Sky Caddie or Bushnell?

[daidee]

I don't know if this topic has been asked, but I'm confused to which one to purchase. What do you guys prefer base on your experience, Sky Caddie or Bushnell? Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[golf80808]

I just got a Bushnell 1500 no slope. It' great.

[jelizaga]

I have tried Skycaddie, Pinseeker with and without slope. I prefer the pinseeker. Skycaddie works well, but I feel like I can get a more exact distance to the pin with the pinseeker. The skycaddie is perfect if you want to know distances in a split second. Makes golf a lot faster.

 

Either way you can't go wrong. :tongue:

[pitbull808]

I don't know if this topic has been asked, but I'm confused to which one to purchase. What do you guys prefer base on your experience, Sky Caddie or Bushnell? Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

After I clicked SEARCH up in red in the header section and typed in Skycaddie...these are some of the links that came up. ;)

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?ac...hlite=skycaddie

 

 

A whole plethora of topics regarding skycaddie questions.

 

In my opinion...Bushnell for the practice range. Skycaddie for the course.

[enickma]

I don't know about the skycaddie, but my Bushnell comes in very handy when I need to know how far it is to fly the trees to get BACK to the right fairway! The Bushnell rocks at getting exact yardages to other important things like landing areas: for instance exactly how far it is to carry one bunker/hazard, and how far it is to the next bunker. A lot of the courses I play are riddled with bunkers, so knowing not only how far to go, but how far not to go is key. The Yardage Pro 1500 with pinseeker is most excellent

[jasba]

I recently played with someone who had a skycaddie and another who had a bushnell in the same foursome. Both worked great, they were always within 1 yard of each other. I was really impressed with the skycaddie, but with the bushnell you do not have to pay a subscription every year........

[dethman]

i have a pinseeker 1500 and love it. easily picks out yardages for anything around i would ever want to know. thought about a skycaddie, but still concerned about accuracy and a few courses around me aren't mapped. also, why would i pay 30 bucks a year for a skycaddie.

 

still i don't think you can go wrong either way.

[LyleG]

Ski caddie, and heres why

 

what if you want to know the carry distance of a small creek that is in a small valley. From the tee you cannot even see the creek or the valley. The ski caddie will give you distance to the front of the hazzard and the back.

 

What if your line to the pin is blocked out. Say you are in the wrong fairway for example. Again, ski caddie wins.

 

I had a 1500 last year and sold it on e-bay, it was no where near as easy to use as the ski caddie I replaced it with. The ski caddie also gave me 10 times the info without any pointing or aiming.

[SwingMan]

The answer depends on who you are --

 

The Laser-based systems (Bushnell, Leica, Nikon) are relatively hassle-free in terms of maintenance. On the course, it is a PITA to take it out of the bag for each shot. Even with Pinseeker tech, you've still got to press the button twice to confirm your reading - from longer distances, you can still get a false reading esp when the flag is still but you will get a good read. They are a heckuva lot better than the old laser systems. A good system. But it still can't see around doglegs, through trees, etc. It's great to have on ranges or when practicing the short game. It gets you exact pin positions.

 

The SkyCaddie works well if you use several courses or travel and the courses are all mapped in your area or the area you are visiting. You've got to recharge it. You've got to download courses. You've got to pay the $30 or so fee. You've got to purchase batteries more often.

 

On the course, the Caddie is normally a dream. It can see through anything, gives front and back of green and all hazards, end of fairway, to water, over water, to bunker, over bunker. It is great when you play courses with which you are not familiar. In that way, it is better than lasers. No hassles usually on the course.

 

Having said that, if you play one or two familiar courses and don't travel much, the laser-based system will be the better value. When you grow accustomed to a course, the need for the Caddie decreases and it is easier to use a laser for short game and range practice.

 

So it depends on the above factors and how they fit you, your area, plans and your personailty.

[simpy19]

I just got the Bushnell Pinseeker Medalist and have been pleasantly suprised how easy it is to use. I was concerned about keeping my hand steady enough, but not a problem at all. Comparing it to course yardage markers and clubs I was hitting, it has been spot on. I considered the Sky Caddie, but didn't like the membership fees on top of the unit itself. The only think to watch out for with the Bushnell is only thinking yardage to the pin. But, if you know the course, to the pin is usually all you need.

[drpino]

great thread...i'm deciding between the two at the moment and the information and experiences detailed here are very helpful.

[herkyjerk]

I have the SG4 Sky Caddie and love it. I'm a golf traveler & find the caddie to be awesome on new courses. I like the shot distance mark feature especially which you won't get on a laser. I'm not one of those idiots that will rip a product just because I don't use it. I have heard nothing but good things about the Bushnell products. I chose SC because it's more of a toy with instant gratification. It was expensive & I like expensive toys cuz I got ca$he. :potofgold:

[finalist]

I really want a bushnell. I practice at the range waaay more than I play, and I never know the real yardages to the range markers. I can't stand that at one range my 7i goes 145-155 than at the next it's 155-165... Bushnell can fix that. For playing rounds though I think the Skycaddie would be easier, faster, and less user error?

[DarthFierce]

A friend of mine has the Bushnell and I have a SkyCaddie. We compared and they were most often exactly the same yardage. However, it took him 4 times as long to get his reading, plus he had to have a clear view of the target.

 

I LOVE my SkyCaddie and would recommend it very highly. However, I play the same 9 or 10 courses all the time and they are all mapped. If that were not the case I would probably not be so high on it.

[golf80808]

Can the Sky Caddie tell you how far your neighbors windows is? I think not. Just in case you skull a wedge shot in your backyard, you may have to pay for the repairs.

[Beavs17]

Pinseeker TE...hands down for me. The comment saying it takes four times as long is completely off base in my experience. I play with a guy who has a SC, and if riding in a cart I can have the pin scoped before the numbers on his SC ever stop moving. If walking, they take roughly the same amount of time. The laser takes far less time than stepping off yardages...so they are both a timesaver in that regard. Plus he is always second guessing the yardages that the SC gives him, with the Pinseeker I have complete confidence in the yardage I'm playing. Heck, half the time he asks me how far out he is....

 

You can always find a tree, a bush, a mound to scope to get carry distances. Plus I like having exact distance to the pin, and not just a guesstimate based on where you think the pin is in relation to the center of the green.

[Smooth spin scott]

I recently purchased a Bushnell Pinseeker (no slope), since one of my friends has one I have been lost when I don't play with him. I have heard great things about Skycaddie but have also heard that sometimes yardages are way off and trying to get a GPS signal is not always the easiest. I view the Pinseeker as simply an aid.

1) If I am in the trees who cares if I can't get a reading, chances are I'm going to get the ball back in play, not even thinking of the pin.

2) Will I use it from 70 yards in probably not, golf is still a feel game.

3) If I can't see the flag in those rare circumstances I will guesstimate from the on course yardage markers.

 

Pinseeker - clear view to flag, awesome... teeing off wanting to know distances of traps, water, etc, awesome. Having to explain to your wife that you just spent $300 on a golf Laser Finder..priceless

 

Regardless I think either option is better than none.... Play well!

[toddnt]

SC, its fast and it can tell you how far you hit your shots.

[JerseyGolfer]

Where can you find out if the course you play is mapped out? I play mostly Public courses, Will they be mapped out in the future? The Bushnell might be good for me because of that.

[Golfcat]

First...I walk the course

Second...My course has pin sheets

 

I set my bag down...look down at the sky caddie while checking the pin sheet, and pull my club. Real simple for me as I can pull the trigger rather quickly. My course has really firm greens and I truly love the front edge of green reading as well as the back edge.

 

I disagree with those who say it is best for travel...I play mainly one course, but I do not have one of those memory banks that can store all of those numbers (over bunker, front edge of green).

 

I play with a chap that has a laser...spot on each time...accuracy is more accurate that my 4 handicap game.

 

I vote for SkyCaddie 3.

Patrick

[SwingMan]

Where can you find out if the course you play is mapped out? I play mostly Public courses, Will they be mapped out in the future? The Bushnell might be good for me because of that.

 

 

Try www.skygolfgps.com for a list of mapped courses in your area

[toddnt]

Just got the SG4 and cant wait to get home to hook it up..Gotta hide it from the wife..LOL

[Redhaze737]

I'm a convert to the SkyCaddie. I've used the Pinseeker for a couple of years. I like it but if the wind is blowing it's a little difficult to get a fast good reading - especially if there are trees right behind the green. The farther away you are the harder it is.

 

The SkyCaddie is fast and as far as I can tell accurate. You can adjust the crosshairs on the green to correspond to the pin placements if you have an idea whether they are front or back. And, as others have said you don't have to have a clear view of the pin with the Skycaddie. Not that I'm ever out of the center of the fairway, but for those of you who hit into the next fairway or into the trees or other challenging spots you can always get the distance. Well, as long as you can see the sky and get a satellite reading that is. :=)

[matracy68]

Just when I thought that I had figured out which unit to buy I read all of these posts. I think that I will like the laser because over all it will be cheaper since I wont have to buy the subscription service. Currently I play around 10 or so courses in my area down here in Fayetteville, NC. Loading the different courses in the memory prior to playing might be a pain in the butt.

 

The post above about not being able to get a reading in the woods (with a laser) is dead on (to me). Who cares how far you are from the flag if you are in the woods. 85% of the time the objective is to get OUT of the woods to get a good shot at the pin.

 

I have been looking HARD to figure out which to buy, a laser or GPS and I am leaning towards the laser. Yes there will times when it will be difficult to use because of mother nature but I am sure that over all the laser will be the cheaper way to go. I am planning to get rhe Pinseeker 1500 with slope. One question that I do have is how accurate is it? Can I use it to get a shot distance if I can see the ball from the tee box or the fairway? Can I just point the cross hairs on the ball and get a reading that way or it that asking too much?

[Imago-Dei]

i wanted to get the bushnell with slope but after reading these post as well, i dont know either. my big question is does the sky caddie take into acount slope or not? if it doesnt, its not worth it. slope makes a difference!!!

[golf80808]

I have a Bushnell 1500 and enjoy using it. To be perfectly honest, I can't tell the difference between hitting a shot 130 yards versus 135 yards. And if I'm guessing right 1/2 the golfers on this board doesn't know too. But, it's still nice to know the yardage and pretend you can hit a golf ball 128 yards, everything else being equal (ie. slope, wind, lie etc.).

[joneser]

i wanted to get the bushnell with slope but after reading these post as well, i dont know either. my big question is does the sky caddie take into acount slope or not? if it doesnt, its not worth it. slope makes a difference!!!

 

Yes, slope makes a difference but using the bushnell with the slope is against the rules. To me, its a useless feature even thought its great information. For me and my friends, the skycaddie has been the better option.

 

if I was using the bushnell to create a yardage book then I would buy that in a second but for use during the round I have to stick with the skycaddie.

[backspin26]

I own both and I like them for different reasons. The PS 1500 is great for shooting a specific target or getting the exact position of the pin, but the SC gives me front and back green yardage so I know how much wiggle room I have. Think of the SC as a digital yardage book, but the PS 1500 is great for point and shoot.

[schneck1977]

I'm on the fence as well. And to top it off Bushnell has to come out with the Medalist. I want both!!!!

[Canuck]

I just got a Bushnell 1500 no slope. It' great.

 

;) :blink: :cheesy: