SkyCaddie has celebrated its 20th anniversary with the release of the SX500 handheld GPS, upgrading their previous Touch GPS and claiming to deliver the most powerful, accurate and best-looking handheld device on the market for golfers.
The SX500 has a large, clear 5inch full HD touch screen that is glove-friendly for ultimate usability and detail, and which SkyCaddie state is the largest, highest resolution touch screen available for handheld golf devices. It comes ready loaded with over 35,000 golf courses throughout Great Britain and Ireland, accounting for over 99% of courses, and produced by SkyCaddie mappers completing course verification on foot to ensure optimal accuracy.
SkyCaddie’s features include Dynamic HoleVue, which displays a detailed overview of the hole being played, including the green, and can automatically realign itself from your exact position on the course, even if you’re not where you’re supposed to be! Golfers can also use this feature to discover accurate yardages to specific points such as bunkers, hazards, and safe layup points. These Integrated Targets allow for more strategy on the course to help players improve course management and lower their scores.
PinPoint technology can use information from the golf club regarding daily pin positions to provide precise distances to the flag, as well as the front, middle and back of the green, allowing golfers the opportunity to get locked in to their desired target and hit more accurate approaches.
This access to precise data for the golfer continues with the Intelligreen Pro technology, supplying the whereabouts and distances to tiers and contours on the green, false fronts and greenside mounds to increase awareness of any potential dangers despite being back on the fairway.
Ease of use has been maximised in the latest model with the inclusion of Intelligent Automation, which SkyCaddie say creates an ‘almost touchless’ experience as the device will automatically detect the course and completion of a hole, as well as updating distances as you move and displaying green depth for greater insight.
In addition, golfers can keep track of their progress over a longer period through the use of Digital Scorecards, collecting your scores and providing information such as net scores and number of fairways hit, along with shot distance measurement and a Large Number mode for those looking for a clear, simple distance tool only.
A high capacity rechargeable Li-Polymer battery lasts up to 14 hours, so there’s no need to charge between every round, whilst the highly water-resistant body and ‘ruggedised’ design makes the GPS grippy no matter the conditions and ensures durability when transporting. A 13-megapixel camera is even included within the device to allow for photos to be taken during the round, which are uploaded to the user’s SkyGolf 360 account.
The SX500 will be available from late August 2018 at a price of £379.95, which includes a year’s subscription to Birdie, allowing access to the full catalogue of golf courses and all the latest updates to course layouts and pin positions.
As of May 2019, you can now also get your SX500 with a special leatherette holster and bag clip, allowing you to leave the device secured to the outside of your bag for easy access to yardages.
