There’s also smartphone sync for those extra tidbits of information, as well as a pedometer, and, thanks to Bluetooth technology, the ability to read your texts and emails.Like an experienced caddie, a golf GPS knows the course you’re on and gives helpful tips to help you shoot a great round every time. Through satellites, these devices come preloaded with maps from thousands of courses from all over the world. Unlike a laser-powered rangefinder, though, they help with much more than just your distance to the pin. A golf GPS watch can warn you about upcoming hazards, give you yardages to different positions on the green, and can even help you with club selection.
There are so many different models and makes on the market that it can be slightly overwhelming. In truth, finding the right one shouldn't be too complicated. There are only really two non-negotiables to consider: accuracy and battery life. To help you decide the best golf GPS watch for you, we’ve put together this buying guide.
Best golf GPS: Editor's picks
Garmin Approach S20
Our Best Buy is undoubtedly the Garmin Approach S20, which comes with a huge range of features and an impressive 15 hours of battery life for £165. Read on for more details.
Bushnell Neo iON
If that’s a little out of your budget, then you won’t go far wrong with the Bushnell Neo Ion. If you’re new to the world of GPS watches, then this is the one for you. It’s really easy and intuitive to use, and a snip at just under £130. Read on for more details.
Best golf GPS watch 2017: What to look for
How much battery life do I need?
Some of the earlier models of golf GPS watches didn’t last much more than one round: if you were brave enough to attempt a second 18 on the same day, you could expect your GPS watch to cut out somewhere around the fourth hole. At best, it was an inconvenience. Thankfully, the latest models have vastly improved. Most can comfortably last three rounds and some can even push on for a fourth... if you’re quick.
How accurate are GPS watches?
These watches all advertise an accuracy of within three metres (3.3 yards), and I’ve always found that to be the case in my real-world experience – I’ve used many different manufacturers and models, and comparing measurements on the tee box has always shown the watches to be within a few yards, or fewer, of each other.
How comfortable are they to wear while playing?
These watches are all designed with sport in mind, so they tend to be comfortable enough. However, the design is something you should bear in mind. From my experience with these watches, I’d suggest going for devices that weigh less than 60g – these will feel almost invisible while you’re mid-swing.
How exactly do golf GPS watches work and what features should I look out for?
Golf GPS watches use satellites to help you navigate the golf course, as well as recording and saving your golf scores and statistics. These watches will include a map of the course, whereabouts you are on the course, and the distances between you, your ball and the hole. You should look for a watch that includes as many preloaded courses as possible – all the ones included here have at least 30,000. As well as basic information such as the yardage to the pin, more advanced models will also help you avoid hazards by giving you the exact distance needed to clear them. If you want to be really nerdy, you may also want to think about a model that comes with a mobile phone app. Sync your watch to the app, and it will then give you information about your round when you’re back in the bar – including shots taken, the fairways you hit and the putts you took.
The best golf GPS watch to buy
Garmin Approach S20: The best all-round golf GPS watch
Price when reviewed: £165
The Garmin Approach S20 is the golf GPS watch that’s all things to all men. With up to 15 hours of battery life (which is very impressive), you’ll be able to get in almost four rounds on one charge, while its extensive feature set will help improve your game and course strategy in no time.
On the high-resolution display, you’ll see distances to the front, back and middle of the green, as well as hazards, doglegs and layups. There’s also manual pin positioning and a Green View that shows you the true shape and layout of each green. There’s also smartphone sync for those extra tidbits of information, as well as a pedometer, and, thanks to Bluetooth technology, the ability to read your texts and emails.
The S20 also boasts an Autoshot feature that automatically tracks and scores your round on one of its 40,000 preloaded courses. You can then save this data to analyse your round later using the Garmin Connect app.
This watch also pairs with Garmin’s Tru Swing club sensor. This aims to act as a virtual teacher, assessing each swing and giving you a detailed analysis of how to improve. It will measure your swings’ tempo, speed and critical angles, and will then relay that straight onto your watch.
When it comes to features, battery life, comfort and style, the Garmin Approach S20 definitely gets our vote.
Key specifications– Size: 3.7 x 4.7 x 1.3cm; Weight: 42.2g; Display size: 2.3cm x 2.3; Battery life: 15 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 40,000
Garmin Approach S5: The best for course strategy
Price when reviewed: £309
Yes, the price is eye-watering, but the Garmin S5 really is worth that outlay when you consider all the features included. The watch may look substantial, but it actually only weighs 46.6g and doesn’t impede the swing in any way. This is the only touchscreen watch on the list and, although there are navigation buttons on the side as well if needed, the touchscreen works well, even if you’re wearing gloves. It comes preloaded with 38,000 worldwide courses, and will sync to the course you’re playing at in less than a minute. The accuracy with which it detects a new hole is also first-rate, so there’s no waiting around on the tee for your watch to catch up with you.
A colour screen on the front of the watch shows you which hole you're on, as well as a multitude of hazard and lay-up information, helping massively with your course strategy. Another nifty extra was the ability to move the pin position, and the lay-up distances indicated on the top right of the screen.
For those of you who want to get really nerdy, there’s also an Autoshot feature that automatically tracks and scores your round for you. Once you pair the watch up with the free Garmin connect app, you can analyse your round and a bunch of other stats on your phone at your leisure. If you use an iPhone, the Smart Notifications facility will also allow you to pick up messages and emails directly to the watch.
If there’s one thing that does let this budget-busting watch down, though, it’s the battery life. In golf mode, you’ll only get enough for two rounds thanks to the power-draining colour screen.
This Garmin is undoubtedly a fantastic GPS watch, and the addition of a colour screen is a lovely bonus, but that price tag will put off many people.
Key specs– Size: 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.42cm; Weight: 46.6g; Display size: 2.54cm diameter; Battery life: 10 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 38,000
TomTom Golfer 2: The best for less than £200
Price when reviewed: £199
This is TomTom’s flagship golf GPS watch and it’s a good option at just under £200. Its battery life is roughly 12 hours, which should be enough to make three rounds even for the most wayward of players. Much like the Garmin, this has automatic shot detection that syncs to your smartphone via Bluetooth so you can deconstruct your round at the 19th. The Golfer 2 also comes with different degrees of hazard information: you can see basic numbers at a glance, but then if you cover the screen with the palm of your hand, you can also see the distances to reach, and carry, each hazard.
However, one slight bugbear is the sensitivity of the automatic shot detection. A number of people have found it can go off with even the slightest of jolts – such as when you’re putting your bag on the ground. It also lets off quite a loud buzzing noise, which could be off-putting to other players.
Having said that, though, it has a real premium look and feel, and can be worn both on and off the course with equal amounts of style.
Overall, this an excellent GPS watch that gives a vast array of different kinds of information to help you improve your game, and comes recommended as long as you’re careful while playing with it on.
Key specifications – Size: 3.7 cm x 5.5 cm x 1.1cm; Weight: 61g; Display size: 2.2 x 2.5cm; Battery life: 11 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 40,000
Bushnell Neo iON GPS Watch: The best for comfort
Price when reviewed: £128
Bushnell hs been making the laser-powered rangefinders used by professionals for years now, and is now branching out into the GPS watch market with this lovely, lightweight option.
If you’re the disorganised sort, this new model comes with almost 12 hours of battery life – or enough for at least three rounds – in one single charge.
There’s also a really nice Tee Time Function, which means you can set the watch to automatically turn on just before you’re set to start your round. The watch then sees which course you’re playing on and automatically moves holes as you do. On the odd occasion it doesn’t, one push of the front button will set you right.
The most useful feature, aside from the usual front, middle and back distances, is the hazard and dogleg information. We all know how difficult it can be to strategise properly for a hole we’ve never played before. This extra yardage information gives you a clearer picture of the shots required so you don’t end up in the water or stranded.
If we had a grumble about the Bushnell, it would be the lack of a smartphone app for in-depth analysis of your round. Also, the Bushnell can only detect four hazards per hole – so if you’re playing on a particularly bunker-heavy par 5, it’s not as comprehensive as the more advanced models on this list. But it’s cheap!
Key specifications – Size: 4.5 x 5.4 x 1.5 cm; Weight: 51g; Display size: 2.3cm diameter; Battery life: 12 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 35,000
SkyCaddie SW2 GPS Watch: The best for beginners
Price when reviewed: £128
The SkyCaddie SW2 has a large central face, where you’ll find clear displays of the yardage to the centre of each green, with front and back yardages showing below. As with the previous GPS watches, it auto-advances easily, but if for any reason there is a bit of trouble with the detection, two buttons on the right-hand side of the watch make scrolling up and down between holes a doddle.
Users have confirmed that the accuracy is excellent. This is likely because the watch accesses SkyCaddie's own database where more than 35,000 courses worldwide have been manually mapped.
Several people have commented that the SW2 isn't the quickest GPS to locate the course you’re on, with waiting times of up to three minutes pretty standard. Just make sure you set up the watch before you step onto the first tee.
The watch can sync to a SkyGolf 360 app (compatible on both Android and iOS devices), but only if you sign up to a SkyGolf 360 membership plan starting at £14.95 a year, or £20.95 if you want the GPS app on your phone too. But if you don’t want this extra feature, that’s okay – it won’t impede the use of the watch itself.
Pushing the middle button on the right brings up the scoring for each hole and defaults to the par. If you’re a scratch golfer who’s regularly hitting par, then you shouldn’t need to press anything else – however, if you’re like everyone else, the top-right button lets you easily scroll up from par.
If there's one downside, it's the relatively short battery life. In "Golf Mode", the battery lasted eight hours – still enough for two rounds, but not as impressive as some of the other watches on this list.
Key specifications – Size: 5 x 13.5 x 1.4cm; Weight: 45g; Display size: 2.7cm x 2.7 cm; Battery life: 8 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 35,000
GolfBuddy WT5 GPS: The best for ease of use
Price when reviewed: £169
The WT5 from GolfBuddy has gone on a serious weight-loss programme since its big brother, the WT4, was out a few years ago. At 64g, it now feels light enough on the wrist, and the rubberised strap makes it comfortable to wear.
The WT5 recognises the course you’re on in less than a minute and, once you've worked out how to use the three control buttons, it's very simple to use.
On the main screen is the yardage to the middle of the green, plus the front and back yardages below. Scrolling between hazards and the scorecard after each hole is really easy. Just push the bottom-right button to get the distance to the nearest hazard, and just scroll if there are more than one. The maximum it will detect is three, though.
The display is clear, so unlike a lot of GPS watches, you can see the hazard information clearly, allowing you to navigate your way to the pin without much fuss. However, it doesn't offer detailed information such as fairways hit or putts taken.
One new feature that doesn’t quite work is the Pin Placement View. The idea is to give you the yardages to nine different positions on the green, but as these aren’t bespoke to the hole you’re on, in reality these are just nine arbitrary flags in the same position whatever hole and course you’re on – not particularly useful.
It does all the basics well, however, and is incredibly easy to use.
Key specifications – Size: 4.2 x 5.9 x 1.4cm; Weight: 64g; Display size: 2.7 x 2.7 x 3cm; Battery life: 8 hours; Waterproof: Yes; Course capacity: 40,000