Garmin Approach S20 – best GPS Watch for Golf
Garmin Approach S20
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Square face, large screen
- Ease of Use: Somewhat easy
- Functionality: Step tracking, preloaded courses
- Battery Life: 10 hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: Mid-range
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Under $200
When you’re wondering which product is the best golf GPS watch 2019, it’s hard to discount the Garmin Approach S20. This watch has auto shot features, is very attractive, and has good stat tracking so that you can fine-tune your play style. The screen is crisp, and it has a cool-looking aesthetic design that makes it a great watch as well. It even has a monochrome design that makes it easy to read on sunnier courses.
PROS:
- The band has good ventilation so that it never feels clammy.
- The screen has plenty of real estate for clear readouts.
- It can connect to other devices via Bluetooth.
CONS:
- The screen isn’t touch sensitive, so you have to work the side buttons.
- Switching between yardage and hazards can be cumbersome.
- The band could be more durable.
While it doesn’t have touch functionality, this product shines because it has a well-rounded set of features.
Garmin Approach X40 – Best Golf Watch with Heart Rate Monitor
Garmin Approach X40
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Slim design
- Ease of Use: Easy
- Functionality: Heart rate monitoring, activity tracker
- Battery Life: 10 hours+ in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: Low
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Above $200
The X40 is a simplified version of the Approach line of products. Despite this, the addition of a heart rate monitor adds a very useful function for some golfers. Not only can the monitor help you achieve an optimal heart rate for staying in shape, but golfers with heart issues can also use it to stay safe. The watch is even designed with activity tracking, which can help you stay active off the course as well. The sensor is also very accurate on this product, which makes for a better game.
PROS:
- The wrist golf GPS on this product is very accurate.
- This golf GPS tracker is very thin and attractive.
- This allows for 10 hours of play on a single battery charge.
CONS:
- The display can be hard to see in the sun.
- The simple dual color LCD can seem a bit under-featured.
- This is a product that isn’t very resilient.
For those looking to track more than just their game stats, this is a good cardio-friendly golf GPS watch to consider.
Garmin Approach S60 – Best Golf Yardage Watch
Garmin Approach S60
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Round-faced design
- Ease of Use: Very easy
- Functionality: Color maps, touchscreen, mapping
- Battery Life: 10 hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: High-range
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Above $200
If you’re looking for a digital GPS watch that has an almost analog design, then this product from Garmin’s Approach line may be great for your games. The round face has a full-color display and has touchscreen features that make golfing easy. The display is even sunlight-readable, so you won’t have to shade it on sunnier courses. As one might expect from Garmin, this product is also very accurate – the sensors are some of the best in the industry.
PROS:
- With an external winding dial and a round face, this product looks almost like a standard watch.
- The color display is very vivid.
- It has a 10-hour battery life in GPS mode.
CONS:
- The instructions that come with the watch are lacking.
- It can lose the satellite connection.
- It tends to freeze from time to time.
This is an excellent product that combines precise sensor measurements with a vivid color display.
Garmin Approach S2 – Best Golf Distance Watch
Garmin Approach S2
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Sports watch-style
- Ease of Use: Very easy
- Functionality: Worldwide courses, precise GPS, shot distances
- Battery Life: Eight hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: High
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Under $200
Measuring your shot distances can be very important, especially when you want to improve accuracy, and the golf distance tracker in the S2 is very useful. Additionally, this watch also comes preloaded with 30,000 courses, which makes getting details easy. When the courses in its database update, so will the information within the watch. This ensures that you can always have accurate info.
PROS:
- The GPS receiver in this product is highly accurate.
- The design makes this look just like a standard watch.
- It has a three-week runtime when outside of golf mode.
CONS:
- This only has an eight-hour battery life when in GPS mode.
- The instructions aren’t very helpful.
- It isn’t as intuitive as it could be.
When it comes to building your golf skills, precision is key, and this is a high-quality product that can help you become more accurate.
Bushnell Neo Ion – Best Small Golf GPS
Bushnell Neo ION
Last Amazon price update was: February 16, 2020 1:59 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Sports watch-style
- Ease of Use: Easy
- Functionality: Hazard distances, preloaded courses
- Battery Life: 10+ hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: Mid-range
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Under $200
When you’re out there, you don’t always have to have a complex golf GPS watch. Sometimes, a small golf GPS with a small screen will do the job. For those that want a watch with a smaller form factor, this product, which comes from Bushnell, may do the trick. It’s not skipping any features; it comes preloaded with 35,000 courses, and it even has auto course recognition. From a design perspective, the product has a durable silicone band and comes in an attractive white and blue coloration.
PROS:
- It keeps track of the hole as well as the par.
- It has a durable construction.
- The band is made of silicone and has a breathable design.
CONS:
- The screen can be a bit too small.
- The display isn’t anti-glare.
- Sometimes, it can lose the GPS signal.
With 35,000 courses built into the product, this is a great GPS to consider if you’re going to be doing a bit of touring.
Callaway GPSy – Best Rangefinder Watch
Callaway GPSy Golf Watch
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Square face, large screen
- Ease of Use: Easy
- Functionality: Tracks scores, analog and digital time display, score history
- Battery Life: 12 hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: Mid-range
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Under $200
If you’re trying to play your optimal round, knowing precise measurements to hazards and the hole is essential. This product, which comes from the iconic brand Callaway Golf, is a great rangefinder watch for just about any player. In fact, during tests, this product has performed almost as well as a laser rangefinder, which means that the accuracy is great. The product also has features like an odometer, a scorekeeper, and it comes equipped with both analog and digital time.
PROS:
- It comes preloaded with 30,000 courses.
- The text is presented in vivid black and white.
- The band is very comfortable and breathable.
CONS:
- This isn’t a touchscreen product.
- It can take a few moments to cycle through all of the features.
- GPS and course information is slow to load.
Finding accurate ranges is essential, and this Callaway product provides good rangefinder functionality. In addition to that, it also feels great on the wrist and has a very easy to read display.
Garmin Approach S6 – Best Golf Distance Finder Watch
Garmin Approach S6
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Round-faced designer watch style
- Ease of Use: Very easy
- Functionality: Color display, tracks scores, water resistant, touch targeting
- Battery Life: 10 hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: Low
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Above $200
This is another GPS watch in the Garmin Approach line of products, and this one, like the S60, has a full-color display. This product also has a smaller screen that still manages to pack in a lot of course data. When it comes to aesthetics, this watch has a unique and stylish design, and the functionality includes touch operation and more than a few notifications. The screen stands out for this product because it has a very high resolution for the size and has some great color contrast.
PROS:
- This works well as a wristwatch golf distance finder due to its access to Garmin’s satellites.
- This is a waterproof GPS watch.
- It’ll last a full 10 hours in GPS mode.
CONS:
- The Bluetooth notifications can be loud.
- Syncing between phone and watch can be unreliable.
- There’s no anti-glare coating on the display.
If you don’t mind the somewhat disruptive notifications, this auto-tracking GPS watch can help bring your game up to speed.
TomTom Golfer – Best Cheap Golf GPS Watch
TomTom Golfer
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Compact
- Ease of Use: Easy
- Functionality: Shot detection, auto scorecard, green and hazard graphics
- Battery Life: 10 hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: High
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Above $200
If you’re not looking to spend a lot of cash, this product from TomTom may be the best budget golf GPS in our guide. While it may not be the least expensive, you get a lot of functionality for the price, which helps provide value. The product has automatic detection of your shots and will record them as well. Additionally, if you’re a golf course touring enthusiasts, this TomTom product comes equipped with 40,000 preloaded courses. The product even has a scorecard setting, which means that you can leave a pencil and your paper scorecards in your bag.
PROS:
- The scorecard feature is fully automatic.
- The graphical display is truly descriptive.
- It has shot history analysis, which you can use via your smartphone.
CONS:
- The alerts feature can vibrate your wrist, which isn’t for everyone.
- The touchpad on the wristband can be a bit sensitive.
- Software synch could be more accurate.
Having an automatic scorecard feature really brings this GPS to the next level, and it’s also very budget-friendly.
GolfBuddy GB9 WTX – Best Ladies GPS Golf Watch
GolfBuddy GB9 WTX+ Smartwatch Golf GPS
Last Amazon price update was: February 21, 2020 6:45 am
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Stylish lady’s watch with Swarovski crystals
- Ease of Use: Somewhat easy
- Functionality: Waterproof, hazard distance, odometer
- Battery Life: Seven hours in GPS mode
- Ruggedness: High
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: Above $200
In many situations, most golf watches can be used by both sexes, but that doesn’t mean that they all look attractive on a lady’s wrist. This product, from Golf Buddy, is specifically designed as a ladies golf watch, and as a result, it looks great. Not only does it have a fresh aesthetic design that many women will enjoy, but it also has some great features. It can be used at an underwater depth of 10 meters, it has a lightweight construction, and it even displays the distance to hazards on the course.
PROS:
- The face has Swarovski crystals.
- The stats are displayed clearly and crisply.
- The band has a very comfortable fit that won’t feel clammy.
CONS:
- The charger is hard to align when you’re trying to charge the watch.
- This battery on this watch may not last a full round of golf.
- It doesn’t have an expansive listing of pre-programmed courses.
While it’s somewhat light on features, this is a good GPS watch for ladies that are beginning to get into golf.
Hole 19(plus) – Best Golf GPS App for Apple Watch/Android Wear
Key Features and Benefits
- Design: Very intuitive UI
- Ease of Use: Very easy
- Functionality: GPS and rangefinder.
- Battery Life: Battery life is limited to the device’s specs.
- Ruggedness: This depends on the smartwatch.
- Data Support: Yes
- Price: The app is free.
Standard smartwatches with golf GPS apps are becoming very popular, and as a result, some of the apps that are coming out like 18Birdies and Golf GameBook are excelling. With that said, for our money, if you’re looking for a great, well-rounded golf app, Hole 19+ is your best bet. This app has social features, is compatible with both iOS and android wear golf GPS smartwatches, and is free.
This application also is very versatile and even incorporates flyover views and distance displays. You can even log the number of putts until the hole. This app is even the darling of several Apple Watch Golf GPS review articles.
PROS:
- This is one of the best android golf GPS apps for keeping stats.
- It’s completely free to use.
- You can change the holes that you’re viewing.
CONS:
- Sometimes, the smartwatch sensor isn’t accurate enough.
- The app is dependent on a smartphone.
- It doesn’t track shots automatically.
If you own an Android or iOS smartwatch, this is a great app to take with you to the course.