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To renew my Skycaddie or not to renew

SuperStroke
rjwiggall

rjwiggall

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Knoxville, TN
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I have a skycaddie SG3. It's one of the older models and sometimes gives me issues when looking for satellites, but overall works above average. I ALSO have a Bushnell V2 rangefinder that is awesome, but unless I get creative, every now and then it doesn't suit my needs (doglegs, blind shots, etc.), so I'm looking for some type of gps to fill the void (in addition to the rangefinder) where it lacks.

A couple days ago my skycaddie subscription expired. Knowing that there are other options out there that could be as cheap as the $50 renewal (the Bushnell gps that's currently on rbg.com is one example), should I just renew the SG3 or try something new that potentially won't have a contract. Keep in mind, for me, the almighty $ rules because I don't have a ton of expendable income to spend on golf stuff with two little ones running around.

What would you do/buy?

Thanks in advance,
RJ

*Edited for clarification
 
If it was me I'd just stick to the Bushnell, but potentially I think the new product that you don't have to renew would be a better investment.
 
I have a Bushnell as well and love it! I also have a basic GPS app on my phone if I should need something I can't get from the range finder.
 
Baldcopper said:
I have a Bushnell as well and love it! I also have a basic GPS app on my phone if I should need something I can't get from the range finder.
Click to expand...

Which GPS app? I've tried a few and they all seemed to be lacking (but of course they were the free versions).
 
Golf shot gps is great plus it does all the stat tracking. I had a sky caddie and never will again. Stinks to pay for the service and have to upload courses with a limit to how many you can keep at once.
 
I also use Golfshot and love it. I bought a Callaway UPro MX off EBAy and I am really not impressed.
 
I have a Golf Buddy Platinum and it works great. Only added option I would like is club selection and distance tracking.
 
Thanks for the info so far guys, I will check that program out. Any other opinions?

Tappin' on my Thunderbolt
 
rjwiggall said:
I have a skycaddie SG3. It's one of the older models and sometimes gives me issues when looking for satellites, but overall works above average. I ALSO have a Bushnell V2 rangefinder that is awesome, but unless I get creative, every now and then it doesn't suit my needs (doglegs, blind shots, etc.), so I'm looking for some type of gps to fill the void (in addition to the rangefinder) where it lacks.

A couple days ago my skycaddie subscription expired. Knowing that there are other options out there that could be as cheap as the $50 renewal (the Bushnell gps that's currently on rbg.com is one example), should I just renew the SG3 or try something new that potentially won't have a contract. Keep in mind, for me, the almighty $ rules because I don't have a ton of expendable income to spend on golf stuff with two little ones running around.

What would you do/buy?

Thanks in advance,
RJ

*Edited for clarification
Click to expand...

Question, why are you paying the 50 dollars a year instead of the 30 a year? Do you do a lot of multi-state playing or mostly in your state?
 
Never used skyCaddie but I don't really like that you have to keep paying them to use the device. I seem to remember JB posting about being happy to have moved on from sky caddie. Not sure what he switched to.
 
use to use phone GPS, switched to laser rangefinder and will never look back.
There is a rare instance where i use the GPS for blind shots or a hole overhead on a new course. those are about the only advantages.
 
johowdy123 said:
use to use phone GPS, switched to laser rangefinder and will never look back.
There is a rare instance where i use the GPS for blind shots or a hole overhead on a new course. those are about the only advantages.
Click to expand...

You must be one of those lucky guys who don't miss many fairways haha. I use both, sometimes together if the damn battery stays alive in the Bushnell. Bushnell's really only other negative is the fact I can't help but aim at the pin no matter the yardage when I know exactly how far it is.
 
I have a V2 I love as well but I see what you mean about getting creative... I would not renew that skycaddie subscription, I would put that money towards a newer, more advanced model that comes preloaded with courses (and is free)... Bushnell makes some nice GPS devices as well... Golf Buddy just came out with the "Voice" but Im skeptikal with golf buddy... I used to work at a retail golf store and the golf buddy quality just isnt there...
 
Centre said:
Never used skyCaddie but I don't really like that you have to keep paying them to use the device. I seem to remember JB posting about being happy to have moved on from sky caddie. Not sure what he switched to.
Click to expand...

That is true. I moved on and have never once looked back. I have two issues.

1. Why would I pay a company a yearly free that almost every other company that makes the same devices gives me for free.
2. Until they acknowledge the fact that they blatantly lied to consumers last year I have major issues with that.

Now to expand on the 1st one, it is a little easier for me, because I get to try all of them out for the most part, where as others must test in store or read reviews. However in my testing, I cannot justify any GPS units. Just as buying a cell phone, they eat a big part of the cost because you are in a contract and pay them monthly. Here is another part of it. If you stop paying, the unit becomes a brick. What about all of those courses I technically have paid for throughout my time? Nope, those are worthless. So I am paying for the privilege of owning the Skycaddie device as well as paying annually to keep owning one.

However last year they came out with a pretty revolutionary feature for the time. It was to change the way GPS units worked. It was shown at the PGA Show, it was written about in every magazine and it was sold to consumers after millions spent in advertising. Then guess what? THe feature never happened. Nothing, zilch, nada. Did these people get their money back? Even partial payment? How about an answer to the fact that they bought a device based on this partly? Nothing, zilch, nada. I have a major issue with that. Forget the idea of it clearly not working, that I have issues with, but can move past. The ego on a company to do nothing about it is baffling and the idea that they will not and do not have to answer questions about it is even more so.

So for those reasons, I will not pay a yearly fee for the right to use a device that has features and works as well as others on the market.
 
mward2002 said:
Question, why are you paying the 50 dollars a year instead of the 30 a year? Do you do a lot of multi-state playing or mostly in your state?
Click to expand...

The only reason I pay the $50 is because I'm very close to the state line and cross over into Georgia/Alabama to play on occasion.

Tappin' on my Thunderbolt
 
I used to have what I call a traditional GPS with the annual fee. Switched over to Bushnell laser and now the Warming GPS watch and enjoy them both. I use the watch on more rounds than I do the laser now. I have never regretted moving on.

TapAhoy!
 
I used a SC for about 6 years and then it went out, I did not purchase another as I too had grown tired of paying $50 per year (I play in several surrounding states) and decided to go with a laser unit. When you think about it I actually paided twice for the SC SG3 with the subscription included. Now I will never go back to a subscription unit and with my droid phone I use SkyDroid to help me with blind shots and distances to hazards, only $2.99 and it works forever and is every bit as good as the old incarnations of the SC, not bad IMO.
 
just purchased a skycaddie sgx, looking forward to using it.

As far as the $50, Im shocked on all of the complaints. People drop hundreds of dollars on "2nd and 3rd sets" of clubs that they rarely if ever use, so in all reality $50 seems like a drop of the bucket to have access to precise walked yardages compared to some other GPS's
 
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