SkyCaddie PRO4X GPS Review

First published on Plugged In Golf by Zack Buechner

50 Words or Less

The SkyCaddie PRO4X is a compact handheld golf GPS device that provides detailed course and hole information, stat tracking, and insights into your game just like a real caddie.

Introduction

SkyCaddie is the maker of some of the best watch and GPS devices available on the market today.  Their massive database of golf courses across the globe puts high level, detailed course information in the pocket of SkyCaddie users everywhere.  This is all done separate from your phone, meaning no notifications on the course no more draining your phone’s battery.  I recently received the SkyCaddie PRO4X GPS and took it out for a few rounds to see if it could help caddie me to a lower score.

and Ease of Use

Right out of the box, the SkyCaddie PRO4X was ready to go.  While it does require a paid subscription, you get the first year free with purchase which is setup automatically by the time you receive the product.  It came fully charged, so I didn’t even need to plug it in prior to using for the first time.

Arriving to the course, the SkyCaddie PRO4X provided a list of golf courses nearest to me based upon my location.  Before you start playing, you can choose which tees you’re playing from and which features you want to activate.

There are volume up and down buttons in addition to the power button, but everything else is controlled with the touchscreen.  I didn’t need directions to start my round as the device moved intuitively with my location and picked up what hole I was playing without any user input.  The biggest compliment I can give a tech product is that everything just made sense.  I never needed to review the directions to figure out what icons I had to press to log my score, see a water hazard, or adjust a pin.  The navigation was straightforward and user friendly.

Accuracy and Performance

SkyCaddie prides itself on having some of the most detailed and accurate course data with its ground verified, error-corrected map technology.  Since my first time out using the SkyCaddie PRO4X was on a course I had never played, I relied heavily on the technology being exact, and it delivered.  I confirmed distances against the SkyCaddie PRO4X using my Bushnell laser rangefinder, and I was impressed that everything was within 1-2 yards.

Off the tee, I found myself using the Intellipath and RangeVue features quite often.  Intellipath identifies an extended target line with red dash marks should my ball extend past where I am aiming.  RangeVue shows my average left to right dispersion pattern based on the club I select.  Together, these were particularly useful to make better decisions off the tee and give myself the highest probability of scoring well.  Whether I wanted to be conservative or more aggressive, I felt I always had all the information necessary to make the correct choice.

The RangeVue feature was also incredibly useful on approaches, and I enjoyed being able to set the pin location in relation to green contours.  Since I don’t play on a tour that provides a pin sheet (or any tour for that matter), I was able to use my rangefinder to get a pin distance and then adjust the pin on the SkyCaddie to its precise location.  This allowed me to better gauge where I could miss and where I couldn’t.  Being able to see green contours also provided real caddie-like knowledge to ensure I was aiming for the correct side of the pin and putting from the right tier.

In addition to the mapping and GPS, the SkyCaddie PRO4X also tracks your shots, which in turn can provide a more detailed breakdown of your game such as strokes gained and dispersion patterns.  Once I completed my round, I found myself reviewing my shots in detail on the SkyGolf website.  After a certain number of rounds logged, I was able to view strokes gained for each category like approach, putting, or off the tee.  More basic stats like fairways hit, greens in regulation, and putts per round are also provided.  The amount of data I had was almost overwheming.  While I wasn’t entirely surprised by my stats, it certainly gave more guidance on what I needed to work on away from the course.

Value

The SkyCaddies PRO4X comes in at $349. This includes the device, a charger, and a one year free subscription, valued at $60.  While a paid subscription is required with the SkyCaddie PRO4X GPS device, it’s actually less than some competitors who offer similar GPS and stat tracking devices.

In terms of value, SkyCaddie is one of the very few companies that offers a full color GPS in handheld version so it’s hard to compare.  The most similar devices that come close in comparison are golf GPS watches which can range from $300 to well over $600 with the most obvious difference being the screen size.

With all of that said, if you’re looking for an alternative to a golf GPS watch or simply want to stay away from your phone while on the course, the $349 price tag provides plenty of value.  The data that the PRO4X provides in real time will not only help save strokes on the course, but it reduces the time spent deciding what club to hit.

Conclusion

The SkyCaddie PRO4X is one of golf’s few handheld GPS devices that’s loaded with features.  For those not wanting to wear a watch or who simply want to separate themselves from their phones, the PRO4X’s large, four inch LCD color touch screen provides shot and stat tracking, detailed course information, and an impressive insight into your game to save you strokes on every round.