While most of us have one or two places that we frequently play, a lot of players like to venture out every once in a while to a course that’s unknown and unfamiliar. I know that I’m pretty familiar and comfortable with the yardages at my home course, but along with the excitement that comes with playing somewhere new is a certain degree of unfamiliarity which can lead to a few issues, the biggest being second-guessing club selection.
Since we aren’t lucky to have a Steve Williams or Fluff Cowan by our side every weekend, yardage book in hand, devices such as laser range finders and GPS units have found their way into a lot of bags, and it seems like they’re improving with every product release. Sometimes, though, these new features leave you scratching your head, thinking “Why didn’t I think of that first?”
One such product is SkyGolf’s new SkyCaddie SGX with SmartClub Technology. What improvements am I talking about? Well, you’ll just have to read on to find out more!
Before we jump into the new SmartClub Technology, let’s first have a look at the other enhancements in the SkyCaddie SGX. The 3″ transflective LCD screen ensures that no matter how bright it is outside, you’ll always be able to easily see the wealth of information provided, while the rechargeable Lithium-ion battery guarantees that you’ll have service for even the longest days, as it will give you up to 14 hours of non-stop life. One handed operation is simplified via the inventive dual navigation option. I know one thing I have a problem with, as I’m sure a lot of you do as well, is that my big hands aren’t ideal for use with most touchscreens such as the one on this unit. Luckily for us, the guys at SkyGolf addressed that exact issue when designing the SGX’s new UI, which is said to totally overcome all of the errors that are usually associated with large fingers and/or operation while wearing a glove.
Another integral piece to the SGX is SkyCaddie’s proprietary TruePoint Precision Positioning Technology, which provides positioning accurate within one meter, according to SkyGolf. Created out of a partnership between u-blox and SkyGolf, TruePoint gives you all that you’d want – quick, accurate location acquisition, and low power requirements.
Pinpoint accuracy is great and all, but latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates are useless without one big thing – maps. I’m not talking about satellite imagery maps like you’d find on Google or somewhere else on the Internet, I’m talking about maps that SkyGolf spends a great deal of time and money verifying. Luckily, out of the box, 30,000 of these maps are pre-loaded so that basically, you buy it, un-box it, and you’re ready to take it to the course! Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a reason to take advantage of the built-in storage. While the 30,000 pre-loaded courses have basic green information, the SGX allows the player to store 50 full-featured course maps.
The full-featured maps take the device to the next level with features such as HoleVue and IntelliGreen technology. SkyCaddie is putting together a ground-corrected archive of maps using true-color, detailed images so that the player has the most accurate representation of the course as possible. This includes the HoleVue Zoom functionality, which will let you see your target perfectly and avoid any unforeseen obstacles.
The IntelliGreen technology goes a step further when deciding on your approach shot by allowing the player to see the shape of the green and automatically rotates the image for you, based on your position. There, you can see the angles of the green and the distances to significant breaks in it so that you’re not left with that long march to the other side of the putting surface.
The SGX also offers a level of personalization, as it can be configured to learn the distances of each of your clubs and create a profile for each. Once fully set up, the new Club Ranging Meter will tell you what club is in that distance range.
A digital scorecard and statistic tracking system is built in as well, helping you identify parts of your game that may need work. Among the stats kept by this system are greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, and total number of putts. After each round, all of that useful information can be synchronized with SkyGolf’s new online system for further analysis.
Finally, we get to perhaps the most significant new feature – SmartClub Technology. Due out later this year, SmartClub Technology provides a wireless link between your clubs and the SGX unit. Via the use of a SmartClub tag, which resides at the butt end cap of the grip, the SGX unit and the tag sync once the club is removed from the players bag. This can serve two very useful purposes; first and foremost, if you’ve ever lost a club, you’ll be immediately thankful for the tags. The SGX Club Reminder immediately alerts a golfer when they’ve left a club at the previous hole, as they’re approaching the next one. The other main purpose is what’s being called SGX Game Tracker, which records the club used and the distance the shot was hit. That information, along with your score and other statistical information is then uploaded to Club SG, where you have a number of options for further analysis. Ultimately, it’s the most comprehensive way of automatically tracking every aspect of your game outside of videoing ever swing for you. Ya know, I might be on to something there…
I mentioned Club SG (Beta, at the time of this writing), which is designed to be your one-stop portal for connecting the player to their game, their statistics, their friends, and even their teachers. Though the beta site launched this past January, SkyGolf says that the community is quickly growing and evolving.
Our mission is to help golfers play smarter, play better, play faster and have more fun. We believe that if golfers experience more rewards from the game, they will play more rounds, take more lessons, get properly fit for equipment, and share their passion with other golfers, both new and inactive, to help to grow the game. The SkyCaddie SGX is not only the most advanced, reliable distance measuring device in golf, it is a platform that can extend the game beyond the 18th green. Moreover, it provides a foundation for improvement, while providing access to a passionate golfing community where players come together to enjoy the sport and celebrate achievements, which will motivate them and others to play more golf.
Richard Edmonson, CEO of SkyGolf
Of course, a solution such as this one comes with a healthy price tag. Though the price including SmartClub Technology hasn’t been made available yet, expect it to be north of the $399.99 price tag of the SkyCaddie SGX unit by itself. The release date is set for April 2010, so look for it in your favorite golf shop in the upcoming weeks.
Wish you’d researched and clarified the following comment: “Luckily for us, the guys at SkyGolf addressed that exact issue when designing the SGX’s new UI, which is said to totally overcome all of the errors that are usually associated with large fingers and/or operation while wearing a glove.”
Does this mean I can no longer delude myself that I hit my six iron 165 yards?
Nah, if you’ve been doing it for any length of time, a little more proof shouldn’t affect you much. It’s a finely honed skill at this point, your delusion, n’est-ce pas? 😉
Have had several skycaddie units-have had them refuse to sink with the computer over time. Tech support wasn’t real helpful other than send the unit back to have it happen again. Great system if it works-that is where the real upgrade needs to be.
How does the shot tracking work? Does the user stand over where the ball ends up and press a button to tell the SkyCaddie that’s where the ball is?
I’m not sure exactly what else you’re looking for, but I’ll be happy to help if I can. What part of it would you like clarified?
The SmartClub looks interesting. Hopefully this will motivate uPro to get their butt in gear and release an update.
The smart club feature piqued my interest. Below is a link to an image with the locators that attach to the club. I’m surprised someone didn’t come up with this sooner. I wonder how good they are at staying attached to the club and how expensive they are to replace.
How do they resolve these issues…
At my club, there seems to be some issues regarding the accuracy of the Sky Caddie relative to other brands. Wonder if there is any consensus about which brand is the most accurate? It is nice to have all those side features, but if the number is off by 7-10 yards, that’s a one club difference and defeats the purpose of having a GPS unit.
This is not a company I have a great deal of faith in. Previous sky caddies have had deliberately designed proprietary cables. You have to subscribe to maps annually that are never improved and multiple sky caddies that simply don’t agree on distances on the course.
So my question to the reviewer is, have you verified what sort of ‘time and money verifying’ involved. Secondly what did they verify, you don’t say. Did they verify that their lat and long are different from google maps or do they verify that when the course moves a tee box or a bunker or a tree is wiped out because of storm, they verify those changes on their maps.
Have you ever seen a sky caddie guy mapping a course, I haven’t and why should walking the course with their equipment be any more accurate than say satellites that map for example. None of this as far as I can tell has been researched and yet the reviewer says ‘skycaddie spends time and money verifying’.
Why is it that if my friends and I have six skycaddies on the course at the same time, they all give different distances? Just based on that alone, I have little confidence in their accuracy. I mean if there is that much variation in their manufacturing or components, what good are accurate maps? Perhaps the company doesn’t want to discuss this issue and is basically depending on gullible reviewers to help them cover it up with the map accuracy argument.
I won’t be buying their equipment and now no one in our group of 22 uses skycaddies because we could all see how poor they really were. It doesn’t speed up the game either.
Lastly ask yourself this, why is it that Natlie Gulbis helps sells the sky caddie but never uses it during a tournament even though the rules now permit it. I know they pass a local rule for tournaments to not allow it, but I think that is to help players not to have to depend on using these tools during tournament play. When I see the Pros use it to support their living, I’ll reconsider using GPS devices.
Paul, this wasn’t a review. Let’s be clear about that – it was an announcement. Our reviews are fairly clearly labeled as reviews, and we take reviewing seriously.
the skycaddie sg4 is great the 50% of the time it works. I had the 1st one replaced because it could not locate the satellites. the 2nd one does the same thing. If my garmin in my airplane did this i’d be dead.
From a Boeing 767 Captain…
I have had a SG-5 for 3 years and have not had any trouble with it. I have played 9 different courses in the area without any trouble from the SG-5. I have found that most individuals that have had problems do not upload new software as it is available.
I play about 4 rounds of golf a week.
Tech support is always very knowledgeable and have been able to answer my questions fully.
I am looking forward to the SGX.
I purchased a SkyCaddie SG5 about 2 years ago and have not had a single problem with it and I have used it in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and all over the USA.
Concerning Paul’s comments about different yardages; you do realize that the civilian GPS signal is only accurate to about 3 meters and this depends upon the internal electronics of the unit and the number of satellites it is tracking. With this being said unless you purchased all the units at the same time there is the possibility that they may be using different internal electronics which would cause the each unit to interpret the civilian GPS signal differently.
I would also like to point out that the SkyCaddie SG5 in fact DOES NOT utilize a proprietary cable. In fact it uses a standard USB to mini USB connector that can be purchased nearly anywhere.
Cheers,
Kurt
I concur I have used the SG3 and the SG5 for a couple of years now all over the world with ZERO issues in fact people where so envious of the SG5 that it was stolen out of my bag at my local club! (that is what i get for playing a public course on a monday). Anyway turns out to be a blessing in disguise as I just received my SGX and I am looking forward to smart tag technology!
It has actually been proven that satellite images can be 15-20 yards off easily and they are not updated on a regular basis, therefore if a course makes changes, who knows when another satellite image will be taken and the information on the GPS will be updated. SkyCaddie Mappers are trained in the US for weeks and must have a background in golf, this is 100% true. SkyGolf spends millions and millions each year on mapping and that is also a fact. The mappers map the entire circumference of the greens, every bunkers, key targets, the green tiers, and hazards. It takes the mappers approximately 4 hours to map each course, which is 4 hours more than any other gps company spends on their maps. SkyCaddie also goes out and re-maps their courses when changes are made. SkyGolf is a credible company and this is why they have partnerships with almost every PGA in the world (yet another fact).
I have a SkyCaddie and it works fantastic. What people seem to forget is that it is a technology product and like anything else, ipod, cell phone, computer… tech products are bound to run into issues here and there. I had a problem with my SG5 once and SkyCaddie Canada took great care of me, their customer service was phenomenal.
Paul- if a course moves a T-BOX that does not change anything because it takes the yardage from where you are standing. T-Boxes have no bearing on SkyCaddie yardages. Also its not like the mappers are at every course everyday so just because YOU didn’t see one does not mean that they are not out there working! And last but not least, SkyGolf uses Nathalie Gulbis for the same reason that companies use LPGA players like Paula or Michelle Wie, they are marketable, and if you had been doing your research then you would know that Peter Jacobsen, Hank Haney, Fluff and Mark Long also endorse SkyCaddie, maybe you should do the research yourself before you trash a company that you know nothing about. If your problem was with an SG4 then you should know that SkyGolf now uses new technology and the units are within a yard or two accurate and no other company comes even close and thats why SkyCaddie is #1 and used by PGA Professionals everywhere.
I have an sgx. (2 weeks now) Have been on the phone (holding) for the past 30 minutes. We have been unable to get the unit to sync other than one time. It worked well on the course, but without the ability to sync, the unit is worthless. We have tried all 5 computers in our house with 3 different operating systems with the same results. Add the inability to talk to customer service and you have two very un happy customers. We will be returning the unit tomorrow…….VERY DISSAPOINTED!!!!
The SGX is without question the most dissapointing purchase I’ve made in the 10 years. The first unit I purchased SG2.5 would not work without refreshing my link to a satellite almost everytime and now…the second one(SGX) will now not work and this is my second SGX, mind you, I had to return my first one…wanna know why….yep. IT didn’t work too. I’ll be taking this POS back on Monday morning bright and early…SAVE YOUR MONEY folks.
The most recent posts on the SGX are very helpful. I have had an SG4 for three years. For a long time I had problems connectnig to satellites on the course. Had to constantly reboot the GPS and it often took forever for it to find a satellite. That said, it was a wonderful device when it worked. And software updates in the past year have helped fix the earlier problems. Judging shot distances was always a weak point for me. It really helped with club selection – and my game isn’t that great that it mattered if the “read” was off by a few yards. But the SG4 seems to have become the “orphan” in the line. So I was considering updating to the SGX. Among other things, the color screen is more than cosmetic for my aging eyes on the course. The black-and-white SG4 was hard for me to see and getting more so. But now that I read the above SGX reviews, I dunno…
Just brought one home. I had problem initially syncing the unit. But after three attempts it worked. Also had not problems downloading courses (fav) for use.
Will update all when I have actually used the device.
It my golf outing was rained out the day after I got the SGX.
I too have an SGX and have experienced several of the challenges highlighted above.
Syncing – you have to upgrade your SW from Sky and that will take care of the sync challenge.
I know a little about satellites and your concerns are correct and valid, but that’s related to “all†devices, not just one vendor. You still have to validate your yardage with on the course markings, but when it’s working it’s not a bad tool.
Now, my real challenges are the device locks and there’s no way to hard reset the device. The features they claim (which is why I bought the device) Interactive HoleVue™ With Zoom*, etc. are not available at this time for most course. There support desk states they are working to map the course now and should have a better selection by summer. This is not good since that’s why I bought the stupid thing, without that it’s no better than the SG5 (just cost more.)
The syncing and handicap features are not bad, but you can’t change or modify any submissions. The other features like marking or measuring shots are cumbersome and can be great if dumbed down a bit (I am a 30 year technologist.)
This was like an i-product, all the hype of things to come only to learn they are to come after you have purchased the product.
I have had a Skycaddie SG5 for over a year and it is awesome. Not a single problem. Continual improvements via firmware updates. Very good customer service as well. I wonder if some of the comments above are inherent issues with GPS ie the fact it is not accurate to the yard. Not even Tiger is accurate to the yard though. Chill out! Skycaddies are awesome and I am very much looking forward to my SGX which is currently on pre-order (I am in the UK). I would highly recommend any Skycaddie device as between my family and I we have had just about them all.
everything they advertise is crap. I’ve used theSGX for two weeks. It is no better then the SG5. the battery only last 10 hours at best. the low battery warning gives you about 5 minutes before it shuts off. there are very few courses with the zoom feature and half of the holes it gives the same yardage for front, middle, back. save your money for about a year and then someone else will have a better product.
Should be easy to stay. Just take a golf tee like for training purposes stick it in and watch how it does not fall out. The fastest part of the club it the club head not the grip. So it should stay in place just fine.
I have had a SG5 for over a year and can only give praise to the device. Whether the latest Skycaddie SGX is worth the upgrade will have to be seen. At the moment here in the UK they have been delaying the official launch for the past 4 weeks and its not likely to hit our shores till the end of May. I suspect that some of the early teething problems outlined here by some of the guys has contributed to the delay in the UK launch.
The SGX is my 3rd Sky Caddie. The SG5 worked great, I guess I didn’t read further into the SGX features. I purchased it for the Hole View & Intella Pro green features as I play several different courses in Wisconsin & Florida. With so few courses featuring the Hole View now I can’t imagine how many years it will take to finish the job! I had an awful hard time syncing it untill I used the USB cable that came with the unit. For some reason the mini plug on a genaric USB cable does not work (another cable to haul around) A generic lighter charger seems to work ok! I guess the good thing is I sent my SG5 in for a $120.00 trade in. I will let you know when I see the check.
I have recently purchased my 2nd Skycaddie; a SGX model. I have used my 2.5 model for the last 3 years and loved it. It never once failed to sync or work on every course I used. As I am in Edmonton, Alberta and we have hundreds of courses in our area (most per-capita in the country!), I have used it on a lot of different courses, with stellar results. I now have the pleasure of taking the SGX out to play. What a machine! Easier to see, with lots of great features. More courses in our area are adding the new features almost weekly, so I’m anticipating having a great summer of Skycaddie golfing! For those of you with problems, too bad for you because my experiences have been nothing but great!
This is the first time that I have bought a measuring device (Skycaddie SGX) and to date I have found it to be extremely useful. I am no computer geek but I had very little diificulty getting that side of it all set up. As far as I can tell the distances shown seem to be pretty accurate. I have started to play a lot of senior golf matches and do find it invaluable when playing away courses. You get your distance and this makes it so much easier to commit to the shot you are trying to play. This also applies to chips and pitches of 30 yards. Even on my own club course you are making decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. The nett effect has been better scores and better ball striking, and better course management. I do hope that the measurers will hurry up and get all my local courses fully mapped up rather than just digital read outs of distances – pictures of the hole layout you are about to play are a great boon.
As for the guy who complains about the battery dying after 10 hours, my only comment is try playing a bit quicker – for everyone’s sake !! There is no excuse for two balls to take much more that three hours twenty mins and four balls 3hours 45mins. That makes the battery worth just about 3 rounds of golf.
I have to admit; my SGX gave me problems as listed by others. I requested help online from Skygolf and recieved multiple phone calls from tech support starting the very next business day! I was impressed. Now they’ve installed a new patch to my machine that fixes the problems others have noticed. What a great company! I fully support these guys and their machines! Cannot wait to get my hands on the Smartclub chip set! Someone tell me they have been released to the market?!
I have been using my SGX for a little over 2 months now. It was a rough start the first week as they had some issues with Windows 7 but those issues quickly went away with one major software update. I am a higher handicapper at 15 now down from the low 20s last year. I tend to be long and found myself flying the greens before I bought this thing. Now I no long fly the green. I go right, left and come up short on a mis hit from time to time.
Seeing that I hit my 4 wood 250 at Tustin Ranch yesterday on this short par 4 with 108 for my approach gave me the confidence to pull out my 56 which left m with a short birdie putt. I don’t get many of these holes as a boggie golfer so it feels pretty good. Do I need to re-download the courses after every major update? Yes. Did the little plastic door pop off the first week and get lost? Yes. Did the screen freeze with no way to turn it off after an update? Yes. Would I buy it again? YES.
I am extremely disappointed in the Sky Caddie and Sky Golf. I recently decided to purchase my first Sky caddie three weeks ago. I immediately had trouble getting the SGX to sync or registering the device. I found the Instructions were very hard to understand. I asked my friend (who has a SG5) if he would come help me and see if he could walk me through the process. He was unable and eventually the device gave me a fatal error. A nice red X appeared on the screen.
After calling support and finding out that they would have to ship me a new device, I was promised it would go out the very same day, second day arrival. When the replacement SGX didn’t arrive 4 days later I called again to get nothing but excuses and another promise of a replacement being sent out the same day which of course it was not.
When they finally did send out a replacement it was someone else’s device. Call them back to more excuses and another promise of get one right out. So here i am out $400 and no machine. Wouldn’t a reasonable person think a new customer would get better service than that?
Like i said i am extremely disappointed.
I have owned an SG5 for 2 years. The SG5 has easily taken 4 strokes off of my game (to a 9 handicap). Knowing where the pin is and being able to move the pin on the Sky Caddie makes me hit it to the proper area of the green more often, thus fewer 3 putts and an occasional birdie.
I have had no mechanical problems at all and all new updates have been easy to download.
still waiting on those smart club chips! c’mon, Skycaddie! Let’s get ’em released!
I used the SG5 in 2009 and had no synching problems. My complaint against it was that the screen was hard to read in sunlight. During the winter I decided to sell the SG5 and buy a Leupold GX-2 rangefinder, which I got for $265 on Craig’s List. I have not regretted the change. I now get quick readings to the pin, bunkers or other landmarks. I also am not spending $30 (or $60) a year for subscriptions. And I don’t have to worry about charging the thing after 18 or 27 holes. The SGX sounds interesting but I’m sold on the GX-2.
Paul
derrick jeter is on ford comercials do u think he drives a ford edge.
brett farve is on wrangler jean comercials does he wear wrangler jeans
I think the SGX is amazing best tool i ever put in my bag.. it is very accurate and yes i have seen a guy mapping the course from skygolf.
Is this unit automatic like golf buddy so when you turn it on it will show you what course and hole you are on?? Thanks
I have the SGX and I am very dissatisfied with this product. I got mine about the same day they were released. Since then, I have been unable to use it on numerous rounds due to it locking up during the start-up, the actual round or during one of the continual updates we have to down-load. Now it will not even hard reset and Sky Caddie is having to send me a new one. I used to have the 5 and really had no troubles with it. Oh for the days of old.
I have enjoyed SkyCaddie up to SG-5. Excited and based on the “marketing” of the SGX, I traded in my SG5. A mistake. The SGX locked up, did not proceed to the next hole and the screen was very, very dark – unreadable in any light.
Sky Caddie did replace the SGX with a new one. The operation of the SGX is okay, however, the screen CONTRAST is not acceptable. I have downloaded all of the updated software and still find it difficult to read!
The marketing photos of the SGX show a vivid, clear and easy to read screen. Not so in real life. The following is a quote from customer service: “The picture from the website is always going to look much clearer than using the unit in natural light in real life. There is not a setting that will brighten the screen as much as the picture of the device online.”
SkyCaddie has offered to replace the unit. My opinion is that the replacement will not be any different based on their response.
I would like to be able to view the screen as they advertise!
Once again, I have to say that the SGX has been getting better with time. I hope Skycaddie learned from this release and won’t release any more new models without more thorough proofing first.
I haven’t had any issues since the software update originally and have been impressed with the recent update improvements.
Still waiting on those smartclub chips. I want them for spring 2011 for sure!
when will this be available in the USA ?
I have had a SG5 for 2 years and never had a problem – easy to read even in bright Florida sun.Because I have an eye problem which means i don’t have binocular vision; and I have 4 wedges which with a 7-9 iron means I have a selection of 7 clubs to use in the final 130 yards, the distance measuring to centre, front and back of green has been invaluable removing doubt about which club to use – leaving execution a problem!
However, the information on hazards is not great. I hope the SGX with plan views will correct that and make it easy to see the distance to whatever hazard you chose.
Bought the new Skycaddie SGX day it came out. Love it. Had a problem. called and they replaced it without days. Service has been great.
I just traded my SG 2.5 for an X and absolutely have no regrets whatsoever. Now, if only i can shave number off my strokes, then it’ll be perfect!
I cannot read my SG2.5 lite with my polarized prescription sunglasses. Will I have the same problem with the newer models?
Had an SG2 and upgraded to an SG4 on both products I have had only good service, earlier this year I renewed by membership and the new Vue course an dthe SG4 locked the customer service sent a set up operation and took over the operstion on remotley on my computer and within seconds it was operational.
Excellent service
I have been around a course with a mapper who is a Pro golfer and they map a course like Billy Foster would for the worlds number one Lee Westwood.
Super product and now I am upgrading to an SGX can’t wait
Just upgraded from SG5 to SGX because my SG5 was randomly shutting down in the middle of rounds. When I first purchased SG5 had to return the first two because they could not find satellites. Unable to sync the new SGX with my computer after deactivating my SG5. Technical support gave up after 3 hours and said to return it to my retailer and to ensure the replacement has the latest firmware installed. I guess you have to open all the boxes and turn them on and check the firmware? I liked the SG5 when it worked, but SkyCaddie has not had a good track record. About ready to punt SkyGolf.