SkyCaddie LX2 is terrible, what are you using for your golf watch?

[Howie]

I've owned many SkyCaddies over the years and have been a reliable revenue source for SkyGolf over the years. I currently have the SX400 and LX2 in my lineup and as relatively solid as the SX400 has been for many years (yes, there is the occasional issue which causes it to crash mid-round), the LX2 is a pitiful product.

 

As I don't trust the company to provide a good golf watch any longer, I'm curious what everyone else is using these days? I'll continue to use my SX400 for hole overviews and scoring input as my current subscription runs another 2.5 years, but need a reliable golf watch- front/center/back and hazards (distance to and carry).

 

I'm open for a dedicated golf watch from another company or an Apple Watch App that doesn't drain the entire battery of an Apple Watch 7. The Apple Watch Ultra is too bulky for me so I'd be sticking with the AW7 if a dedicated golf watch weren't the option.

 

Thanks for the input.

[phil75070]

I have been very happy with the Shot Scope products. They are constantly improving their offerings, recently adding "whole hole views". You can get distances to hazards graphically, or have them listed. Great data analysis and no annual subscription fee. They also listen to their customers. Many found issues with the touch screen on the X5 in rainy weather, so to address that issues they just introduced a non-touch screen version that uses buttons to navigate, Their customer support is outstanding as well.

[596]

Bushnell

 

I've had many Garmins but after a year or so they stop charging.

[North Butte]

1 minute ago, 596 said:

Bushnell

 

I've had many Garmins but after a year or so they stop charging.

FWIW, that also seems to happen with Garmin's fitness bands. I quit after getting a year and half out of the first one and less than a year out of the second.

[Howie]

5 hours ago, phil75070 said:

I have been very happy with the Shot Scope products. They are constantly improving their offerings, recently adding "whole hole views". You can get distances to hazards graphically, or have them listed. Great data analysis and no annual subscription fee. They also listen to their customers. Many found issues with the touch screen on the X5 in rainy weather, so to address that issues they just introduced a non-touch screen version that uses buttons to navigate, Their customer support is outstanding as well.

 

Thanks for the input. I actually own a Shot Scope G3 but ultimately found the band uncomfortable/unwieldy when attempting to fasten and, at times, it would become unhinged. I may pick up a V5 based on your feedback and other positive reviews I've read.

 

I think if Shot Scope would allow manual score input- including fairways hit/directional miss- without the trackers inserted into the grips, that would be everything I need. Until then I'll have to stick with the SkyCaddie SX400 as I've built up a score database over several years including GIRs, # of putts, fairways hit (or not and associated miss direction). One can enter this information either hole-by-hole when playing or afterward via their web access. This sort of score registering is a miss by Shot Scope for some.

 

SkyGolf customer support isn't great. Their phones are manned by those who provide bot type responses and their support forum is censored with anything negative immediately removed. I will give credit to their regional reps who map (physically walk) the courses- they can be responsive when there are noted errors to the information contained in their course database.

[Howie]

55 minutes ago, 596 said:

Bushnell

 

I've had many Garmins but after a year or so they stop charging.

 

I've actually had the opposite experience. A Bushnell watch that failed mere months out of warranty and a couple of range finders that prematurely died. Of course, Bushnell wasn't interested in supporting beyond a token % reduction toward a new unit in each instance. Bushnell is on my "do not buy" list.

[Howie]

55 minutes ago, North Butte said:

FWIW, that also seems to happen with Garmin's fitness bands. I quit after getting a year and half out of the first one and less than a year out of the second.

 

Add Fitbit to that list. After three that died on me in a similar timeframe as you...I moved on to the Whoop band.

[phil75070]

1 hour ago, Howie said:

 

Thanks for the input. I actually own a Shot Scope G3 but ultimately found the band uncomfortable/unwieldy when attempting to fasten and, at times, it would become unhinged. I may pick up a V5 based on your feedback and other positive reviews I've read.

 

I think if Shot Scope would allow manual score input- including fairways hit/directional miss- without the trackers inserted into the grips, that would be everything I need. Until then I'll have to stick with the SkyCaddie SX400 as I've built up a score database over several years including GIRs, # of putts, fairways hit (or not and associated miss direction). One can enter this information either hole-by-hole when playing or afterward via their web access. This sort of score registering is a miss by Shot Scope for some.

 

 

The awkward way the band is secured is because the "antenna" that senses the tag is in the band that comes out of the top of the watch and has to be unobstructed by the other band.

 

Scoring is included on the watch and is based on the shots sensed (though I don't use the scoring feature), and all the data you are referring to is collected, collated and reported on when the round is uploaded to their servers. Other than marking the location and/or number of times the putter is used, no need to input GIRs, FIRs, where your misses are, etc. during a round.

[Hawkeye77]

None, I honestly don't understand the whole watch thing or fitness bands, but my grandparents had a party line.

[Howie]

16 minutes ago, phil75070 said:

The awkward way the band is secured is because the "antenna" that senses the tag is in the band that comes out of the top of the watch and has to be unobstructed by the other band.

 

Scoring is included on the watch and is based on the shots sensed (though I don't use the scoring feature), and all the data you are referring to is collected, collated and reported on when the round is uploaded to their servers. Other than marking the location and/or number of times the putter is used, no need to input GIRs, FIRs, where your misses are, etc. during a round.

 

But the ability to record scoring requires installation of the "tags" into the end of the grip. Unsure if I'd want that but might give them a try if I pull the trigger on the V5. Seems Shot Scope could easily allow manual input of this information for those who don't want to install the plastic plugs into their grips?

[junior79]

Garmin Approach S70. Worth every penny...great everyday watch as well.

[3PuttLefty]

Garmin s70. Ive used it for about 5 rounds.  Easy to use. Simple to keep score and keep track of which club you used (without sensors).  Battery lasts weeks. I used it for two rounds with plenty of battery left.  Charges ridiculously quick as well. 

[Drrussell]

On 4/27/2024 at 4:29 PM, Howie said:

I've owned many SkyCaddies over the years and have been a reliable revenue source for SkyGolf over the years. I currently have the SX400 and LX2 in my lineup and as relatively solid as the SX400 has been for many years (yes, there is the occasional issue which causes it to crash mid-round), the LX2 is a pitiful product.

 

As I don't trust the company to provide a good golf watch any longer, I'm curious what everyone else is using these days? I'll continue to use my SX400 for hole overviews and scoring input as my current subscription runs another 2.5 years, but need a reliable golf watch- front/center/back and hazards (distance to and carry).

 

I'm open for a dedicated golf watch from another company or an Apple Watch App that doesn't drain the entire battery of an Apple Watch 7. The Apple Watch Ultra is too bulky for me so I'd be sticking with the AW7 if a dedicated golf watch weren't the option.

 

Thanks for the input.

WOW. That’s surprising. I had the Skycaddie SX500 handheld. In fact, I just cancelled my membership for that device, but it was awesome. For the longest time, it was my go to GPS anytime I was playing a course I didn’t know. It made it so easy to see exact distances to hazards, water, bunkers…things I couldn’t see to shoot with a range finder.

 

That being said, I don’t remember if it was last year, or the year before, but I bought the Bushnell Ion Elite watch and it’s been amazing. Basically, it gave me all the same capabilities as the SX500 on a watch. Ease of use: front, middle back. One button to see distance to obvious hazards. Another button to see the hole and can easily move target to see layup distance and distance remaining. Final button for tracking score. 

 

It also has a simple way to check distance of shot. You simply go to that spot from the spot you hit…drive out to the ball and bam, it shows the exact distance you hit the shot. 

 

If I were looking for a watch ONLY to serve as a GPS watch on the course, I would buy that watch again no doubt about it. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s accurate. It’s priced pretty reasonably. 

 

I am thinking about making a change now because I am interested in going back to shot tracking this year. In the past I used Arccos along with the Apple Watch. To do that, I would ditch the Bushnell in favor of 1 of the following: BLUETEES Ringer, Shotscope X5, Skycaddie LX5C, or Arccos sensors with Apple Watch. 

[phil75070]

21 hours ago, Howie said:

 

But the ability to record scoring requires installation of the "tags" into the end of the grip. Unsure if I'd want that but might give them a try if I pull the trigger on the V5. Seems Shot Scope could easily allow manual input of this information for those who don't want to install the plastic plugs into their grips?

So what is the big deal with the tags? They are small, weigh next to nothing, are nowhere near as obtrusive as Arccos' tags, and they eliminate the need for any manual intervention other than for putting. 

[Howie]

10 hours ago, Drrussell said:

WOW. That’s surprising. I had the Skycaddie SX500 handheld. In fact, I just cancelled my membership for that device, but it was awesome. For the longest time, it was my go to GPS anytime I was playing a course I didn’t know. It made it so easy to see exact distances to hazards, water, bunkers…things I couldn’t see to shoot with a range finder.

 

That being said, I don’t remember if it was last year, or the year before, but I bought the Bushnell Ion Elite watch and it’s been amazing. Basically, it gave me all the same capabilities as the SX500 on a watch. Ease of use: front, middle back. One button to see distance to obvious hazards. Another button to see the hole and can easily move target to see layup distance and distance remaining. Final button for tracking score. 

 

It also has a simple way to check distance of shot. You simply go to that spot from the spot you hit…drive out to the ball and bam, it shows the exact distance you hit the shot. 

 

If I were looking for a watch ONLY to serve as a GPS watch on the course, I would buy that watch again no doubt about it. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s accurate. It’s priced pretty reasonably. 

 

I am thinking about making a change now because I am interested in going back to shot tracking this year. In the past I used Arccos along with the Apple Watch. To do that, I would ditch the Bushnell in favor of 1 of the following: BLUETEES Ringer, Shotscope X5, Skycaddie LX5C, or Arccos sensors with Apple Watch. 

 

Agreed regarding the SkyCaddie handhelds- as noted, my SX400 has been reliable over the past few years. I'm going to give the Shot Scope X5 a shot- thanks for the thoughts.