SkyCaddie creates official pin sheets for MCB Tour Championship events

SkyCaddie’s level of support to players on The Staysure Tour – formerly known as the European Senior Tour – reaches a new high this week, with the start of the three season-ending MCB Tour Championship events.

Tournament Directors are using SkyCaddie’s exclusive ground-mapped GPS data when setting pin positions for competitors in the events, which form a climactic three-week swing taking in Madagascar, the Seychelles and Mauritius.

After the Tour sets and measures each day’s pin positions SkyCaddie will produce pin sheets showing the location of the pin on each green.

The Tour will then distribute those pin sheets to players, and a simple and quick Wi-Fi sync means the pin information is downloaded directly onto the player’s SX500 in less than a minute.

The ability to see the day’s actual pin positions on a golf GPS device is made possible by SkyCaddie’s exclusive Pin Position feature, which is available on the SX500 and the recently-launched, more compact SkyCaddie SX400.

Simon Higginbottom, Tournament Director for the MCB Tour Championship at Constance Lemuria GC in the Seychelles, said: “Essentially, SkyCaddie is providing the maps of the greens on which we’ll base the day’s pin sheets for the Staysure Tour competitors.

“As our normal yardage charts are not available at these events, the SkyCaddies will be the only way for players to see a map of the hole complete with every significant yardage.

“We have worked with SkyCaddie’s GPS mapping team this year to ensure that our course measurement methodology matches up. We are matching our methods with SkyCaddie’s data during the MCB Tour Championship events to assess the playing angle of approach to each green, as well as the exact spot which marks the front of the green. This is crucial when providing the day’s pin positions for players.”

Each MCB Tour Championship golf course was recently surveyed on foot by SkyCaddie to produce ground-mapped GPS data which is accurate within a yard.

SkyCaddie’s chief mapper in the EMEA region, Steve Winstone, recently flew out to survey the three golf courses – the International Golf Club du Rova in Madagascar (29 Nov – 01 Dec), Constance Lemuria GC in the Seychelles (05-07 Dec) and Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius (13-15 Dec) – to ensure that the dozens of competitors on the Staysure Tour who

already have a SkyCaddie SX500 have accurate, updated yardages while playing in the tournaments.

England’s David Shacklady, who is battling with 2002 Ryder Cup hero Philip Price at the top of this year’s Staysure Tour Order Of Merit, said: “I use my SX500 from the tee to get carry distances over bunkers and water, and to check run-out distances to the rough and other hazards beyond my landing point. I use it to plot all the spots I want to hit the ball into”

“Also, the SkyCaddie SX500 just simplifies your thoughts when playing to the green” he said. “A laser can only give you limited line-of-sight information, whereas the SkyCaddie gives you a really good visual of yardages to all bunkers and hazards which guard the green, as well as complete information about the green itself including major contours.”

At this week’s MCB Tour Championship in Madagascar, 2002 Ryder Cup hero and 2019 Staysure Tour Order Of Merit leader Philip Price will seek to extend his lead against a high-quality field including Shacklady and other close pursuers in this year’s rankings including South Africa’s James Kingston and Frenchman Jean-Francois Remesy.

Also in the 80-man field in Madagascar this week are former Ryder Cup stars Paul McGinley, Costantino Rocca, Joakim Haeggman, Philip Walton and Steven Richardson.

SkyCaddie’s SX500 has received universal acclaim in the media. Golf Monthly called it “Mind-blowing” and gave it the 2019 Editor’s Choice award. Bunkered said “Staggering .. unrivalled by anything else on the market” and Today’s Golfer described it as “Golf’s ultimate GPS”, giving it their 2019 Gold Award.

The SkyCaddie SX500 and SX400 are available now from all good retailers and PGA professional shops for RRP £379.95 and RRP £299.95 respectively.

SkyCaddie is currently running a Trade-In offer until 15th December, wherein golfers who trade in any distance measuring device, whether laser or GPS, any brand, and in any condition (even if it’s broken) will receive £50 off a new SkyCaddie SX500 or SX400. For more information, visit your PGA Professional or see www.skycaddie.co.uk.