SkyCaddie has created awesome GPS device with their new SX500 GPS Rangefinder.
It’s rugged with durable outer protective casing to help prevent damage when dropped. It has very long battery life, a large HD screen, and some of the best GPS functionality you’ll find in a rangefinder device.
There are features you’ll love and features you’ll not care as much for so below we will share an honest review of the SkyCaddie SX500 so you can decide if this is the right GPS rangefinder device for your golf game.
What’s to Like about the SX500 Rangefinder
Starting off with the screen, the SkyCaddie SX500 has a 5″ HD screen which you’re going to love. Unlike GPS watches which have small screens, this 5″ HD screen on the SkyCaddie SX5oo makes it very easy to see graphics of the holes you’re playing.
And did we mention crazy specific details? You can toggle through multiple views of each hole to find specific information, for example close up views of the greens.
This GPS device will show you green widths and lengths so you know exactly how much margin of error your golf shots have. This will help you hit more greens in regulation and can lead to more pars in your golf round.
Using your fingers, you can quickly measure any distance on the hole so if you’re worried about how far to a specific bunker or to carry a water hazard, this feature will be of great service to you.
The map view will auto rotate based on your location so if you’re coming from the side of the green it will shift on screen also to show you distances from where you’re located. This will help you quickly know your carry distance to chip the ball onto the green.
You’re also going to love how the SkyCaddie is accurate when it comes to shapes of greens, fairways, and bunkers.
It’s also a very rugged design making it durable if it gets banged around in your golf bag or golf cart. Think iPhone with an OtterBox phone case on it but in the golf gps version. This device is quite large in size mirroring the size of a smart phone which can be a pro or a con depending on your size preferences.
The SkyCaddie is also waterproof making spills or accidental drops in water a non issue.
Before heading out to play golf with this GPS device, you can sync golf courses to it from home with wi-fi connection to make it easy to load courses while on the go.
It’s got a fast operating system so load times won’t annoy you and you can quickly get the information you’re seeking. Battery life is also specified to be 12-14 hours by SkyCaddie but you’ll likely get 2-3 rounds of golf out of it before needed to recharge.
Check out this short video to learn about some key features of the SkyCaddie:
Want to challenge yourself this season? Try these golf short game drills we created for practice time.
What’s Not to Like About the SkyCaddie SX500 GPS
The price is the biggest deterrent for most golfers as this device will run about $400 as of writing this article. You can check the current price here on Amazon.
It also has ongoing costs such as the Double Eagle membership with costs $30 to $60 to maintain the membership access after the initial trial period. Ongoing costs are to support the SkyCaddie Team for their time spent measuring distances on courses manually so if you want access to these GPS maps with highly accurate data, expect to pay for it.
Alternatively, you can find a free GPS app on your phone for much less money but may sacrifice quality of information and accuracy.
Who is the SkyCaddie SX500 For?
It’s best for golfer’s seeking detailed information on yardages to greens, hazards, etc. If you love detailed information that you can easily see on a larger HD screen, then you’ll be attracted to the larger size of this GPS device.
If you love small compact GPS devices like GPS watches, then the SkyCaddie SX500 won’t be for you since it’s larger with a 5″ screen. Ongoing costs could also be bothersome to golfers who just want a one time fee GPS device that care less about fancy features and access to software programs.