Gear You Should Have: The SkyCaddie SGX

To be fair, I always considered myself a rangefinder type of guy over a GPS mechanism. Maybe it's because I think I'm better than I am (guilty) or maybe it's just because I like to know the exact yardage to the pin, but I usually opted to have something laser the distance.

That was, until I got the SkyCaddie SGX in the mail. The screen is the first thing you notice. Much bigger than the older models, it really pops when you start her up and get her ready for the golf course. Also, something I've noticed I do a lot better when I have this model in my hand on the golf course; I think out golf shots better.

See, one of the biggest problems in my golf game is I don't think everything out enough. When I was caddying for a friend on the LPGA, we discussed certain things. Distance to the front, back and the stick. It was smart because if you fire your laser at the pin, you might be thinking "okay, pin is 156," but you forget about everything else around that pin. What it is here, or there, or to clear the bunker. With the SGX, you can zero in on certain things to see exactly what it is to carry. I love that.

I used this model at home on my small nine hole course, and again on a golf course that uses all the features, and it really works well in both circumstances. The screen resolution makes you think you're holding an advanced golf iPhone or something.

I recommend this to all types of golfers ... the recreational dad that just likes knowing exactly what is going on around the course, even if he can't exactly execute it ... the scratch that is looking for an edge over his competitors ... the beginner that might get a better feel for the course by looking out the layout of the hole.

It's a cool device, and it really shows the advance in golf equipment. I'm a fan.