Unlike a few years back when smartwatches were only able to track a few activities, now you can even track the most complex games like golf.
And while you are using a smartwatch to track your golf game, these golf smart watches also monitor your health by tracking the distance you travel, the steps you take, and everything you can think of.
The problem arises when you go to buy a good golf watch for yourself as there are so many options available in the market.
There are plenty of smartwatches in the market and all of them claim themselves as the best.
But you need not panic as the hard part is already done by me. I have sorted out the best iOS and Android smartwatches for golf that will be best for you.
Quick Navigation
- Golf Smartwatch Comparision Table
- Best Smartwatches for Golf With GPS
- How To Buy The Best Smartwatch For Golfers?
- FAQs For Golf Smartwatch
Golf Smartwatch Comparison Table
IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | VIEW ON AMAZON |
Best Garmin Golf Watch  | Garmin Approach S62 |
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Best Android Smartwatch For Golf  | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro |
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Cheap Golf GPS Watch  | TecTecTec ULT-G Golf GPS Watch |
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Cheapest Garmin Smartwatch For Golf With GPS  | Garmin Approach S12 |
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Best Smartwatches For Golf With GPS
1. Garmin Approach S42
Garmin has trackers and smartwatches for all your needs. From running, yoga, strength training, and swimming to a smartwatch for pilots, you can find a Garmin to assist in all your activities.
And this one right here is a Garmin smartwatch for golf especially designed for golf lovers.
One of the reasons, I say that is because of the 43.4 x 43.4 x 11.7 mm dimensions & 1.5 oz (43 g) weight which make this golf watch with GPS comfortable to wear.
With a 1.2-color touchscreen display, I was able to read everything on this golf smartwatch even in bright sunlight.
I also liked the fact that S42 comes preloaded with more than 42,000 golf courses available all over the world.
What makes me recommend this Garmin Approach S42 is the fact that it comes with AutoShot detection technology. It means that the smartwatch automatically detected when I hit a shot.
This Garmin golf watch also recorded the distance of the shot as well. And along with that, the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green will also get recorded with the additional sensors.
For a better and more accurate shot, you can manually adjust the pin position of the shots.
All my games got recorded on this Garmin golf watch & I was able to analyze my performance after the game on the Garmin Golf app.
The app not just lets you analyze your performance, but you can also compete with your friends by live scoring and comparing the scorecard that gets uploaded automatically.
By syncing your smartwatch to a compatible smartphone, you can get other vital stats as well like notifications for incoming calls, texts, emails, and so on.
Golf is not the only thing that Garmin Approach S42 keeps track of. But it will also monitor the distance you travel, the steps you take daily, and even monitor the quality of your sleep.
Coming to the battery life of the smartwatch, it can easily work for up to 15 hours in GPS mode and 10 days in smartwatch mode.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Just as you love using a Samsung smartphone, you’ll love to use Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro as well.
This is one of the best-looking smartwatches for golf that you can buy. Speaking of which, it features 45.4 x 45.4 x 10.5 mm dimensions & is thinner than the previous Garmin watch for golf.
Similarly, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro weighs just 46.5 grams which is not that heavy for golfing watches.
Another advantage that Samsung has over Garmin is the Super AMOLED touchscreen display. I was easily able to read the display under direct sunlight as the display is bright enough for outdoor usage.
Moving to the golfing feature of this smartwatch, using the watch you can track your shot distance, distance to the pin, & more. There are also built-in maps available for courses on this Samsung Galaxy Golf smartwatch.
Moreover, I was able to track the score on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro which is a handy feature to have.
If you don’t like the stock app then you can also install the Golf Pad app for Wear OS to get access to 40,000+ Golf courses. Not only that, the app allows you to keep a scorecard on the watch. However, most features available are behind a paywall.
Other than golf sessions, I used this Samsung Galaxy Watch to track my sports activities as well.
Another thing that makes this one of the best Samsung golf smartwatches is the build quality. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes with a titanium case & sapphire glass which ensures the watch can withstand impacts.
Similarly, the watch is water resistant up to 50m & meets military-grade standards so you can play golf without worrying about the watch.
The watch also has health tracking features usually found on almost all smartwatches. During my usage, I found that sleep tracking can be improved but other departments were accurate. For instance, I was able to monitor my heart rate, blood oxygen & stress using the watch & the results were accurate.
Besides health tracking, the watch also has a slew of third-party apps support as it is powered by Wear OS. So I got access to Spotify, YouTube Music, & more on this Samsung Galaxy Golf smartwatch. I would also recommend watching my best apps for Wear OS video below to get the best out of this watch.
The best part about this golf smartwatch is that the watch has built in speaker & microphone which allowed me to take calls using the watch & eliminate phone use during my golfing session. You can also reply to text messages & IM notifications using the watch.
All in all, this is a great if not the best Samsung smartwatch for golf lovers as it offers various smart features that are not available on other watches for golfers.
3. Garmin Approach S12
If Garmin S42 or Watch 5 Pro were a little too expensive for you then Garmin’s Approach S12 has everything to be the best golf GPS smartwatch on a budget.
Approach S12 has dimensions of 43.7 x 43.7 x 11.5 mm and weighs 1.20 oz (34.1 g), which means it is the lightest smartwatch yet. And, that’s why I was comfortable wearing the smartwatch all day long without any hassle.
Compared to S42, this golfing watch has some downsides like it does not have a touchscreen. But it can be handy while wearing gloves as the touch screen doesn’t respond while wearing the gloves.
Similarly, it is a black & white display but I can assure you that watch is still quite readable. If there is one thing Garmin is known for then it is their screen readability.
The accurate yardages to the front, back, and middle of the green, and more than 42,000 golf courses made my experience with the watch even more delightful.
After the end of the game, this Garmin golf watch presented me with game analysis. The summary included the total distance played, total time played, score, & more.
According to your location, a course will be chosen automatically. And you will get all the information related to the course so you can perform well in the game.
I also liked the fact that the moment I complete a hole, the watch switches to the next one automatically, on many smartwatches you have to do it manually.
I also didn’t need to remove my golf smartwatch even if the ball goes into a water hole. With 50-meter water resistance, I was able to pick up the ball without worrying about water damage So you can even take it to your swimming sessions as well.
For keeping track of the rounds you can easily upload the scorecards to Garmin Express.
With multiple color options to choose from like black, powder gray, and granite blue, you can get yourself one that attracts your eyes.
With the rechargeable battery of the smartwatch, you can easily play for up to 12 hours in GPS mode.
4. TecTecTec ULT-G Golf GPS Watch
If a $200 Garmin golfing watch is too expensive as well then next is the cheapest golf watch with GPS you can buy. TecTecTec golf GPS watch has everything that every golf lover wants in their smartwatch.
This golf smartwatch has a decent size of 6 x 3.8 x 3.1 inches but has a weight of 6.4 ounces which is more than you want a smartwatch to be.
With easy navigation buttons, you can use the smartwatch without facing any problems. Everything on the watch is controllable with just 5 buttons given on the watch. The top-left button is for satellite, and the bottom left is for the menu.
Similarly, the top right button is for up, the bottom right for down, and the middle one is for selecting an option.
It would have been better if it was a touchscreen smartwatch for golf but at this price, I can’t really complain.
The TecTecTec golf GPS watch provided me with a fast satellite connection & also gave me access to over 38,000 courses worldwide.
This watch uses built-in GPS to automatically recognize which golf course you are in. After that, I got more information about the course on the watch that comes in handy to prepare for the game.
Moreover, the watch also provided distance to hazards, it helped me in planning my next shot as well.
The distance covered by your shot is calculated as well.
Besides that, this smartwatch for golf can easily calculate the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green, making it a perfect watch for courses with blind tee shots and doglegs.
To avoid any unnecessary distraction while playing, TecTecTec has a built-in hole progression technology. This feature helps you in focusing on the game as you don’t need to do anything manually.
Who knows what kind of weather you have to face while having a tough golf match? But you don’t need to worry about rain and sweat as the watch is water-resistant.
Battery backup is a crucial part of a smartwatch. So, talking about battery life, TecTecTec can easily work for 2.5 rounds without getting out of charge.
5. Garmin Approach S60
The next watch on my list is the Garmin golf watch, Garmin Approach S60.
The first thing that I liked is the build of the watch which is solid and looks lavish on the wrist due to its polymer or ceramic bezel material. The high-quality silicone band adds a feather to the cap.
With 1.2 inches bright color touchscreen display, it’s easy to read the vital stats even in the scorching sunlight.
By getting quick access to your location using GPS, Approach S60 can show you accurate yardages to greens, hazards, and doglegs.
I also found the colorful map design of the course helpful in this golf smartwatch from Garmin.
Like previous Garmin watches, it has 41,000 courses on it as well, so Garmin Approach will let me play like a pro & pretend it’s not my first time on the course.
Garmin Approach S60 can also automatically detect the shot as it comes with various advanced sensors.
Even on a course with high ups and downs, Garmin Approach S60 didn’t let me down. It automatically adjusted the yardage when I had to make an uphill or downhill shot.
It’s really hard to determine the intensity of the shot while playing in a course with hazards and doglegs. But with a precise distance to hazards and doglegs calculated on the watch, you can plan your next shot.
Apart from golf, it is preloaded with other sports profiles like running, cycling, swimming, and more. So the watch can be your buddy in other activities as well.
Other fitness and activity-related features of the smartwatch include a move bar, calories, steps taken, and much more.
Other than activity and fitness features, the available smart features of the Garmin Approach S60 will make your everyday life easy.
One such feature on this golf GPS watch is the notification sync. So all my calls, messages, email, IMs & other notifications were readable on the smartwatch.
Besides that, Garmin also provides various custom watch faces, widgets, & apps on the Garmin Connect IQ Store. I have made a tutorial video on how you can customize the data field on Garmin watches in the video below.
Talking about battery life, this golf and running watch can work continuously for 10 hours in golf mode and up to 10 days in watch mode.
6. Bushnell Neo Ion 2
If you want a golf watch that is really really compact and you don’t feel it on your wrist, then Bushnell Neo Ion 2 is what you want.
With dimensions of 15mm x 45mm x 54mm and a weight of o.16 ounces, this is one of the smallest and lightest smartwatches for golf I have used.
The watch works with buttons which is a little inconvenient when compared to touchscreen golf smartwatches. But overall, operating the watch is straightforward.
The size of the display on this golf watch is 23 x 23 which is quite small. However, stats on the screen are displayed in a large font making it easy to read.
Bushnell Neo Ion 2 also comes with 36,000 courses & I also had the option to download new maps using the companion app. The courses can be wirelessly updated via Bluetooth with its automatic course recognition technology.
It also has a shot distance calculator feature that calculated the distance of my shot & eliminated my need for manually tracking it & saving me time.
The front, center, and back distance to every hole is also available for an accurate shot.
For a better insight into the hole, Bushnell Neo Ion 2 provides access to 3D flyovers and hole-by-hole layouts with accurate distances.
Unlike TecTecTec GPS which can only be used as a Golf watch, this watch has other uses as well. For instance, this watch comes with a built-in pedometer which can be used to meet your fitness goals.
After a full charge, the watch can be used continuously for up to 3 rounds of a golf game.
7. Garmin Approach S62
Seems like Garmin has a whole bunch of smartwatches designed for golf. So here’s the fourth Garmin golf watch on my list.
Garmin Approach S62 is the latest smartwatch by the company so it’s obvious that the watch is packed with countless golf-related features.
Starting with the dimensions, this smartwatch is 47 x 47 x 14.8 mm in size & weighs 2.2 oz (61 g). What it means for you is that it is a big smartwatch for golf so golfers with big wrists will love the watch.
In my opinion, this golf watch is really big in size and will definitely feel bulky on a small wrist. So if you have a small wrist or don’t want a bulky golf smartwatch, then sorry to say but this is not your cup of tea.
Like previous Garmin watches, this one too gave me access to more than 41,000 courses from around the world. It definitely made me comfortable & prepared enough to play anywhere.
All the courses on the watch provide a color view of the map for a better understanding of the map.
Approach S62 is a highly advanced smartwatch and provides features like no other watch. Based on the speed of the wind, direction, and other factors, your virtual caddie will suggest the club you should choose.
Golfers know how difficult the game becomes when you have to play in hazards. But your Approach S62 will make everything easy for you. With the hazard view feature, you can easily scroll through all the hazards right on your watch.
I also liked the PlaysLike distance feature of the watch which tracked distance to the uphill & downhill. It helped me score easily & I definitely found the feature useful.
Taking a blind shot with accuracy is a forlorn hope. But with the pinpointer feature of Approach S62, you will know where to play the shot even if you can’t see the spot.
Just like every best smartwatch for golf, this one also provides you with distance to the front, back, and middle of the green. Accurate distance to hazards and doglegs is present on the watch as well.
By connecting my smartwatch to the Garmin golf app, I can participate in the leaderboard and tournaments and compete with my friends and competitors.
Other than golf games, this smartwatch is a perfect gadget for making everyday life easy. With Garmin Pay, you can go cashless but still do your shopping without making any unnecessary physical contact.
This smartwatch for golf also offers the ability to customize the watch face & create one of your own. Besides that, it also gave me access to Connect IQ Store so I was able to download various apps & widgets as well.
The battery life of this smartwatch for golfers is what you’ll love the most about it. The smartwatch can easily work for up to 20 hours in GPS mode and 14 days in smartwatch mode.
How To Buy The Best Smartwatch For Golfers?
Buying the best Android and iOS smartwatch for golf is not a cakewalk. You need to keep in mind certain factors before finally purchasing a smartwatch for golfers.
But can you easily get all these factors in a single golf smartwatch? Maybe and maybe not. Some factors might be missing in one and available in the other and vice-versa. And maybe you will get all the features in a single smartwatch as well.
1. Golf-Related Features
The first thing that a smartwatch designed for golf needs to have are golf-related features. If it misses out on that, it’s nothing more than trash for you.
It’s good if the smartwatch has other features as well like, calories burned, steps, and so on. But all these features are secondary. The primary features are those which help you improve your golf game.
Some of these features can be, automatic course detection, uphill and downhill distance calculator, and distance to hazards and doglegs.
2. Battery Backup
Imagine you are in the middle of an intense golf game where you’re just a few steps away from winning. But suddenly your smartwatch goes out of battery. Well, this is something unacceptable, right?
This makes it important for a golf GPS smartwatch to have a high battery backup that can easily last for a minimum of 2-3 rounds.
3. Display
Serious golf lovers don’t bother if it’s cloudy or if there’s a bright sun right over your head.
But if you’re so much reluctant to play, your watch should be equally reluctant to support you when you are playing in the bright sunlight.
This simply means that the display of your golf smartwatch should be bright enough that all the stats are readable with a quick glance.
4. Water Proof
No one knows what kind of weather you might have to face in the long hours of your golf game.
While in the middle of the game, it might start to rain unexpectedly. But you need to be well prepared for that just like your watch.
It means that your golf GPS smartwatch should be waterproof so you can continue playing even if it rains, despite unwrapping your smartwatch.
FAQs For Golf Smartwatch
Is There A Golf Watch For Golf And Running?
Yes, you can easily find smartwatches that can be used for both golf and running purposes.
What Is The Best Golf Watch In 2020?
As per our research, Garmin Approach S62 is the best smartwatch for golf in 2020.
Can You Use Fitbit For Golf?
Most of the smartwatches, including the Fitbit smartwatches, have golf activity tracking features. But you can hardly find a Fitbit that is specially designed for golf.
Which Garmin Watches Are Made For Golf?
There are plenty of Garmin Smartwatches especially made for golf lovers. Some of these smartwatches include Garmin Approach S10, Garmin Approach S60, and Garmin Approach S62.
How Accurate Are Golf Watches?
It depends on the smartwatch to smartwatch and from feature to feature. The basic tracking might be accurate on all the watches but inaccuracy can be faced in advance tracking.
