New Update Out for SkyCaddie SG5

[Michael - AZ]

Doubles the Number of Courses that can be Stored on the Unit

I posted this information earlier today on a response to someone else's question on the SkyCaddie SG5 (they were asking if a new model would be released), but since no one else has posted this yet, I thought I would go ahead and make a new thread with it.

I purchased the SG5 Holiday Box just after Thanksgiving and have really enjoyed using my brand new toy. Before I purchased this from The Golf Warehouse, I had internally debated the SG5 against the uPro and the Sonocaddie V300 . I used many of the threads on this website as tools for helping me make this decision. One of the things on the negative side of the SG5 was the fact that the unit would only store 10 courses, whereas the uPro would store 50 and the Sonocaddie 30. Nevertheless, I chose the SG5, and have been very happy with it for a variety of reasons. Not a big deal to me to delete stored courses and add new ones. I was loading a couple of new courses onto my unit this morning when I saw a link on the SkyGolf website that indicated that some new features were now available for the SG5. I clicked and saw the description of the update: a software upgrade that would allow the SG5 to hold 20 courses in its memory; a new "marking" feature and a feature that provides the green depth. There may be more, but I'm not recalling them. The cost of the upgrade was $19.95, and I couldn't download the new upgrade fast enough. I now have 16 courses loaded into my SG5. I can't give you details on the other two features yet, but I guess I'll find out when I go to the golf course tomorrow.

Just wanted to share this information if some of you haven't seen it yet.

Happy New Year to everyone. :yes:

[23muc]

Thanks for the info...I see it on the sight now.

Quick question...does it allow for 20 courses per playlist or does it just allow you to store two different 10 course play lists?

Just wondering how the software on the PC handles this as well

 

Thanks

[smoova]

Thanks for the heads-up! Looks like the upgrade is available for the SG2.5 as well. Here's their description of the upgrade:

 

Take advantage of these new features to help you play your best golf. This Course and Feature Expansion Package software upgrade allows you to store up to 20 courses on your SkyCaddie and automatically gives you green depth information. You can also use the Auto Distance Meter feature to measure your drives and fine-tune your short game. Mark your ball location and watch the meter as you move toward your target. Keep your watch in your bag, because your SkyCaddie will give you time of day on the screen full time.

• 20 course download capability
  
• Depth of Green
  
• Time of day
  
• Auto distance meter from last mark
  
• International Icons (Available for SkyCaddie SG5 only)
  

[23muc]

Update from Sky Golf:

Playlist concept will be gone within the month and the desktop software will be updated...you will in effect have one giant list of "favorites" and will pick 20 of those at a time to download to the unit. The unit will still hold the same number of "user mapped" courses as well

[smoova]

Update from Sky Golf:

Playlist concept will be gone within the month and the desktop software will be updated...you will in effect have one giant list of "favorites" and will pick 20 of those at a time to download to the unit. The unit will still hold the same number of "user mapped" courses as well

 

Does this mean that the $20 upgrade is unnecessary of you wait 30 days or will you still need to spend the extra scratch if you want the 20-course capability? Thanks, Matt

[cnelson81]

Im taking a look though the sky golf website, I do not see an option to upgrade the software. Can someone provide a link to where the update and the info for the update are posted.

[dukedsp]

I just talked with SkyGolf tech support and this upgrade is NOT available for the SG2 if you have the older model. But, it should be available for all the other models.

[23muc]

whitemb - it is a firmware upgrade on your handheld unit so I am assuming if you don't pay...you will not be able to use the new features .

 

cnelson81 - I found it just below where they show you your logged in...same place as your skycaddie serial number, where they show you how many days are left on your membership...it was in a small red box below that info...not easily seen

[23muc]

may need to have your unit plugged in as well to see the update notification

[phil75070]

Sounds like they are charging an upgrade fee to provide some features that others already have as part of their original purchase price, although I admit to not understanding this "depth of green" feature. Does that just give you the the same number you get by subtracting the front distance from the back distance you get with other devices?

[23muc]

haven't tried it yet...but it looks like you're right...same as what you would get by subtracting "front from back"

basically you're paying for the 20 courses upgrade from 10

 

new "mark" feature that I'm guessing is a running number as you move...but you could do that before just by hitting the button multiple times as if you were already at your ball and watch the numbers move

 

adding a clock is nice....but charging for it as a feature??

 

It's lame to charge for this upgrade IMO...it is what a lot of others already have...I did it though because I like the 20 courses/unit as I travel a lot.

But I like the unit and the accuracy. I like the mapping by foot as opposed to satellite photo mapping (not saying it's better...just that I feel better)

Haven't had any software, hardware, or mapping issues since I bought the 2.5 a year ago. No customer service issues...they have always been quick, polite and helpful

(I only use the "chat" feature on their website to talk to them though)

 

Membership fees...a pain and hopefully go away someday but you gotta pay someone to walk the courses and I would pay 50 bucks in yardage books a year probably anyway.

 

I know...as long as saps like me will pay... they won't go away...same with lame upgrade charges...I'll upgrade this time and see how it goes and if there are any bugs in the upgrade...next time?...have to wait and see

[GOINDAHO]

I chatted with a customer service person and they said the upgrade is a one time fee.

[scjr]

# 20 course download capability (New)

# Depth of Green (Doesn't it do this already?)

# Time of day (Charging for a clock?)

# Auto distance meter from last mark (Doesn't it do this already with the ball mark feature?)

 

Has anyone used the Depth of Green or the Auto distance meter? Any difference from what the unit already has?

 

 

Thanks,

 

scjr

[23muc]

20 courses on unit...new....yes

 

Depth of green...new...yes...top right corner of screen, small numbers...calculates (back - front) for the mathematically challenged...unit only showed F/C/B before

 

time of day...new

 

auto distance...new...bottom right corner of screen, small numbers...shows you the distance from any new "mark" while moving...without leaving the target screen....had to leave the main target screens before to see the moving distance

 

nice little features...worth the price?...not if you've been used to using the unit for a short while...the big benefit is getting 20 courses on the unit...if you need that many

[cujo2344]

The 20 courses make it worth it for me,

 

I have 2 golfing groups, one plays the muni's around DFW and the other plays the ClubCorp courses, even 1 for my father in law's Country Club every once in a while.

 

I had about 15 or so I needed and hated going back and loading each playlist every few weekends.

 

Now I can load up on the 20 I am most likely to play and not mess with it....WOO HOO

 

Kind of sucks they are charging 20 bucks, it should be an incentive for new purchases at least.

[scjr]

20 courses on unit...new....yes

 

Depth of green...new...yes...top right corner of screen, small numbers...calculates (back - front) for the mathematically challenged...unit only showed F/C/B before

 

time of day...new

 

auto distance...new...bottom right corner of screen, small numbers...shows you the distance from any new "mark" while moving...without leaving the target screen....had to leave the main target screens before to see the moving distance

 

nice little features...worth the price?...not if you've been used to using the unit for a short while...the big benefit is getting 20 courses on the unit...if you need that many

23muc,

 

 

Thank you for the information. :)

 

 

scjr

[Michael - AZ]

To respond to a question asked up above, you have to have your unit plugged into your computer and logged into the SkyGolf website to see the link to download the upgrade. After I had downloaded the upgrade and unplugged my SG5, I tried to find the exact features of the upgrade while I was posting the original message. I couldn't find it anywhere, so I assumed that you needed to be plugged in to the computer. For me personally, the 20 course storage feature is worth the upgrade cost. The additional features that came with the upgrade did not even enter into the equation.

 

As I stated in the original post, I got my SG5 unit just after Thanksgiving from The Golf Warehouse. I purchased the Holiday Gift Box, which came with a bunch of extras, and we saved a lot of money over the cost of everything individually. Considering the price we paid (~$365 - $390 depending on when you bought it), the additional $20 for the upgrade didn't seem like a terrible price to pay.

 

Hopefully, SkyGolf will come out with a few more upgrades during 2009. BTW, I totally agree with the positions of some of you about the fact that SkyGolf actually goes out and walks the courses that they label as 4-star. And because of that, I really don't mind paying the yearly fee, which I believe helps pay for that work.

 

Happy New Year

[golf_fanatik]

By the way, for those of you that have purchased the upgrade.. Did you notice they also included a basic score tracking module? It is under the "i" buttom. Nothing fancy but ok.

 

They also seem to have changed the icons slightly.. mostly added to the menu functions.

[w7n23j]

Hi everyone, I got a SG5 as a gift last Christmas and so I am still on the process of getting to know the unit. I went for it and downloaded the upgrade last night. This is what it has:

 

■20 course download capability

■Depth of Green. On the Intelligreen view, you will see it on the upper right hand corner of the green.

■Time of day. No am or pm indicator and the order of the icons on the top part of the unit is as follows: Yd, Battery icon, Time, Course Name and the Hole Number.

■Auto distance meter from last mark. On the Intelligreen view, I see a number lower left hand side of the green

■International Icons (Available for SkyCaddie SG5 only). IMHO, they do not really serve any purpose so do not really care for these. As an example, the Select has a "check mark" icon next to it. The Target has a "bullseye" icon next to it.

■Scorecard. Yes, a scorecard feature. Press the i or Info key and on the next screen, it will be the right soft key selection. It 'kinda looks like this(sorry as this did not line up as I expected but it should give everyone an idea):

H P Scr H P Scr

1 5 0 10 4 0

2 4 0 11 5 0

3 3 0 12 4 0

4 4 0 13 3 0

5 5 0 14 4 0

6 4 0 15 4 0

7 4 0 16 3 0

8 4 0 17 4 0

9 4 0 18 4 0

FRONT Total

 

The lower left of the screen has a +/- to indicate over or under par I guess. To enter your score, you use the left/right of the scroll pad with the right to increase the stroke and vice-versa.

Well guys, so far that is what I found on the upgrade. It is $19.95 and took me more or less 3 minutes to download onto the unit. Is it worth it? You guys be the judge. (cool)

[scjr]

■Scorecard. Yes, a scorecard feature. Press the i or Info key and on the next screen, it will be the right soft key selection. It 'kinda looks like this(sorry as this did not line up as I expected but it should give everyone an idea)

That's cool. It wasn't mentioned in the upgrade. Thanks for finding that. :)

 

 

scjr

[blade_man]

I have been a defender of Skygolf on several threads because I like it, I have used one for over 5 years now and really like the features and function but to charge for a firmware upgrade! That just sucks, I have had two SG2's and now own the SG5 but will not upgrade to the new firmware, SG5 has always had a clock on it you just had to hit a couple of buttons, January is time for my annual renewal and I will but without the firmware upgrade.........end of rant..PS to Skygolf, I have been "customer" oriented all my professional career and this is NOT a way to keep customers happy. (end of rant)

[phil75070]

Just curious. Does anybody know if you buy a new SG2.5 or 5 now, are the new features included or has the price gone up to include the upgrade, or do you wait to get the unit then choose to upgrade for the additional fee or not?

[cnelson81]

I got my SG5 for christmas and the new software is NOT included, and did cost the 20 bucks.

Played today and really enjoyed the new features that the new software included.

[phil75070]

I got my SG5 for christmas and the new software is NOT included, and did cost the 20 bucks.

Played today and really enjoyed the new features that the new software included.

 

Thanks! Appreciate your taking the time to respond to my question.

[scjr]

■Scorecard. Yes, a scorecard feature. Press the i or Info key and on the next screen, it will be the right soft key selection.

Can't seem to find this on my SG3. Maybe it's only available to SG5 users?

 

 

On a very good note, I find this firmware much more responsive. It picks up and locks on yardage quicker.

 

 

scjr

[HarryBee]

I can't seem to find the scorecard feature on my upgraded SG5.  The i or Info key seems to offer me the TIME on my right key.

[chetlet]

I can't seem to find the scorecard feature on my upgraded SG5. The i or Info key seems to offer me the TIME on my right key.

 

I am having the same issue. I installed the update this evening, and not able to see the scorecard. Not sure if I actually need to be out on the course and close enough to the green for the unit to assume I need to record a score? I'm in Iowa and it's 35 degrees, not really golfing weather :) Wanted to add that when I do click the "i" button, the button to the right of the power button just says "Time", it does have the new icon though.

[HarryBee]

Same as mine....no scorecard....only Time with the new icon. I was on the course today and the scorecard did not appear. My guess is that it was part of the upgrade earlier, but SkyCaddie has removed it from the upgrade now. Reason unknown.

[golf_fanatik]

That is really weird. Mine does have the scorecard function.

 

What is your software version when you turn the unit on? Mine is 3.02

[scjr]

That is really weird. Mine does have the scorecard function.

 

What is your software version when you turn the unit on? Mine is 3.02

v3.02 here, but I have an SG3. Thought that might be the issue, but some SG5 owners aren't seeing the scorecard. Maybe there's a firmware issue? Who knows. ;)

 

 

scjr