Golf forum

I'm going back to the USA this weekend for two weeks holiday back home. I'm planning on buying a Sky Caddie there for at least $200 less than one can be had for here in the UK.

$239 for a model 4.0 and $439 for the 5.0.

Any recommendations on which one is better other than the obvious based purely on cost?

I would say the SG5 is better then the SG4. Better battery life and simpler connectivity for charging and accessing the PC.

However good look getting the US Skycaddie to work when you come back. They are serial numbered and you won't be able to register and activate it in this country as the serial number won't be in the system. You might save yourself $200 but it'll be useless when you get it back here.

Not true Chris, I bought my SG 5 from the states works perfectly , you wont have a three pin plug mains connector obviously supplied with a U.S. plug.  I charge mine via usb and it charges quite quickly.

David,  forgot about the charging issue.  I have my USA computer with me here and it's been plugged in non stop for one year now via an adaptor.  So far no problems.

So I'm assuming then that I could also charge this thing via my computer correct?

I've also checked the subscription rates, and can get all Europe as well and for a lot less if I subscribe via the USA. 

Just checked on the price i payed ,£208 delivered no duty from a US ebayer dealer arrived in about 5 days. The cheapest i had found here was £269 + £10 p&p

Chris W, it doesn't matter hwere you buy the SkyCaddie from. When registering you tell them your address, so it knows which region you live in. So, register as UK, and pay for the UK membership package (access to mapped UK courses), then you can't download mapped US courses. Pay for the worldwide membership, and you are sorted. Difference in membership is about £10 per year between the lowest and highest packages. 

P.S. - You should receive a USB cable and a wall charger (though as mentioned they had soem issues with chargers recently, so a phonecall to head office will get you one sent out). The USB cable also charges the unit via any PC.

It might be even cheaper for me to register in the states for a worldwide package seeing as I go there three times a year to see family and play golf.  I actually end up playing more golf during my vacation in the USA than I do here just because it's so freakin hard to find a golf course along the tube line other than Trent Park.

Not to mention, now that I've played Trent Park at least a dozen times, SkyCaddie is relatively useless there because I know all the yardages at this point.

But there are three people at least, on ebay selling these things for £165 ($335).  I wonder where these ebay powersellers get so many of these devices for so much less than the retailers?  And they are not refurb models either.

Skycaddie do a simple system where the more units you buy the cheaper they are. Ebay Sellers will buy in bulk knowing they can sell them. Guys like me in Pro Shops can't really order the huge quantitys hoping to sell them. So we may not be as cheap as Ebay, however we are a reliable point of return should you have a problem. 

I guess Skycaddie fed me a load of BS then. Being a Skycaddie agent they assured me that people importing Skycaddie's would find they wouldn't work or be supported by the UK registration system. Obviously I've never tested it as my own use Skycaddie is a UK registered model.

I'm guessing the only problem you'll have would be if it developed a fault and you wanted to send it to Skycaddie. As its not got a UK Serial Number they won't except it for repair or warranty. I have had an experience of that with someone who brought an SG5 into us. The screen had gone wrong, only lit up white. When we phoned Skycaddie Tech Support guy Tom he told us as it was a US Serial, they couldn't touch it. So we had to give the member back his Faulty Skycaddie and say tough luck.

**I'm guessing the only problem you'll have would be if it developed a fault and you wanted to send it to Skycaddie**

Chris the above implies you don't know for sure???

**I have had an experience of that with someone who brought an SG5 into us. The screen had gone wrong, only lit up white. When we phoned Skycaddie Tech Support guy Tom he told us as it was a US Serial, they couldn't touch it. So we had to give the member back his Faulty Skycaddie and say tough luck.**

This implies you do????

Now I am confused or are you!!!!!!!!

I'm not much worried about techincal repair issues as I have my brother back home who can be my point person if needed.  Plus I get back there three times a year anyway. 

But for the UK retailers, I don't see this fact that I am buying one in the USA and bringing it back.  I'm only one person and not a lot of people spend this kind of money for something like this anyway.  Not to mention, I have no business even buying one of these things because I'm lucky if I can hit a shot down the middle much less worrying about whether it needs to go 179 yards or 197 yards, or to this side of the pin or that side.  I may never be that good, but I want one.

And more importantly, I play more golf in the USA than I do in the UK. 

I don't play with anyone who can hit a drive over 230 yards anyway.

Because I'm such a short hitter, my second shots are critical.  Now if I am lucky enough to hit the ball straight and actually hit the yardage I want with that club, I'll be happy.

SO my second shot is always with a fairway wood.

And that's why I need a better yardage readout.  My 3 wood is anywhere from 170-200 yards; 5 wood 160-180; 7 wood 160-170; 13 wood 110 to 150.  Yes nice range of yardages right?  But I have them pretty well figured out just by gripping an inch lower for less yardage and a full swing for the top end of each club.  Most times the ball never goes as far as my preferred yardage, but at least does not go way past the green.

Checking how far you hit a certain club is somthing I find very useful with it. I now know that 285-290yds is a well struck drive with a slight draw in low wind conditions. In the past I used to go for par 4 greens that I could just about reach. Now I stand on the tee, check the yardage to the fron edge, and if it is over 300 with bad trouble in front, I don't even think about going for it. That's a huge bonus, and saves me a few shots each round, walking away with pars and birdies rather than doubles on what should be an easy hole.