The model will allow you to select the shot direction and will help you adapt to the game but in addition to that, it is also a fully functional fitness tracker that keeps tabs on your physical activity and even on your sleep.
Sometimes, updates can disagree with your saved settings.
The Garmin Approach S20 GPS Golf Watch is a combination of stylish design and vast functionality backed up by a large hi-res display and a powerful battery. It is an irreplaceable helper for professionals and a great helper for beginners. 4 colours available.
Watch
Automatic daylight saving time, Alarm clock, Sunrise/sunset times, Accelerometer, Move bar, Auto goal, Sleep monitoring, Calories burned, Distance travelled, Yardage to F/M/B, Yardage to layups/doglegs, Measures shot distance, Stat tracking, Hazards and course targets, Round timer/odometer
More than 41,000 courses;
Automatic map updates
23 x 23 mm monochrome
Up to 8 weeks in activity tracking mode;
Up to 15 hours in GPS mode
Connectivity: Bluetooth® Smart and ANT+®,
Smartphone Compatibility: iPhone®, Android™, Windows®,
Compatible with Garmin Connect™ Mobile, Digital Scorecard
One-Year Consumer Limited Warranty
The free Golfer App will assist you in your post-game analysis. You can check the game shots with the ball direction pointers, distances covered and other valuable data.
Some features do not display the battery indicator.
The TomTom Golfer 2 GPS Watch is a tracker that will lead you to a new player level. It looks good, has a wide selection of pre-loaded maps and a variety of useful features. 3 colours and 2 wrist sizes are available.
Watch
Automatic Shot Detection, Hazards and Green Distances, Post-game Analysis with TomTom Golfer App, Steps, Active minutes and calories burned throughout the day, Motion sensor (accelerometer + gyro), Compass
Full course data of over 40,000 international golf courses;
Updates
22x 25 mm monochrome
Up to 6 weeks in watch mode;
11 hours in GPS mode
TomTom Golfer App available, Water-resistant to 40 m (5 ATM), Digital Scorecard
30 days money back guarantee
The Accurate Garmin Approach S2 GPS Golf Watch will come to your liking if you want to not only enjoy every game but also achieve great results.
Free updates 4 times a year
1" monochrome LCD
Up to 3 weeks in watch mode;
Up to 8 hours in GPS mode
You can easily keep the Bushnell Neo Ghost Golf GPS in your pocket. The purchase includes a clip to attach to your clothes or belt. The big screen is good for seeing even smaller parts of the field.
The power button is a bit fiddly.
This is a simple convenient Golf GPS tracker with a battery that holds for 3 full rounds and gets fully charged in about 4 hours. 5 colours available.
Handheld GPS
Auto course recognition, Auto hole advance, Easy-to-read front/ centre/back distances, Hazard distances -up to 4 per hole
35,000+ courses plus mapping;
Request Course Update
35 x 35 mm monochrome
Up to 16 hours
Multi-function clip included, Digital Scorecard
1 year
The POSMA GT1 Golf GPS supports several languages: aside from English, you can choose to have your interface in German, Swedish, and Chinese.
The charger clamp is not very convenient.
A great wrist golf GPS for anyone striving to take part in both professional and amateur golf competitions, it will help you calculate the distance to the Green Edge and make pinpoint shots.
Watch
Distance to the Green Edge, Shot Distance Measurement, Hazard Information, Sunrise & sunset information
Over 31,900 global golf courses
Monochrome
8 days in watch mode;
8-10 hour in GPS mode
Digital Scorecard, Waterproof ability at 1 ATM (not for swimming). Multilingual
1 year
Golf Smartwatch
The Garmin Approach S20 is more than just a golf GPS tracker, it's more like a smartwatch with its functionality tweaked to mainly focus on golf but without losing its main smartwatch features. Besides measuring exact distances to the front, middle and back of the green, to hazards, doglegs and layups, besides tracking your game flow, this model will also act as your fitness tracker and notification centre; it will count the steps you make through the day, distance you travel, calories you burn, as well as oversee your sleep and send you signals when you receive a text message or an email on your phone (provided that your smartphone is compatible with the watch, though most phones are).
As for the actual golf-related functionality, the Garmin Approach S20 offers just about anything you might need, from the distance measuring, as we've already stated, to the game tracker, displaying the green you're playing on at the moment, and automatically updating the course view. This golf GPS watch has 40,000 preloaded courses and free lifetime download of updates and additional courses. And its large display is clear enough for you to easily read the scoreboard or the game stats right there.
Garmin Connect
Garmin Connect is a community of golfers throughout the world and an app created specifically for them and for you. It works perfectly with the Garmin Approach S20, allowing you to upload the data from your Garmin GPS golf watch to the Internet and analyze it. How much did you improve? What is your average score? How long are your shots? What kind of mistakes are you prone to? The app will even hint you on what to do to improve faster, as in it will tell you what your perfect round can be by combining your best shots during different rounds on the course. Storing all the stats and results in one place, and the one that can automatically compare them, to boot, will improve your growth as a player, won't it? After all, with automatic comparisons, you save time on analyzing everything yourself.
Another benefit of having the community is that you meet people who love golf as much as you do. With this app, you will have the opportunity to show your fellow golfers your scoreboard, compare your results to theirs, learn from the more seasoned players despite them residing on a different continent, maybe. In this digital age and with Garmin, all the walls are coming down between people who enjoy the same things; the communication was never as easy as it is now. Take advantage!
Additional Info
| Last updated price | £239.88 |
| Stock | In stock |
| ASIN | B01AX444EK |
Free Path
The most significant feature in this golf GPS watch, in our opinion, is that it can show you all the obstacles the ball might face as it flies. Bodies of water, bunkers—something big enough to become a problem, big enough for you to consider your shot before you make it, maybe adjust the angle, choose the right club, things like that. The device will show you the shape of these obstacles and the exact distance between them and you (the distance to their beginning and end as well), making your preparation more precise and simple. It is a very handy feature for the game. The same goes for the Green-View graphics feature that will show you the shape of your current green and your position on it. There are over 40,000 courses from all over the world preloaded to the watch and you can update them even further.
The automatic shot detection will show you the distance you've hit the ball to and will remember it, too, for you to later check it on the TomTom Golfer App, a special compatible application to examine your games for comparison, to see the improvement and detect your weaker sides, which you can start on enhancing once you know what they are and how deep they go. The app can analyse your shot patterns, puts, regulations so that you learn from them.
See Your Possibilities
One of the reasons we love competitive sports this much is that not everything actually depends on us and our skills solely, there are always things we can't really control, things that are beyond our influence that we can only learn to take into consideration, at least, to some level. And something is always left to chance, too. But surely you have wondered what your game would be if nothing could get in the way of your shots. The TomTom Golfer app can show you the closest thing to this scenario! With its analysing capabilities, it will search all your saved rounds and find the best shots at every hole on the course, one by one. And then, it will combine all those shots in your best possible game. This feature will not only boost your confidence since all the shots are your real shots, hence nothing is impossible, it will also provide some tentative insights into what you need to do to make better shots—you will remember the details of your best shots, how you handled them, and you will learn from it.
Besides accomplishing its main task in helping you play better, this wrist golf GPS can also act as a watch with the functionality to count your steps, measure the distance you cover in a day, and the calories you burn through walking. And it also has a cool Premium-quality strap. It is a good and useful gadget for every passionate golfer.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $0.00 |
| Stock | May be out of stock |
| ASIN | B01CP0MXG6 |
Stylish Assistant
Appearance is often as important to golf players as their playing skills. That’s why golfers pay a lot of attention to their looks. If you're like that too and want to fit perfectly on the course, the Approach S2 GPS Golf Watch by Garmin is what you really need. The device has a 1-inch screen with all the necessary information including yardage to front/middle/back of a green, shot distance, and yardage to layup/doglegs. This GPS receiver is highly sensitive, so you’ll be able to use the gadget even under the trees without signal loss. Lastly, with a sleek design of this model not only you will look perfect on the course but will also be able to use it every day as a watch.
This is the beauty of the Garmin Approach S2: it can perform both GPS and watch functions. The former mode is aimed at helping you have a great game for 8 hours. As for the watch option, the device can operate in this mode for up to 3 weeks. It has become possible due to a monochrome display that consumes a very limited amount of energy. And when the appliance finally runs down of it, it’s easy to recharge it via either a wall socket or your computer using the USB cable. And taking into account the fact that the device works on a lithium-ion battery, it won’t take you too much time to charge it.
High-quality golf balls are a guarantee of a successful game. Take a glance at our review and pick the set you like the most.
Track Your Progress
Even when you play for pure entertainment only, seeing your golf skills grow will surely be delightful. And if you use a golf GPS system to improve your skills, you’ll probably be eager to monitor your growth. To make it possible, the manufacturer has equipped the Garmin Approach S2 with the ability to record and store all the information during the round; of course, they have also included a USB cable in the box so that you could export all the data to your PC. With the game results on your computer, you’ll be able to compare your achievements between rounds, evaluate your skills, or just share the said results with your peers. Moreover, uploading new maps or updating preloaded data takes almost no time at all and is, by the way, free. To do this, the only thing you need to do is install the software downloaded from the Garmin official site to your PC. Speaking of, note that Garmin updates the course information 4 times a year, so you can be sure you have accurate data no matter where and when you play golf. Have your fun without hassle.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $0.00 |
| Stock | May be out of stock |
| ASIN | B00SK5EWZQ |
Your Best Tournament Option
The Bushnell Neo Ghost is a handheld golf GPS. Or rather, you don't actually need to hold it in your hand, of course, it is usually clamped onto your belt or even onto your golf bag or trolley during the game. It is a pretty simple device without many bells and whistles and, in the case of golf trackers, it is a good thing. Why is that? You might know that to even out the chances and for the champions to be selected based on skill and without any openings to cheat, many GPS trackers for golf with over-the-top functionality are banned from official tournaments. That does not include this model, you can use it during a competition alright, no legal consequences to follow. This would the most significant benefit of this model—it is limited in functionality compared to other models but it has enough features to be of great help for a player during their round.
So what can it do? Well, first of all, it has more than 30,000 courses preloaded, which is quite a lot, and it is able to use the satellite connection to automatically detect the course as well (keep in mind that the connection might sometimes take a minute or two to be established). It will also proceed between holes with you, no need to manually switch. Neo Ghost can store up to four layup/hazard distances per hole and the large square monochrome display will show you the distance to the front, back, and centre of the green, so you'll easily understand where you are at any given moment. The numbers are quite big, by the way, so if you're looking for a tracker to gift your elderly golf lover whose eyesight is not as good as it used to be, this model is your best shot.
Long Lasting and Easy to Use
The body has six buttons on it, each with its purpose indicated at the back panel right behind the button itself. There is the main Power button at the top, the Menu and the Shot on one side, and Select, Up, and Down on the other. Now some customers do complain that the buttons are sometimes not exactly easy to push but, in our opinion, they just take some time getting used to and are otherwise reliable.
The Bushnell Neo Ghost has a battery that can handle as many as three rounds of golf between the charging sessions, and some users even claim four rounds. Therefore, if you travel between your games, you can charge only once in a while and it will not let you down anyway.
The last but not the least important thing about this golf GPS is that it costs much less than most of its competitors. With all the most important features present and the simplicity of use at a good price, it is indeed a good piece of golfing equipment.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $0.00 |
| Stock | May be out of stock |
| ASIN | B00SSC5WGE |
It's Cheap and Functional
Compared to other top rated golf GPS watches, this Posma GT1 is very cheap, it costs less than a half of, let's say, one of the latest Garmin GPS golf watches, the Approach S20. Granted, it offers quite a bit less when it comes to extras functionality-wise but if you're somewhat budget-strapped or simply don't follow the hip crowd and look for the bare necessities on the golf course, feeling no need in all the bells and whistles, you might just find out that this model is close to perfect for you.
This tracker will show you the distance to the Green edge—front, centre, and back—as well as information on hazards like water bodies, trees, bunkers, bridges, etc. so that you could count your shot right and get to your targeted distance without fail. The device is also able to tell the distance you shoot your ball, therefore, you will have the chance to correctly balance the power you apply to your next strike. It also has a built-in scoreboard where your results will be displayed, and the stroke count to, well, count your strokes; no need to do that manually, the gadget will handle the task nicely. All these features facilitate your game taking it to the next level since you have all the main help you need.
Weather-attuned
The model is subscription-free and has no download option (or rather, it is stated that you don't need to download anything), which might be a downside for some players. However, it does have over 31,900 courses preloaded and it's a lot. The only major problem might be if you're one of those players who do not travel a lot to have a game of golf or take part in an international competition but instead, you enjoy it recreationally at your local golf field and several of the closest ones. In this case, we recommend you to ask the customers who have already bought this device if your game space is included in this golf GPS watch's database. Chances are pretty high it is, we believe.
Another benefit of this model is that it detects your location, recognizes the course and, therefore, can offer you the sunrise and fall information for better time balancing. The device is also 1 ATM waterproof, which means you can still play even if it's raining on the course. We do not advise to swim with the watch on, though, this might not end so well.
Finally, the fully charged Lithium-ion battery allows you approximately 8 to 10 hours of continuous playing or up to 8 days in the watch mode before you need to recharge it. Not the longest time on the market, yes, but probably the best GPS golf watch in its price range.
| Last updated price | $0.00 |
| Stock | May be out of stock |
| ASIN | B01BOTW4OA |
Infographics
What Is a Golf GPS?
It’s impossible to imagine modern life without technologies—they penetrate into every sphere of our life, sports included. Why should golf be an exception? Golf GPS navigation system is becoming more and more popular among the players who want to achieve the highest results in their careers. The device was mainly created to measure yardage to different parts of the green, shot distance, and hazard distance. However, the manufacturers often include additional functions such as odometer, pin positions, automatic hole recognition etc. Also, most golf GPS models have preloaded golf courses so it is easy for you to navigate in a new place. As a rule, these gadgets are divided into two types—watches and handheld models. No matter which one you choose, their battery life is usually long enough to play several games or even spend the whole weekend hitting balls into holes.
To make your game even more productive, golf shoes will definitely come in handy. And with a golf bag, it will be more convenient for you to store and transport your golf equipment.
What Features to Compare
Before choosing a golf GPS, first, consider its functions as they determine how helpful a device will be. If you play golf all over the world, pay attention to the number of preloaded courses and the option to add new maps. Knowing the distance to the different parts of a green and the hazard distance, you’ll be able to take more precise shots. On top of that, take notice of additional functions such as integrated step counter and scoring options to get even more benefit from a game.
You also want to take battery life into consideration as it varies from model to model and mainly depends on the gadget’s design. GPS watches are compact and work for up to 16 hours on one charge. Handheld devices, on the other hand, usually have bigger displays (as compared to watches) and consume more energy, although not much, they still work for 14-15 hours in GPS mode.
Did you know?
How it works
GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and today, it is the most used system for locating objects and people on the ground, in the air, and on the water. The GPS uses the 31 satellite (two of them reserve) circling our planet from the space, each satellite outfitted with a frequently adjusted atomic clock (which, by the way, sync time on our mobile phones). At any given moment, wherever you are, there are at least six satellites that can detect your position on the surface since their signals cover your area. These satellites send radio signals to the Earth and the specifically created receivers calculate the satellite position at the moment. Combining data from several satellites at the same time, the receiver can locate itself on the surface with great precision. Casual consumer-level receivers like the ones in golf GPS watches detect location with approximately 20 metres precision.
The main milestones in the GPS history are tied to wars
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention, and, as sad as it is, wars are probably what brings the hugest leaps in technology due to the people striving for the victory. GPS was practically born from the need for better planes and ship navigation during the World War II: since the existing navigation systems were quite slow because of the many obstacles here on Earth, the idea of using satellite signals was introduced. However, it was later, during the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union, that the GPS version as we know it now (or close to it, at least) was made.
Another sad fact connected to the GPS history is that it was a closely guarded military system up to 1983 when the civil flight from Korea was shot after entering the Soviet Union territory. The number of victims was large enough for the US government to disclose some core part of their satellite navigation system to help avoid catastrophic situations like that. The fullest and most accurate system for satellite navigation, though, was only stripped from military-only use much later, in 2000. This is what allows us now to use GPS on daily basis, in our smartphones, fitness bracelets, and best golf GPS systems.
GPS can now be used not only for sports, navigation, and simple daily tasks
Those of us who are parents of school-age kids often buy them hi-end smartphones for the sole purpose of setting the parent control to always know where the kid is. It is a dangerous world, after all, and GPS systems in mobile devices sometimes can save a life. Or if your grandparent has Alzheimer's, for example, but still goes for a walk from time to time, having them carry a tracking device is vital but they tend to forget them at home or lose them altogether. Of course, both with elderly relatives and with kids, you can put a smartphone in their pocket or force them to wear your golf GPS watch but separate items can be lost or, worse, even stolen. Today, though, you can purchase special shoes with tracking devices inside and always know where your family is wandering.
FAQ:
Q: My golf GPS doesn’t identify the course. What’s wrong?
A: Although modern golf navigation systems include thousands of courses all over the world, chances are not all of them are preloaded on your GPS. Thus, it's possible that your gadget doesn’t show you a map of a field you’re going to play. One more thing that can lead a situation like this is you being too far from the course; in this case, you only need to come closer so that a gadget could identify it.
A: Sometimes, satellite connection can really be lost because of different obstacles such as trees, for example. Some users of GPS devices also claim that gadgets can malfunction when being in a pocket. To reconnect your GPS, step out to an open area and give your item some time to catch the signal; if it doesn’t help, try to reset it.
A: You might need to specifically search for a model with a function like that, they do exist. However, generally, even those navigators that can't be updated manually are updated automatically from time to time for free or on condition of registration.
A: Golf rules restrict the use of the devices that can help a player get an advantage over his/her rivals. Since golf GPS is like that, its application during amateurish or professional tournaments is prohibited. The same limit is imposed on using smartphone apps during a stipulated round. Nevertheless, some models with the bare minimum of functions are approved for tournaments.
A: Playing golf with a GPS can help you improve your skills, control the strength of every hit, determine the distance by eye, and feel more confident on a course. Having practised playing with such a device for some time, it’ll be easy for you to beat your competitors even without it.
Sources:
1. Anna Bush How to choose the golf GPS Watch, Medium. November 26, 2016.
2. GPS watch, Wikipedia. October 31, 2016.
3. Golf GPS Watch Buyers Guide 2016, CompsMag. June 11, 2016.
4. Alison Potter How to Buy the Best Golf Watch, Which?
5. Mike Bailey Golf course navigation: Should you use a laser rangefinder or GPS on the course? Golf Advisor. August 12, 2015.
6. How to Play Golf, wikiHow.
7. Robert Loescher Best Golf GPS - Choosing the Right One, HubPages. February 21, 2015.