What's up everyone! Let's start this intro by saying how bummed I am for @kanoito for having to back out of this one. That said I am super excited to join my fellow testers for the Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder. I would also like to extend an enormous THANK YOU to MGS and Voice Caddie for this opportunity.
For those that don't know me, I go by blackngold_blood, BNG, or just plain old Mark. I live in north central Iowa in the small rural town of Wesley. I am a bit of a fantasy sports nut and trade aficionado! I have bee lucky enough to turn 2 golden tickets into 2 amazing testing opportunities (Lynx Prowler VT irons and Titleist T200 irons) over the last couple of years. I have been been enjoying this crazy game for the last 25 years. Up until a few years ago I was a big believer in the bomb and gouge concept in golf. As I age the distance, while still there for the most part, is of less importance. That is probably the main reason my game has improved like it has lately. I consider my short game to be the most consistent part of my game but at the same time putting dictates my score more often than not. I no longer carry an official handicap but as of april last year I was an 8.3. It is most certainly closer to a 5 now due to the change in philosophy and playing more often.
I currently use a generic hunting rangefinder. It does not lock onto the flag and picks up trees more often than not but gets the job done, sort of! lol If I am playing a course I don't know or don't play often, I use the GPS feature on the Grint. I do a lot of guessing of my yardages and have wondered lately if that is the final piece to the puzzle for me to finally shoot par or better over 18 holes.
As this test unfolds, I will be giving the SL2 an honest evaluation. I will be sure to check number accuracy but will not be comparing it to anything else on the market. All SL2 all the time! I will say I am very intrigued by the green undulation function. I also now have a built in excuse to travel and play some new courses!
Will the Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder be the answer for me or possibly you? I can't wait to get this in hand so we can find out together!
I will try to get some pics of my course and what not soon. I just wanted to get this intro up and going!
Please feel free to post any questions, comments, or testing interests in the comments section!
Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid GPS Laser Rangefinder with Green Undulation
Official Review by Blackngold_blood August 31, 2021
This review was an interesting one for me. I don't use a rangefinder all that often. I do have an older hunting one that I take with me to new or less played courses but otherwise I usually know my distances at my normal course. For this review I used the SL2 for every shot during the 12 rounds I have had it. I also took a measuring wheel to the course with me for some accuracy readings, more on that later. I also wanted to mention the box the SL2 came in. The magnetic closure is a really neat feature and allows for easy storage during the off season.
Looks & Feel 10 out of 10
When I first looked at the SL2 online I thought it looked amazing but once I had it in hand, I was blown away. It fits perfectly in my hands and the combo of white leather mixed with the oak grain pattern and aluminum is simply stunning.
Setup 12 out of 15
This section would have been higher had the unit came in English instead of Korean. As I don't understand Korean, I sent an email to our contact Jonathan Diaz. He replied quickly with a couple videos showing how to switch the language as well as changing holes manually. It will switch holes automatically as you go along but if you skip holes you will need to change manually. I would include them here but the file size is too large. I do have them saved should anyone want or need them. Jonathan also reached out a few weeks later to see if there was any other questions, which I thought was really cool of him and something he definitely didn't have to do.
Right out of the box I used the SL2 for 4 rounds before finally needing a charge. When I went to charge it I noticed the USB cable doesn't include a wall outlet. I had to use one I had laying around the house and in just over an hour it was fully charged.
Accuracy 14 out of 15
For this test I used the measuring wheel mentioned earlier as well as the GPS from the Grint. My camera crapped out on me so pictures weren't captured and wouldn't you know it, to top it off the SL2 finally needed charging lol. After a charge I returned the next weekend to write down my findings. Let me preface this with the fact that some of you will look at these numbers and think my score doesn't reflect the findings. I will do my best to explain why I graded the way I did.
First the rangefinder using the flag vs the measuring wheel
As you can see once outside 100yds the wheel and SL2 never hit the same number. Allowing for tolerances and user error, I would say that those numbers are pretty darn good. As I mentioned before some will say that those numbers should be closer if not exact. I look at it this way, at 300 yards, The measuring wheel and the SL2 were different by a 15 feet average!
As for the SL2 GPS and the Grint GPS, they were exactly the same every time, which quite frankly surprised me more than anything!
The slope function is hard to quantify for accuracy but when I did use it, it seemed to be right on the money.
On Course 38 out of 40
As someone who rarely uses a rangefinder at my home course, I did have to remind myself constantly to use the SL2. When I played a round at a course I knew less about, it was much easier to remember. When I did use it the numbers were super clear and easy to read. (I had a photo to show it but when I went to resize it to post it blurred. I am working on getting a new one asap) I do have to say that the combination of a rangefinder and gps in one unit is very welcomed. Anything that will allow me to throw the cell phone in the bag and leave it there is alright in my book!
I am gonna touch briefly on the Green Undulation feature here. This was something that I was really looking forward to. This feature is the reason for the less that perfect score. It isn't the easiest to read. After speaking with Jonathan, he stated they are working on improvements to it, such as arrows to show fall. While it may work for others, the colors on the screen blur together for me and my terrible eyes.
The biggest advantage for me as it relates to my scores using the SL2 have come when I hit wayward drives, which does happen more than I care to admit!
Play it or Trade it 20 out of 20
Not much to say here. This is staying in my bag and don't see it leaving until it craps out. While it may not get used on every hole, it will always be with me should I need it.
Conclusion
The Voice Caddie SL2 Hybrid GPS Rangefinder with Green Undulation is an absolute must for anyone that uses GPS and/or a rangefinder. While it is expensive($599.99) and does have its limitations/issues, being able to get multiple types of measurements in one unit is awesome and what this Spy hopes to be the future of rangefinders.
Final Reviews: Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder
Posted
What's up everyone! Let's start this intro by saying how bummed I am for @kanoito for having to back out of this one. That said I am super excited to join my fellow testers for the Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder. I would also like to extend an enormous THANK YOU to MGS and Voice Caddie for this opportunity.
For those that don't know me, I go by blackngold_blood, BNG, or just plain old Mark. I live in north central Iowa in the small rural town of Wesley. I am a bit of a fantasy sports nut and trade aficionado! I have bee lucky enough to turn 2 golden tickets into 2 amazing testing opportunities (Lynx Prowler VT irons and Titleist T200 irons) over the last couple of years. I have been been enjoying this crazy game for the last 25 years. Up until a few years ago I was a big believer in the bomb and gouge concept in golf. As I age the distance, while still there for the most part, is of less importance. That is probably the main reason my game has improved like it has lately. I consider my short game to be the most consistent part of my game but at the same time putting dictates my score more often than not. I no longer carry an official handicap but as of april last year I was an 8.3. It is most certainly closer to a 5 now due to the change in philosophy and playing more often.
I currently use a generic hunting rangefinder. It does not lock onto the flag and picks up trees more often than not but gets the job done, sort of! lol If I am playing a course I don't know or don't play often, I use the GPS feature on the Grint. I do a lot of guessing of my yardages and have wondered lately if that is the final piece to the puzzle for me to finally shoot par or better over 18 holes.
As this test unfolds, I will be giving the SL2 an honest evaluation. I will be sure to check number accuracy but will not be comparing it to anything else on the market. All SL2 all the time! I will say I am very intrigued by the green undulation function. I also now have a built in excuse to travel and play some new courses!
Will the Voice Caddie SL2 Rangefinder be the answer for me or possibly you? I can't wait to get this in hand so we can find out together!
I will try to get some pics of my course and what not soon. I just wanted to get this intro up and going!
Please feel free to post any questions, comments, or testing interests in the comments section!
Voice Caddie SL2 Active Hybrid GPS Laser Rangefinder with Green Undulation
Official Review by Blackngold_blood August 31, 2021
This review was an interesting one for me. I don't use a rangefinder all that often. I do have an older hunting one that I take with me to new or less played courses but otherwise I usually know my distances at my normal course. For this review I used the SL2 for every shot during the 12 rounds I have had it. I also took a measuring wheel to the course with me for some accuracy readings, more on that later. I also wanted to mention the box the SL2 came in. The magnetic closure is a really neat feature and allows for easy storage during the off season.
Looks & Feel 10 out of 10
When I first looked at the SL2 online I thought it looked amazing but once I had it in hand, I was blown away. It fits perfectly in my hands and the combo of white leather mixed with the oak grain pattern and aluminum is simply stunning.
Setup 12 out of 15
This section would have been higher had the unit came in English instead of Korean. As I don't understand Korean, I sent an email to our contact Jonathan Diaz. He replied quickly with a couple videos showing how to switch the language as well as changing holes manually. It will switch holes automatically as you go along but if you skip holes you will need to change manually. I would include them here but the file size is too large. I do have them saved should anyone want or need them. Jonathan also reached out a few weeks later to see if there was any other questions, which I thought was really cool of him and something he definitely didn't have to do.
Right out of the box I used the SL2 for 4 rounds before finally needing a charge. When I went to charge it I noticed the USB cable doesn't include a wall outlet. I had to use one I had laying around the house and in just over an hour it was fully charged.
Accuracy 14 out of 15
For this test I used the measuring wheel mentioned earlier as well as the GPS from the Grint. My camera crapped out on me so pictures weren't captured and wouldn't you know it, to top it off the SL2 finally needed charging lol. After a charge I returned the next weekend to write down my findings. Let me preface this with the fact that some of you will look at these numbers and think my score doesn't reflect the findings. I will do my best to explain why I graded the way I did.
First the rangefinder using the flag vs the measuring wheel
Hole 1 Hole 4 Hole 9
Wheel 100yds Wheel 100yds Wheel 100yds
SL2 100yds SL2 100yds SL2 100yds
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Wheel 200yds Wheel 200yds Wheel 200yds
SL2 198yds SL2 198yds SL2 197yds
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Wheel 300yds Wheel 300yds Wheel 300yds
SL2 295yds SL2 295yds SL2 296yds
As you can see once outside 100yds the wheel and SL2 never hit the same number. Allowing for tolerances and user error, I would say that those numbers are pretty darn good. As I mentioned before some will say that those numbers should be closer if not exact. I look at it this way, at 300 yards, The measuring wheel and the SL2 were different by a 15 feet average!
As for the SL2 GPS and the Grint GPS, they were exactly the same every time, which quite frankly surprised me more than anything!
The slope function is hard to quantify for accuracy but when I did use it, it seemed to be right on the money.
On Course 38 out of 40
As someone who rarely uses a rangefinder at my home course, I did have to remind myself constantly to use the SL2. When I played a round at a course I knew less about, it was much easier to remember. When I did use it the numbers were super clear and easy to read. (I had a photo to show it but when I went to resize it to post it blurred. I am working on getting a new one asap) I do have to say that the combination of a rangefinder and gps in one unit is very welcomed. Anything that will allow me to throw the cell phone in the bag and leave it there is alright in my book!
I am gonna touch briefly on the Green Undulation feature here. This was something that I was really looking forward to. This feature is the reason for the less that perfect score. It isn't the easiest to read. After speaking with Jonathan, he stated they are working on improvements to it, such as arrows to show fall. While it may work for others, the colors on the screen blur together for me and my terrible eyes.
The biggest advantage for me as it relates to my scores using the SL2 have come when I hit wayward drives, which does happen more than I care to admit!
Play it or Trade it 20 out of 20
Not much to say here. This is staying in my bag and don't see it leaving until it craps out. While it may not get used on every hole, it will always be with me should I need it.
Conclusion
The Voice Caddie SL2 Hybrid GPS Rangefinder with Green Undulation is an absolute must for anyone that uses GPS and/or a rangefinder. While it is expensive($599.99) and does have its limitations/issues, being able to get multiple types of measurements in one unit is awesome and what this Spy hopes to be the future of rangefinders.
Total Score 94 out of 100