There are few things more frustrating than playing a bad round of golf. Most folks head out onto the green to relax and play away from the worries and stresses of a hectic, traffic-ridden workweek. When you step out onto the fresh, dewy grass of your local course and end up making a mistake after a mistake, it can be tempting to throw your clubs to the ground and march to the parking lot, consumed in pure frustration.
You may try to hire a personal golf trainer. Not only a caddy but a helpful friend. Unfortunately, this useful friend’s company could end up costing you thousands of dollars every year. Besides, some people enjoy their personal ‘bubble’ of space, and having a relative stranger touching you and correcting your posture can be an anxiety-inducing experience.
For those who seek to achieve a better golf game without the strenuous expense or awkward touching, why not see what technology has to offer? Specifically, why not look at a golf watch?
Golf watches are smartwatches that have been uniquely designed or geared towards golfers. Yes, they tell time, but they can also:
- Monitor your heartbeat
- Track your golf swing
- Give you helpful information about the course you are playing
- Tell you how far away you are from the pin
A quality golf watch can significantly improve, and even save, a golfer’s game. Depending on the make and model you choose, it can also perform a whole host of other functions that you might find helpful while out on the green.
What is a Garmin Golf Watch?
A Garmin golf watch could be any of the six smartwatches that Garmin currently produces. In addition to providing golf watches, Garmin produces handheld golf tablets, various golf watch accessories, and many different styles of GPS watch. In this Garmin golf watch review, we’ll explore what kinds of watches Garmin has to offer.
Garmin Golf Watch Specifications
To better understand the Garmin golf watch, we compared the specifications of the least expensive, averagely priced, and most costly Garmin golf watches.
Approach S10
- Simple, easy-to-use golf watch.Control Method:Application.Special Feature:Bluetooth.
- Sleek, lightweight and comfortable with a high-resolution, Sunlight-readable display
- Provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the Green -as well as Hazards and doglegs - on more than 41,000 preloaded courses worldwide
- Keep Score on the watch for a summary of your round, total distance played and total time
- Upload your scorecards to Garmin Express to keep track of rounds
The Approach S10 is the least expensive Garmin golf watch currently available. It retails for about $$. It has a battery life of 12 hours and a high-resolution display. You can use this watch to keep score, and it can provide yardages, hazards, and doglegs on over 40,000 preloaded courses. It also tells the time.
Approach X40
In the X40, Garmin toned down the design of the S10 and made it look more like a Fitbit! Thin, with a single display screen, the X40 more than makes up for its less-than-stellar look with its amazing features and functions. The X40 uses GPS satellite location technology to show distances, hazards and doglegs. It can also automatically record shots taken, as well as monitor heart rate and activity level. The X40 has a ten-hour battery life and can be customized with colored skins. It sells for $$ on Amazon.
Approach S60
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The ‘big brother’ to the Approach S10 is the Approach S60. At $$$, it is the most expensive golf watch that Garmin produces. The S60 is sleek and stylish, with the same shape and size as that of a traditional watch. It features a large, colored digital touchscreen that can be calibrated for use with multiple outdoor sports.
The S60, like the X40, uses GPS satellite technology to display yardages, hazards, and doglegs, in near real-time quality. In addition to the GPS, the S60 also utilizes data from over 40,000 preloaded courses, much like the Approach S10. The battery lasts for at least ten hours.
Pricing
As we recently discussed, the price for a Garmin golf watch varies between about $$ and $$$. The price depends on the model and the market from which you purchase the golf watch. Though Garmin does offer occasional sales on their site, Amazon tends to be a far more cost-effective means of acquiring a quality Garmin golf watch.
How it Compares
To better understand what makes the Garmin golf watch ‘tick,’ we decided to research multiple other brands that sell similarly priced golf watches and compare those products to the Garmin golf watch line. Hold onto your wrists, here’s where things get very interesting!
Ticwatch E
- Android Wear 2.0. Get your favorite apps and watch faces. Request a car ride. Perfect your golf swing. Explore a new neighborhood. With thousands of Android Wear apps, there's no limit to what you can do with your Ticwatch E.
- Follow your fitness.Track walks, runs, rides, heart rate and strength training with Google Fit and your favorite fitness apps. Get coaching, measure your heart rate, and even stream music, right from your wrist.
- Your personal voice assistant. Meet Your Google Assistant. Bring Google Assistant to your wrist. Find answers and get things done even when your hands are full. Reply to a friend that you’re running late, remind yourself to call mom, or ask for directions. Just hold the power button or say "Ok Google”.Phone calls only compatible for android device now.
- If you meet abnormal battery capacity, like sudden drop or short battery life etc. It is not the quality issue. Please charge the watch more 2hrs before you start to use it. And use the watch till battery empty and charge it up to full for 1-3cycles, the battery capacity indicator will be on right status.
- 30-day money-back guarantee for any reason, 12-month warranty for quality-related issues.
The Ticwatch E is compatible with Android, iOS, and Google devices. It is a simple-looking, black-banded watch with a 1.4″ colored digital display screen. This watch uses voice commands to execute tasks. Need to answer a phone call? Tell your watch. Need to look up a random fact? Ask your watch! The Google Assistant will help you with your needs.
The Ticwatch E features a built-in GPS and heart rate monitor, allowing you to monitor your progress around the course while keeping track of your blood pressure! When paired with compatible golfing apps from your phone, this watch sinks in.
Price
This smartwatch is currently $$ on Amazon. It is an Amazon Prime item.
Ease of Use
Because this watch is compatible with nearly every type of phone, it is effortless to use. Also, the lack of a touchscreen is mildly relieving, as accidents can happen when large fingers meet small touchscreens. The Google Assistant function works well and is helpful. We give the Ticwatch E 4/5 stars for ease of use.
Build Quality
Ticwatch E has many desirable functions, but it could be better. The battery life is awful when compared to similar products. Most golf watches will last for up to ten hours, but the Ticwatch is lucky to make it to six hours of use before dying. For this reason, we give the Ticwatch 3/5 stars for build quality.
Warranty
Ticwatch E comes with a Limited One-Year Warranty if you buy the watch from the Mobvoi company or an approved retailer. While this is not a bad warranty, it is also not the best, and so it earns 4/5 stars.
Garmin Approach X40
- GPS Receiver - High-sensitivity GPS acquires satellites quickly to Show distance to greens, Hazards and doglegs -even under Tree cover
- Auto Shot - Round analyzer measures shot distances with auto-recording for post-round analysis on your Garmin connect account
- 24/7 Heart Rate Monitoring - Elevate wrist Heart rate technology allows you to track your Heart rate all day and night - Activity Tracking Accuracy
- Activity Tracking - reminds you to stay active on or off the course with move bar alerts
- Battery life - rechargeable battery: up to 5 days in activity mode; up to 10 hours in GPS mode
Ah, the Garmin. Through our research into this matter, we came to learn that Garmin makes the most extensive variety of golf watches, and they often make some of the most well-loved GPS devices. This attention to detail and care for the customer becomes apparent when you examine the X40. Though not as ‘elegant’ as pricier golf watches, the X40 is a workhorse.
For almost as little as $$, you could be the proud owner of a watch that can track your golf swings, tell you about hazards and doglegs, and give you the distance to the pin. It can also track your heart rate and activity, so your spouse can beam at you with healthy pride when you come home and tell them just how much exercise you’ve gotten!
Price
The Garmin Approach X40 is available on Amazon for $$. It is an Amazon Prime item. It can also be purchased online from the Garmin website, though it will cost you $$. Keep in mind that Garmin also produces some very neat, unique, and useful gold accessories that can pair with your Garmin watch or smartphone.
Ease of Use
The Garmin Approach X40 is very easy to use. The single display screen is easy to read whether you are out in bright sunlight or sitting in a dark room. The tracking modes work well, both in terms of GPS and heart rate! Garmin has spent many years figuring out how to make their customers happy, and you can see their dedication come through with the X40. It earns 5/5 stars for ease of use!
Build Quality
Garmin products are made from high quality materials, and the Approach X40 is no exception. Sturdy, reliable, and with 10-hour battery life, you might want to sneak in a few more rounds before heading home! We give the Approach X40 4/5 stars for build quality. The only thing that would make it better is if it were lighter and if it were waterproof.
Warranty
Garmin offers a One-Year Limited Warranty on the Approach X40, but you can couple this warranty with an Amazon Protection Plan of up to three years for only $, ensuring that you keep your precious new golf buddy safe from harm. Though the Garmin warranty is not incredibly enticing, the added Amazon Protection Plan option is excellent, earning the X40 4/5 stars for warranty.
Amazfit Stratos
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The last contender for golf greatness is the Amazfit Stratos. The light-up LCD screen is capable of changing displays rapidly, showing you any information that you desire to see. It looks almost like a perfectly ordinary watch, with scratch-resistant glass case that protects the LCD screen. But with the simple press of a button, the standard hour and minute hands are gone, replaced by how many steps you’ve taken today, or how many calories you’ve lost, or how much further you’ve got to walk to find your golf ball!
Capable of so many things, sleek and stylish, there is little fault to find in the Amazfit Stratos. Could it be too good to be true?
Price
The Amazfit Stratos is currently listed at $$ on Amazon. It is an Amazon Prime item. It is less expensive than the Garmin X40 but more costly than the Ticwatch E.
Ease of Use
The Amazfit is amazingly easy to use. It is pairable with both iOS and Android Health apps, allowing you to track not only your heart rate and calories burned, but also your sleep, activity levels, and nutrition. The GPS tracking helps you remember where you’ve been and where you’re going, and you don’t need to worry about missing a phone call or a text – everything is accessible via your watch. For these reasons, we feel the Amazfit earns 5/5 for ease of use.
Build Quality
The Amazfit is not only beautiful and efficient. It is also water-resistant up to 5 ATM. With a continuous GPS battery life of 35 hours, it can’t be beaten in terms of energy! The Amazfit is made of high-quality materials and crafted by dedicated minds and hands. It can do so much more than the typical golf watch, and that makes it ideal for those who not only want a quality watch for their golf game but a fantastic tool for their game of life.
Warranty
Unfortunately, the company that produces Amazfit is still very young. They do not seem to offer any warranty, earning them 0/5 stars for warranty. At last, we have found the Amazfit Stratos’ fatal flaw! It was a little bit too good to be true.
Pros and Cons
A proper Garmin golf watch review would be incomplete without an overwhelming amount of analysis!
Before we can pass judgment on whether a Garmin golf watch could become your next favorite golfing partner, let’s take a moment to review both the positive and negative qualities these watches.
Pros
- Well-made watches
- Many models to choose from
- Garmin offers lots of accessories for their watches
- Nearly every budget is represented
Cons
- The least expensive watches have limited capabilities off the golf course.
- Tend to be generally more expensive
Conclusion
As we are nearing the end of this Garmin golf watch review, it seems prudent to make a statement about whether it would be a good idea to get a Garmin golf watch.
If you are between the ages of 40 and 80, the Garmin line of golf watches would probably be a fantastic investment for you, if you enjoy golfing. The display screens are easy to read, and Garmin uses an intuitive user interface that is simple to understand.
For those who desire a watch that can act as a perfect golfing buddy, DJ, personal assistant, and phone, it would be wise to search for a more encompassing smartwatch.
But for those who love the game of golf, regardless of age or temperance, a Garmin golf watch is always an excellent choice. They have specialized in ensuring that their golfers leave the green with a smile on their faces and a digitally displayed score around their wrists.
Featured Image via Pexels
Last update on 2023-04-01 at 05:52 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API