Multi-sports GPS from Satsports

Satsports has just released an all-weather Multi-sports GPS that caters to “anyone who enjoys outdoor adventure sports”. I guess golf–at least the way it is played by most of us–can be considered an outdoor “adventure” sport.

Pocket Caddy

Satski GPS

The Satsports GPS includes:

• Satski, for skiing and snowboarding. I had no idea that skiers might need a GPS to navigate their way down a ski slope. But then again, I have only skied on slopes whose size pales in comparison to the vast expanses of the world’s top ski resorts located in the Alps or Rockies. If you are making your way down from the top of a glacier covered mountain, you might need a little help avoiding the major hazards along the way. On the golf course the major calamity is that your golf ball ends up in a hazard; on a ski hill, when its your body that’s careening down the slope, the consequences can be much more disastrous.
• Pocket Caddy for golf (see details below)
• Satsports Logfor running, cycling, mountain biking, hiking, walking

Pocket Caddy, which is also available as a Windows Mobile download and soon to be Android App (in its websites FAQ it claims to be compatible with Android phones such as: HTC Magic, HTC Hero, HTC G1, G1 Touch, Samsung i7500 (Samsung Galaxy)), has the following features:

• 3D flyovers of entire course and individual holes. OK, this might be considered just a gimmick by some people, but it might also be nice to see the layout the course in advance, especially if you have not played it before.
• Distance to the front, center, and back of the green and other points of interest. The front of the green will always be the nearest point to your current position: the distance will be calculated based on your angle of approach. In most golf GPS devices, the front of the green is always the point closest to the tee or center of the fairway: not the most useful point if you have strayed far to the left or right of the green.
• Shot recording, statistics and scorecard. Pocket Caddy will record the distance, club used, and lie of each shot and records statistics on fairways/greens hit, putts per hole, and distances of each club.
• Provides hazard carry or lay up position
• Free PC Analysis software with free updates
• Do it yourself course mapping. You can request that your home course be included with purchase, or you can map courses yourself using Google Earth (Pocket Caddy does not use photographic images: you will have to trace and color greens, fairways, and hazards using the tools available in Google Earth.) Mapping is not difficult and for each course that you submit you will earn one credit towards a map that some one else has mapped.

Satsports Multi-sports GPS costs $490.00 US(with DIY home course) and $506.00 (with map of home course included).
Windows Mobile app costs $16.50 US (with DIY home course) and $33.00 (with map of home course included).