Take the cart’s GPS screen anywhere with the new ‘Caddie’ from Pinned Golf

Welcome to I tried ita GOLF.com series on golf gear – apparel, equipment, accessories and more – that we recently tried out. We’re here to give our honest, no-nonsense take on the latest and greatest golf or golf-related items. So scroll down to read what we like about golf’s latest (or new to us) products.

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I have to admit, the first time I saw The Caddy by Pinned Golf, I had major FOMO. And then the hits kept coming. Many of my maker friends got their hands on the device and I got quite jealous. So when it came time to raise my hand to test out the new device, mine shot up faster than any other. I’ve already had a few chances to use it while playing a brand new course without cart GPS, and it’s truly a lifesaver.

First and foremost, the idea is really cool – so cool that it won best new product for its category at this year’s PGA Show. The Caddy is a self-contained device with its own data signal that essentially allows you to take a cart’s GPS screen anywhere. Whether you’re a hiker or someone who sits in a cart without a GPS screen, the Pinned Golf Caddy travels with you. And the best part is… NO SUBSCRIPTIONS. One payment for the device means it’s fully unlocked for use, at no extra cost – plus it’s currently on sale for $50 off. Bravo on that, Pinned.

Inside the box you’ll find the Caddy touchscreen tablet, a charging cable, and a hard case for the device, which is super handy to have so you can throw the Caddy in your golf bag and not worry about any potential damage. Logging in to the device for the first time is very simple and can be done on any WiFi signal. It will only take a few minutes for it to load properly, after which you can explore the interface for yourself. It is a very easy to use experience and there is no learning curve to get to know the software. They designed it to be a seamless experience that feels familiar when using a cart GPS screen or other GPS apps that have been available for years.

SPELLED GOLF CADY

An 8-inch screen provides a compact and crystal clear image. Its slim design and built-in magnet make it the perfect companion on course. $50 off retail price for a limited time!

There’s very little the Caddy can’t do in terms of GPS functions. As it is a standalone device, you can download your course onto the tablet before your round or find it when you arrive at the club. They have over 45,000 courses and plenty more to play. The tablet is very efficient in terms of power and lasts about three rounds before I even worried about it dying on me. The screen is bright enough to see in sunlight and the magnets are STRONG – much stronger than any rangefinder or other golf accessory I have. It’s also IPX7 waterproof, so even if you get caught in a storm, you’ll still know how far you are from the dry ground of the clubhouse.

When you head to a new hole, there are a number of different viewpoints to view, including a drone-style flyover of the hole, 2D and 3D views that you can maneuver around, as well as the ability to get a close-up of the hole so you can check for hazards or tighter landing spots. Wherever you are, you also get live updates on the front, center and back distances for the hole you’re playing and of course you have the option to use the touchscreen to find the distances to specific parts of the hole, which is great for finding out if your 7 iron can carry that bunker in front of the green. The Caddy does everything a normal car GPS can do, but that’s exactly where the functionality starts.

Besides being a reliable GPS device, you can also keep track of your score, keep track of your statistics and even keep track of the matches between you and your golfing friends. It’s pretty hard to argue about handing over $5 when the Caddy is watching the game.

Now I can’t write this article without answering the most obvious and common question that all my friends have asked me: Can’t I just use my phone?

I’m not going to lie, I thought this too. But then I realized the benefits of using the Caddy through my phone. The first of these may be a niche problem, but my favorite GPS app on the phone doesn’t let me play music at the same time for some reason. So that’s a big problem when we’re trying to keep the atmosphere high. I can put the Caddy and my Bluetooth speaker on the cart and have no problems playing my Spotify playlist or not touching my phone while I play. You don’t actually realize how nice it is not to have to interact with your phone at all while playing until you play an entire round without touching it. I don’t want to see the notifications that I ‘missed a meeting’, I’m playing golf at noon on Tuesday.

Finally, the product simply has a cool factor. I pitch this to my home club, which again has no GPS screen, and everyone is jealous. They’ve all asked me where I got it and how I can get one. Our pro even talked to me about renting a handful of these to use during rounds, which is great for guests, tournament players, or anyone else who wants to take advantage of the benefits a GPS device brings you. Not to mention keeping score and the game would probably stop a few fights during the daily men’s game.

The pinned caddy is on sale now for $50 offso if you want to step up your GPS game or buy an enviable gift for someone you love, now’s the best time to get one for yourself!