Swing Caddie SC-100 Portable Launch Monitor Review (SAT collection 1205pm delay 20 mins)

Portable launch monitors are a useful tool for the average social golfer at the driving range.   At an affordable price point within reach of many social golfers, I would expect it to become more popular,  with better features and a slew of swing parameters down the road.   There has always been a caveat given - as emphasized by other reviewers.   Portable monitors are only meant as a training aid, and not a club fitting tool.  But if portable ones  are able to measure the same parameters and are as accurate and reliable compared to their industrial, heavy-weight counterparts, then I say, why not?

Recently, I helped myself to a Swing Caddie SC-100. And I shall keep my first equipment review purely as a social golfer user - on how it has helped me in my pratice sans the aesthetics and non-golf related features.

Pros
1. Easy to setup by placing it behind the ball line at about 1.5m.  I would say it captures 19 out of every 20 shots (maybe it didnt capture an errant shank shot?). Still this is very good performance.

2. Happy with the accuracy of swing speed and carry distance reads.  Carry distance are useful in deciding which clubs to use to overcome hazards.

3. Of all the parameters measured,   I like the smash factor reading the most because this is really useful.   It's always nice to know that i could get a smash factor of 1.49 for the driver and 1.45 for 3&4 hybrids.  As for the irons, more practice for them.   Smash factor measures the efficiency of the energy transfer to the ball.
You will know when you hit on the sweet spot, and this corresponds to a good smash factor reading.  In a broad sense, this tells you about your technique.

4. Swing speed.  Tells me how slow a speed I have!

5. Random mode.  The monitor would indicate the distance to hit and then give a score after a hit.   It's a good motivation during practice to get the distance right.

Cons
1. During playback (say after practice), there is no blow-by-blow shot history as far as I know.  This is not entirely a disadvantage as to me, the averages (carry distance, swing speed, smash factor) displayed are good enough.
(But you will still get a reading immediately after each hit).

2. No spin rate, swing path, angle of attack parameters.  But i can expect these to be included in later versions.  So for now, you have to see for youself the trajectory of the ball  and landing area. But having said this, this model is good enough for the most golfers.

3. Club by club labelling.  Noticed there is no 2H, LW, 2W in the selection. However, i used the 5w label to measure my 2H swing.  I dont think this affects the reading in any way.

All in, I think the Voice Caddie SC-100 is a useful tool and it has helped in my practice in terms of getting the right smash factor and club selection.   

Bro,

Golden que; How much is it?

I have been thinking about it.
http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100/ (I am not afflicted to this coy)


Bro - did you get it from USA?  Cheaper?

dreamer wrote:

I have been thinking about it.
http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100/ (I am not afflicted to this coy)


Bro - did you get it from USA?  Cheaper?

Bro, got it from learningtee.
I think its still cheaper comparing to usa, canada with all the postage added in.

flashpacker wrote:

dreamer wrote:

I have been thinking about it.
http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100/ (I am not afflicted to this coy)


Bro - did you get it from USA?  Cheaper?

Bro, got it from learningtee.
I think its still cheaper comparing to usa, canada with all the postage added in.

Hey flash packer,

Thought of getting it too, (perhaps from ebay).. how's the product treating you? Was it helpful in improving your swing or distance ?

I was reading up on this yesterday. Seems like a useful tool and satisfy the thirst for data on your shots.

There is another product on the market. ES14.

http://www.ernestsports.com/es14/

Really feel like trying both out.

But there is possibility of becoming more and more curious and needing more and more data, eventually still have to go to a fitter to find out what is your Launch angle, AoA, ball speed, spin rates…..

Can't really make up my mind about this one.

Was deciding between the es12 and sc100 but don't think es12 had smash factor reading.. Heard that Es14 is more advanced, but too pricey for a recreational golfer like me.  

kissthegreen wrote:

flashpacker wrote:

dreamer wrote:

I have been thinking about it.
http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100/ (I am not afflicted to this coy)


Bro - did you get it from USA?  Cheaper?

Bro, got it from learningtee.
I think its still cheaper comparing to usa, canada with all the postage added in.

Hey flash packer,

Thought of getting it too, (perhaps from ebay).. how's the product treating you? Was it helpful in improving your swing or distance ?

Hi, yes it is a useful practise tool. Am improving the smash factors for various irons esp the mid- and shorter ones. Up next, i will be focusing on swing speed.   

flashpacker wrote:

kissthegreen wrote:

flashpacker wrote:

dreamer wrote:

I have been thinking about it.
http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100/ (I am not afflicted to this coy)


Bro - did you get it from USA?  Cheaper?

Bro, got it from learningtee.
I think its still cheaper comparing to usa, canada with all the postage added in.

Hey flash packer,

Thought of getting it too, (perhaps from ebay).. how's the product treating you? Was it helpful in improving your swing or distance ?

Hi, yes it is a useful practise tool. Am improving the smash factors for various irons esp the mid- and shorter ones.  Up next, i will be focusing on swing speed.   

hi guys, my distance control had also improved since using it to analyse all my clubs so far too! great pc of technology! got mine from LearningTee too  

Hi Flaspacker and Paul,

Can you share out of say, 10 shots, how many shots was not registered? i.e. swing caddie did not pick up the signal?

What was the +/- distance deviation from a shot that you already know that it is, say 100meters? e.g. if you know a specific distance and your shot is between 95 to 105, your distance deviation is +/- 5 meters.

Would appreciate if you have some information on this.

Cheers man

Hi bro stickman, i did had a few tat didnt register but aftr trying a few shots at various distance between e balls & e SC, it worked alright. As for distance deviations, it happened too but mainly due to different swing speeds & smash factors which should be e main reasons, esp wen i was swinging inconsistently. But aftr warmed up, e deviation did narrow dwn. Then i can calibrate e individual clubs distances averagely. Hope u can understd jus my personal experience 

stickman wrote:

Hi Flaspacker and Paul,

Can you share out of say, 10 shots, how many shots was not registered? i.e. swing caddie did not pick up the signal?

What was the +/- distance deviation from a shot that you already know that it is, say 100meters? e.g. if you know a specific distance and your shot is between 95 to 105, your distance deviation is +/- 5 meters.

Would appreciate if you have some information on this.

Cheers man

Hi, if it was out of 10 shots, I was able to register all shots usually.  Unless it is a shank shot which is very seldom for me, it wont take a reading.

As for distance, it reads the Carry and I think the deviation can be -10m for longer irons and woods, ESPECIALLy if the smash factor is low (i.e not hitting the sweet spot). If the smash factor read is good, i dont see much of a deviation in the carry distance.
And ditto for the short irons and wedges.

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

chuangyee wrote:

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

Range balls.
You can definitely it farther with real balls.

thanks Flashpacker and Paul. really great that you guys gave your comments.. cheers

flashpacker wrote:

chuangyee wrote:

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

Range balls.
You can definitely it farther with real balls.

I mean if you use range balls to gauge your club distances then how to bring these numbers to course? Perhaps have to use real balls at the range?

chuangyee wrote:

flashpacker wrote:

chuangyee wrote:

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

Range balls.
You can definitely it farther with real balls.

I mean if you use range balls to gauge your club distances then how to bring these numbers to course? Perhaps have to use real balls at the range?

Just add 10% more yardage

flashpacker wrote:

chuangyee wrote:

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

Range balls.
You can definitely it farther with real balls.

flashpacker, do you usually range in bukit batok? I saw someone with a SC100 (in black) last week or so, and had a brief chat with him. He did offer to let me try it then.

kissthegreen wrote:

flashpacker wrote:

chuangyee wrote:

Hi do you use range balls or real balls? Any difference?

Range balls.
You can definitely it farther with real balls.

flashpacker, do you usually range in bukit batok? I saw someone with a SC100 (in black) last week or so, and had a brief chat with him. He did offer to let me try it then.

Hi yes, i recall chatting to someone a week or two ago at BB.
I think u were 2 bays to the right.   

Flashpacker, I will shamelessly try it out next time if I run into you again..    
I had a minor rib cartilage tear that time (still experiencing it) and I can't swing hard  so I know I won't be able to maximize the tool..

kissthegreen wrote:

Flashpacker, I will shamelessly try it out next time if I run into you again..    
I had a minor rib cartilage tear that time (still experiencing it) and I can't swing hard  so I know I won't be able to maximize the tool..

Sure no worries

Just got the swing caddie last week, and used it for two range sessions. Since  Flashpacker already covered most, if not, all of the features/pros/cons, I won't repeat them but I am liking this toy already.. Made some swing changes recently (was really a tough call) going through the 'down' period now, in particular on my longer clubs.. So far, this gadget is giving pretty good feedback on my yardages and smash factor between clubs. Would agree that a swing path visual would be a fantastic addition to determine hooks and slices but realistically, that is best reserved for the bigger and non portable gadgets.. The random mode feature, (it randomly picks a distance) in my view, is very useful for assessing your club and distance control. For some, if not, most of us, we tend to fire away range balls relentlessly without picking a spot of target.i have a friend who can strike the ball decently during range as long as he aligns himself to the range mat (he use the mat perimeter as a guide), but he tends to mess up when he is asked to aim for a target on the left or right.. Lol..

kissthegreen wrote:

Just got the swing caddie last week, and used it for two range sessions. Since  Flashpacker already covered most, if not, all of the features/pros/cons, I won't repeat them but I am liking this toy already.. Made some swing changes recently (was really a tough call) going through the 'down' period now, in particular on my longer clubs.. So far, this gadget is giving pretty good feedback on my yardages and smash factor between clubs. Would agree that a swing path visual would be a fantastic addition to determine hooks and slices but realistically, that is best reserved for the bigger and non portable gadgets.. The random mode feature, (it randomly picks a distance) in my view, is very useful for assessing your club and distance control. For some, if not, most of us, we tend to fire away range balls relentlessly without picking a spot of target.i have a friend who can strike the ball decently during range as long as he aligns himself to the range mat (he use the mat perimeter as a guide), but he tends to mess up when he is asked to aim for a target on the left or right.. Lol..

   Enjoy the toy!  Somehow it forces you to focus on getting the correct contact on the ball.

I bgt one.

No regrets.

Last time scared to change swing before the game as I don't know the distances after swing change.

Now I can anytime change swing and know the distances after I implement the new swing.

Lai Lai...interest check for Mass order

http://www.thelearningtee.com/swing-caddie-sc100-launch-monitor/
List Price $349..
I will email them for price bulk purchase for 10 units.
PS: Gray got his at SG$310 from US shipped in..(shipping fees all in)

1) nrafee