Great item, poor customer service
I was a 8 handicap and this device helped me get down to a steady 4. I know how far I hit my clubs, so having accurate distances really helps. I find the SG5 easy to use, I can easily play 36 holes and it still has lots of battery life. I especially like the target display for new courses as it helps me to avoid trouble an select the correct club. I have used the SG5 in Ontario Canada, Michigan and Florida. I have not found a course that I could not download. I'm not crazy about the new skycaddie link, I liked the old method better as I found it easier to search and load new courses. I recently paid for a software upgrade that increases the course capacity from 10 to 20, added a scorecard, as well as some other improvements. Nice upgrade.
Now for the bad stuff. SkyCaddie has without a doubt the worst customer service on earth. Don't get me wrong, I love my SkyCaddie just not the service.
Here's why. My home course has went through some hole changes over the last two years. SkyCaddie was there last August, yet the changes are not yet loaded into the system. Thus I play my home course 100+ rounds with a skycaddie that only contains 80% of the holes. When I write to skycaddie they just dance around the issue saying they sent the info to another department.
The next reason is after I PAID and downloaded the software upgrade, one of the new features is AUTO distance display. This is supposed to be some improvement to the mark your ball, walk then mark again to see how far you hit your shot. I cannot figure out how to acitivate this AUTO feature, and when I write to skycaddie, they just don't bother to answer, EXTREMELY frustrating, they just don't answer!!!! What's with that?
So, I love my skycaddie and will not play without it, but I don't like the customer service or lack of.
New's flash, I tried three times this year to get info on when they would update my home course. Guess what, they emailed to tell me they sent it to another department. Oh my word, will it ever end?
News flash - August 2009, course finally updated, all is well in SkyCaddie land.
Update 2010 - For some reason our course info is out of date again. Two par 3's showing up as a par 4, and a par 5? Emailed skycaddie in April, it's now June, still out of date? some things never change, extremely poor service with regard to course updates.
Also switched to the new SGX, it did take THREE machines before I got one that worked, but it seems to be very fast and accurate. Buy from a dealer close by just in case you require a replacement. Skycaddie is very fast at shipping these, I got mine overnight.
Update 2011 - SGX bugs seem to be all fixed. Machine works very well no issues for some time. Course still out of date, TERRIBLE customer service in this area. Not impressed with yearly fees as more companies seem to be coming out with machines that do everything for FREE. Once you buy it's FREE, hear that SkyCaddie!Read full review
