Many golfers are taking advantage of GPS watches and their ease of use, and of course, as with so many golf-related products, there are so many options to choose from. While having a lot of options at your disposal is certainly a good thing, it can also make trying to figure out which watch to choose seem like a daunting task.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of our top Golf GPS watches, which includes detailed descriptions of each model. We’ve also included a handy buyer’s guide that outlines some of the key factors that you should take into consideration before you start shopping.
To wrap things up, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions that golfers have about GPS watches. With the information presented in this guide, you’ll be well-informed and should be able to choose a GPS golf watch that will best suit your needs. So if you’re ready to lower your score and improve your game, keep on reading!
Our Top Picks
Contents
- The Best Overall GPS Golf Watch– Garmin Approach S12, Easy-to-Use GPS Golf Watch
- The Best Premium GPS Golf Watch– Garmin Approach S62 Premium Golf GPS Watch
- The Best Budget GPS Golf Watch– tecTecTec ULT-G Multi-Functional Golf GPS Watch
GPS Golf Watches Reviews
Best Overall GPS Golf Watch – Garmin Approach S12 Easy-to-Use GPS Golf Watch
Garmin is a leader in the navigational tool industry and has long been a trusted source for GPS products, so it’s no wonder that the Garmin Approach S12 Easy-to-Use GPS Golf Watch is our pick for the best overall golf watch. Preloaded with more than 42,000 CourseView maps of golf course around the world, you’ll have instant access to pretty much any course that you can think of.
Pair the watch to the Garmin app and you can wirelessly download updated for the courses that you most frequently play on, too! It offers yardages to the front, back, and center of the green, as well as to other key locations on the course, such as doglegs and hazards.
- New round watch design with a high-resolution sunlight-readable display.Control Method:Application.Special Feature:Sunlight-Viewable; Over 42,000 Preloaded Course Maps; Water Resistant to 164'; Long Battery Life.
- Battery life: up to 30 hours in GPS mode
- Provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the green, as well as to hazards and doglegs
- Keep score right on the watch and upload directly to the Garmin Golf app (when paired with a compatible smartphone) to participate in weekly leaderboards
- Automatically keep track of your score and how far you hit with each club with compatible Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (sold separately)
This high-tech GPS golf watch keeps score for you so that you will always know exactly where you stand just by looking down at your wrist; it even keeps tabs on how far you hit the ball with each club with cutting-edge compatible Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (which do have to be purchased separately).
You can even upload your score right to the app on your smartphone and participate in weekly leaderboards. No need to worry about sun glare getting in the way of reading the display, as the new and improved round design of this watch is equipped with a high-resolution screen that you’ll have no trouble reading on the brightest of days.
Powered by an internal rechargeable battery that will keep running for up to 30 hours in GPS mode, you can play numerous games before needing to recharge. The sleek, yet understated design of the watch is certainly appealing, and it’s available in three colors: white, black, and granite blue.
What We Liked
- Preloaded with more than 42,000 worldwide golf courses
- Upgraded high-resolution sunlight-readable display
- Displays yardages to the front, back, and center of the green, as well as other key locations on the course
- Keeps track of your score and uploads right to the Garmin Golf app
- Instantly keeps track of how far you hit the ball with each Approach CT10 club tracking sensor (sold separately)
- Rechargeable battery lasts for 30 hours in GPS mode
- Understated, versatile design
- Available in three colors
Best Premium GPS Golf Watch- Garmin Approach S62 Premium GPS Watch
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line GPS golf watch that’s outfitted with the most advanced technology and you have extra room in your budget to spare, the Garmin Approach S62 Premium GPS Watch is a great choice – and our pick for the best premium GPS golf watch.
It features a large 1.3 inch color ceramic bezel touchscreen display that can easily be read in the bright sunlight, is scratch-resistant, with interchangeable QuickFit band.s. The watch is preloaded with more than 41,000 full-color CourseView maps from around the world.
- Large 1. 3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display (18% larger than Approach S60) with scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands
- Battery life: up to 20 hours in GPS mode, 14 days in smartwatch mode
- Virtual Caddie suggests club based on typical distance the golfer hits that club, factors in wind speed and direction, and indicates where the golfer should aim on the map
- Hazard View allows you to quickly scroll through each hazard on the map
- PlaysLike Distance feature accounts for uphill and downhill shots
Garmin installed a Virtual Caddie onto the watch, which is a handy feature that suggests which club you should use based on the distance that you typically hit a club in specific wind speeds and directions; it even indicates where you should aim on the map!
The Hazard View feature lets you scroll through each hazard on the map quickly and easily. Another neat feature is the PlaysLike Distance, which accounts for uphill and downhill shots, as well as the PinPointer feature, which lets you know the direction to the pin when a shot is blind so that you know where the pin is located – even when it isn’t visible!
With the Green View feature you can manually pin positioning and can quickly reference your distance to the front, center, and back of the green, and to other key areas, such as hazards and doglegs. You can fit your clubs with the Garmin Approach CT10 auto-tracking sensors and connect have notifications sent right to your watch. Color options include black and white.
With so many amazing features, the Garmin Approach S62 Premium Golf GPS Watch really is cutting-edge and will be sure to enhance your game.
What We Liked
- Features a large 1.3 inch, scratch-resistant color touchscreen display that can be read in the brightest sun
- Ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands
- Uploaded with more than 41,000 full-color CourseView maps from around the world
- Virtual Caddie lets you know which club to use based on the distance that you typically hit a club
- Hazard View lets you scroll through all hazards on the map
- PlaysLike Distance accounts for uphill and downhill shots
- PinPointer feature lets you know the direction to pin when you have a blind spot shot
- Green View feature lets you manually pin positioning
Best Budget GPS Golf Watch – TecTecTec ULT-G Stylish Multi-Functional Golf GPS Watch
For golfers who want to improve their course management skills and lower their score without breaking the bank, the TecTecTec ULT-G Stylish Multi-Functional Golf GPS Watch is an excellent choice – and our pick for the best budget GPS golf watch. It’s outfitted with sophisticated features that will make managing the course and improving your game a whole lot easier.
With Bluetooth connectivity, you will be able to connect this GPS golf watch to your smartphone and will receive free course updates. Learning how to use the ULT-G watch is super easy to do. Unlike other GPS watches, which can be complex and hard to figure out, you can navigate the screen with just four buttons on this watch.
Once you’ve completed initial set-up (which is very easy to do), the watch will instantly connect to a satellite and will start displaying information about the course you’re playing right away. With the TecTecTec GPS golf watch, you will be able to measure the distance to the front, back, and center of the green, as well as other key locations, such as hazards and doglegs.
It keeps tabs on instant hole progression while you’re playing, too. With this watch, you’ll be able to access info about more than 38,000 courses around the world. The water-resistant, dust-resistant design makes this GPS watch super durable, so you can use it in all types of conditions without having to worry about damage.
The downside is that the battery life isn’t long; it only retains power for about 2.5 rounds before it will need to be recharged. With that said, however, it is backed by a one year warranty and a 30 day, risk-free, money-back guarantee. Of course, as our best budget pick, it’s also very affordably priced.
What We Liked
- Equipped with an array of enhanced technological features
- Bluetooth connectivity allows the watch to connect to smartphones to receive free course updates
- Easy to use; only four buttons to navigate the screen
- Instantly connects to satellite and starts displaying course information immediately after being set up
- Measures the distance to the front, back, and center of the green, as well as other key locations, such as hazards and wooded areas
- Preloaded with more than 38,000 golf courses around the world
- Durable design; dust-resistant and water-resistant
- Backed by a one year warranty
- Lifetime software support
- 30 day money back guarantee
- No subscription fees for continued service or updated
SkyCaddie LX5 GPS Golf Watch with Touchscreen Display and HD Color CourseView Maps
The next option our list of the best GPS golf watches is the SkyCaddie LX5. It comes completed with a 3 year prepaid worldwide membership to more than 35,000 ground verified golf course maps from around the world. Large 1.39 inch brightly lit color touchscreen with full HD graphics provide crisp, clear, easy to see and read green images.
For a closer look at the details on the map, you can zoom in and pan out; you can move the cursor for precision targeting to hazards and layups, too. The IntelliGreen technology that this watch is outfitted with displays the exact shape of the green rotated and provides distances to the front, the back, and the center of the green. You can also move the cursor to the pin.
- Included is a 3 Year Prepaid Worldwide Membership to over 35,000 ground verified course maps
- Golf's largest brightest color touchscreen 1.39" Full HD graphics for stunning hole and green images
- Zoom in and pan for extra detail, slide the cursor for precision targeting to hazards or layups
- IntelliGreen provides exact shape of the green rotated, distances to front, back, move cursor to pin
- WiFi enabled, scoring, stats, target list, battery up to two rounds, heart rate, step counter
Dynamic RangeVu displays several yards arcs that overlay the fairway landing areas and greens, allowing you to quickly choose the best club for each and every shot. Oversized numbers are easy to read and clearly visible in all types of conditions.
The watch keeps track of scoring and stats, too; you can score as you plan and keep track of stats by hole and round, including your total score, total putts fairway hits or misses, greens regulations, and other pertinent information. It also analyzes trends, strengths, and weaknesses in the SkyGolf 360 Cloud.
It’s outfitted with a heart rate monitor, a step counter, a step goal, current step distance, too, as well as standard clock features, such as timers, alarms, and stopwatches. Thanks to the brilliant AMOLED display, you can see the screen in direct sunlight and because of the rugged water-resistant casing, you can have confidence knowing that you can use it in all types of water.
If you’d like, you can customize the look of the watch, too, as you can switch from analog and digital displays.
What We Liked
- Dynamic RangeVue displays multiple yardage arcs overlay fairway landing areas and greens, letting you know which club to use for each shot
- Dynamic Hole Vue lets you slide the crosshair to any location on the hole to showcase key distances to hazards, carries, and layups
- Zooms in on the fairway for an enhanced view to locate safe zones and to avoid hazards
- IntelliGreen Technology lets you see the exact shape of the green and automatically rotates to match your angle of approach
- Large, easy-to-red numbers
- Front center back screen displays dynamic distances from your angle of approach
- Also displays key information, such as hole, par, and hole handicap
- Displays scoring and stats for each hole, including total putts, fairway hit or miss, greens regulations, and more
- Features a hear rate monitor and a step counter
- Customizable watch face; can be switched from analog to digital with the push of a button
- AMOLED display lets you see the screen in the brightest of sunlight
- Water-resistant casing for enhanced durability and reliability in all types of conditions
Shot Scope V3 GPS Watch – F/M/B + Hazard Distances
With the Shot Scope V3 GPS Watch, you’ll have everything you need to improve your course management and enhance your score right on your wrist! This GPS watch calculates and displays the distances to the front, back, and middle of the green, and the distances are accurate within plus or minus one yard.
The distances to all hazards on the course are displayed, and it keeps track of and displays automatic hole progression while you’re golfing. With the V3, you’ll be able to track and see very shot on each and every hole that you play.
- Highly accurate GPS (2 GPS antennas)
- Daylight readable colour screen
- F/M/B green & hazard distances
- Automatic Performance Tracking. 35,000 preloaded courses worldwide
- Every day watch. 10+ hour battery life x depends on the mode
Use the included Strokes Gained data combined with the manufacturer’s handicap benchmarking provides insights into how to save shots for future games. The V3 has been proven to reduce handicaps. The advanced technology is easy to use and accurate, and the design is water-resistant, dust-resistant, and very durable for regular wear.
The battery power lasts about 2 rounds of golf before needing to be charged up, and it can be charged from 0 percent in just a few hours. The Shot Scope V3 GPS Watch is backed by a one-year warranty and comes with free lifetime course updates. It comes with a risk-free 30 day money back guarantee, and it’s affordably priced.
What We Liked
- Displays the distances to the front, center, and the middle of the green
- The distances are accurate within plus or minus one yard
- Measures distances to all hazards
- Automatic hole progression
- Strokes Gained data and handicap benchmarking provides insights into how to save shots for future plays
- Easy to set up; designed by golfers for golfers
- Daylight readable screen shows color only when needed to improve the experience
- Easily navigates through features
- Durable, water-resistant and dust-resistant design
- Backed by a one year warranty and comes with free lifetime course updates
- 30 day risk-free money-back guarantee
- Available in four colors, including black, gray, red, and teal
Bushnell iON Edge Golf GPS Watch Gray with 38,000 Courses and Auto-Course Recognition
Yet another top-quality, reliable, and easy to read GPS golf watch is the iON Edge by Bushnell. The touchscreen display ensures easily readability, and with more navigation.
The battery life is an impressive 15 + hours on a single charge and it only takes a few hours to fully recharge the battery, too. Preloaded with more than 38,000 courses worldwide. The ION Edge delivers moveable pin placement via their Greenview technology.
- IN THE BOX: 1x Bushnell iON Edge Golf GPS Watch Gray, 1x USB Charging/Sync Cable, 1x Cleaning Lens Cloth
- BETTER DISPLAY AND BATTERY: A touchscreen display updates the Bushnell ION EDGE golf GPS watch with ease of use and more satisfying navigation. The ION EDGE also has a remarkably long battery life (15+ hours)
- PRELOADED COURSES: Bushnell Golf app for automatic updates to the more than 38,000 preloaded courses worldwide
- MORE GOLF FEATURES: Bushnell ION EDGE offers Greenview with movable pin placement, Dynamic Green Mapping( front or back distances are shown based on the golfer’s line of play), Shot Distance Calculator, and the ability to get up to six hazard distances per hole
- AUTO-ADVANCE FEATURES: automatically switches you to the next hole as you progress through your round, meaning that you can enjoy playing without having to constantly be pressing buttons
Dynamic Green mapping provides front, back, and center distances on the green. With this device, you’ll be able to automatically switch to the next hole With the Shot Distance Calculator, you can get up to six hazard distances per hold.
The Auto-Advance feature instantly switches to the next level as you get better throughout each round. With auto-advanced features will instantly let you switch the view by simply pressing the dummy.
What We Liked
- Touchscreen display updates to Bushnell
- Enhanced display and batter
- 15+ hour battery life
- Preloaded courses instantly load more than 38,000 course maps
- Color touchscreen
- Ceramic bezel with black silicone
Izzo Golf Swami Golf GPS Watch
If you’re looking for a quality golf GPS watch but don’t want to invest a lot – perhaps it’s the first time you’re using one and you want to be sure that it’s the right choice for you or maybe you just don’t have a big budget – the Izzo Golf Swami Golf GPS Watch is a decent choice.
This watch comes preloaded with more than 38,000 worldwide golf courses; no download or subscription fees necessary, so there’s no additional charge. It’s equipped with advanced technology that accurately measures the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green, and also measures layups and carry distances to things like hazards and doglegs, so you’ll always have precise measurements.
- Golf Watch: Our GPS tracker watch for golf comes preloaded with 38, 000 golf courses worldwide - no download or subscription fees required
- Precise Measurements: The ultimate golf distance finder, our watch accurately measures distances to the front, center, and back of the green, as well as layup and carry distances to hazards and doglegs
- Precise Measurements: The ultimate golf distance finder, our watch accurately measures distances to the front, center, and back of the green, as well as layup and carry distances to hazards and doglegs
- Easy To Use: Hands-free auto-course recognition and auto-hole advance technology does the work for you; Digital scorecard and individual shot distance measurement measure those big drives
- Quality Construction: Display is easy to read, even in bright sunlight, and features a durable water-resistant construction; Covered under a 1-year limited warranty
The hands-free auto-course recognition software and the auto-hold advanced technology does all of the work for you, so there’s no guesswork needed. With a digital scorecard and individual shot distance measures those long drives, too.
A rechargeable lithium ion battery lasts about 10 hours in GPS mode before it needs to be recharged. The display is easy to read, even on the brightest, sunshiniest days, and it features highly durable, water-resistant construction.
The Izzo Golf Swami Golf GPS Watch is backed by a 1 year limited warranty, too. Plus, the design is simple and versatile, so it’s always fashionable.
What We Liked
- Comes preloaded with more than 38,000 worldwide golf courses; no downloading or subscription necessary
- Takes precise measurements, making it the ultimate distance finer, as it can accurately measure distances to the front, center, and back of the green, and even layups and carry distances to hazards and doglegs
- The hands-free auto-course recognition and auto-hole advanced technology does all the work for you, making it super easy to use
- Digital scorecard and individual shot distance measures big drives
- Rechargeable lithium ion battery lasts up to 10 hours in GPS mode on a single charge
- Easy to ready display
- Durable water-resistant construction
- Backed by a 1 year limited warranty
- Very affordably priced
Garmin Approach S62 Premium GPS White Golf Watch with Wearable4U White Earbuds with Charging Power Bank Case Bundle
Yet another option from Garmin on our list of the best GPS golf watches, the Approach S62 Premium GPS White Golf Watch is an outstanding choice. It’s truly cutting-edge, as it features the most advanced technologies and comes with additional features that other watches on our list don’t.
The large 1.3 inch easy to read color touchscreen display is 18 percent larger than the Garmin Approach S60, and features a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel with interchangeable QuickFit bands. This GPS watch comes preloaded with more than 41,000 full-color worldwide CourseView maps.
- IN THE BOX: 1 x Garmin Approach S62 Premium GPS Golf Watch (White); 1 x White EarBuds with Charging Power Bank Case
- Large 1. 3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display (18% larger than Approach S60) with scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands
- More than 41, 000 full-color CourseView maps preloaded from around the world
- Virtual Caddie suggests club based on typical distance the golfer hits that club, factors in wind speed and direction, and indicates where the golfer should aim on the map. Hazard View allows you to quickly scroll through each hazard on the map.
- PlaysLike Distance feature accounts for uphill and downhill shots. PinPointer feature tells you the direction to the pin when you have a blind shot so you can know where the pin is - even if you can’t see it. Green View feature allows manual pin positioning; quickly reference distances to the front, middle and back of the green as well as hazards and doglegs.
Garmin’s Virtual Caddie lets you know which club to use based on the typical distance that you usually hit a particular club, and even factors things like wind speed and direction into account to let you know where you should aim your hit on the map.
Hazard View lets you quickly and easily scroll through each of the hazards that are listed on the map. Another handy feature on the map is the PlaysLike Distance feature, which accounts for uphill and downhill shots, as well as the PinPointer feature, which lets you know which direction to pin when you have a blind shot so that you know where the pin is located, even when you are unable to see it.
A GreenView feature enables manual pin positioning so that you can quickly reference distances to the front, center, and back of the green, as well as things like hazards and doglegs. Rounding out the super-cool features on this GPS golf watch is the customizable watch face; you can download custom watch faces, apps, and widgets from the Connect IQ Store and customize your watch face with any image saved on you smartphone.
You can wear it off the course, too, as it is comfortable and stylish for everyday wear. In addition to all of these features, the Garmin Approach S62 Premium GPS White Golf Watch comes complete with Wearabl4U 2 in 1 Earbuds Pro and a 1500 mAh power bank. The earbuds work for up to 4 hours between charges, the standby time is about 300 hours, and their ipx6 waterproof, and with touch operation, their so easy to use.
What We Liked
- Larger screen measures 1.3 inches
- Easy-to-read color touchscreen display
- Customizable watch faces
- Great for everyday wear
- Works with QuickFit Bands, so you can change out the bands whenever you would like
- Equipped with a Virtual Caddie, which factors in wind speeds and directions to suggest which club you should use based on the distance that you usually swing with a specific club
- Displays wind speed and direction
- Preloaded with more than 41,000 worldwide CourseView maps
- Can be paired with Approach CT10 Club Tracking sensors for more advanced tracking capabilities
- Comes with Wearable4U 2 in 1 Earbuds Pro and a 1500 mAh power bank
- Equipped with a variety of features, such as PlaysLike Distance, Green View features, and more
Other Best Selling Options
- New round watch design with a high-resolution sunlight-readable display
- Battery life: up to 30 hours in GPS Mode
- More than 42,000 courses preloaded from around the world
- Keep score right on the watch and upload directly to the Garmin Golf app (when paired with a compatible smartphone) to participate in weekly leaderboards
- Automatically keep track of your score and how far you hit with each club with compatible Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (sold separately)
- New round watch design with a high-resolution sunlight-readable display.Supported Application:GPS. Connectivity technology:Bluetooth. Wireless comm standard:Bluetooth
- Battery life: up to 30 hours in GPS mode
- Provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the green, as well as to hazards and doglegs
- Keep score right on the watch and upload directly to the Garmin Golf app (when paired with a compatible smartphone) to participate in weekly leaderboards
- Automatically keep track of your score and how far you hit with each club with compatible Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (sold separately)
Golf GPS Watch Buyer’s Guide
Ask any professional or experienced golfer and they’ll tell you that if you want to lower your score, course management is an absolute must. What does that mean? It means that you need to be knowledgeable of the distance, not only to the front, back, and middle of the green, but the distance to other important areas on the course, as well. With that said, however, enhancing your score on the course can be a complex, time-consuming, and oft, a difficult task; thanks to the advent of technology, however, it no longer has to be!
That’s right, technological advances have done a great service to golfers who want to enhance their course management skills, lower the score, and improve their game. What type of technology, you ask? GPS, of course!
GPS technology has made it possible for golfers to pinpoint their location and measure their distance to key points on the course, including the aforementioned front, back, and middle of the green, and other important locations, such as hazards, wooded areas, and the like.
Despite the invaluable information that GPS trackers can provide, however, many golfers don’t like dragging them out onto the course. That’s totally understandable, as it’s just one more thing that you have to remember to take with you, pull out, and get set up.
If this describes you, fortunately, you don’t have to forego the benefits that GPS technology can provide because rather than using a bulky, clunky handheld tracker, you can use a GPS golf watch, instead. Just strap your GPS watch onto your wrist and voila! – You can instantly view your coordinates, gauge your distance, improve your course management skills, and ultimately, lower your score and enhance your game.
So now that you’ve taken the time to read through our list of the best GPS golf watches, you can easily see that there are so many high-quality options available. Now comes the fun part: deciding which one to choose!
With that said, you might be scratching your head, trying to decide which one will best suit your needs, as you want to make sure that you make a sound investment in a watch that will help to improve your course management skills and lower your score. So, how do you do that? By taking some key factors into consideration.
In this section of our guide, we’ve outlined some of the most important factors that you should consider before you start shopping for a GPS golf watch. By considering these factors, you will have a much easier time selecting the right watch for your particular needs.
Additional Features
Arguably one of the most important factors to consider that will help you determine which GPS golf watch will work best for you is the additional features that the model is equipped with. As you can see from above, there are numerous features available, and to decide which ones will be suitable for you, ask yourself the following questions before you start shopping:
- Do you only want to get yardages to the front, center, and back of the green?
- Do you want to receive distances to other key points on the course, such as hazards and wooded areas?
- Would you like to see an overhead map of each hole that you play?
- Would a watch that keeps track of your score and organizes your data be helpful?
- Do you want to see the distances to different pin locations – or perhaps any other location – on the golf course?
Pretty much every golf GPS watch will showcase the distances to the front, center and back of the green, and many will also show the distances to hazards, too. Some golf GPS watches are outfitted with more advanced features, such as virtual caddies, score cards, and club recommendations, for example.
In our guide, you’ll options that are equipped with the most basic features, and several options that are equipped with many advanced features. Do note, however, that if you would like the more advanced features, you will likely have to pay extra, as watches that are equipped with more features tend to be pricier than basic models.
The Look and Feel
The look and feel of the golf GPS watch is very important to consider, too. You want to make sure that it’s comfortable on your wrist, otherwise, you aren’t going to want to wear it or it could impede your play, which would pretty much render the purchase useless.
We recommend looking for lightweight, mid-sized watch. If it’s too big, bulky, and heavy, it’s almost guaranteed that it will become uncomfortable and that it will interfere with your swing. The best golf GPS watches will be hardly noticeable and will feel as if they are barely there. You’ll also want to consider the look of the watch. If it’s unattractive, chances are you aren’t going to wear it.
There are some watches that feature changeable bands, which we highly recommend, as you can customize the look and coordinate the watch with your outfits and your mood.
The Battery Life
Almost every modern golf GPS watch is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. That’s great, but you want to make sure that the battery holds enough power to be worth your while. If the battery loses its charge within just a few minutes, well, it isn’t really going to do you any good, is it?
So, make sure that you find out how long the battery lasts for. The best watches should be powered by batteries that last between 9 and 17 hours between charges; anything that is lower than this range really isn’t worth your while.
The Display
There are two primary types of GPS watch displays: non-touchscreen with side buttons and touchscreen. Obviously, both function differently. Touchscreen watches are more expensive, but they tend to have more advanced features, such as colored maps and true green views.
On the other hand, non-touchscreen golf GPS watches usually feature black and white displays and the graphics are limited. In regard to usability, touchscreens aren’t necessarily easier to use; in fact, some people may find that they are more challenging to use. That said, after some practice, you should be able to get used to the function.
The Accuracy
Another key feature that you are definitely going to want to take into consideration before you purchase a golf GPS watch is the accuracy because obviously, if it doesn’t display accurate measurements, well, it really isn’t going to do you much good.
If the watch is off by about 10 yards on a consistent basis, for example, it’s useless. It should be noted, however, that with golf GPS watches – even the highest end models – can be off by a few yards. This is pretty normal, and it’s why we also recommend investing in a golf rangefinder so that you can get a more precise measurement, down to the exact yard.
Generally speaking, the accuracy would be considered acceptable if it’s about 7 yards from the correct measurement. We’ve found that the accuracy of most GPS watches is pretty similar, as they use the same satellites to calculate their distances.
That said, make sure that you keep the maps on the watch up-to-date, as doing so will give you the best chance of getting the most accurate distances possible. It’s important to note that the higher the accuracy, the less guesswork there will be and the greater the chances will be that you will be able to increase your course management, your club selection, and your game.
The Price
Last but certainly not least, you are going to want to consider the price of the golf GPS watch. As you can see from the models that are listed above, the prices of these watches can vary widely, starting at under $100 and spanning all the way up to $500 or more.
The more features that the watch is equipped with, generally speaking, the more expensive it is going to be. Additionally, watches that have color touchscreens tend to be more expensive. That said, you don’t want to end up spending more than you can comfortably afford, so do make sure that you consider how much you want to spend before you start shopping.
Golf Watch FAQs
Q: Is a golf GPS watch really worthwhile?
A: Yes, if you have a quality golf GPS watch that displays accurate distances and boasts useful features, this tool can be very handy and helpful, as they can help to improve your course management, lower your score, and improve your game overall.
Q: How much should I expect to spend on a decent and reliable golf GPS watch?
A: As we’ve already stated, the prices of these watches can vary widely, and generally speaking, the more features it offers and the higher-end the technology, the pricier it will be. With that said, you can expect to pay, on average, about $150 to $200 for a reliable golf GPS watch that is outfitted with useful features that will really help to improve your game.
Conclusion
Just estimating the distance to the green, hazards, and other key spots on the golf course will only get you so far.If you really want to increase your game, then you are going to want to get accurate info about the holes that you are playing, including visuals and distances. That’s where a reliable golf GPS watch will come in handy.
Any of the options featured on our list would certainly be worthwhile, but before you make your final decision, do be sure to take the key factors that we outlined into consideration.
