Last Updated May 16, 2023
In the world of golf, technology has played a significant role in helping players improve their game and achieve better results. One such advancement is the golf GPS watch, which has become an essential tool for golfers of all skill levels.
These watches provide accurate distance measurements, course information, and other valuable info that can help you make better decisions on the course.
We will discuss the top 8 best golf GPS watches for 2023, their features, performance, and pros and cons.
In a rush? Check out the top golf GPS watches we reviewed below.
| Product Name | Review | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Approach S62 | Jump to Review | $484.99 Buy Now | 4.6 stars (1684 ratings) |
Bushnell iON2 | Jump to Review | $199.99 Buy Now | 4.2 stars (649 ratings) |
Garmin Approach S42 | Jump to Review | $299.99 Buy Now | 4.5 stars (904 ratings) |
SkyCaddie LX5 | Jump to Review | $299.95 Buy Now | 3.9 stars (421 ratings) |
Golf Buddy Aim W11 | Jump to Review | $192.99 Buy Now | 4.1 stars (1256 ratings) |
Shot Scope V3 | Jump to Review | $219.99 Buy Now | 4.1 stars (835 ratings) |
Garmin Approach S12 | Jump to Review | $199.99 Buy Now | 4.6 stars (586 ratings) |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | Jump to Review | $359.99 Buy Now | 4.4 stars (39 ratings) |
Why Trust Our Opinion?
At Trakkit, we take pride in offering the most comprehensive and up-to-date reviews of all GPS devices on the market. Our team consists of tech experts who have tested these watches extensively to ensure that readers get accurate and unbiased opinions on each product.
When testing each of these golf GPS watches, we have considered various factors such as design, performance, features, accuracy, and battery life. This allows you to make an informed decision before purchasing.
Furthermore, our reviews are constantly updated to reflect technological advancements so that you always get the best information. With this in mind, you can rest easy knowing that our opinion is one you can trust.
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Golf GPS Watch
When selecting the ideal golf GPS watch, it’s essential to think about a few factors that will ensure you find the perfect watch for your game:
Accuracy and reliability: The primary function of a golf GPS watch is to provide accurate distance measurements to help you make informed decisions on the course. Look for golf watches that are known for their accuracy and have a reputation for reliability.
Battery life: A long-lasting battery is crucial for a golf GPS watch, especially for those who frequently play long or multiple rounds daily. Choose a watch that offers at least 10 hours of GPS usage. As technology advances, expect to see solar GPS watches taking over the golf game.
Ease of use: A user-friendly interface is essential, as it will make navigating the watch and accessing its features more convenient. Look for golf watches with intuitive controls and easy-to-read displays.
Additional features and customization options: Some golf GPS watches have advanced features like swing analysis, automatic shot tracking, fitness tracking, and smart notifications. While these may only be necessary for some, they can be valuable additions for golfers who wish to make the most of their devices. There are many GPS watches with map displays of any course, so if you like visuals, check one of these out.
Price and value for money: Golf GPS watches are available at various price points, so it’s essential to discover one that offers the required features at a price agreeable to your budget. Remember to consider the watch’s durability and brand reputation when determining its value for money.
The Best GPS Watches for Golfing
Garmin Approach S62 – Best Golf GPS Watch
Screen Size: 1.3 inches
Touch Screen: Yes
Lens Material: Power Sapphire
Bezel Material: Ceramic
Strap Material: Silicone
Weight: 59g
Details and First Impression:
The Garmin Approach S62 is an advanced GPS golf watch with a sleek, modern design and many features to improve your game. The watch features a 1.3-inch color touchscreen display with sunlight visibility and preloaded courses from more than 41,000 worldwide.
The Garmin Approach S62 also has the Virtual Caddie feature, which offers club suggestions, wind speed, and direction. The Plays Like Distance feature provides slope-adjusted distances, while the Hazard View provides a quick course layout overview.
The Garmin Approach S62 is one of the most modern golf GPS watches with advanced performance tracking and analytics tools. This makes performance tracking and analysis easy, while smart notifications and fitness tracking keep you connected to your other devices.
Pros
- Highly accurate and reliable GPS
- Comprehensive course data and analytics
- Rugged and durable design
- Long battery life
Cons
- Expensive
- It may have more features than some golfers need
Performance & Overall Experience:
The Garmin Approach S62 is an excellent choice for golfers looking for a reliable, accurate GPS watch with advanced features. The comprehensive course data, analytics tools, performance tracking, and smart notifications make this watch an invaluable asset on the golf course. Additionally, its rugged design ensures it can withstand even the most demanding conditions.
The Garmin Approach S62 is an excellent choice for serious golfers looking for a reliable and feature-rich watch to take their golf game to the next level.
Garmin Approach S62 Tested Features:
- 1.3-inch color touchscreen display
- Preloaded courses worldwide
- Virtual Caddie feature for club suggestions and wind speed/direction
- Plays Like Distance feature for slope-adjusted distances
- Hazard View for a quick golf course layout overview
- Advanced performance tracking and analysis
- Smart notifications and fitness tracking
Bushnell iON2 Golf GPS Watch
Screen Size: 1.2 inches
Touch Screen: No
Lens Material: Polycarbonate
Bezel Material: Aluminum
Strap Material: Rubber/Silicone
Weight: 42 g
Details and First Impression:
The Bushnell iON2 GPS golf watch offers golfers an accurate, reliable way to improve their game. Featuring a 1.2-inch hi-res color display, this device delivers a clear view of the course’s features and is preloaded with 36,000+ courses in 30 countries. Additionally, it has auto course recognition and hole advance, making navigating the course easier.
The iON2 golf watch also has several useful features, like wind speed, an easy-to-read Hazards feature, and the PlaysLike Distance tool, which gives golfers precise yardages adjusted for elevation. The Bushnell golf app also allows golfers to track their performance, review scorecards, and measure distances on the course. Plus, its long-life battery offers up to 10 hours of playtime in GPS mode.
Pros
- Comprehensive course data
- Auto course recognition and shot tracking
- PlaysLike Distance tool for slope-adjusted distances
- Affordable
- Simple and easy to use
- Accurate distance measurements
Cons
- No visual course maps
- Limited advanced features
- Smaller course library compared to other models
Performance & Overall Experience:
The Bushnell iON2 GPS golf watch was tested in various scenarios, and our overall experience was highly positive. We found the golf course data comprehensive and accurate, with auto course recognition and hole advance, making navigating the course much more effortless. The PlaysLike Distance tool was awe-inspiring, giving golfers precise yardages adjusted for elevation changes.
The battery also held up well, lasting up to 10 hours in GPS mode and ensuring you can play an entire round without worries. Overall, the Bushnell iON2 offers a great combination of accuracy, reliability, and affordability, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious golfers.
Features Tested
- 1.2-inch hi-res color display
- Auto course recognition and hole advance
- PlaysLike Distance tool
- Hazards feature
- Battery life
Garmin Approach S42 Golf GPS Watch
Screen Size: 1.2 inches
Touch Screen: Yes
Lens Material: Corning Gorilla Glass
Bezel Material: Gunmetal Ceramic
Strap Material: Silicon
Weight: 41 g
Details and First Impression:
The Garmin Approach S42 golf watch is a feature-rich, durable GPS golf watch. You already know it is the top of the line because it is a Garmin. It features a 1.2-inch sunlight-readable color touchscreen with plenty of advanced features on the Garmin Golf app. Preloaded with 42,000+ golf courses worldwide, this device boasts Green View with manual pin positioning, AutoShot game tracking, smart notifications, and activity tracking.
An impressive battery life of 15 hours in GPS mode makes this one of the longest-lasting golf watches on this list. Additionally, its rugged design ensures it can withstand even the most challenging conditions. The Garmin Approach S42 is an excellent choice for serious golfers looking for a reliable and feature-rich watch to take their game to the next level.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Clear and easy-to-read display
- Shot tracking
- Good battery life
Cons
- Lacks some advanced features found in higher-end models
- Slightly less accurate than premium models
Performance & Overall Experience:
The Garmin Approach S42 is an impressive golf watch with plenty of features to help you get the most out of your rounds. The touchscreen display is easy to read, which makes navigating through menus a breeze. Additionally, the green view feature provides excellent visual feedback from any position on the course. We also found the battery life was adequate, and we never experienced a fast-draining battery.
The Garmin Approach S42 is an excellent mid-range golf watch that balances features and price. It’s well worth considering if you’re looking for one of the best GPS golf watches at an affordable price.
Tested Features:
- User-friendly interface
- Battery life
- Green View with manual pin positioning
- AutoShot shot tracking
- Smart notifications and activity tracking
SkyCaddie LX5 Golf GPS Watch
Screen Size: 1.39 inches
Touch Screen: Yes
Bezel Material: Sandblasted Aluminum
Strap Material: Silicon and Polyurethane
Weight: 65.2 g
Details and First Impression:
The SkyCaddie LX5 is an impressive golf watch with a sleek and modern design. Featuring a 1.39-inch full HD touchscreen display, it has been preloaded with 35,000+ courses worldwide to provide you with the best visuals possible when playing on the green. The watch’s bezel is made from sandblasted aluminum for durability, and its strap is made from silicon and polyurethane for comfort during long sessions on the golf course.
The watch also features IntelliGreen technology which provides precise green shape and pin targeting and the HoleVue feature that gives you detailed views of each hole so you can plan your shots accordingly. With advanced performance tracking, analytics, and customizable watch faces, this device will allow you to take your game to the next level while providing accurate GPS functionality at all times!
Pros
- HD course maps for enhanced visuals
- Rich course data and analysis
- Accurate GPS functionality
- Preloaded with 35,000+ courses worldwide
- Ultra-fast multi-core processor
- IntelliGreen technology for precise green shape and pin targeting
Cons
- Requires a subscription for full feature access
Performance & Overall Experience:
The SkyCaddie LX5 delivered an outstanding performance on the course with its large 1.39-inch full HD touchscreen display. The visuals were crystal clear, and the IntelliGreen technology provided precise green shape and pin targeting. At the same time, the HoleVue feature gave us a detailed view of each hole so that we could plan our shots accordingly. The watch was comfortable to wear, thanks to its silicon and polyurethane strap material.
Overall, our experience with the SkyCaddie LX5 was highly positive. The watch’s large 1.39-inch full HD touchscreen display provided crystal clear visuals and made navigating courses much more manageable. Additionally, its IntelliGreen technology gave us precise green shape and pin targeting for greater accuracy when planning shots. I recommend this device to any golfer looking for an advanced GPS watch with many features.
Tested Features:
- HD course maps
- Rich course data and analysis
- Accurate GPS functionality
- IntelliGreen technology
- HoleVue feature
- Battery Life
Golf Buddy Aim W11
Screen Size: 1.3 inches
Touch Screen: Yes
Bezel Material: Aluminum
Strap Material: Silicone
Weight: 55 g
Details and First Impression:
Our first impressions of the Golf Buddy Aim W11 watch were positive. Its lightweight and modern design was immediately appealing, and its 1.3-inch full-color TFT-LCD display with Zoom In/Out Smart Hole feature provided great visuals for easy navigation on the course.
The watch comes with over 40,000 courses from 170 countries worldwide and is waterproof up to IPX7 level. Moreover, it can last for 13 hours with GPS turned on, making it an excellent option for golfers who want a reliable and affordable device.
Pros
- 1.3-inch full-color TFT-LCD display
- Preloaded with 40,000+ courses worldwide
- Green undulation and slope-adjusted distance readings
- Zoom in/out feature for a better green view
- AutoShot game tracking
Cons
- The app is not very good
Performance & Overall Experience:
The performance of the Golf Buddy Aim W11 golf watch was impressive. Its 1.3-inch full-color TFT-LCD display provided excellent visuals, making it easy to navigate the course. The zoom-in/out feature allowed us to see the green up close, while the Green undulation and slope-adjusted distance readings gave us more accurate distances to the hole. Additionally, its AutoShot game-tracking feature was a great addition, allowing us to track our shots and view the statistics of each round.
All in all, we were wowed by the performance of this watch. It provided excellent visuals on the course and was comfortable to wear. The preloaded courses, green undulation, slope-adjusted distances, AutoShot game tracking feature, and 13-hour battery life made this an excellent device for any golfer. I recommend the Golf Buddy Aim W11 golf watch as an affordable choice for anyone looking for reliable performance at an affordable price.
Tested Features:
- Green undulation and slope-adjusted distance readings
- Zoom in/out feature for a better green view
- AutoShot game tracking
Shot Scope V3
Screen Size: 1.33 inches
Touch Screen: No
Bezel Material: Aluminum
Strap Material: Polyurethane
Weight: 60 g
Details and First Impression:
The Shot Scope V3 is a GPS watch designed for golfers, by golfers. It features a 1.33-inch daylight-readable color screen with 16 tracking tags and an aluminum bezel with a polyurethane strap. This watch offers 10+ hours of battery life in golf mode and has 36,000+ preloaded courses, so you can easily view maps on the app or get distances to the green and hazards without worrying about subscriptions.
Additionally, it includes performance tracking on every shot, and a Strokes Gained analytics platform that provides data-driven insights into your game that will help lower your handicap. Overall, this GPS watch is straightforward and makes tracking your stats effortless!
Pros
- Ample 1.33-inch daylight readable color screen
- 16 tracking tags with aluminum bezel and polyurethane strap
- 10+ hour battery life in golf mode
- 36,000+ preloaded courses and no subscription required
- Strokes Gained analytics platform included to help lower your handicap
Cons
- Maps cannot be viewed on the watch but can be viewed on the app
- No touchscreen feature
Performance & Overall Experience:
Our experience with the Shot Scope V3 was incredibly positive. The GPS watch was effortless to use and navigate, with a clear and well-lit 1.33-inch color screen that could be read easily in most daylight conditions. The 16 tracking tags made tracking our progress throughout the game easy, and the performance tracking feature was great for analyzing our most recent shot distance. The Strokes Gained analytics platform was also invaluable in helping us gain data-driven insights into our game that we could use to lower our handicaps.
Overall, this GPS watch is perfect for golfers looking for a simple way to measure and improve their performance.
Tested Features:
- Big 1.33-inch daylight readable color screen
- Battery life in golf mode
- 36,000+ preloaded courses
- Strokes Gained analytics
- Performance tracking feature for measuring recent shot distance
Garmin Approach S12 Golf Watch
Screen Size: .9 inches
Touch Screen: No
Bezel Material: Metal
Strap Material: Silicone
Weight: 48 g
Details and First Impression:
We were impressed with the Garmin Approach S12 GPS watch. It features a .9-inch non-touch color screen with a metal bezel and silicone strap. This watch has an impressive 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode and comes preloaded with more than 41,000 courses worldwide. Additionally, it has Green Vue with manual pin positioning and a digital scorecard feature so you can keep track of your game.
The lightweight design makes it highly comfortable to wear, and the high-resolution sunlight-readable display is easy to read in most conditions. We also liked that it comes preloaded with many courses and has accurate distances to all hazards.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- High-resolution sunlight-readable display
- 30 hours of battery life
- Preloaded with 41,000+ courses worldwide
Cons
- No color maps on the watch display
- Small screen size
Performance & Overall Experience:
The Garmin Approach S12 proved an excellent performance tool on the course. We found it very useful for measuring distances, tracking progress on the course, and keeping track of our scores. The high-resolution sunlight-readable display was clear even in bright conditions, and the battery life was sufficient for a couple of complete rounds of golf.
Additionally, the preloaded courses were accurate and comprehensive, allowing us to locate any hole on the course quickly. We had no issues with the watch freezing up or lagging due to its simple design and user-friendly interface. Overall, we were delighted with our experience using this watch and would recommend it to entry-level golfers looking for an affordable yet reliable golf GPS watch.
Tested Features:
- High-resolution sunlight-readable display
- Battery life in GPS mode
- Preloaded courses
- Green View with manual pin positioning
- Digital scorecard feature
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition
Screen Size: 1.4 inches
Touch Screen: Yes
Bezel Material: Metal
Strap Material: Silicone/Leather
Weight: 63 g
Details and First Impression:
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition is a versatile smartwatch with golf-specific features and an impressive array of features. It has a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display for maximum visibility outdoors and comes preloaded with 40,000+ courses worldwide through the Smart Caddie app. The dual-layer display provides accurate distances to the green’s front, middle, and back with automatic course and hole recognition.
Moreover, it offers smart notifications, fitness tracking capabilities, and 12 hours of battery life in GPS mode. With its sleek design made from metal and silicone/leather strap material weighing only 63g, this watch looks great on any golfer’s wrist while providing all the necessary information they need during their game.
Pros
- Large 1.4″ touchscreen
- High-quality display and build
- Advanced smartwatch functions
- Preloaded with 40,000+ courses worldwide through the Smart Caddie app
- Accurate distances to anything on the course
Cons
- Requires a subscription for full Smart Caddie App features
- Not as golf-focused as other dedicated golf GPS watches
Performance & Overall Experience:
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition is an impressive smartwatch with outstanding performance. In terms of accuracy, it offers precise distances with its dual-layer display, making it perfect for golfers looking to get more accurate readings. The Smart Caddie app is a robust app that provides a great selection of courses and can be used to track fitness.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition is an excellent choice for golfers who want the versatility of a high-end smartwatch with precision golf-specific features. It looks great and offers impressive performance, making it an ideal watch for casual and professional golfers.
Tested Features:
- Super AMOLED touchscreen display
- Dual layer display for outdoor visibility
- Preloaded with 40,000+ courses worldwide through the Smart Caddie app
- Accurate distances to anywhere on the green
- Automatic course and hole recognition
Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Watches with GPS
What is the best golf watch to get?
The Garmin Approach S62 Golf GPS Watch is among the best golf watches out there today. It has a simple user interface and provides accurate distances to anywhere on the course.
Can you use any smartwatch for golf GPS?
Yes, you can use any smartwatch for golf GPS. However, some smartwatches may not have a golf GPS app, preloaded course maps, or the same level of accuracy as dedicated golf GPS watches with the Garmin Golf app.
How long does a GPS golf watch last?
Most models of golf GPS watches can last up to 10 hours of continuous use in GPS mode. The best golf watches on the market may be able to last even longer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best golf GPS watches for 2023 each offer unique features and benefits that cater to different golfers’ preferences and needs. From advanced analytics and performance tracking to affordability and ease of use, there is the best golf watch for every type of golfer. By considering the factors discussed, you can make a well-informed decision and invest in a golf GPS watch to enhance your performance and enjoyment of the game.
Ultimately, the right golf GPS watch for you depends on your preferences. By understanding your requirements and researching the various options out there, you’ll be able to find the perfect watch to help you elevate your game to new heights.
Whether you’re a professional golfer looking for a data-driven approach to improvement or a beginner seeking an intuitive, user-friendly device, there’s a golf GPS watch out there for you. So, take the time to explore these top 8 options and find one that best suits your needs to improve your time on the course.
Want to upgrade your golf game even more? Check out our list of the best golf cart GPS trackers.