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The Swing Caddie SC300i adds to the original model by tracking spin and integrating video. The easiest-to-use launch monitor. Impressive accuracy. Great value.
Get exclusive Plugged In Golf pricing on the SC300i HERE
Introduction
The original Swing Caddie SC300 [review HERE] was among the leaders in the popular $500 launch monitor category. Swing Caddie recently upgraded the unit, now known as the SC300i, without raising the price. I put the new version through its paces to find out what’s been added and if it’s now at the top of this competitive segment.
Check out the new Swing Caddie SC4 HERE
Find our list of the best launch monitors for every budget HERE
Set Up & Ease of Use
One of the best things about all the Swing Caddie products is their ease of use. The SC300i is no different. Turn it on, drop it five feet behind your golf ball, select the club you’re going to hit, and swing away. You’ll be getting data on your shots in less than a minute.
The SC300i’s remote control remains one of its best features. The remote allows you to switch modes (Target vs. Practice), adjust the volume, change clubs, and more, all without leaving your hitting position.
Incorporating the MySwingCaddie app takes very little effort. Open the app, turn on your SC300i, and click the Bluetooth icon in the top right corner. You’ll be connected to your device in seconds, able to view your shots on your phone or use the app’s video functions.
Navigating within the app is just as easy. There are five buttons along the bottom – Home, Practice Mode, Target Mode, Stats, and Videos. The data is displayed in easy to read, intuitive ways, making it fun to use and worthwhile for looking back on your practice sessions.
Effectiveness
Let’s start with an overview of the SC300i for those that are new to Swing Caddie. This launch monitor measures swing speed, ball speed, carry distance, launch angle, and apex using Doppler Radar. It also reports smash factor and, with the app, spin rate. The data is displayed on the large, easy to read screen as well as on your phone, if you’re using the app. The Swing Caddie SC300i also announces the results of each shot, though this can be turned off if you’re at a public range.
I tested the SC300I against a Foresight GC2 both indoors and outdoors with a variety of different golf balls and every club in my bag. Across the board, the accuracy of the SC300i was even more impressive than the SC300. For a fraction of the price of a professional grade launch monitor, the SC300i gives you excellent data that can help you improve your game.
Let’s get into the details on the accuracy. For ball and club head speed, the SC300i was typically within 1 MPH of the Foresight. Similarly, launch angle was consistently within 1.5 degrees. One of the new features, spin measurements, was also surprisingly good. With irons, I found the SC300i was usually within 200 RPM of Foresight. It was also impressive with the driver. Where the spin became less reliable was with my hybrid – the SC300i tended to produce substantially higher number on mishits. All of this leads up to distance measurements that are among the best I’ve seen in this category. There were instances, particularly on mishits and with the hybrid, where the distance reading was noticeably off, but the vast majority of shots were measured within a few yards of Foresight.
Now let’s turn to what’s new about the SC300i. As I mentioned earlier, the ability to report spin numbers is new. Again, you need to use the app to get these numbers – the display of the SC300 and SC300i are identical – but it’s a substantial addition.
The other exciting new feature is the addition of video to the MySwingCaddie app. You can use your phone to film your swing then view the shot with the data overlaid. The app also allows for line drawing so you can analyze each swing like Peter Kostis.
Overall, I think the app is a really valuable part of the Swing Caddie package. I like the ability to customize the data display so you can stay focused on what you’re working on. Also, being able to have a history of your practice sessions is valuable for those seeking long term improvement.
Longevity
The Swing Caddie SC300i continues to be at the top of the class for portability and ease of use, both of which boost its longevity. This device can easily live in your golf bag, and the increased battery life (20 hours) means you won’t need to charge it between uses.
Adding to the SC300i’s longevity is the ability to use it with or without a phone. Being able to drop it down on any range or in your garage and get right to work is invaluable. That said, the SC300i makes using the app worthwhile thanks to spin, video, and long term progress measurements.
Value
The Swing Caddie SC300i retails for $399. Plugged In Golf readers can save $70 and support the site by clicking HERE.
While each device in this launch monitor category has its own strengths and weaknesses, I would recommend the SC300i to the majority of golfers for its ease of use and accuracy.
Conclusion
If you’ve been waiting to get your own personal launch monitor, the Swing Caddie SC300i makes a persuasive case that it’s time to get off the sidelines. The ease of use and accuracy are tremendous, and the MySwingCaddie app adds another layer of fun and function.
Buy the Swing Caddie SC300i HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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47 Comments
Good Morning Matt,
Nice review on the SC 300i. I’ve been thinking about purchasing one for a little bit and this helped clear up some things. One question, are you able to adjust the loft of your club. Not all brands have the same club lofts and I just want to make sure that I can adjust the loft to my personal clubs. Thanks.
Kevin,
Great question. Yes, the loft of each club can be adjusted.
Best,
Matt
Matt, maybe I missed it in the article but does this unit measure swing speed for training with a swing speed system? I think the 200+ does but didn’t know if that carried over to this unit too. Trying to decide if this unit is worth the extra cost over the 200+ or the newer PRGR, all seem great and it’s a tough decision .
Bradd,
The SC300i does not measure “practice” swings; the SC200 Plus does.
There are lots of great choices out there. Personally, if I had to pick one, it would be the SC300i because I think the value of the app integration and spin measurements outweighs the benefits of speed training measurements, but that’s just my preference.
Best,
Matt
Great review. Question about your testing vs GC Quad. Was it conducted indoors or outside, and was it hitting into a net or on a full driving range?
Thanks
TJ,
All of the above.
-Matt
Glad to see spin data has been added as products in this price range usually incorporate spin. Unfortunate though that the app is required to view spin. Surprised they didn’t add spin as part of the product’s display screen. Maybe in the next revision? If I use the device without the app connected (like on the golf course), does it store spin data so I can view later by connecting to the app? I like the video option as well. Sometimes when taking video of my swing, I have to take notes on how well(or not) I hit individual shots to match with the video later when reviewing. Having swing data incorporated into the video is a neat feature. Thanks for the review!
Anthony,
Besides the Mevo (which requires that the balls be marked), what other $500 launch monitors offer spin?
I’m not sure about the device storing shots to later be displayed in the app, but I’ll look into that in the coming week and report back.
Best,
Matt
UPDATE: Yes, you can hit shots with only the SC300i then transfer those shots to your app and get the spin data.
Matt, you are correct. In addition to Mevo, I thought Rhapsodo also provided spin. But I checked and it doesn’t. There is a newer product from Garmin, the “R10”. But it retails at $600. Thanks for the update regarding getting spin data afterwards.
Hi Matt, If you already have the Mevo and the SC200, is it worth it to combine all the best features of both the other units and upgrade to the SC300i
Forrest,
I really like the SC300i for the “drop and go” usability, but if you already have the SC200 and a Mevo, the SC300i certainly isn’t necessary. Nice, for sure, but not necessary. :)
-Matt
Nice review. Does the SC300i do shot tracing like the Rapsodo, so you can check dispersion and shot shape?
Steve,
No, the SC300i doesn’t track anything regarding direction.
Best,
Matt
can it track club head speed without striking a ball–possibly helpful in speed/distance training ?
No, but the SC200 Plus can.
-Matt
You mention the phone app. My question is what type of phone is supported? Android or apple, or both?
Michael
Michael,
The app appears to be available on both the Apple and Google app stores.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt, I was hoping you can help me with my SC300. I use it on the range, and use the remote control to switch between modes and clubs. And when I’m back home, I would then connect SC300 to the app on an andriod phone. However, I’m only able to get 1 single reading on the app, and thats my driver, all the other shots aren’t saved and transferred to the app.
In your review of the SC300i, you are able to get your iron and wedges data transferred to the app. Could you advise me how I’m able to do that as well? Currently, I’m only able to get my driver data to the app. Thank you in advance.
Dan,
To clarify: is the app only reporting the final swing from your range session or is it reporting all your driver shots but none of your other shots?
-Matt
Hi Matt
Thanks for the reply. The app is only reporting all the driver shots but none from the fairway wood, hybrid, irons or even wedges. I was wondering if it is compulsory to connect the SC300 with the app while hitting and to select the different clubs using the app so that the shot/stats can be stores within the app?
Dan,
I contacted Voice Caddie to try to get the best answer possible. Here’s what they said:
It would be best to have the app connected during an active session for data retention. Also advisable to double check the app and phone to see if the clubs match when selecting clubs.
My takeaway from this is that uploading the data from the device after the session can be hit and miss. I’ve been successful in my attempts, but I may just be getting lucky.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt, thank you for your effort to contact Voice Caddie. I will give it a try to connect it next time at the range. Cheers.
Could you tell me how the video swing works on the 300i, do you need another person to hit record or if your phone is hooked up does motion of the swing start the record, there’s nothing in the manual that explains it that I could fine, thank you in advance.
Larry,
Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to go back and double check so I gave you the right info.
If you want video of your swing, you set up your phone in the right position while it’s running the Swing Caddie app. You do not need to hit record, stop, pause, etc; the app clips the video perfectly around each swing. It’s a great feature for players that like swing video.
Best,
Matt
Matt, great review. Because of it, I purchased the SC300i. It really is a killer little device. I am using the unit in conjunction with the app, but I am not getting any Spin Rate data. Any thoughts??
Greg,
Are the spin numbers just not showing up in the app? Is the app connected to the device in real time, while you’re hitting?
Best,
Matt
Matt,
Is there a source of what the average statistics should be for each club. IE. What should the spin rate be for a 7 iron? What is the ideal apex for a 5 iron, etc.
Lonny,
Ideal numbers are determined relative to ball speed, so there’s no one set of perfect numbers. I have not seen any charts that show ideal numbers across a range of speeds.
-Matt
Order the sc300i and expect it to arrive today, pretty excited to test it out. Does the app tell you the average distance on your clubs for bag mapping purposes or is the average distance you see purely based on the current session you are in. Also, does it show it numerically or just on that red/yellow/blue chart in the top right corner?
Michael,
I believe the Stats by Club are comprehensive, not just for one session. To you second question, I’m not quite sure what you’re asking.
Best,
Matt
Thanks for your response. Essentially I was asking how the Stats by Club information is displayed. I’ve not seen anyone post a screenshot of what that looks like. All I’ve ever seen is the chart like in your screen shot above during practice mode that shows the red/yellow/blue line that shows last shot, average, and max. Wasn’t sure if there was a more comprehensive way to see your stats, but it sounds like Stats by Club might have what I’m looking for – again mostly for bag mapping purposes.
Hi Matt can you speak to which launch monitor is most accurate over stats that are comparable between the Swing Caddie SC300i and the Garmin Approach R10? (A mini breakdown of the different stats shown would be very much appreciated or just an overall grade for each compared stat to lets say a top of the line tool like GC Quad or Trackman). This is especially important for spin speed since I’m hearing both of these can mess up that number quite a bit. Also do both of them have a shot direction tool like the R10 has built in? Are there any stats that the R10 has that the SC300i doesnt? Also do either of them have a feature where you can say you want to aim for a present value such as 100 yards on the launch monitor and it measures your ability to hit that goal? I really dont care TOO much about the simulator feature so I am really trying to figure out which monitor is best between these 2 in terms of launch monitor stats and overall accuracy.
Alec,
Respectfully, a lot of the questions you are asking are answered in the reviews.
With regard to accuracy, spin is the least accurate number on any lower priced launch monitor. Overall, I found both units you mentioned to be about equal across the board compared to a professional launch monitor.
-Matt
Hey Matt,
In regards to the sc300i, I have read through this thread a few times, and I may just be over looking my answer. In you review I notice you mentioned a drop off in distance on you miss hits with your hybrid. Overall, what was the difference that you notice in the accuracy of carry distance throughout the bag between the sc300i and the GC Quad?
Jason,
Thank you for taking the time to read the comments before asking your question.
Comparing the Quad and SC300 is really apples to oranges. The SC300i is very good for the price, but the consistency and accuracy is nowhere near the Quad.
Best,
Matt
I have the Swing Caddie SC 300I and I have gone through the whole set up but when I take a swing it does not show any data, everything stays in zero. Please help.
Duane,
My best advice would be to contact Swing Caddie. It sounds like your unit may be defective.
-Matt
Can I connect the unit via Bluetooth to my notepad using its camera instead of the mobile phone to monitor my swings? It’s easier to watch the recordings on an 11″ monitor than on the phone. Thank you.
Bjorn,
If your notepad has the Swing Caddie app, yes.
-Matt
I have irons that go in .5 intervals. Can i only change lofts in full degrees? If so how do I put in a 30.5 degree lofted iron?
Nate,
Yes, the lofts only change in full degree increments. For 30.5, you’d have to pick 30 or 31.
-Matt
How well does the sc300i work in dimly lit simulator hitting bays?
Dave,
I don’t think the lighting affects the SC300i at all.
-Matt
Hi Matt,
Can 2 people in a group or a family have 2 profiles (2 apps) in separate phones using (sharing) 1 SC300i? Let’s say my son has the app on his phone with a separate user account and I have a different account on my phone, but we use the same unit but practice on different days.
Dennis,
I don’t know for certain, but I don’t think that would be an issue.
Best,
Matt
Matt — I have heard the screen of the swing caddie 300i can become damaged when kept in a hot care. Have you seen this issue?
John,
I have not, but I also don’t keep any of my golf gear in my car.
Best,
Matt