Pitchmarks Verdict
The SkyCaddie LX5 GPS Watch, featuring over 35,000 pre-loaded courses, boasts a large, bright touchscreen, intuitive interface, detailed course information, and fitness tracking. Despite its bulkiness, it’s lightweight and doesn’t hinder the swing. The LX5 also has elegant display options for off-course use, setting a new standard in GPS golf watches.
Check Price at WGSSkyCaddie is the line of GPS devices from the team at SkyGolf — the same team that produces the popular SkyTrak launch monitor.
Their premium GPS wearable is the SkyCaddie LX5 Watch. Preloaded with over 35,000 courses, it also has “golf’s largest and brightest color touchscreen.”
In this review, I test the LX5 on the course to see if it justifies the lofty price tag.
First Impressions
Out of the box, the LX5 certainly looks the part.
With a large, round design, the LX5 watch takes on a classic monochromatic appearance that won’t look out of place off the course.
This particular unit features a ceramic bezel, which further elevates the appeal.
It’s not the slimmest GPS watch I’ve tested. Since the SkyCaddie LX5 is packed with so much technology, the unit does feel quite chunky on the wrist.
That said, it’s pretty lightweight so won’t interfere with your swing.
On the wrist, the rubber strap feels durable and the slots offer plenty of scope for adjustability. The sturdy metal buckle adds a premium touch.
Performance
Moving onto performance, the LX5 is a very advanced GPS watch.
The touchscreen is intuitive and responsive, with smooth scrolling. I find this highly important, as we’re used to using ultra-responsive smartphone screens.
While it does take a few minutes to load up a course, you’re presented with a plethora of on-course information. Here’s a breakdown of the features:
- Dynamic HoleVue® — slide the crosshair to any location on the hole to reveal distances to hazards, carries, and layups.
- Dynamic RangeVue® — yardage arcs overlay fairway landing areas and greens to allow you to quickly select the best club for every shot.
- IntelliGreen® — the exact shape of the green automatically rotates to match your angle of approach, providing front and back distances.
- Front-Center-Back — simple, dynamic distances to the front, center, and back of the green from your angle of approach in LARGE, easy-to-read numbers.
- Digital Scoring — score as you play and track stats by hole.
- Measure Distances — learn your club distances as you play.
- Fitness — track heart rate and step count info.
As for graphics, SkyCaddie promises that this is the industry’s largest — and brightest — color touchscreen at 1.39 inches. This allows more information to fit on the screen, giving you everything at a glance.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the LX5 is the screen brightness. I tested it on a typically unpredictable British day and was shocked at how easy it was to see the screen in both cloudy and bright, sunny conditions.
And when you’re wearing the watch off the golf course, the LX5 features several classy analog and digital watch faces. It’s a true all-rounder.
Final Thoughts
The SkyCaddie LX5 sets the new standard for GPS golf watches.
With over 35,000 pre-loaded courses and an enormous amount of features, the LX5 has something for everyone. I particularly appreciate how you can choose to access the features or revert to a simplistic front-center-back view.
While the watch is on the bulkier side, it’s still lightweight and I didn’t find it to interfere with my swing. Ultimately, the benefits far outweigh this.
