When I first heard of a GPS system for golfers I wondered if someone was having a laugh at my expense. I couldn’t fathom out the point, after all a GPS system is to help you find your way around - at least in the conventional sense of it. I mean let’s face it, golf courses are big places, but getting lost on one is pretty unlikely (though not impossible!). It wasn’t until I was show some of Sky Golf’s range of
SkyCaddie GPS systems that it dawned on me what a good idea and how versatile these things really are.
Ok let’s start by clarifying things, these aren’t Sat Nav systems, nor are they there to stop you getting lost (though they can help you navigate around a course).
The SkyCaddie range of GPS systems are predominately range finders which in a nutshell tell you the distance from you current location to the hole (or pin). However to say that is the SkyCaddie range can do it selling it considerably short.
Let’s look at the top of the range
SkyCaddie SG5 GPS range finder and what it can do.
A quick glance at the unit itself and you can see it’s a nifty little piece of equipment. It’s about the size of a mobile phone, and not dissimilar in appearance. It features an array of buttons to help you navigate quickly to functions, a 4 way scroll pad to help navigate through menus and a very clear and precise LCD screen offing a full colour display to relate the information to you. It’s robust, functional, easy to use and compact – pretty much spot on.
It’s not just about looks though, it’s what is under the hood – so to speak – that makes this such an impressive piece of
golf equipment. The SkyCaddie SG5 has several very impressive pieces of software built into it offing applications to improve your game with a wealth of information to give you the edge.
First up is
IntelliGreen®. This amazing piece of software tells you the distance from your current position on the golf course to the green you have specified as your next target. Pretty cool, but it does more than that. It will tell you not only the distance to the pin, it will also tell you how far it is to the front and the back of the green to help you plan a better approach shot. You can also mo your desired target location on the graphical representation of the green to where you want to hit the ball to, and it will calculate the distance to there as well. All of this will help you choose the right
golf clubs for the right shots.
QuickVue tm is the next software application on the list. This provide you with a virtual preview or the safest route from tee to green, and when this is used in conjunction with IntelliGreen® you will know the safety route, direction for the best fairway results, the total distance to the green, the shape of the hole, as well as the distance required once the current shot has been played; pretty impressive stuff.
Intelligreen® Pro tm and
HoleVue tm – Both of these software applications are currently in Beta test stage, both will offer advance views of the course and the green, but are only available for a select few courses at the moment. We will discuss these in more detail in a later article. However the beta versions are available on the
SkyCaddie SG5.
Mark Your Ball – You can measure the distance of your last shot and record it to make your club selection easier in future, not to mention sped your game up as you’ll be able to select a club for a certain shot much faster.
Instance Distances to Greens and Hazards –SkyCaddie will keep you updated on critical targets as you move along the fairway. As it updates any hazards behind you are removed from the display, meaning you only need worry about those in your way. This updating is automatic, and the distances to these targets are clearly displayed for your ease.
Digital Score Card – This software does just as you would imagine, keeping track of your round of golf. However you can enter your handicap into the preferences and it will highlight the pars for your handicap for you. It can also, if desired, adjust your handicap based on your pars.
Up to 40 Targets Per Hole – In combination with high-quality professional course maps, that are available with SkyCaddie’s annual membership plans, the SkyCaddie can display up to 40 targets per hole. These ground-mapped SkyCourses include distances to hazards, fairway targets and layups that would not be visible with a laser or from satellite maps.
All of these innovations can improve your game immensely with all the information you need in the palm of your hand.
Along with the SG5 are the other alternatives that offer lesser degrees of software, but are perfect for helping worth varying aspects of your game. The SkyCaddie Sg2.5 is the lowest member of the family, with a smaller unit and monochromatic display. However even this model can benefit you with the IntelliGreen® software, digital scorecard, mark your ball and Instance distances applications as well as others. Not bad for the entry level SkyCaddie GPS range finder!
For more information on the
SkyCaddie, or to buy the SkyCaddie SG5, SkyCaddie SG2.5 or a whole host of accessories for the SkyCaddie range finder GPS systems, visit
www.golfsupport.co.ukUntil next time!
The Golfsupport Team
Here at Golfsupport, we all want to say a big thank you for all the support from our customers over the last 12 months and look forward to another 12 months with you all.
