SkyCaddie or PinSeeker?

[Rusterson]

I'm trying to decide between the two of these. I've read some feedback about the cons of each...PinSeeker must have a direct view of the flag. SkyCaddie only reads front/back/center and requires annual subscriptions.
Has anyone had experience with BOTH of these gadgets? If so, which one do you prefer? Anything would help. Thanks.

[iacas]

I'm trying to decide between the two of these. I've read some feedback about the cons of each...PinSeeker must have a direct view of the flag. SkyCaddie only reads front/back/center and requires annual subscriptions.

I have. I greatly prefer the PinSeeker. You know it'll work, you can point it at anything and get a yardage (a cart, a tree at the corner of a dogleg, the lip of a bunker, etc.), and so on. I don't care for the GPS solutions.

Read my reviews for more thoughts.

[MGP]

Since I have actually played a few rounds with my SG3 SkyCaddie, I'll humbly disagree with you Erik!

OK, I'll preface it with a few caveats. Assuming you have good signal reception and an accurately mapped course, the SkyCaddies are very very accurate.

I did some testing off-course and found my SG3 was accurate and repeatable to within 1 pace (~1 yd.). I also found that on-course it was very repeatable and coincided very closely with the yardages I actually paced off. I also found that some of the course markers were woefully wrong, but we all knew that. One sprinkler head was marked 150 yds. but in actuality was closer to 137 yds! I trusted the GPS and hit 8i dead center on the green. Had I hit a 7i (which I normally hit from 150) I likely would have flown the green...

That said, all the courses I play shouldn't have any signal problems. Most are wide open and not in mountainous regions. They have open enough fairways that large trees shouldn't be a major problem either. That may not be the case for everyone though. Also, before I bought my unit I checked the SkyHawke website and all but one of the 20 or so courses I'm likely to play this year are 4-star professionally surveyed and mapped courses. This can also make a big difference, as my following example will show.

My last round I was playing a medium long par 5, very hilly with a layup area over water in front of the green. I hit a decent drive (about 240, dead down the middle) but was in the valley between two hills. I couldn't see the pond, the green or the layup area (which is actually kind of small). I knew it was a 280+ carry over the pond and that wasn't an option. Since I couldn't see the layup area (or much of anything else for that matter) I would have had to make about a 75 yd. hike to the top of the hill to get a reading with a laser rangefinder. Instead, the SG3 told me it was 155 yds. to the edge of the pond. I pulled out an 8 iron (which I hit about 135-140) and hit my layup shot. It landed dead in the middle of the layup area and I had about a 120 yd. carry over the pond to the flag after that...

For me, the GPS is a more versatile tool. I'm less interested in exactly the yardage to the pin (although I'm certainly interested in that too) but more interested in yardages to clear hazards, landing areas, dogleg corners, ponds, creeks and so on.

To me, the GPS functions much more like a traditional yardage book than a rangefinder does since you don't actually have to be able to see the target. I also like the ability to measure the length of shots I hit during the round as well. It helps me ranging my clubs, which is nice to be able to do in an actual round under the conditions of play rather than at a driving range where the range markers and quality of balls are suspect.

Of course that all is conditional on getting a good signal and having a good course map. If I had to go somewhere unknown and absolutely depend on a rangefinder then I might consider a laser rangefinder. For me, the GPS works well so far. We'll see it it works over the course of this season but I expect it will.

[iacas]

Since I have actually played a few rounds with my SG3 SkyCaddie, I'll humbly disagree with you Erik!

How many times have you used the PinSeeker, though? And how much do you pay per month to maintain your SkyCaddie "subscription" - a big negative I didn't mention above?

For me, the GPS is a more versatile tool. I'm less interested in exactly the yardage to the pin (although I'm certainly interested in that too) but more interested in yardages to clear hazards, landing areas, dogleg corners, ponds, creeks and so on.

Aside from the rare situation - like the one you described - I can measure all of those things on the laser range finders as well. A lot of the courses in my area aren't mapped, and when I travel with my laser range finder, I don't have to worry about whether the course is mapped and whether I've downloaded it to my device.

Plus, I can use the range finder to see how far my house is from someone else's, can use it when hunting or scouting or taking pictures (photography), etc. So, it's a small point to make on a golf forum, but the laser range finders do have other uses.

I also like the ability to measure the length of shots I hit during the round as well. It helps me ranging my clubs, which is nice to be able to do in an actual round under the conditions of play rather than at a driving range where the range markers and quality of balls are suspect.

You can do that just as easily with a range finder too. You get "137" in the range finder to the flag, you hit your 8-iron, it goes five yards long... you hit it 142. Most people don't care (nor should they) how far - to the yard - they hit their driver.

But again, yes, you've outlined the positives of a GPS based system, but it doesn't sound to me that you have used a laser range finder long enough to really get to know what it offers. I've used both. I liked the SkyCaddie at first, too. I've settled on the Bushnell. P.S. Don't forget that overcast or cloudy days can goof with the GPS signal's strength, and since they're on all the time, they go through batteries very, very quickly.

[MGP]

SkyCaddie only reads front/back/center and requires annual subscriptions.

Not entirely true. You aren't required to get a subscription for the SkyCaddie to work, but you would have to map your own courses (it's actually a pretty simple process and only takes about an extra minute or so per hole). In this case, you would only get front/center/back readings for the greens.

The real advantage to getting a subscription is that you can download "4 star" course maps that have much much more hole information and detailed mappings of the greens (SkyHawke calls it IntelliGreen). If you are considering a SkyCaddie GPS then go to their website and see if the courses you play (or plan to play) are available as 4-star courses. If so, then a subscription is probably worthwhile. I think of my subscription as access to a bunch of yardage books, which is what they really are. As long as SkyHawke doesn't start jacking up the subscription prices, I think their pricing is reasonable. I found the course mappings for the two courses I've played this year so far (both 4-star courses) to be quite accurate for both yardages and green mappings. Good luck in your decision. I think either way you go you'll be better off than before.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

I got a Sky Caddie because I wasn't able to get accurate distances with a rangefinder. I had borrowed my brother's Nikon rangefinder and wasn't able to get any distances at all because I wasn't able to get a good fix on the flagstick, or whatever. I don't know whether this was because of my inability to properly stabilize the rangefinder, my eyesight, or what. Then another time, I tried one a player in my group had. That one, I was able to get distances to the hole, but I'd try it three times from the same spot and get three different distances, all of which were different from the distance the rangefinder's owner got, but all within about ten yards. But, ten yards is the difference between an 8-iron and a 7-iron.

Anyway, I'm not blaming the rangefinders; I just wasn't able, for whatever reason, to get any useful information from them.

I think Erik's and MGP's comments are both objective and that because people are different the rangefinder is best for Erik and the Sky Caddie is best for MGP and for me.

I don't mind the $29.99 annual fee with Sky Caddie; that's less than the price of a dozen balls and I probably go through about 12 dozen balls a year.

Cheers & good luck!

[Q.Q.Quillume]

P.S. Don't forget that overcast or cloudy days can goof with the GPS signal's strength, and since they're on all the time, they go through batteries very, very quickly.

I have the Sky Caddie SG-4, which has a rechargeable battery. I'm sure I'll blow a gasket when I have to replace that!

I can easily get two rounds per battery charge. Although I haven't played two rounds in the same day yet, I tried playing for two rounds on two separate days on a single charge and the battery charge held up nicely for both rounds. But there is no way I could do three rounds without a recharge. I would assume if you have one of the Sky Caddie models that use "throw-away & replace" batteries, you'd better have extras with you at all times.

[MGP]

I got the SG-3 and simply use NiMH AA rechargeables in it. I have zillions of them around my lab and they work fine. I charge two sets and take an extra set on the course with me now.

I thought about the SG-4 with it's rechargeable Li-Ion battery but then I also thought about the replacement battery cost.

[iacas]

I got a Sky Caddie because I wasn't able to get accurate distances with a rangefinder. I had borrowed my brother's Nikon rangefinder and wasn't able to get any distances at all because I wasn't able to get a good fix on the flagstick, or whatever.

You point them at the flag. You don't aim for the stick unless they have those little prisms built into them.

I don't know what kind of wackiness you experienced, but with the PinSeeker I can hit a golf ball up to about 100 yards away with regularity. It's accurate, has a nice circle to show you where the beam is going, and works well. Nobody has had a problem with it and we sure as heck aren't seen ten-yard variations. Range finders are, far and away, more accurate than GPS which has a tolerance of about +/-3 meters or yards. I don't have any experience with "a Nikon" range finder, but I think your experience is not the norm.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

You point them at the flag. You don't aim for the stick unless they have those little prisms built into them.

I'm sure you're right about that; I'm confident my problem was "operator error. The Nikon had "crosshairs" and I wasn't able to hold the Nikon steady enough to hold anything in the crosshairs. Maybe if I'd been using a PinSeeker I would have one now.

[Rusterson]

Thanks for the input thus far...

[iacas]

Someone just posted some damning information on the SkyCaddie on our review. See this link for more.

[Fourputt]

I haven't used either of the devices requested, but I have used a rangefinder and I've played with a couple of guys with Sky Caddies.

I have a Nikon ProStaff 440 rangefinder, and I like it a lot. I can pick up a limp flag at 175 yards, or one standing out in the breeze at over 200. They are easy to pick up by just holding down the button and slowly scanning over them. When I can't pick up a flag, I go for a player tending or near the flag in the group ahead, or a slope on the green, or maybe a bunker lip. I can always find something to give me a good reference, and I can shoot anything that will reflect the beam back. I don't need anything programmed, nor do I need a subscription to get the most out of my unit.

The GPS is fine until you need something that isn't programmed in, then you are left with your eyes and your judgement. The rangefinder is good for anything you can see that's big enough to get a sighting on. It doesn't work well through brush or other clutter.

[beung]

I don't see how there could be any question, I don't see how the SkyCaddie could be better then the Pinseeker?

One of the best thing about the Pinseeker (or any laser range finder) it that it can tell you the distance to pretty much any solid object. How far is it to the edge of the water, how far do I have carry the end, how far it it to that tree on the other side of the fairway?

You will notice that may of the courses now have reflectors on top of the flags now as they give the most accurate readings for laser range finders and they will put reflectors on the trees at the corner of a dogleg so you don't drive through the fairway.

[Lemay427]

i use my dads Bushnell Yardage pro that he bought for hunting. now that deer season is over its found its way into my bag lol

[jb1982]

I used to use a laser range finder, but the problem was elevated greens. In Montana, we have a lot of mountain courses with severe elevation changes. If you can't see the pin, you have no idea the distance. Now I use the SkyCaddie and it works great for those situations. The only problem is that some of the less popular courses are not mapped yet. I had to map my own home course. If you can afford it, the best bet would be both. But who wants to carry both units around?

[Lemay427]

is it hard to use the sky caddie for mapping? i would assume it calculates the elevations.

[beung]

It would be interesting to see how the SkyCaddie would handle elevation.

A couple of things to consider come to mind.....

1) I know that the Pinseeker /w slope are not legal for tourney play or for handicap calculations. So if the SkyCaddie did account for elevation change is it legal?

2) How does the SkyCaddie know up vs down? If the green is above me by say 20 yrds how is that any different in distance if it was below me by 20 yrds? In reality if your destination is 20 yrds above you, the shot would result in a lesser distance where as it would be the oposite if the destination was below you.