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Unofficial Review: Gravity Caddy Jumbo


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Posted (edited)

TL;DR: The Gravity Caddy Jumbo is much improved over the original Gravity Caddy at a premium price that feels more reasonable for its target market. While it still has some quirks, seriously consider the Jumbo if you are: 1) a professional coach with a dedicated indoor/outdoor hitting area; 2) a commercial range without an existing in-bay dispenser and are looking for a market differentiator from other ranges or; 3) the owner of an at-home simulator and spare no expense on premium features.

  1. First impressions: 19/20
  2. Aesthetics: 10/10
  3. The Numbers: 9/10
  4. On-Course: 16/20
  5. The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween: 15/20
  6. Play it or Trade it?: 16/20

85/100. Keep an eye out for the Gravity Caddy at golf expos in the US beginning in 2025.

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First impressions: 19/20
Following my review of their original product, Gravity Caddy generously offered to provide their latest, larger Gravity Caddy Jumbo for follow-up testing (hereafter referred to as “the Jumbo” for simplicity’s sake). Since the Jumbo is immediately available for purchase and shipment, I bypassed the growing-pain woes experienced during the original product’s kickstarter. I didn’t see the Jumbo available for purchase on Gravity Caddy’s U.S. website, and received the following clarification from Hoon Choi, Director Wagolf Canada:

Quote

As of today, Gravity Caddy Jumbo is available in both Canada and U.S, Japan and Korea. For the U.S. market, it is only available on our official webpage (Gravitycaddy.ca) however, we are in the preparation of launching it on US Amazon as of July 2024. We will also actively attend various golf expos in the States starting in January 2025.

Upon the product’s arrival, I found the Jumbo to be incredibly well packaged. Seriously, I’ve received fine china and antique crystal that weren’t as well packaged as this.

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The primary mechanics of the Jumbo are nearly identical to its predecessor and I could have assembled the product with my existing familiarity alone. I did notice a few new features that weren’t mentioned in the user manual though. First, these three metal brackets located on the underside of the Jumbo and end of link box:

IMG_2865.JPG.fbc238206525a4f7bb84e9c5023d3450.JPGIMG_2854.JPG.8e2c9a7c1082b54a9914003d1e07ad22.JPG

The brackets are called “anti-theft” features on the Gravity Caddy website but they’re not clearly indicated in the product manual. Hoon offered this clarification:

Quote

We have realized that many golf ranges who we currently work with (especially in Korea & Canada) are located outdoor and they have the metal brackets screwed in on to the floor for Anti-Theft purposes. This was an addition more so for Golf Ranges and anyone who plans to install outdoor permanently.

Second, this trap door on the rear of the product was a bit of a mystery to me as well:

IMG_2856.JPG.f9fc3a0558697a6f6c5f45b7473443ef.JPGIMG_2857.JPG.19954f837788b2b9aa11d8228bbf55e4.JPG

IMG_2858.JPG.611f54255fa2788bb0ffe0865e74bf6e.JPG

Again, Hoon provided the following clarification:

Quote

We currently offer 4 rubber tees at 2 different heights (70mm & 80mm). We are in the process of finalizing the shortest rubber tee, 55mm, and will be included in the package once it gets finalized. Our intention of the rear door storage was to provide a space where users can store rubber tees of different heights.

Both observations are minor quibbles that didn’t impact use of the product and could easily be addressed in a future update to polish up the product manual.

Minus one point for lack of clarity for the anti-tampering capability and storage door within the user manual.

Aesthetics: 10/10
Much like the original Gravity Caddy, aesthetics is a strength for the Jumbo. The no-frills shape works well to my eye, rather than the somewhat polarizing hourglass (or Toilet Tank, as one Spy said) shape of its smaller brother. The simple color palette of primarily grey with accents of red and green is subdued and lends itself well to commercial and higher-end use cases. Not much to say here other than I like it a lot!

IMG_2855.JPG.79ab4fdbd74b52ef8fceabda6db1fb6d.JPG
The Numbers: 9/10
The Jumbo measures in at 21” wide, 10” deep, and 15.75” high. The tee lever adds 11” to the product depth and 1” to height for final dimensions of 21”x21”x16.75”.

IMG_2860.JPG.2432710ae18f3b4e945da5cae08f465a.JPGIMG_2861.JPG.7766be23cd9757b31bc223fb53370587.JPG

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For comparison, the Jumbo is ~2.5x larger by volume. This means that the Jumbo had* a whopping 120 ball capacity, a 240% increase over the 50 ball capacity originally claimed by the original. *I use the past tense “had” because it appears that the marketing materials for both the original and Jumbo have been updated to 40 and 70 balls, respectively. In my experience, the actual capacity for the Jumbo is much closer to the previously claimed 120 balls – here’s what just over 100 balls looked like in my testing:

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The 1” thick mat measures in at 19.5” wide and 13.5” deep. The mat feels to be the same make and quality as the original Gravity Caddy and is forgiving enough to hit off without transferring much energy to your hands and wrists on fat hits. Having said that, I think the target market for the Jumbo will have their own higher-quality hitting mats, but more on the mat in a bit.

Before I get too critical of product pricing, let’s first all acknowledge the “golf tax” that permeates the industry. Consider that Titleist prices two 44” fiberglass alignment sticks at $30. Home Depot prices 48” fiberglass reflective driveway markers at $2.78 each. Are we to believe that Titelist’s fiberglass alignment sticks are of such quality, or so uniquely designed for golf as to warrant a 539% markup over Home Depot? Of course not.

Whether we’re talking about $100 for heavy circles with holes in them, or $100 for an oversized, upside-down fuzzy brush head, it’s challenging for me to evaluate the value of any golf product based on price alone. The Jumbo wouldn’t be my recommendation for the everyday golfer looking to spend $300 on improving their game. It wouldn’t even be in my top 10 recommendations, and price was a real problem for me with the original Gravity Caddy. However, the Jumbo isn’t for the everyday golfer. From their site:

Quote

In addition to the standard Gravity Caddy, we are thrilled to introduce Gravity Caddy Jumbo, tailored for B2B and professional applications. Whether you manage a golf course, offer golf lessons, or host events, Gravity Caddy Jumbo is designed to:

  • Provide an ample supply of golf balls, ensuring uninterrupted practice sessions and events.
  • Enhance the efficiency of your operations, reducing the time spent on ball retrieval.
  • Impress professional golfers, instructors, and event organizers with its functionality.
  • Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals.

The Jumbo targets a market that may already be accustomed to paying $230 for a big slab of vulcanized rubber. In that context, $300 for an automatic, power-free ball dispenser doesn’t seem so absurd. Even so, it still feels just slightly over-priced here. I’d love to see discounts during holidays and Major tournaments (similar to what FlightScope does) that regularly knocks the original Gravity Caddy down to $99 USD and the Jumbo to $199.

3/3 for dimensionality; 3/3 for ball capacity; 3/4 for pricing.


On-Course: 16/20
Unlike the original, the Jumbo is designed to dispense in the forward part of a right-hander’s swing. As a left hander, this design choice puts the ball in the back of my stance if I try to hit off the tee directly. This is a non-issue when I’m hitting directly off of the mat but it really lowers the value of the product when I’m trying to tee off shots. I can use the Jumbo with my CCE mat but it seems silly that an aftermarket mat would be required to make the product fully functional for me. More on this below, but the design definitely impacts performance for lefties.

Moreover, there is a greater risk of me shanking a ball off the Jumbo with this design than with right-handers. Anyone who has spent more than ten minutes at a Top Golf knows the sound of a ball being sliced off the metal ball dispensers and understands the potential damage to the Jumbo in that scenario.

As for capacity, whether we follow claims of 70 or 120 balls, the Jumbo meets the expectations for “an ample supply of golf balls” and seems reasonable for the target market. A large bucket of range balls is typically around 100 balls in my area and, much like a third game at a bowling alley, I’ve never bought a second bucket and thought “yeah that was a good idea.” Similarly, I don’t think I’ve hit more than 50 balls during my golf lessons and we again pass the claim of “reducing the time spent on ball retrieval.” There may be an opportunity for improvement for certain commercial applications that I’ll talk about in the next section.

One feature I was surprised by was this little cell phone holder (e.g., the slot in the circle below).

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I typically use a collapsible cell phone and tablet tripod to record my swing in my home sim setup and at the range. This is particularly helpful when using simulators, like the Mevo+, that support multi-cam setups. In this way, the slot could serve as a replacement or secondary tripod. Some tripods have an advantage here though as they can support wider device form factors like tablets. It looks to me that there is room for a larger slot without compromising the integrity of the Jumbo or impacting the ability for phones to be used.

Minus three for limiting use of the hitting mat with a driver for lefties. Minus one for the cell phone holder not being wide enough to accommodate a tablet.


The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween: 15/20
The Good: Both Gravity Caddies have a “wow-factor” that’s difficult to describe until you use the product (sorry for the sideways video - technology does not want to cooperate with this particular recording).

I reached out to my neighbor for help measuring the Jumbo’s ball capacity. He seemed a little skeptical, if not amused, at the sight of me wheeling the disassembled Jumbo in my daughter’s wagon. Once I reassembled the Jumbo and dispensed a ball though, he said “That’s awesome. I get it now.” He also agreed that while there are a few use cases where the Jumbo not only makes sense, but it’s a home run.

The Bad: Again, the Jumbo and the mat are biased for right-handers:

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Granted, I’d have to REALLY shank a shot to damage the product, but I won’t pretend I’ve never hit a ball poorly enough to do so. This is especially true for coaching or range environments when working on my swing. You really don’t know what to expect when trying new things, and the Jumbo may be in the direct line of fire in those scenarios.
Even if I had full faith in my striking, the tee location on the left side of the Jumbo creates a visual feeling that the ball is in the back of my stance even when it’s not. I used to scoff at those who dismissed game-improvement irons because their chunky look at address threw them off. Now though, I feel like I better understand how little things can throw you off mentally if it isn’t what you’re used to seeing.

At the end of the day, I believe fellow southpaws will limit use of the included mat to iron practice only. Any time I’m planning to use the big stick, I’m going to be using my larger CCE mat. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse here, but this is my biggest pain point with the Jumbo and it feels like the only step back from the original.

The Inbetween: There are four areas that are almost what I want them to be: capacity, phone/tablet holder, lever lock, and bundle integration.

First, the Jumbo’s ball capacity seems sufficient, but I can see how a larger and more easy-to-fill hopper would benefit commercial environments. My neighbor mentioned that an indoor range in my area has attendants constantly circulating to dump large buckets of balls into hitting bay trays. The attendants move quickly and would probably struggle to refill the Jumbo as currently designed with their typical pace without causing a huge mess. The addition of a “funnel” accessory that could be clipped to the top of the Jumbo (think something like a dog’s “cone of shame”) would allow for greater ball capacity and easier refills with a wider hopper without a product redesign.

Second, the phone holder is a nice addition especially for people like me who record their swings for virtual coaching like Me and My Golf. M&MG recommends recording your swing from the front and down the line, so this feature has the potential to help me get simultaneous recordings without a second tripod in my bag. However, the phone holder is lower than the height M&MG recommends (about hand-height) and, again, there isn’t an option to use a tablet instead of a phone. The addition of a telescoping phone/tablet holding accessory that could clip to the existing phone slot would be a nice accessory option.

Third, I desperately wish that the delivery arm had some kind of locking mechanism to keep the arm from moving in a few scenarios. Whether moving the product for storage, moving between left and right-handed orientation, removing balls from the main body, or just being done hitting, it would be nice to just stop the arm from continuously feeding the tee. Additionally, sometimes the tee or the link box becomes ever so slightly dislodged in a way that causes the product to double dispense balls to the tee:

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This scenario happens for both the original and Jumbo Gravity Caddy, but it’s less likely to happen with the Jumbo when the security mechanisms are used to lock the product in place. It is easy enough to fix by gently jostling the tee and link box back into proper position, but I'd prefer to not fight with the delivery arm while doing so.

Last, I really struggle to recommend the Jumbo as a stand-alone purchase. I think this is because the product really isn’t meant to be used in a stand-alone scenario. At a minimum, you need to use this at a range or in a simulator environment. You probably need a large hitting mat, and a large shag bag worth of balls. You really should have a dedicated space, indoor or out. Given all the prerequisites to get the most out of the Jumbo, I’d love to see Gravity Caddy partner with all-in-one home simulators to include the product as part of a commercial or pro-sumer bundle. In that lens, an extra $300 for someone already investing ~$10,000 into a simulator bundle or more for their business is a much easier pill to swallow.

Minus three for the issues for lefties, minus one for the lack of a delivery arm lock, and minus one for the cumulative opportunities for improvement.

Play it or Trade it?: 16/20
On the one hand, the Jumbo is far and away the superior Gravity Caddy product. On the other hand, I don’t believe I’m the intended market for this product and some of the quirks, like the right-hand bias design, irk me just enough to discourage my own regular use. I give the Jumbo a 16/20 rating as I like the product more than the original (which received a 10/20) but not so much that I am unwilling to let it go. And speaking of letting it go…

I think this product would benefit from additional testing in the hands of a right-handed individual with a permanent outdoor set up that sees regular use. This would remove my southpaw bias and give Spys a chance to evaluate performance for commercial applications that would leave the Jumbo exposed to the elements for extended periods of time.
Having said that and in the interest of paying it forward, I am shipping the Gravity Caddy Jumbo to @GolfSpy_SHARK to include as part of his DIY hitting area thread. I’m excited to see how this product could benefit a permanent outdoor setup, and how the Jumbo holds up to prolonged exposure to inclement weather.

Thanks again Gravity Caddy for the opportunity for the follow-up test, and happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone!

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Edited by mynerds

Driver:     :cobra-small: LTDx Max 10.5°, MCG C6 Red 50 R

Wood:     :cobra-small: LTDx Max 3W 15.5°, MCG C6 Red 50 R

Hybrid:     :titleist-small: TS2 4H 23°; 5H 25°, Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black 60 Graphite Regular

Irons:       :cobra-small: LTD (5-9); :Fuji: Vista PRO 60i R

Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 3 - 54.11 (56°), :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 3 - 60.10; :Fuji: Vista PRO 60i R

Putter:      :odyssey-small: White Hot Pro 1 / :odyssey-small: 2-Ball Ten Armlock

Bag:         :taylormade-small: Supreme Cart Bag 2022

Balls:      :maxfli: Tour

Reviews: Spornia SPG8 XL Net (Official), Me and My Golf Full Body Freedom (Unofficial), Club Champion Full Bag Fitting (Unofficial), Gravity Caddy (Unofficial), Gravity Caddy Jumbo (Unofficial)

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Posted (edited)

A terrific review!

The RH bias is unfortunate, but still, it’s a pretty decent product. Thanks for the entertaining read. 😃

Edited by berkeleybob

WITB 2024

DRIVER Cobralogo.png.5257fd97d99f057b9bfc81c06d7fcc62.png AEROJET 10.5°  |  FAIRWAY Callawaylogo.png.c084288fc4a8ed17e2f93c60b519702c.png ROGUE ST MAX 3/15°
HYBRID Pinglogo.png.11947cc88c8641d62e0a99c26da08b18.png G410 21°  |  UTILITY Untitled-9(1).png.4964fe6cb2103eef562fd832a625b0d5.png 699 V2 U 5/23°
IRONS Untitled-9(1).png.4964fe6cb2103eef562fd832a625b0d5.png 699 V2 6-PW
WEDGES Clevelandgolflogo.png.9b2e702587cd5230010a835ced0f97a0.png CBX 2 50°, 54°, 58°
PUTTER Cobralogo.png.5257fd97d99f057b9bfc81c06d7fcc62.png KING GRANDSPORT 35

BALL WilsonStafflogo.png.d0d70a74fad1e8f9c4d9f0581e24d31e.pngMODEL | Vicelogo.png.ac8ca0040252d91a9cdaef9d94e6284b.png PRO WHITE/BLUE ICE
BAG Sunmountainlogo.png.2555e0c0e8e49c09ea72c6df224aa0f2.png 3.5 LS  |  PUSHCART Roviclogo.png.ebc800ac4238271b0253c238793522de.png RV1S

2024 Fit For Golf Training App Review

 

 

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Yeah wow you really considered all angles of this thing! Good info.

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
3H...Cobra King Tec (MMT 70/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha '19 (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
SW, LW...Mizuno ES21 54-08, 60-06 (KBS Hi Rev 2.0)
Putter...
MLA Tour XDream or EvnRoll ER5
...all in a Bag Boy hybrid bag on an MGI Zip Navigator.
..ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Or "found" Pro V1.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)
Other tests: MLA putter; Cleveland Hi Bore driver; Ben Hogan hybrids.

followthrough.jpg

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@mynerds. Thanks for the well written, snd very accurate account of the JUMBO!

I'm glad the company stepped up and went above what they had to do!

 

WITB-

Driver  -Titleist 910D, 3w- Titleist 910F, 5hy/7hy- Titleist 910H, 6-PW - Stix , 52⁰, 56⁰, 60⁰ - Stix , Putter- AI-ONE DB / Lombardi Tour 34 custom

Just an old newbie golfer, trying to learn and improve 1 club at a time.

 

 

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Very thorough and nicely written! 

 TSR1, 9*, TPT Nitro 17 Lo

 TSR1, 15*, TPT Power Range Fairway 17 Lo 

 TSR2, Hybrid, 18*, TPT Power Range Hybrid 17 Lo 

 T-200, (2023), 5-PW,  SteelFiber, i95cw, S 

Vokey Design - 50 & 54, SteelFiber i95cw S, and Vokey S10 - 46 & 58, SteelFiber i95cw S

 Odyssey JAILBIRD 380 Limited Edition

 ELIXR (2022), MaxFli Tour S (2024)

 

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On 5/26/2024 at 2:47 PM, mynerds said:

TL;DR: The Gravity Caddy Jumbo is much improved over the original Gravity Caddy at a premium price that feels more reasonable for its target market. While it still has some quirks, seriously consider the Jumbo if you are: 1) a professional coach with a dedicated indoor/outdoor hitting area; 2) a commercial range without an existing in-bay dispenser and are looking for a market differentiator from other ranges or; 3) the owner of an at-home simulator and spare no expense on premium features.

  1. First impressions: 19/20
  2. Aesthetics: 10/10
  3. The Numbers: 9/10
  4. On-Course: 16/20
  5. The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween: 15/20
  6. Play it or Trade it?: 16/20

85/100. Keep an eye out for the Gravity Caddy at golf expos in the US beginning in 2025.

IMG_2852.JPG.811bce5078a1065523532b9dbdcabbd9.JPG
 

First impressions: 19/20
Following my review of their original product, Gravity Caddy generously offered to provide their latest, larger Gravity Caddy Jumbo for follow-up testing (hereafter referred to as “the Jumbo” for simplicity’s sake). Since the Jumbo is immediately available for purchase and shipment, I bypassed the growing-pain woes experienced during the original product’s kickstarter. I didn’t see the Jumbo available for purchase on Gravity Caddy’s U.S. website, and received the following clarification from Hoon Choi, Director Wagolf Canada:

Upon the product’s arrival, I found the Jumbo to be incredibly well packaged. Seriously, I’ve received fine china and antique crystal that weren’t as well packaged as this.

IMG_2478.JPG.86ba0938172e21689d52ba82f3ad0e2d.JPGIMG_2479.JPG.02a7cf5915c94e73bf0f3c3055781850.JPG

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IMG_2486.JPG.b4ea98389064fb7892a63c68cf9ac4f1.JPG
The primary mechanics of the Jumbo are nearly identical to its predecessor and I could have assembled the product with my existing familiarity alone. I did notice a few new features that weren’t mentioned in the user manual though. First, these three metal brackets located on the underside of the Jumbo and end of link box:

IMG_2865.JPG.fbc238206525a4f7bb84e9c5023d3450.JPGIMG_2854.JPG.8e2c9a7c1082b54a9914003d1e07ad22.JPG

The brackets are called “anti-theft” features on the Gravity Caddy website but they’re not clearly indicated in the product manual. Hoon offered this clarification:

Second, this trap door on the rear of the product was a bit of a mystery to me as well:

IMG_2856.JPG.f9fc3a0558697a6f6c5f45b7473443ef.JPGIMG_2857.JPG.19954f837788b2b9aa11d8228bbf55e4.JPG

IMG_2858.JPG.611f54255fa2788bb0ffe0865e74bf6e.JPG

Again, Hoon provided the following clarification:

Both observations are minor quibbles that didn’t impact use of the product and could easily be addressed in a future update to polish up the product manual.

Minus one point for lack of clarity for the anti-tampering capability and storage door within the user manual.

Aesthetics: 10/10
Much like the original Gravity Caddy, aesthetics is a strength for the Jumbo. The no-frills shape works well to my eye, rather than the somewhat polarizing hourglass (or Toilet Tank, as one Spy said) shape of its smaller brother. The simple color palette of primarily grey with accents of red and green is subdued and lends itself well to commercial and higher-end use cases. Not much to say here other than I like it a lot!

IMG_2855.JPG.79ab4fdbd74b52ef8fceabda6db1fb6d.JPG
The Numbers: 9/10
The Jumbo measures in at 21” wide, 10” deep, and 15.75” high. The tee lever adds 11” to the product depth and 1” to height for final dimensions of 21”x21”x16.75”.

IMG_2860.JPG.2432710ae18f3b4e945da5cae08f465a.JPGIMG_2861.JPG.7766be23cd9757b31bc223fb53370587.JPG

IMG_2862.JPG.27b023501b506f7e7ff4f4630812fa0b.JPG

For comparison, the Jumbo is ~2.5x larger by volume. This means that the Jumbo had* a whopping 120 ball capacity, a 240% increase over the 50 ball capacity originally claimed by the original. *I use the past tense “had” because it appears that the marketing materials for both the original and Jumbo have been updated to 40 and 70 balls, respectively. In my experience, the actual capacity for the Jumbo is much closer to the previously claimed 120 balls – here’s what just over 100 balls looked like in my testing:

IMG_2569.JPG.83c5f09b5142d223829a5a71e6693344.JPG
The 1” thick mat measures in at 19.5” wide and 13.5” deep. The mat feels to be the same make and quality as the original Gravity Caddy and is forgiving enough to hit off without transferring much energy to your hands and wrists on fat hits. Having said that, I think the target market for the Jumbo will have their own higher-quality hitting mats, but more on the mat in a bit.

Before I get too critical of product pricing, let’s first all acknowledge the “golf tax” that permeates the industry. Consider that Titleist prices two 44” fiberglass alignment sticks at $30. Home Depot prices 48” fiberglass reflective driveway markers at $2.78 each. Are we to believe that Titelist’s fiberglass alignment sticks are of such quality, or so uniquely designed for golf as to warrant a 539% markup over Home Depot? Of course not.

Whether we’re talking about $100 for heavy circles with holes in them, or $100 for an oversized, upside-down fuzzy brush head, it’s challenging for me to evaluate the value of any golf product based on price alone. The Jumbo wouldn’t be my recommendation for the everyday golfer looking to spend $300 on improving their game. It wouldn’t even be in my top 10 recommendations, and price was a real problem for me with the original Gravity Caddy. However, the Jumbo isn’t for the everyday golfer. From their site:

The Jumbo targets a market that may already be accustomed to paying $230 for a big slab of vulcanized rubber. In that context, $300 for an automatic, power-free ball dispenser doesn’t seem so absurd. Even so, it still feels just slightly over-priced here. I’d love to see discounts during holidays and Major tournaments (similar to what FlightScope does) that regularly knocks the original Gravity Caddy down to $99 USD and the Jumbo to $199.

3/3 for dimensionality; 3/3 for ball capacity; 3/4 for pricing.


On-Course: 16/20
Unlike the original, the Jumbo is designed to dispense in the forward part of a right-hander’s swing. As a left hander, this design choice puts the ball in the back of my stance if I try to hit off the tee directly. This is a non-issue when I’m hitting directly off of the mat but it really lowers the value of the product when I’m trying to tee off shots. I can use the Jumbo with my CCE mat but it seems silly that an aftermarket mat would be required to make the product fully functional for me. More on this below, but the design definitely impacts performance for lefties.

Moreover, there is a greater risk of me shanking a ball off the Jumbo with this design than with right-handers. Anyone who has spent more than ten minutes at a Top Golf knows the sound of a ball being sliced off the metal ball dispensers and understands the potential damage to the Jumbo in that scenario.

As for capacity, whether we follow claims of 70 or 120 balls, the Jumbo meets the expectations for “an ample supply of golf balls” and seems reasonable for the target market. A large bucket of range balls is typically around 100 balls in my area and, much like a third game at a bowling alley, I’ve never bought a second bucket and thought “yeah that was a good idea.” Similarly, I don’t think I’ve hit more than 50 balls during my golf lessons and we again pass the claim of “reducing the time spent on ball retrieval.” There may be an opportunity for improvement for certain commercial applications that I’ll talk about in the next section.

One feature I was surprised by was this little cell phone holder (e.g., the slot in the circle below).

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I typically use a collapsible cell phone and tablet tripod to record my swing in my home sim setup and at the range. This is particularly helpful when using simulators, like the Mevo+, that support multi-cam setups. In this way, the slot could serve as a replacement or secondary tripod. Some tripods have an advantage here though as they can support wider device form factors like tablets. It looks to me that there is room for a larger slot without compromising the integrity of the Jumbo or impacting the ability for phones to be used.

Minus three for limiting use of the hitting mat with a driver for lefties. Minus one for the cell phone holder not being wide enough to accommodate a tablet.


The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween: 15/20
The Good: Both Gravity Caddies have a “wow-factor” that’s difficult to describe until you use the product (sorry for the sideways video - technology does not want to cooperate with this particular recording).

 

I reached out to my neighbor for help measuring the Jumbo’s ball capacity. He seemed a little skeptical, if not amused, at the sight of me wheeling the disassembled Jumbo in my daughter’s wagon. Once I reassembled the Jumbo and dispensed a ball though, he said “That’s awesome. I get it now.” He also agreed that while there are a few use cases where the Jumbo not only makes sense, but it’s a home run.

The Bad: Again, the Jumbo and the mat are biased for right-handers:

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Granted, I’d have to REALLY shank a shot to damage the product, but I won’t pretend I’ve never hit a ball poorly enough to do so. This is especially true for coaching or range environments when working on my swing. You really don’t know what to expect when trying new things, and the Jumbo may be in the direct line of fire in those scenarios.
Even if I had full faith in my striking, the tee location on the left side of the Jumbo creates a visual feeling that the ball is in the back of my stance even when it’s not. I used to scoff at those who dismissed game-improvement irons because their chunky look at address threw them off. Now though, I feel like I better understand how little things can throw you off mentally if it isn’t what you’re used to seeing.

At the end of the day, I believe fellow southpaws will limit use of the included mat to iron practice only. Any time I’m planning to use the big stick, I’m going to be using my larger CCE mat. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse here, but this is my biggest pain point with the Jumbo and it feels like the only step back from the original.

The Inbetween: There are four areas that are almost what I want them to be: capacity, phone/tablet holder, lever lock, and bundle integration.

First, the Jumbo’s ball capacity seems sufficient, but I can see how a larger and more easy-to-fill hopper would benefit commercial environments. My neighbor mentioned that an indoor range in my area has attendants constantly circulating to dump large buckets of balls into hitting bay trays. The attendants move quickly and would probably struggle to refill the Jumbo as currently designed with their typical pace without causing a huge mess. The addition of a “funnel” accessory that could be clipped to the top of the Jumbo (think something like a dog’s “cone of shame”) would allow for greater ball capacity and easier refills with a wider hopper without a product redesign.

Second, the phone holder is a nice addition especially for people like me who record their swings for virtual coaching like Me and My Golf. M&MG recommends recording your swing from the front and down the line, so this feature has the potential to help me get simultaneous recordings without a second tripod in my bag. However, the phone holder is lower than the height M&MG recommends (about hand-height) and, again, there isn’t an option to use a tablet instead of a phone. The addition of a telescoping phone/tablet holding accessory that could clip to the existing phone slot would be a nice accessory option.

Third, I desperately wish that the delivery arm had some kind of locking mechanism to keep the arm from moving in a few scenarios. Whether moving the product for storage, moving between left and right-handed orientation, removing balls from the main body, or just being done hitting, it would be nice to just stop the arm from continuously feeding the tee. Additionally, sometimes the tee or the link box becomes ever so slightly dislodged in a way that causes the product to double dispense balls to the tee:

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This scenario happens for both the original and Jumbo Gravity Caddy, but it’s less likely to happen with the Jumbo when the security mechanisms are used to lock the product in place. It is easy enough to fix by gently jostling the tee and link box back into proper position, but I'd prefer to not fight with the delivery arm while doing so.

Last, I really struggle to recommend the Jumbo as a stand-alone purchase. I think this is because the product really isn’t meant to be used in a stand-alone scenario. At a minimum, you need to use this at a range or in a simulator environment. You probably need a large hitting mat, and a large shag bag worth of balls. You really should have a dedicated space, indoor or out. Given all the prerequisites to get the most out of the Jumbo, I’d love to see Gravity Caddy partner with all-in-one home simulators to include the product as part of a commercial or pro-sumer bundle. In that lens, an extra $300 for someone already investing ~$10,000 into a simulator bundle or more for their business is a much easier pill to swallow.

Minus three for the issues for lefties, minus one for the lack of a delivery arm lock, and minus one for the cumulative opportunities for improvement.

Play it or Trade it?: 16/20
On the one hand, the Jumbo is far and away the superior Gravity Caddy product. On the other hand, I don’t believe I’m the intended market for this product and some of the quirks, like the right-hand bias design, irk me just enough to discourage my own regular use. I give the Jumbo a 16/20 rating as I like the product more than the original (which received a 10/20) but not so much that I am unwilling to let it go. And speaking of letting it go…

I think this product would benefit from additional testing in the hands of a right-handed individual with a permanent outdoor set up that sees regular use. This would remove my southpaw bias and give Spys a chance to evaluate performance for commercial applications that would leave the Jumbo exposed to the elements for extended periods of time.
Having said that and in the interest of paying it forward, I am shipping the Gravity Caddy Jumbo to @GolfSpy_SHARK to include as part of his DIY hitting area thread. I’m excited to see how this product could benefit a permanent outdoor setup, and how the Jumbo holds up to prolonged exposure to inclement weather.

Thanks again Gravity Caddy for the opportunity for the follow-up test, and happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone!

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Great review and thanks for updating on the newer or bigger version!

⛳🛄 as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB
Driver:  :callaway-small: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! 

Wood:    :cobra-small: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft

Irons:   :titleist-small: T Series - T200 5 Iron
                                          T150 6-9 Iron
                                          T100 PW/GW

Wedge:  Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree 

Putter:  Screenshot 2023-06-02 13.10.30.png Mezz Max!

Balls:     Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange)

 

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