My new SkyCaddie "SG3"...Review

[golfchief]

1. Can you use rechargeable batteries in the sc #3 ?

2. Most AA rechargeable batteries are 1.2v as the regular batteries are 1.5v what affect
does that have on the sky caddie?

3. On the #4 with the expansion slot does that mean I can download more courses an just
switch the sd cards for more courses?

4. On the #4 can you use regular rechargeable batteries or do they have their own special
batteries?

[Q.Q.Quillume]

1. Can you use rechargeable batteries in the sc #3 ?

I have an SG4, but am not exactly a technical guru. Here's my take on your SG4 questions:

Q3 - If there is an expansion slot on the SG4, I'm not aware of it. I don't see it mentioned in the "SG3/SG4 User Guide" and I can't find anywhere on the SG4 one would be able to insert an SD card. I do have a digital camera with an SD card, so I am somewhat familiar with them. There is a note in the "SG3/SG4 User Guide" that says, "Your SkyCaddie will hold 10 published SkyCaddie courses and 5 unpublished SkyCaddie courses." Q4 - I seriously doubt, but don't know for sure, that regular rechargeable batteries could be used in the SG4. The battery that comes with the SG4 is rectangular, about 1.25 inches wide and about two inches long. It fits very snugly in the SG4 space for the battery. The battery has the following printed on it: SkyGolf, Li-ion battery 3.7V/1300 mAh, RoHS compliant plus the P/N and S/n.

[bogey33]

I have 2several questions and if these have been asked before I apologize:
(1) If your SG3's batteries run out while you're still on the eleventh hole, can you replace batteries between during rounds and still end up on the same hole in your GPS or are you done for the day. Is the inputted course saved when the batteries run dead?
(2) I'm standing on the tee box on a lon, dogleg left par 4. Can the skycaddie give me the distance to that turn? Or can I carry my drive over that creek that crosses the fairway by giving me distances on both sides of the creek?

Any input would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

bogey33

[Q.Q.Quillume]

I have 2several questions and if these have been asked before I apologize:

I have an SG4, but will offer my opinion on your SG3 questions.

(1) No problem. Replace the batteries, reboot the SG3, then when you get the screen that wants to know what hole you want to start on, just click hole 11 or hole 12 -- easy as pie. (2) I don't know about distance to the dogleg -- I haven't even thought about that. But, Sky Caddie does give lay up distances & carry distances for water hazards & bunkers.

[MGP]

Since I have had an SG3 for a while now I might as well answer these all at once for anyone else that comes along...

1. Can you use rechargeable batteries in the sc #3 ?

1. Yes you can. I use the same rechargeable AA NiMH batteries I use for one of my digital cameras.

2. No affect as far as operation -- the SG3 works just fine on two 1.2V cells. One thing you will notice is that the battery level meter will be slightly less than full when using fully charged rechargeable cells. This is because the meter is calibrated for Alkaline cells (1.5V full) vs. 1.2V full for the NiMH cells. Since NiMH batteries have a flatter discharge curve, the SG3 battery meter will stay at about 80% for a long time. It does work to show the state of charge and warn of low batteries though. You will get about the same amount of usage time on a charge with 2300-2600 mAH NiMH cells as you do with a new set of AA Alkaline batteries. I can normally get 2 round in between charges. I do carry a spare set of cells in my golf bag just in case... 3. Last I heard SkyGolf still didn't have any software that used the memory card slot. 4. No, the battery used by the SG4 is a custom Lithium battery and has a charger built into the unit. It doesn't have a regular battery compartment for standard cells like the SG3.

I have 2several questions and if these have been asked before I apologize:

1. No, you can replace the battery anytime. All the courses are "remembered" whether the unit has battery power or not. You can re-start the unit on any hole from the menu. You tell it what course you are playing and what hole. It all becomes automatic after that -- once it knows which course you are playing and what hole it will track your movements to each hole automatically. 2. If a course is a "4 star" professionally mapped course it will include distance information on creeks, bunkers, doglegs, layup areas and will also have the "Intelligreen" information. 4 Star course will typically have all points of interest marked as you would want -- i.e. yards to creek, yards to carry creek, yard to bunker, yards to carry bunker, yards to dogleg, yards to end of fairway, yards to layup area, etc. With the Intelligreen feature you get a view of the green as seen from your perspective -- if you move around the green it will change the display to show the shape of the green from where you are at. You get front center and back of the green distances plus you can move a "crosshair" on the green for the center measurement so you can get a more accurate reading to the pin location. It's very cool and quite accurate and easy to use. If the course is not a 4 star course then you get a lot less information. You only get basic distance information and no detailed course or green mappings. Check on Sky Caddie's web site to see if the courses you normally play are 4 star mapped. If they are then the SG3 or SG4 is pretty much like an electronic yardage book. Of the dozen or so courses I normally play, 10 of them are 4 star courses. My SG3 has been a big help to me and speeded up my play a lot since I got it.

[sboardz006]

nice review. My dad has a SkyCaddie & i love it when he lets me use it.

[bogey33]

Thanks for the quick reply.

[NXT No. 3's]

ummm i work for skycaddie in sales. i can answer anyones questions and for god sakes if anyone wants to order one ill give you a time to order when im working because we get commission on these things.

SG1 - Not even sold anymore. Was $229. Typical range finder nothing special
SG2 - Where intelligreen features start. Kind of older looking. Holds 10 courses. 10 hour lithium ion rechargable battery. $259
SG3- Same capabilities as SG2, water resistant. Takes 2 AA batteries (about 7 hours worth of life). Holds 10 courses. Basically a nicer model of the SG 2 with an LCD display $299
SG4- Same as SG3 (exactly almost). 10 hour lithium ion rechargable battery. Also has an SD card slot for memory expansion (this capability is not fully functional yet but will be later this year once they upgrade the software.) $349.

All models can be broken down into 5 payments as well (definitely the way to go). You get a 90 mfr warranty and a 30 money back guarentee with all orders.

My pick: SG 3 is FAR better than any of the others for the money. Your going to pay $50 extra for the SG4 to get the lithium battery (buy rechargable AA's for the SG3) and to get the SD slot which isnt even working as of yet.

And as a word of caution. If you have a MAC COMPUTER. Dont order.

PS. There are also TONS of accessories for these babies, dont forget that.

PSS You can request a course to be mapped and most likely it will be professionally mapped before next year. We estimate it takes about 10 seconds per hole to map a course if you decide to not go with the membership. Also, I have heard of people working a deal with customer service where they pay an extra $10 for the membership to get 2 states. BEWARE customer service is a bear. Its just an awful set up over there.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

PSS You can request a course to be mapped and most likely it will be professionally mapped before next year.

I requested that Caverns Country Club in Luray, VA be mapped -- not sure exactly when I requested this via the Sky Caddie website, but it was April '07 or earlier but not earlier than December '06.

So far, CCC hasn't been mapped. I don't suppose there is ever any feedback from http://www.skygolfgps.com to let customers know if/when the course they requested will be mapped? I know it would take me more than ten seconds per hole to map a course. I'm not SURE I could do it at all . . . but, maybe I'll try if CCC hasn't been mapped when I head up there in October. Thanks, QQQ

[NXT No. 3's]

I requested that Caverns Country Club in Luray, VA be mapped -- not sure exactly when I requested this via the Sky Caddie website, but it was April '07 or earlier but not earlier than December '06.

thats the tricky thing. They never give a time frame as to when the course will be mapped. They will get to it eventually though. Speaking from experience, they are losing a lot of business by not having courses mapped so getting courses mapped is priority #1.

The firm I work for represents: Skycaddie Guerin Rife F2 Bobby Jones Tommy Armour Momentus Medicus Super Stroke Plane Truth Fredericks Golf Shop Live and more... if anyone has any q's about these products shoot me a PM as I am extremely knowledgable about the products and the companies.

[Heathbeef]

I am going to check into the SG3. I saw it at my local shop today.

[iacas]

SG4- Same as SG3 (exactly almost). 10 hour lithium ion rechargable battery. Also has an SD card slot for memory expansion (this capability is not fully functional yet but will be later this year once they upgrade the software.) $349.

When I reviewed the SkyCaddie some time ago, I was told Mac support was on the way, just as everyone is now being told the SD card slot is on the way.

I don't believe much SkyGolf has to say, and for the cost, I still prefer the Bushnell or other laser range finders. I get an accurate number every time, yet I've seen SkyCaddies differ by five or six yards at times, and none of them actually give you a yardage to the flag.

[GoingfortheGreen]

ummm i work for skycaddie in sales. i can answer anyones questions and for god sakes if anyone wants to order one ill give you a time to order when im working because we get commission on these things.

Any help you can provide with yardage errors on the SG3? I think my device is a lemon. I compare yardages (with my playing partner's SG2 and yardage markers), and my unit consistently shows 10-15 yards more

I contacted Customer Service through email, and they asked I reboot the GPS (which I did) - no help. Before the yardage issues I had other weird experiences -- on a sunny day at my home course, my unit would lose signal during play of holes. I'd look over at my friend's SG2 -- full signal ?! Thanks.

[golfchief]

ummm i work for skycaddie in sales. i can answer anyones questions and for god sakes if anyone wants to order one ill give you a time to order when im working because we get commission on these things.

As for your prices their the same as my local golf store, so if i decided to buy one it would be from my local golf store to keep it in business. It has been rated in the best 50 stores the last 20 yrs. Thanks for the information you provided.

[Guest]

Skycaddie is a pretty nice all in one unit, but if you are you want something with more versatility, more features and more flexibility go with a PDA/GPS solution. It's the same price as Skycaddie (possibly cheaper) and there's no subscription. With software like Intelligolf you can track a crapload of statistics. You can also use the PDA as a PDA or use it for car navigation. I have a Sony Clie with the TomTom navigator bluetooth GPS unit. Although, if your not comfortable with computers, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Striper]

OK...been lurking here for a couple weeks and just had to register. You guys are insightful...and hilarious.

Reading this thread has pretty much convinced me to get the SG3. My golf buddy has the Bushnell 1500 and, while it's nice, I like what the SG3 offers.

Our pro shop sells them for $279, so I'll likely purchase it there.

A quick question to all, especially NXT 30 (since he works for a company that sells them), when was the SG3 launched and do we expect an newer version to hit the market in the next 6 months??

[NXT No. 3's]

too tell you the truth I have only been working there since may, so the SG 3 was released sometime before that. The SG 4 has been out awhile as well and the only POSSIBLE thing I have heard they might come out with is a laser/ GPS combo unit.

As far as the yardage differences I have heard about that from only 1 other customer. I know rebooting the GPS will pick up a better signal sometime... basically the only thing I can tell you is if its any bit cloudy outside its going to be off by probably 5 yards or so due to the moisture in the air bending the signals a tad.

[Striper]

Bought the SG3 last week and I'm really enjoying it. One item of note...customer service.

I had trouble getting the unit to sync with my laptop. Called customer service and got someone on the 2nd ring. He was more than helpful. Updated drivers and he hung with me all the way through registration. One of the best CSR's I've ever worked with. And.....he spoke English that I could understand.