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There are distance markers available on the driving range but these are based on a set position at the back of the range. To be more accurate in your distances the launch monitor will be able to report accurately on the distance that your shot travels.
SC200 Swing Caddie Review
The SC200 utilizes the widely accepted Doppler radar technology to calculate distances and it calibrates the barometric pressure and ambient temperature to provide the most precise measurement for accurate feedback.
Unlike many of its competitors, the SC200 is that the device is not positioned in the firing line in front of the ball but a fair distance behind the golf ball thus reducing the likelihood of you striking the device during your swing or during the ball flight after contact. Many of the competitor devices are placed in an awkward position in front of the ball where it is in danger of being struck by a shanked ball.
The device is very portable and compact enough to comfortably fit in your pocket and your golf bag while it only takes a few seconds to set up and takedown.
By adding two games to the software the SC200 has made practicing a whole lot of fun. It will challenge you to improve on your accuracy as well as your consistency while also providing entertainment.
Functionality
The SC200 launch monitor is capable of monitoring specific and in-depth statistics for each club in your golf bag by recording all your distances for a club and then provide you with an average for that club. Some of the more beneficial features are:
- Advanced club tracking capabilities
- Audio output optional – can be toggled at any time between reading the output or display only
- Swing speed and ball speed monitoring
- 300-Yard range monitoring enables you to track shots that travel less than 300 yards. The distances are calculated by advanced algorithms and not measured physically
What is in the box?
The Swing Caddie packaging is very well done and not too extravagant. The box contains:
- 1 X Swing Caddie 2 Launch Monitor – This is a compact, good-looking device that is about the size of a cell phone, just a little bit thicker. It is available in navy blue with a bright orange LCD interfacethat is amazingly easy to read even in bright sunny conditions
- 1 X Remote Control – A high quality and sturdy-feeling device that works well. It is compact enough to carry in your pocket when out practicing
- 1 x Leather carrying bag for carrying your SC200 to the range and provide extra protection
- 4 X AAA batteries that can be replaced when they are losing power
- 1 X Instruction booklet to guide you through the setup and features available on the SC200
Specifications
- Dimensions: 89 inches high X 3.2 inches wide X 1.08 inches deep
- Weight: 3 ounces
- Display: 4-inch LCD
- Sensor: Doppler Radar
- Frequency: K band 24 GHz
- Battery: 4 X AAA alkaline
- Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
- Accuracy: +/- 3% (ball speed), +/- 5% (carry distance)
- Measuring Range: 30 – 320 yards
- Positioning: 40 inches – 60 inches directly behind the ball
- Operating Temperature: 14° – 122° F
The SC200 data points
The SC200 Swing Caddie is a fairly basic launch monitor aimed at beginners and intermediate golfers. It can be used by advanced golfers as well without detracting from their accuracy.
It makes uses of Doppler radar technology to track and calculate a limited amount of data points. It will aid you in understanding the distances that you achieve with your various clubs while challenging you to improve your distance control.
An interesting feature is that it will say “HI” when you turn it on and then tell you the ambient temperature.
The Swing Caddie SC200 outputs:
- Carry Distance – you can switch between the carry distance and the “total distance” based on the estimated roll
- Swing Speed
- Ball Speed
- Smash Factor is calculated dividing the ball speed into the clubhead and this aids in building consistency in your swing
- It records the time that you have been busy in the current practice session
- It furthermore records the number of balls you have hit during the current practice session
- Barometric Pressure Calibration – The SC200 launch monitor uses a built-in barometric pressure sensor to automatically calibrate the launch monitor to give you the most accurate readings possible
- Voice Distance Output -The voice feature automatically tells you the distances after each shot allowing you to reset quicker between shots
- Statistics – The SC200 stores your stats for each club and allows you to review your average distance, speed, and smash factor for the day, as well as your overall stats for the last 100 shots
Data points that you will not get feedback on when using the SC200 are:
- Spin rate indicating the amount of backspin that you generate on the ball
- Launch angle – however, you can adjust the loft angle on the SC200 for every club to aid in more accurate readings
- Simulated ball flight – the SC200 will not show the trajectory of your ball flight as some other launch monitors can do
Simple Setup and Use
To set up the SC200 is rather quick and simple to do and instructions to do so are provided in the guide booklet provided. Start by setting up the area where you will be hitting the ball from and then simply place the SC200 at 3 feet to 4 feet behind the ball to avoid any mishaps that could cause damage to the device.
Now you can turn the unit on until the display is activated and you have to set the mode that you will be using, practice, target, or approach mode as well as the club you have selected to use. After turning it on you have to wait a few seconds for the launch monitor to calibrate the ambient temperature and the barometric pressure. Once calibrated you can start your practice session.
When selecting another club to hit, you have to adjust the SC200 to enter the details of the new club that you are about to hit for more accurate data feedback. You can set the new club directly on the launch monitor interface or use the remote control that comes as standard with your purchase.
Once you have completed your swing and contact has been made with the ball, the SC200 launch monitor will call out the distance that your ball traveled to save you from having to look at the readout. The verbal feedback can be annoying to other golfers that are around you on the driving range and it- can be turned off.
Swing Caddie SC200 Program Modes
There are 3 different modes that you can select from that will allow you to improve your game while having great fun:
1. Practice Mode
The Practice mode is the default mode when the device is turned on. This will allow you to enter details related to the club that you have selected to hit such as the number of the club and the loft angle. The unit will then return information on how far you are expected to hit the ball using the selected club based on history.
The SC200 automatically registers your shot and retains the information on the display until you take your next shot. You can either hit an unlimited number of balls with the same club or change to another club whenever you wish to do so. This is not the case in the target mode and approach modes.
Information that will be displayed after every shot in practice mode is:
- Shot distance
- Swing speed
- Ball speed
- Smash factor
- Duration of the practice session
- Total shot count
2. Target Mode
Target mode is the first of the two gaming modes that are available for fine-tuning your distance control. This mode will concentrate more on your consistency as it allows you to select a distance that you want to practice.
You will then be able to hit 10 shots at the distance that you have selected and the SC200 will provide a score out of 10 after every shot based on the proximity to the target for each shot. You can select distances in increments of 5 yards.
After every shot, the SC200 will display the following information
- Shot distance
- Swing speed
- Smash factor
- A score out of 10 based on how close you were to your target
3. Approach Mode
Approach mode is aimed at your ability to hit the ball different distances as you would on the golf course. You are unlikely to have the same distance for every approach shot. In approach mode, the SC200 selects random distances between 40 and 100 yards on your behalf before you hit every shot.
It then provides a score after the completion of the shot. The score is rated out of 10 based on how close you came to the target. This is remarkably similar to target mode with the exception that the SC200 selects the distance and the distance for every shot differs. The SC200 will wait a few seconds after completion of your shot before providing your next distance.
After each shot, the SC200 will display
- Shot distance
- Swing speed
- Ball speed
- Smash factor
- A score out of 10 based on how close you were to the target
4. Accuracy
The company claims that the SC200 is capable of measuring within +-3% margin on ball speed and +- 5% on carrying distance. On average there is a +-3% error margin on the remaining data points which is quite acceptable considering the affordability of the SC200.
The barometric pressure sensor that comes in the device automatics calibrates it for altitude elevation and air pressure variations. This aids in the accuracy of the SC200. There have been very few reports from customers regarding the accuracy of the SC200. Some have commented that the accuracy diminishes on longer clubs
Game improvement
Although the SC200 does not provide feedback on your swing, the distance control and consistency in your distance is a key factor in improving your game and scores.
With accuracy and consistency, you are likely to improve on the number of greens that you hit in regulation since most amateur golfers end up short of the green on approach shots.
Pros:
- Compact and portable
- Audio output is optional
- Swing speed and ball speed measurements
- Straightforward to set up and use
- Incredibly consistent and accurate distance numbers
- Good battery life
- Improves your understanding of your distances
- Very competitively priced
Cons:
- It does not register shots below30 yards
- It does not give club data, such as club path and clubface
- Distances may be inaccurate depending on the launch height, but the data will still be consistent
- You cannot hook it up to your phone or computer for data analysis
Verdict
The SC200 is not a silver bullet for your swing improvement but it comes at a very affordable price to enable more golfers to purchase the device and improve their games. You are not going to learn a lot about your swing dynamics and the SC200 is not aimed at that market.
You will, however, gain a tremendous amount of data about your contact between the golf ball and clubhead and the effect of changes that you make in your swing to change the point of impact.
Overall, the SC200 provides the service that it is designed for very well and can compete with more expensive and larger launch monitors when comparing the accuracy and game functionality. As a tool to practice and have fun while learning more about your golf game the sC200 will achieve everything that you expect of it.
You can also check out our SC100 Swing Caddie review here.
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Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
