Few Courses
No truegreen feature like Skycaddie

Golf Pro GPS/PDA version Pros
GPS capability
Keep track of 4 golfer's stats
Analysis of stats
Serves as a PDA, also

Golf Pro GPS Cons
Not weather proof
Shorter battery life

 

[sssmokin]

Originally posted by zaphod: Bushnell pinseeker without slope. Ive own both with and without slope and unless you see mountain goats in the rough the extra cost isn't warranted.

My question is............what about blind shots to the green?

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Titaniummd, nice points. I would only add two. I think a con for the Sureshot is the price, or it would likely be my choice. If you have a palm, another viable option would be intelligolf and buying a GPS for the palm. It allows front~back~center of green as well as three other points you can define on the course, with text, and upload and download. It was likely my second choice next to the iGolf. As I already own the software, a palm and it also tracks your statistics like the Sureshot. Basically it would work like the sureshot, but you also have to consider the downside of not only having the palm but the external Bluetooth GPS.

 

[JEFF4i]

If you had to choose, I'd say range finder, more universal.

 

[LyleG]

If you had to choose, I'd say range finder, more universal.

How do you figure?

Have you seen the list of courses available for the sky caddy? Its unreal how many there are now.
Mine came on wednesday and even though the course has a foot of snow on it I may go walk it this weekend just to play with the damn thing LOL.
The coolest thing is that when I am in the 11th fairway and shooting to the 5th green I will know exactly how far it is, not just to the pin but to clear the trees that seperate the 2 holes.