Best Golf Watch

Best Golf WatchBelow are our picks for the Best Golf Watches currently on the market in . Some of them simply provide distances to the front, middle, and back of the greens and to hazards. Others offer a scorecard with stat-tracking and some are full-blown smartwatches and fitness trackers.

There are a few in the list that may require purchasing a watchband separately. These are all great golf watches, so pick the one that has the features and price that fit you best!


Best Golf Watch
Garmin Approach S10 - Read Full Review

The Garmin Approach S10 is the one we've been waiting for! It's small, lightweight, and simple to use. It doesn't try to be a multi-sport watch or a smartwatch. It puts the focus squarely on golf. On the main screen, you will see distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, plus the hole number and par. The shape of the green is also right there on the same screen. Many golfers will never even need to touch the watch after starting a round. If you need hazard information, it's one screen away. You can also keep score on this watch and upload your scores to Garmin Express so your playing history is always available. Although this golf watch has all the features most golfers want, for those looking for stats or hole views, Garmin has other golf watches you will want to check out.

Rating: 4.56  
Weight: 1.2 oz.   Legal: Yes		Garmin Approach S10
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GolfBuddy Voice 2 - Read Full Review

GolfBuddy just keeps building on a winning theme. The GolfBuddy Voice 2 claims 14 hours of battery life. That's four hours more than the GolfBuddy VS4! It's water resistant, has the choice of male or female voice, and of course provides distances to the front, middle, and back of the green. It's available in three different colors as well. The wristband can be ordered separately on Amazon.

Rating: 4.40  
Weight: 1.02 oz.   Legal: Yes		GolfBuddy Voice 2
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GolfBuddy Voice X - Read Full Review

The GolfBuddy Voice line has been a huge success from the beginning. The VoiceX is the latest in this line and has a few nice upgrades from its predecessor the GolfBuddy Voice 2. The most notable improvement is that it adds Bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone for automatic updates to the golf course you're playing when you enter golf mode. The screen is a little larger and it has a Big Numbers mode and manual pin placement capability. It also adds a fairly detailed GPS activity tracker for runners and walkers. It may sacrifice some battery life for the extra features, but should still easily get 2 full rounds. A watchband is available separately.

Rating: 99.00  
Weight: N/A oz.   Legal: Yes		GolfBuddy Voice X
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Garmin Approach S60 - Read Full Review

Garmin's newest golf watch looks to be a sophisticated golf watch, fitness watch, and smartwatch. It will be released in the summer of 2017 and we look forward to exploring all the features here very soon!

Rating: 3.86  
Weight: 1.8* oz.   Legal: Yes		Garmin Approach S60
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Callaway GPSy Golf Watch - Read Full Review



Rating: 3.70
Weight: N/A oz.   Legal: N/A
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Bushnell neo+ Golf Watch Review

The Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch'

Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch
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Take a look at our preview of Bushnell’s new GPS golf watch. (Our Bushnell neo+ Watch Review will be available after customer feedback begins to roll in.)

Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch User Rating: 3.96 Stars 3.96 out of 5 (81 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

Our initial impression is that Bushnell saw what was working in the Garmin S1 Golf Watch and built their own version. The neo+ watch provides distances to the front, middle and back of the green and has a shot measuring feature like the S1. Bushnell’s biggest sales pitch seems to be that it has a much longer battery life than the S1 and 25,000 courses preloaded. If it were just those two watches in the race, that would be enough to give the edge to the Bushnell neo+ watch… but in 2012 the game changed….

Besides the Bushell neo+ golf watch, there are three other new golf watches hitting the market this year, the Garmin S3, the Expresso WR62 and the MOTOACTV Golf Edition. All of them provide distance information to alternate targets and hazards, which seems like a very good thing. We are qualifying this statement for now, because we know that the major factor the high Garmin S1 ratings, was it’s simplicity and convenience. Any time you add more features, you’re going to lose some of the simplicity. Only user feedback will let us know how this really plays out.

The problem for Bushnell is that people who want ultimate simplicity are probably going to go with something that’s tried and true, like the Garmin S1, especially since they cost about the same. The longer battery life may make a difference to some, but will that be enough?

To learn more about GPS Golf Watches, read our Comparison of Golf GPS Watches or Part 4 in our Compare Golf GPS series.

Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life 12 hrs w/ GPS on
Battery rechargeable
Size (Width x Height x Depth) N/A in. x N/A in. x N/A in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size N/A
Resolution N/A
Display Type N/A
Weight N/A oz.
Rainproof waterproof to 30 meter
Touch Screen No
Touch Targeting No
Manual Pin Positioning No
Stat Tracker No
Digital Scorecard No
Computer Analysis Tools No
Ground Verified No
Alternate Targets No
Green Rotates to your shot angle N/A
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes Waterproof (IPX7)
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User Manual for Bushnell neo+ GPS Golf Watch

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Garmin S3 Golf Watch Review

The Garmin Approach S3 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'Garmin Approach S3'

Garmin Approach S3
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Our Garmin S3 Golf Watch Review summarizes pros and cons mentioned in user reviews from around the web. From a features standpoint, we believe this is the most exciting and best golf watch on the market.

Garmin Approach S3 User Rating: 4.34 Stars 4.34 out of 5 (522 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

It’s preloaded with 30,000 courses, has a touchscreen, includes distances to doglegs and layups, allows for manual pin positioning, has a scorecard, shot tracking and more. Although the price of the Garmin S3 is quite a bit higher than other golf watches, the feature set and enthusiasm of reviewers lead us to believe it might be well worth it.

Take a look at what they are saying. Please note that positive comments outweighed negative comments by about 40%.

Most Mentioned Pros
(in order from high to low):
  • Accuracy
  • Convenience
  • Scoring Feature
  • Easy to Use
  • Improved Scoring
  • Size
  • Intuitive
  • Good Customer Service
  • Easy to Set-up
  • TouchScreen
  • Shot Tracking
  • Auto Course Recognition
  • Battery Life – some players could go 36 holes on a single charge
  • Easy to register and update courses
  • Speeds up play
  • Can be used as a regular watch in non-GPS mode
  • Acquires distances quickly
  • Manual pin positioning
  • Acquires satellites quickly
  • Ability to add custom targets
  • Size of course database
  • No fees
Most Mentioned Cons
(in order from high to low):
  • Sometimes requires more than one “swipe” for touchscreen operations that require swiping
  • Battery life too short – some players were unable to make it through 36 holes.
  • Some watches arrived in a language other than English. Customer support was reported to be very helpful. We noted that more recent reviews didn’t mention the issue and suspect it has been corrected.
  • Although it includes distance to doglegs and layups, several users complained that it did not have distances to bunkers and possibly other hazards.
  • Some users had trouble with it jumping to the wrong hole.
  • Watch band quality
  • Not enough courses
  • Poor instruction manual
  • Accuracy issues
  • Auto hole advance didn’t always work
  • Price
Garmin S3 Golf Watch Specifications
Garmin Approach S3
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life 8 hrs GPS / 4 wks
Battery Lithium-ion recharge
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 2.7 in. x 1.8 in. x .6 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 1" x 1"
Resolution 128x128
Display Type monochrome LCD
Weight 2.06 oz.
Rainproof IPX7
Touch Screen Yes
Touch Targeting No
Manual Pin Positioning Yes
Stat Tracker No
Digital Scorecard Yes
Computer Analysis Tools No*
Ground Verified No
Alternate Targets Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle N/A
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes Stroke or Stableford scoring. Can save, review and print scorecards from your computer. Can download new courses & updates. IPX7 Waterproof - Immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter
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Comparison of Golf GPS Watches

Golf GPS WatchesIn our comparison of golf GPS watches, it’s a big surprise to see the relatively unknown Expresso WR62 at the top of the ratings chart. However if you look closely at the features and price on the WR62, you can see how it climbed over the highly successful Garmin S1 golf watch. There are two additional contenders in the new Garmin S3 and the MOTOACTV Golf Edition watch. Check the comparison chart below and see which one fits your game.

  • Garmin Approach S1 – This watch became hugely popular in 2011 and the ratings are at the top of our GPS charts. It is preloaded with 18,000+ golf courses and provides distance information to the front, middle and back of the green. Convenience and simplicity may be the key to the success of the Garmin S1, but still there are some users who wish for more. Available in black or white.
  • Garmin Approach S3 – Garmin’s latest GPS golf watch quite a few features, including a touchscreen and layup yardages. It is preloaded with 27,000 golf courses, has shot measure and scorecard features and an odometer. Plus it has Garmin’s reputation and experience behind it. Available in black or white.
  • MOTOACTV Golf Edition – Motorola has added a feature-rich golf watch to their popular MOTOACTV line and it comes preloaded with 20,000+ golf courses. In addition to green distances , it provides hazard distance information, a shot measuring feature, plus wireless uploading and detailed analysis tools. It’s also got a few fitness tools.
  • Expresso WR62 – Expresso adds a nicely priced golf watch to their golf GPS collection. It also will have preloaded green and hazard distances and shot measuring capability, along with the best price and battery life of all the watches.
  • Bushnell neo+ Golf Watch – Released in 2012, the Bushnell neo+ golf watch has nearly the same feature set as the successful Garmin S1. It’s preloaded with distances to the front, middle and back of every green and it has the shot measuring feature. The battery life matches that of the Expresso WR62, but the Bushnell watch lacks the additional features of the other 2012 watches.

The new Garmin S3, the MOTOACTV and the Expresso WR62 will all begin shipping in April, so we won’t know for sure who does well in this battle for a couple of months, but let’s break down the features right now.

 

Garmin Approach S3 Watch Garmin Approach S1 Watch Expresso WR62 Golf Watch MOTOACTV Golf Watch

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Read Review Read Review Read Review Read Review
Display 1″ x 1″ Display 1″ x 1″ Display 1″ x 1″ Display 1″ x 1″
2.06 oz. 1.8 oz. N/A oz. N/A oz.
Li-ion recharge Li-ion recharge Li-ion recharge N/A
4 wks / 8 hrs in GPS 3 wks / 8 hrs GPS 12 hrs w/ GPS on N/A
Rainproof Rainproof Rainproof Rainproof
Touchscreen No Touchscreen No Touchscreen Touchscreen
No Stats No Stats No Stats Full Stats
Scorecard No Scorecard No Scorecard Scorecard
Print scorecard from PC     PC Stats Analysis
Layups & Doglegs No layups or hazards Hazards Hazards
Measures Shots Measures Shots Measures Shots Measures Shots
27,000 courses preloaded 14,000+ courses preloaded N/A 20,000 courses preloaded
No fees No fees No fees No fees
Odometer. Available in Black & White, Time, Date, Waterproof IPX7 (30 min. immersed at a depth of 1 meter) Odometer. Available in Black & White, Time, Date, Waterproof IPX7 (30 min. immersed at a depth of 1 meter) 62-channel satellite receiver, Waterproof up to 30 meters, Stopwatch, Time, Date, Alarm, Odometer Syncs wirelessly to MOTOACTV.com and provides virtual representation of your round using satellite course view. Can display texts and calls from your smartphone. Tracks heart rate*, pace, distance and calories burned.
We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.
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MOTOACTV Golf Watch Review

The MOTOACTV Golf Watch has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

'MOTOACTV Golf Watch'

MOTOACTV Golf Watch
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The new Motorola Golf Watch is jam-packed with features and we’re looking forward to seeing how users respond in our upcoming MOTOACTV Golf Watch Review. This latest entry into the GPS Golf Watch competition goes well beyond providing distances to the front, middle and back of the green, which is all that is offered on the very popular Garmin S1 Golf Watch.

MOTOACTV Golf Watch User Rating: 3.92 Stars 3.92 out of 5 (48 reviews)

Score compiled from multiple sources.

Here are the most notable features of the MOTOACTV Golf Watch:

  • Distances to front, middle, back of greens
  • Distances to hazards
  • Preloaded with 20,000 golf courses
  • Scorecard feature – tracks your relationship to par
  • Track data like total steps taken, distance covered and calories burned on the course
  • Tracks key stats (putts, greens in regulation etc.)
  • Tracks the clubs you hit and can be customized to show only the clubs in your bag
  • Wirelessly uploads your rounds
  • Online, you can see a virtual representation of your round using a satellite view of the course and get the details of every shot you played
  • Keeps scorecards online for reference
  • Allows sharing the details with friends

Compare the MOTOACTV Golf Watch with the Garmin S1 and the Expresso WR62.

Our only question… Is it too much? Simplicity may be the biggest contributing factor the high ratings of the Garmin S1. Often, the more features there are, the more problems to be had. We’ll let you know when the user reviews start coming in.

MOTOACTV Golf Edition Features and Specifications
MOTOACTV Golf Watch
Course Download Fees No
Pre-loaded with Courses Yes
Full Hole Views Yes
Slope / Elevation No
Battery Life 9 hrs w/ GPS on
Battery Li-ion recharge
Size (Width x Height x Depth) 1.8 in. x 1.8 in. x .38 in.
Measure Shot Distance Yes
Screen Size 1.6
Resolution 176x220
Display Type Color (QCIF+)
Weight 1.23 oz.
Rainproof rain resistant
Touch Screen Yes
Touch Targeting N/A
Manual Pin Positioning N/A
Stat Tracker Yes
Digital Scorecard Yes
Computer Analysis Tools Yes
Ground Verified No
Alternate Targets Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle N/A
USGA Compliant (local rule) Yes
Notes Syncs wirelessly to MOTOACTV.com and provides virtual representation of your round using satellite course view. Can display texts and calls from your smartphone. Tracks heart rate*, pace, distance and calories burned.
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GolfRangefinderShop.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you buy anything after clicking through, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep the site up and running, so thank you! We work very hard to obtain the correct information about product features, but cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy. Please double check with the merchant or manufacturer before making a purchase.
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