best GPS golf watches
Traditionally, if you wanted to get accurate distances on the golf course, your go-to tool would be a laser rangefinder. However, there’s another efficient and convenient option: GPS golf watches. These watches serve as a stealthy and practical alternative to rangefinders, and many golfers find them preferable. Why? The best GPS golf watches offer a blend of comfort, performance, simplicity, and style. They can even be more cost-effective than your typical rangefinder.
For many golfers, GPS golf watches eliminate the cumbersome routine of pulling out a rangefinder for every shot. Just as smartwatches have become popular across various lifestyles, golf watches have evolved, incorporating features that appeal to a broad range of golfers.
We’ve researched and tested numerous options to identify the top 9 GPS golf watches for 2024. If you’re looking for a device that provides reliable information quickly, enhances your on-course style, and wraps comfortably around your wrist, these are the best choices available.
A GPS golf watch is a wearable device designed to help golfers navigate the course and improve their game. Equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, these watches provide accurate distance measurements to various points on the course, such as the green, hazards, and doglegs.
In addition to basic distance tracking, many GPS golf watches offer features like scorekeeping, shot tracking, and course mapping. They often come preloaded with thousands of golf courses worldwide, ensuring that no matter where you play, you’ll have access to crucial information about the layout.
Some advanced models also include heart rate monitors, fitness tracking, and connectivity with smartphone apps, which can help to enhance both your golf game and overall fitness routine. GPS golf watches are often designed to be lightweight, durable, and easy to read in various lighting conditions, making them a valuable tool for golfers of all skill levels.
First, you need to decide whether to go with a laser rangefinder or a GPS golf watch. While handheld GPS devices are an option, rangefinders, and watches are more popular on the course.
Rangefinders offer pinpoint accuracy by allowing you to see your target through a lens, giving you the exact distance. However, most golfers don’t need such precise measurements.
Modern GPS golf watches provide accurate yardage with a tolerance of a few yards. They give distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, based on GPS, not specific pin locations.
Rangefinders also have better battery life, often needing a battery change only once a year. In contrast, golf watches typically need recharging every couple of rounds.
However, golf watches have evolved to offer features that rangefinders cannot, including:
Today’s GPS golf watches are packed with technology and offer more data than rangefinders. However, consider if you’re comfortable wearing a watch while playing golf. Some find it uncomfortable or distracting, especially when sweating or dealing with tan lines. In this case, you might try wearing an athletic watch during a round to see if it bothers you.
Budget is also a factor. You can find functional golf watches at reasonable prices, but more advanced features come with higher costs. However, regardless of your budget or desired features, there’s a perfect golf watch for you. Our following article will highlight some of our top picks based on common considerations.
Garmin Approach S70
For the past two years, our “Best Overall” pick was the exceptional Garmin Approach S62. However, with the introduction of the new Approach S70, the game has changed entirely.
The S70 is simply the best GPS golf watch ever made. It addresses two major issues found in nearly every other watch on this list. Firstly, the super bright AMOLED screen is a visual delight and significantly surpasses any previous Garmin Approach watch. Garmin has finally incorporated many of its renowned health and fitness features into an affordably priced golf watch. With body battery, stress levels, and sleep tracking, it’s a significant upgrade from previous Garmin golf watches.
This makes it the top choice for those who want an all-day, everyday wearable watch.
And for golf? It’s the most advanced GPS golf watch to date. It includes built-in shot tracking, advanced “plays like” distances, compatibility with Garmin’s CT10 shot tracking system, green contour data, and more.
Therefore, if the Approach S70 fits your budget, get it. It’s the best golf-specific watch available, hands down.
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Garmin Epix Gen 2
The Epix offers even more advanced fitness tracking capabilities than the S70, particularly for runners and cyclists, and stands as Garmin’s most comprehensive and high-tech fitness watch.
The best part of this golf watch is that it includes nearly all the golf features of the Approach S70. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
However, depending on whether you choose the Epix or Epix Pro, it can be a bit bulkier and more expensive. But if you’re looking for the ultimate fitness watch with superior golf features that outshine most dedicated golf watches, we highly recommend the Garmin Epix. It’s our current go-to watch.
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Voice Caddie T9
One of the most impressive features of this Voice Caddie T9 is the green heatmap. It shows you the exact breaks on every green and highlights major undulations so you can aim your approach shots perfectly.
The T9 is also intelligent. It can detect your swings and location on the course, automatically displaying the most relevant screen for that moment (and it works surprisingly well).
Another cool feature is the “Tempo Mode.” This mode provides feedback on your swing ratio, aiming for a backswing-to-downswing ratio between 2:1 and 3:1, making it a useful practice tool.
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Bushnell ION Elite
Bushnell is renowned for its rangefinders, but it also offers highly accurate GPS golf devices and the ION Elite stands out as their top golf watch.
While it might not have as many features as some of Garmin’s high-end models, it’s one of the few GPS golf watches under $200 that boasts a color screen. In addition, it has comprehensive GPS course maps and a user-friendly interface. It also integrates seamlessly with the Bushnell golf app, which continues to impress us.
If you’re looking for a dependable GPS watch that provides accurate distances and scorekeeping, the ION Elite is hard to beat in this price range.
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SkyCaddie LX5
For many golfers, the display is the most crucial feature of a golf watch. No one wants to strain their eyes to read yardage.
Among the more expensive Garmin and Apple products, the SkyCaddie LX5 stands out with its high-resolution display. This watch boasts a large screen, multiple brightness settings, and a very crisp overall display.
While it is a large watch, those with small wrists might find it too big. However, at just 2.3 ounces, it remains extremely lightweight.
The LX5 features a high-quality fit, finish, and feel, and is one of the better-looking watches on the market. However, it doesn’t track shot data, so it won’t record how far you’re hitting your clubs. It includes scorekeeping features, but so do most golf watches. It also lacks wind speed and direction tracking.
The SkyCaddie LX5’s touchscreen technology is easy to navigate. It provides a clear overview of each hole, allowing you to touch and drag your finger around the screen to determine distances to lay targets or hazards.
The watch also includes a green view for each hole, featuring some slope and contour information. While we prefer the slope reading functionality of the GolfBuddy Aim 11, the LX5 still provides useful details.
Additional features include a step counter and heart rate monitor.
Ultimately, this watch is all about the display quality. That’s its standout feature. You can find similar features for less than $299.95 and more features with other watches. But for the best display, the SkyCaddie LX5 is unmatched.
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GolfBuddy Aim W11
The GolfBuddy Aim W11 offers exceptional value, packed with features for just $199.98.
This watch boasts a full-color touchscreen display, including a low-light mode, and it is also waterproof. One standout feature is its green-reading capability, which color codes the green’s undulations: dark blue for the lowest points and bright red for the highest spots. Given that many Greenbooks cost $30-50 for similar information, this feature is a significant advantage.
In addition to standard distance-measuring capabilities, Aim W11 provides slope-adjusted yardages and detailed hole reviews of over 40,000 courses all over the world. Moreover, the GolfBuddy Aim W11 can be paired with a smartphone to compile and display shot data.
GolfBuddy Aim W11 offers a comprehensive range of golf features for around $250 (or less).
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Shot Scope X5
If you’re keen on both shot tracking and having a dedicated golf GPS watch, Arccos isn’t the option for you. Garmin watches paired with CT10 sensors can get pricey. In this case, the Shot Scope X5 is the best solution.
With the price of around $299, it’s Shot Scope’s latest model, a significant upgrade from the older V3. Using the watch and editing your rounds in the app has a slight learning curve, but Shot Scope has been proactive with firmware updates since its recent release. This indicates promising long-term usability.
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TecTecTec Ult-G
Let’s be honest. Many golfers don’t require all the bells and whistles that expensive golf watches or rangefinders offer. For those who simply want to know distances to the green without the hassle of pacing off from markers, there’s no reason to spend over $99.99.
The TecTecTec Ult-G provides everything you need: distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, as well as distances to various hazards. And that’s pretty much it.
But ask yourself, do you really need more? If not, save some cash and opt for this dependable and straightforward choice.
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Garmin MARQ 2 Golfer
The MARQ 2 Golfer transcends the category of smartwatches; it embodies the essence of a luxury timepiece with both its aesthetic appeal and tactile elegance.
What sets it apart from luxury golf watches like those from Tag Heuer is Garmin’s extensive experience in refining not only its golf-specific watches but also its broader range of fitness watches over many years.
This means you not only benefit from Garmin’s renowned Golf ecosystem but also enjoy a suite of health and fitness features that Garmin has perfected.
Moreover, a recent update has incorporated some of the most cutting-edge features from the new Approach S70, enhancing its functionality to new heights.
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With this article, we hope you have had an idea of the best GPS golf watches of 2024 and the one that suits you most. If your only need is yardage, choose the TecTecTec Ult-G. If you seek an outstanding experience without caring about the price, the Garmin Marq 2 Golfer is a perfect choice. Shot Scope X5 is best for shot-tracking functionality, while the Sky Caddie LX5 has the sharpest-looking display.
Don’t hesitate to contact us or comment in the box below if you still have any questions.
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how do these watches stand up to water?