Every shot, every angle, with the best golf GPS watch, you’re covered. Rather than relying on a clean angle to a definite object, the best golf GPS watch provides all that you need, right on your wrist. Finding the best products to compliment your golf game can be tough. There is brand after brand, all promising results you cannot match. We’ve taken the time to break down the leading options for the best GPS golf watch so that you do not have to.
If you’re in the market for this necessity, you’re going to want to keep reading. After all, this accessory will help you save strokes. As such, you have no excuse to not read through our top choices and pick the best golf GPS watch for your game. Do yourself a favor, spend some time with this one. At a minimum, it saves you a few strokes. At most, it transforms the way you approach the game.
Best Golf GPS Watch
Top Pick: Garmin Approach S10
This might be first on our best golf GPS watch list that we’re reviewing, but you’re going to get used to Garmin products. When it comes to golf balls, Titleist stands out. When it comes to golf watches, Garmin stands tall above the rest.
Being the top pick in anything means that you excel in more than one area. The Garmin Approach S10 excels in not only more than one area, but really every area. Garmin uses advanced technology to keep you apprised of doglegs and hazards, as well as a few distance measurements into every green. Normally, an interface this good costs an arm and a leg. Not with the Garmin Approach S10. This model is highly affordable but does not cut any corners in quality. To top it all off, it’s easy to use and is a great first GPS watch for a new golfer.
Runner-Up: TecTecTec ULT-G
Price, functionality and durability are the main reasons we’ve chosen the TecTecTec ULT-G as our runner-up for the best golf GPS watch. When all you’re looking for are the basics, you don’t want to be overwhelmed with too much information. You also don’t want to have to look for the info you need. A clear and easy to understand interface is why golfers everywhere love the TecTecTec ULT-G.
With such an affordable price, most similarly priced watches give distances to the green. This model lets you know what’s ahead and gives distances to hazards as well. With a growing reputation as one of the best low-cost, high-quality golf brands around, you can’t wrong with the TecTecTec ULT-G.
Budget Option: GolfBuddy Voice 2
What if I told you that cutting your handicap down does not cost hundreds of dollars? You’d take a chance on whatever the tip was. In this case, it’s our budget pick for the best golf GPS watch, the GolfBuddy Voice 2.
With this watch, you’re getting what you need—distances. With measurements to the front, middle, and back of the green, the only additional info you need is what day it is for the pins. If you’re looking for more in-depth features, you’ll need to spend more. But, if all you’re looking for is to save some money and know-how far away you are from the green, this is the option for you.
If we had to make a choice for golfers that want a GPS without having to wear it on their wrist, the GolfBuddy Voice 2 would be our top choice. With its ability to separate from the watch band and be carried independently, you can easily keep this in your pocket or locked onto your pushcart.
Unlimited Budget Option: Garmin Approach S62
We know that not every golfer is out to spend their entire paycheck to gain a leg up on their buddies. We also know that there is a group of people that are willing to do. With this in mind, we introduce the Garmin Approach S62. This is our unlimited budget option on the best golf GPS watch list for a good reason. If you don’t have a healthy chunk of change to spend freely on a golf watch, you can skip over this one.
If you do want to spend an insane amount, there is hardly a better option. Besides the standard features, what sets the Garmin Approach S62 apart is its ability to act as a caddy. When you use all its features, you get in-depth feedback on your shots which you can use to decide what to practice. Additionally, it offers a recommendation of what club to hit. We all know that it’s tough to trust yourself on the course, but it’s even harder to trust a watch. Once you do though, you’ll drop strokes without even improving your skills.
Easiest to Use: Garmin Approach S60
Garmin produces golf watches that are user friendly, none of which are easier to use than the Garmin Approach S60. Costing a bit less than the S62, this version uses the best technology available and is easy to operate. When the time comes for you to put your faith in a golf accessory, the Garmin Approach S60 is the watch for the job—no matter how long you’ve owned it.
This is as much the best golf GPS watch as it is the best watch for your money in general. Now it is not the most affordable timepiece we’ve seen, but the versatility to wear it while at work and on the course is a big plus.
Combining all the features that make Garmin watches special, you cannot go wrong with this choice. It’s easy to use, accurate and durable. When you’re in the market for a watch, those are the boxes you need to check off, and that’s exactly where the Garmin Approach S60 excels.
Best Golf GPS Watch Takeaways
Which hand do I wear my watch on?
Here’s the short answer: it does not matter which hand you wear the best golf GPS watch on. Regardless of which wrist you wear your watch, it performs the same and has the same functionality. The choice of which hand you wear your watch does, however, require a bit of extra thought.
Switching from your norm
In general life, most people wear a watch on their left wrist. In golf, most people wear their glove on the left hand. Because of how close hands and wrists are (duh), watches and gloves can overlap. Many golfers do not like this. As a result, it is more common in golf than in normal life to see a watch worn on the right wrist. On the same note, it is common for a left-handed golfer to wear their watch opposite their glove.
What else can we do with a watch?
When it’s cold out and you’re forced into long sleeves, the overlap between glove, watch, and clothing is unavoidable. People don’t like the overlap between their glove and watch, and sleeves just add another element of annoyance. Luckily, there is an alternative that is comfortable and practical.
In many cases, there are golfers who do not wear their watch on either arm. These golfers prefer to clip it onto their bag, leave it in the cart, or really anywhere else. Just because it is not on your body does not mean it works any differently. If you hate having things on your wrists while playing, you don’t have to miss out on the best golf GPS watch. As long as it’s close by, you can still reap the rewards.
Watch or rangefinder?
Short answer again, both. Much like the weather in New England, your preference can change in a breeze. If your budget allows it, feel free to carry the best golf GPS watch and a rangefinder. If budget is an issue, there are plenty of affordable options including rangefinders under $100 and $200.
In every round, you face a variety of shots. Like so, there is no one perfect tool for every obstacle in your way. When a shot is blind and you aren’t sure where to go, a watch is a play. When you have a clean look and need to dial it into an exact number, you want a rangefinder. It’s not a perfect science, but by having each of these tools in your bag, you’re prepared for whatever your round throws at you.
Where to store the best golf GPS watch when it’s not in use
Don’t overthink it. Treat the best golf GPS watch like a normal watch. Since these are used exclusively for golf though, there are a few precautions you need to take. Okay, so maybe we don’t treat it exactly like your everyday watch.
We recommend a hard storage case and not leave it in your valuable pouch that contains tees, divot repair tools, and other small accessories. By keeping it separate, you are doing your best to preserve its condition. Also, if possible and you trust yourself to remember it, treat it like your wallet and keep it separately from your golf gear entirely.
The danger of leaving a watch in a golf bag is that it can easily be crushed while in your trunk. Unlike a normal watch which hardly ever leaves your wrist, and when it does can be placed away carefully, the best golf GPS watch is constantly on the go. Keep it protected. Keep it in top-notch shape. Keep it saving you strokes.
Make sure your course is covered
Every one of the best golf GPS watch options comes with courses programmed into it. As their technology has improved and more courses have been mapped, there’s hardly a track not covered by most big brands. Here’s the thing though, you don’t want any surprises.
Before making your final purchase, make sure that your home course and the courses you play most frequently are included on the watch of your choice. Without your course map, you won’t be able to utilize any of the features offered by it. In other words, it will have been a wasted purchase, with the exception of when you play around on the road.
Blinds shots and the best golf GPS watch
We’ve talked about it before, but it deserves its own section. The best golf GPS watch excels because you can get yardages from anywhere. No matter the elevation changes doglegs standing in your way or how far off the beaten path you are, your watch can pick you up.
While traditional rangefinders require you to lock onto a physical target, as long as your course is loaded into your watch you can keep your round on track. Hitting up a hill towards an elevated green? You won’t be surprised by a rogue trap again. Blind tee shot? You’ll always (most of the time) avoid the water that hides around the corner on a course you’ve never played before. No matter the shot you have coming up, the best golf GPS watch will help you prepare.
