Most of us know how much of a drag it is to golf with a live caddie. They carry your clubs, they offer advice, and can even provide companionship. Who needs all that? SkyHawke Technologies has introduced a product that can help you shed 165 pounds of unwanted caddie, the SkyGolf GPS Personal Digital Caddie. The unit uses the GPS system to provide you with real-time distances to the hole. From SkyHawke Technologies:
SkyHawke Technologies, a developer of innovative positioning systems, today announced the introduction of the SkyGolf GPS Personal Digital Caddie for the Handspring Visor to U.S. and Canadian markets. Designed for the golf enthusiast, SkyGolf GPS utilizes the U.S. militaryis Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide golfers with real-time distances to critical targets on a golf course. Approximately 800 of 18,000 courses in the U.S. are currently equipped with cart-mounted GPS systems, however the cart systems are limited to one specific course. SkyGolf GPS is revolutionary because it is the first personal handheld unit available to consumers that will work on any golf course with a view of the sky.
The SkyGolf GPS receiver easily connects to the Visor handheld via its SpringboardTM expansion slot, allowing the handheld computer to receive signals from the 24 GPS satellites orbiting the earth. SkyGolf GPS receives signals simultaneously from as many as 12 satellites to pinpoint the exact position of the user. The SkyGolf GPS software then collects this information and relates it to critical targets such as the center of the green, a hazard, or lay-up target. Real-time distances are updated automatically as the player moves and displayed in yards or meters. SkyGolf GPS also includes a digital scorecard and shot tracker that enable players to capture personal play statistics such as the distances they hit with each club.
GPS-enabled golf course information, called SkyCourses, can be setup easily by users or may be downloaded from the SkyGolf GPS Web site. SkyCourses can also be shared with other SkyGolf GPS users using the Handspring Visoris infrared port or via the SkyGolf GPS Web site.
You can find more information on the SkyGolf GPS Personal Digital Caddie at SkyHawke Technologiesi Web site. The unit is priced US$399.