Best Golf GPS Watches – 2024 Reviews & Buying Guide

Golfers, like other sportsmen, love to track their performance. Though it can be tempting, this tracking analyses the in-field performance and sometimes stimulates improvement.

Rangefinders were the go-to for such game improvement. But now, Smart Golf GPS watches are more practical and aesthetically pleasing for most golfers. These GPS watches track your distance, keep a scoring record, and help you make perfect shots.

However, due to diversity, choosing the best golf GPS watch can take a lot of your time. Fortunately, this hard work has already been done by us.

After our research and testing, we have selected the 8 Best Golf GPS Watches and categorized them for different golfers. Also, a brief comparison is made with similar models to save you from information overload.

To make it into our list, all watches are judged on various factors to provide reliable results. You can also consider them when purchasing our buying guide section.

Top 10 Best Golf GPS Watches to Buy in 2024

Technology keeps on upgrading, and we maintain pace with these changing trends. Therefore, we call it the Best GPS Golf Watch Guide 2024. We will update this guide with new watches if they meet the standards.

1. Garmin Approach S62

Regardless of the sport, Garmin has always been an industry leader in GPS tracking. Their wearables offer some exquisite features, setting a benchmark for others. Garmin golf watches offer a combination of many basic and advanced features, making them the top choice for beginner and pro golfers.

We consider the Garmin Approach S62 the best GPS golf watch for many reasons. Some of them are a big display, attractive design, accurate shot tracking, exact pinpoint flag placement, and wind and weather analysis.

With the Garmin navigation system, Approach S62 automatically detects your course. It covers over 41,000 courses around the world. Based on your course’s data, the watch can keep the score.

When starting from your Tee-shot, the watch will accurately calculate the distance from the hole. After the shot, the watch will ask you to choose the club. To your next shot, the watch will automatically track your distance. You can use the pinpoint function when making blind shots.

Reaching the green, the watch will ask you to put your score on it and keep track of it. Things become interesting after five rounds, where you can enable caddie features. The Caddie feature will guide you on which clubs to choose and guide you along with the game.

Approach S62 is surprisingly great at detecting individual shots. It can automatically detect and differentiate between your practice swings and natural shots with almost 100% accuracy.

The best thing about the watch is that it operates independently, and you don’t need your phone. Even music and notifications features are built-in into the watch. Besides these, it can accurately track your heart rate and is also great for other fitness activities. Battery life is also great. With the GPS mode enabled and actively playing, you must charge it once a week.

Another great thing about the watch is its look and feel. It fits perfectly onto the wrist and is quite durable. This watch will surely meet your standards even if you are a watch guy.

Overall, the watch is both accurate and aesthetic. The only drawback you can have is its price. If you are willing to go for it, it will be the Best GPS golf watch you could have.

2. Sky Caddie LX5. -A visually appealing and affordable watch

If spending 500$ on a Garmin watch is too much for you, Sky Golf provides an affordable option. Sky Golf is a reputable golf accessories brand that offers a wide range of golf positioning equipment.

The reason to consider Sky Caddie LX5 among our top choices for the best golf GPS watches list is its visually appealing graphics and durable design. Besides that, it offers many high-end features.

Sky Caddie LX5 features a substantially large 1.4-inch display, more significant than the majority of Golf watches. The screen resolution is industry-leading and adjusts well to even the sunniest conditions. The watch itself is rugged and gives a pretty durable vibe.

In the golfing features, LX5 has a league of its own. It has over 35,000 built-in courses and automatically detects the course. Unlike Garmin S62, Sky Caddie LX5 gives a visually appealing view; of course, you can zoom in, see the green, and know specific distances.

The gesture and screen responsiveness on the Sky Caddie is smoother than any other golf watch. You also have the option to sync your GIRs, scores, and Fairway drives. However, Sky Caddie LX5 doesn’t track individual shots automatically.

Other features include a heart rate monitor and all other features of a fitness watch. Battery life on the Sky caddie is not as great as it should be, and it’s a point that needs improvement.

Overall, the watch is affordable, accurate, and has many tracking functions. You should consider purchasing it if you want value for your money.

3. Golf Buddy W11. -A GPS watch for beginners

This watch is an upgrade of the Golf Buddy w10 with a ceramic bezel and many new features. Golf Buddy W11 has something from every top-tier watch; therefore, we consider it the best GPS golf watch for beginners.

Coming to the appearance, the W11 has the classic look of a fitness watch. Its ceramic bezel made it look like the Galaxy Watch 4. The display is big, and the straps are pretty solid. It’s a watch you can wear every day.

The golfing interface is a little different from other high-end watches. It has over 40,000 built-in golf courses, and automatic course and hole detection work perfectly. The watch displays the distance on a single screen and the bird-eye of the course on another screen.

Swiping further, you can see the detailed view of the green with an undulating view. You can also track your shot distance. Manual Pin placement helps you make those blind shots a very high-end feature.

The Golf Buddy app also offers excellent functionality. You can adjust multiple watch faces and keep a record of your score. But it doesn’t track the fitness side of things. The battery life is good and can last up to 13 hours in golf mode.

Overall, the watch is a great golf watch with a simple interface and easy navigation. It has many advanced features and has a fantastic price. However, the lack of fitness tracking halts its versatility. For beginners, this could be an amazing GPS Golf watch.

4. Garmin Approach S10. -An Affordable Garmin

Garmin is the industry leader in golf GPS watches. You should explore this watch if you are brand-conscious and want something affordable to compromise over a few features.

Garmin Approach S10 is a combination of simplicity and perfection. Unlike many other Garmin models, it has a square design with big bezels. In its appearance, Approach S10 is not the most beautiful, but its features compensate for this look.

As you can judge from the shape, the watch is pretty light. You wouldn’t even notice this watch when playing golf, and it sits perfectly on your wrist.

The interface of the watch is as simple as it could be. Unlike many other best GPS golf watches, this one doesn’t have a touch-screen. Operating through the button sometimes feels rudimentary, but it’s a matter of days until you become familiar with the device.

The automatic course detection works pretty fast, even quicker than some high-end watches. Starting the round, you will get front, back, and center distance to the green and hazards. The scorekeeping option is also there. The display is black and white, with no issues operating on bright days.

Being affordable, the watch doesn’t have any high-end features. So, the watch fulfills all your basic golf needs and doesn’t saturate you with a feature overload.

This could be the best golf GPS watch for those who focus more on the moment than tracking their performance. Efficient golfers but not as competent as professionals will love this watch.

5. TecTecTec ULT-G. -Our wildcard entry

If the $150 Garmin Approach S10 is too much for you, you can look at our wildcard TecTecTec ULT-G. Unlike its name, the watch is pretty simple in terms of design and features.

The design offers a combination of the round dial but with big bezels with five side buttons. The display is classic black and white and has no visibility issues in the sun.

Like any other golf watch, TecTecTec ULT-G automatically detects the course and has over 35,000 preloaded courses. Front, back, and Centre distances to the green are displayed on separate screens.

Also, information about the doglegs and hazards is on other screens. That summarizes the features of the watch.

Like other affordable watches, the watch has easy navigation and also has good battery life. It can last up to 15 hours—other features like durability and comfort of the watch are just its price.

Overall, this watch doesn’t have very high tracking features; it is not even made for these. Like the Garmin Approach S10, it provides all the essential information with any hobbyist might need. If you need a durable, easy-to-use, and simple golf watch, TecTecTec ULT-G might be the best for you.

6. Shot Scope V3. -A unique and Dynamic golf watch

Shot Scope is a reliable golf accessory brand. Their shot scope v2, for many years, remained one of the top-selling GPS golf watches. But Shot Scope v3 didn’t get the attention it deserved.

Shot Scope V3 features a rectangular design, but unlike the previous model, it’s pretty sleek. The tiny bezels enhance the aesthetics of the watch. The watch is lightweight and feels on your wrist as if you are wearing nothing.

The best feature of Shot Scope V3 is that it comes with shot tracking tags. You can attach these tags to your club, and the watch will take care of the rest.

GPS accuracy is pretty reasonable and is comparable to some other high-end watches. The watch, however, can take a lot of time when connecting to the satellite, so be prepared for that. Like any other watch, Shot Scope V3 provides information about hazards but with extra attention to detail.

The Shot Scope app is also quite distinctive. It’s easy to operate and gives an insightful analysis of your performance and ways to improve it. The watch’s battery life is not impressive and can last up to 11-12 hours.

One big drawback of Shot Scope V3 is that it doesn’t have a touch-screen. Moreover, the buttons are not durable enough to last a lifetime, questioning the watch’s durability. The rest of the things are great. In short, Shot Scope V3 is aesthetic and unique. Moreover, it gives you a lot of data to analyze your performance and choose your clubs accordingly. It would be the best GPS watch for Ladies, the person who wants to see a performance improvement.

7. Bushnell Neo Ion 2. -Might be a reasonable consideration

Bushnell Neo Ion 2 is a combination of many modern and a few old-school features. Yet its durability and aesthetics make it stand among the best GPS golf watches of 2022.

The round dial with a ceramic bezel gives it a sturdy finish. However, the bezels are too big and limit the display. The rubber bands, however, are super-durable and reversible.

With over 36,000 preloaded courses, the watch catches your location pretty quickly. Like other black and white watches, it displays the distances in those big numbers. Hazards distances are also measured but back-and-white displays limit its colorful visibility. 

Bushnell Neo Ion 2 offers many other advanced features like individual shot tracking and a round odometer. The functionality of the watch depends a lot on the app. You can have a colorful view of the distances and shots you have made through the app and keep your scoreboard.

One thing, however, is like the Scope Shot V3; it doesn’t have a touch-screen. When using the GPS mode, the battery merely lasts over 12 hours.

If you need accuracy, analyze performance occasionally, and not be afraid to try something new, Bushnell Neo Ion 2 is the right watch for you.

8. CANMORE TW-353. -Best GPS golf watch under 100$.

Unlike many other watch brands on the list, CANMORE is pretty new. But over the past few years, it has proved itself as a manufacturer of affordable GPS golf watches.

CANMORE TW-353 offers all the essential features you need in a good GPS golf watch for under 100$. It has a basic rectangular design but is quite sturdy in construction. Unlike other affordable Golf watches, it has a prominent display that makes the watch stand out.

Like any other GPS watch, it can track the front, back, and center distance to the green. Moreover, it also gives the distance of each shot, an excellent feature for the price. The battery life of this watch is excellent and will last up to 14-15 hours.

One thing to mention, however, is that this watch doesn’t connect with the app. So, the watch operates entirely on its own. This might not be a big deal for competent players, but people obsessed with numbers can find this device boring.

Overall, CANMORE TW-353 is an affordable option for people on their way to improving their game and who just need a little help. For beginners and people who love to analyze their performances, they might not love this watch later.

9. Samsung Galaxy4 Pro Golf Edition-Best Golf Watch

This Golf Edition watch features an excellent golf app that allows you to identify your distance, shots tracking, and scoring. You can pair the watch with your Android smartphone, including the Galaxy series. So, the users of the iPhone can’t pair it with their phone. Moreover, it offers you much more than you can expect from a golf watch.   

It includes the Golf Buddy Smart Caddie, which is an excellent app. You can see the app’s icon on the interface, and you will go to the app instantly by clicking it. The app covers all the game’s essential features and functions for both professionals and beginners.

The Samsung Galaxy5 Pro tells you about your shots, club, and even how far you hit the ball. Once you enter data in the app, it will suggest what club you should select in a particular scenario. Also, the compass feature helps to identify the middle of the green from your current location. 

If we talk about its battery life, it’s fantastic compared to the previous models. You can continue golf for the whole day, even with a single charge. Besides, it is super easy to charge with a magnetic dock that comes with the watch box.

10. Voice Caddie T9 Golf GPS Watch 

Voice Caddie T9 is a luxury golf watch with accurate distance measurement quality. It is from one of the top brands and has exclusive features and a perfect user experience. Moreover, having a beautiful, slim design and being lightweight leaves a first good impression on you. 

If we talk about the touch screen, it is bright, well-responsive, and easily readable, even the sunny daylight. You can see the basic features on the main display, such as the middle, front, and back. Besides, the screen shows all the vital information like your scoring, the number of holes, and much more. 

If you swipe the screen to the left, you will see the colored map representing holes. Touch on the arrow head’s icon to look at a 2D flyover view of the hole to detect your distance from the hole.

Additionally, swipe the screen to the left again, and it will show you a heat map. It is the map of the green that displays the undulations. You may adjust the pin position according to your direction by clicking on the screen. 

The battery life is also notable that it offers and you can enjoy your golf experience for hours with a single charge. Similarly, it features multiple watch faces, so you can select anyone that suits you better. 

11. Garmin Approach S42

Golf fans, pay attention! The Garmin Approach S42 GPS watch might well be your ideal golfing partner if you’ve been searching for one. Let’s get into this Garmin Approach S42 review and examine its many functions and stylish rose gold ceramic bezel and tan silicone band.

* **Lightweight Design** Let’s start by discussing the design. It’s a beautiful item with a 1.2″ touchscreen, but what sticks out is the weight. It’s light on your wrist at just 1.44 ounces in weight. This timepiece is designed to be comfortable whether you’re swinging your club or just taking a leisurely.

* **Courses Galore** The 42k+ preloaded Course View maps from around the world completely astounded me as a serious golfer. The Garmin Approach S42 golf GPS watch has you covered whether you’re playing close to home or visiting golf courses abroad.

* **Smart Notifications** Wearables that don’t force me to pick up my phone every time it rings have always been favorites of mine. Your smartphone must be compatible with the Garmin Approach S42 for you to receive notifications on your wrist.

* **Activity Tracking** This watch does more than play golf. Your exercise companion, too. It is adaptable enough to go with you outside of the golf field, whether for step counting, sleep monitoring, or tracking different sports.

* Golf Specifications: Let’s talk about golf now because that is what it was designed for. My use of mine changed the game when I connected it to the Garmin Golf app. Live scoring, automatic scorecard uploads, and statistic reviews are just a few of the features that the Garmin Approach S42 has to offer to help you play better. But if you’re unsure “how to use Garmin Approach S42,” the handbook for the device will coach you through everything.

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Buying Guide

As mentioned initially, GPS Golf watches are more practical than rangefinders. However, you might have to make a trade-off on a few yards with the Best golf GPS watch Under 200. But it provides a bunch of other features that rangefinders can’t.

These features include scorekeeping, wind information, swing speed, club recommendations, fitness tracking, and other smartwatch features. All these things make Golf GPS Watches pretty versatile, continuously assisting and improving your game.

Moreover, selecting the Best GPS Golf Watch depends on all such features. Most of them will be pretty straightforward; while a few can be subjective, we’ll try to simplify them for you.

The factors to consider include:

Distance information and accuracy:

A GPS golf watch is like a caddie, assisting you in calculating distance and giving some moral support. Ideally, a GPS watch should calculate the green’s front, back, and center distance. It also should calculate the distance to other key locations on the course, i.e., doglegs.

Accuracy among the distances is the crucial thing you should be looking for in a GPS watch. With an error of a few yards, high-end GPS watches are pretty accurate. Most watches have excellent chipset accuracy, but mapping accuracy could be different depending on location coordinates.

Garmin watches, with their great proprietary database, offer almost pinpoint accuracy in optimum conditions. However, environmental factors like clear sky, fog, electric voltage, solar flare, etc. Therefore, we allow any watch 3-4 yards from the error.

Touch to Target:

It is an advanced distance-tracking system that allows you to calculate the distance to any particular spot on the course. High-end GPS watches mostly have this feature. This Touch to Target feature helps you avoid specific bunkers or any other hazard, ultimately improving your game.

You can consider choosing a watch with the touch-to-target if you want to add more precision to your game.

Preloaded Courses:

For some golfers, Preloaded Courses are more of a selling point than their actual usage in the field. However, many golfers, especially those who play on multiple courses, find it convenient to preload courses. Most watches now come with over 40,000 preloaded courses with details of each one.

Moreover, most watches automatically track your course and save you from manually selecting a course. Also, the watch guides completely guide you about that course.

Most brands now mention the list of courses on their websites to consider when choosing the watch.

Shot and Green Tracking:

These two are pretty practical features for golfers and a great selling point for golf watch brands. Shot tracking mode allows you to measure your drive’s start and end distance, eventually improving your shots. Also, shot tracking is quite helpful in learning your golf club distances.

On the other hand, Mapping the green helps you see your aim from an otherwise inaccessible distance. It is also an advanced tracking tactic that would help you keep your score low.

Some watches also have manual pinning options for the green. This feature gives you accurate distance measurements and helps you choose your shots.

Any watch offering these features is a great deal, especially for hobbyists and beginner golfers. 

Scorecard Analysis:

A scorecard feature on a golf watch saves you from manually recording your score. This digital scorecard feature helps you track your shot for a later review.

As with more advanced watches, they automatically track your shots and create a scoreboard for you. However, in affordable watches, you have to input your score manually. In either case, you can have a record of your score that’s easily accessible through the app.

Touch Screen & Battery Life:

Not related to golf directly, but the touch screen and battery life improve usability and eventually assist you. Navigating a watch through the touch screen is convenient for accessing its myriad functions. Without compromising other features, we recommend choosing a touch-screen GPS watch.

Before buying a golf GPS watch, we should know how much its battery life is. Most GPS Watches use Rechargeable Lithium Ion Batteries, these watches have a great battery life.
When it comes to battery, it is important that it can last a whole day on a single charge. It should be able to last a few more before needing to recharge. We do not recommend buying such watches.

Battery life is an issue with almost every GPS Golf watch. It’s a feature thoroughly criticized by golfers. Most GPS golf watches have a battery life of 10-20 hours. Battery life of 15 hours and above is supreme, and you should also look for the same.

German Approach s12 is one of the best watches among all GPS golf watches, whose battery time is 30 hours. No one can compete with this watch.

Navigation System:

This is one of the subjective features. Despite hundreds of complicated features, we prefer watches with easy navigation and a simple interface.

Easy navigation consumes less of your time on setting the device and focuses better on the game. Watches are now moving towards auto-detection, which makes using them more accessible.

Navigation can vary depending on the person and the watch; we kept mentioning it under individual review.

Fitness Tracking:

Fitness tracking is a part of the versatility of a watch. We recommend choosing watches that give you additional fitness details and other golfing features. These fitness tracking features include a heart rate monitor, steps, calories burned, O2 saturation, sleep monitor, odometer, and many others.

All these fitness tracking features help you maintain a healthy sportsman profile that ultimately improves your game.

If golfing features are not compromised, we recommend a watch that has as many fitness options as possible.

Smart-watch and lifestyle features:

Smartwatches are booming and probably can also cause a quartz crisis like the scenario for classic watches. As value Golf GPS watches are a subclass of smartwatches, we expect them to do similar tasks.

Such tasks could include transactions, receiving texts and emails, and your phone notifications. Fortunately, many Golf watches have these features. These features allow you to wear your watch beside your golf ventures.

On the other hand, Lifestyle features include a display, case size, Strap material, and overall look of the watch. A more prominent display and case size are ideal for golf but make the watch look bizarre on your wrist. Thus, we recommend choosing a watch with not more than 85% of your wrist.

Comfort is another factor when choosing a watch. Golfers mostly use rubber straps due to their excellent grip. Moreover, the weight of the watch almost impacts its comfort. We love lightweight watches and recommend purchasing them.

In short, besides golfing features, we recommend purchasing an aesthetic watch. So it could be more of a lifestyle rather than a golfing instrument.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Final thoughts

However, becoming a good golfer might take years, even with a GPS golf watch. But a good GPS watch could make your journey exciting and can guide you along the way. Therefore, these watches are becoming a part of essential golfing accessories.

Throughout this guide, we tried to keep things as simple as possible. All watches on our list are unique and, more importantly, from features to usability for different golfers. Therefore, our guide often emphasized choosing the watch according to personality type.

In the end, we hope this guide will help you choose the best GPS Golf Watch. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for your queries.