If you find yourself constantly missing your targets one of the best things you can do is to get yourself some sort of yardage finder. In this post, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the 3 best golf GPS watches so you can figure out which will be the right fit for you and your game, and also the best place to pick them up.
I’ve tried and tested a handful of different GPS watches over the years and most of them haven’t been worth the money in my opinion. That being said, here are my top picks:
- Garmin Approach S20.
- Bushnell Neo Ion 2.
- Garmin Approach S60.
When we were trying out all the watches we ranked them all based on how they actually performed, how the quality was, and also how much they cost. We tried the best we could to find a cheaper option as well as a more heavy-duty one. Continue reading for my full review of each and info on where to get them for the best price.
The 3 Best Golf GPS Watches
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#3: Bushnell Neo Ion 2
This is another one of my favorite golf watches since I’ve used Bushnell products for years (hunting) and they’ve always produced a high-quality product. I wouldn’t say I liked it as much as the next two watches but if you can find one on sale, it could be a steal.
The main thing I liked about this watch over the next two is that I found the Bushnell to be a bit more user–friendly. It doesn’t have quite as many features and that’s going to make it easier to navigate through. It’ll give all the basic features you’d be looking for such as the distance to hazards and different parts of the green.
It’s a little bit more expensive than the S20 but and the battery life isn’t quite as good (about 2 rounds) but it’ll be a much better option for the non–techy person.
Here are the PROS:
- It’s really simple to use.
- It comes preloaded with over 36,000 courses in 30 different countries.
- It’s close to being as accurate as my laser rangefinder.
Now the CONS:
- It doesn’t show the time on the same screen as the golf info.
- It’s a bit hard to read in direct sunlight.
- The band isn’t replaceable if it breaks (with the model I tested).
Highly recommended though. Check the price on Amazon. Here’s a demo video:
#2: Garmin Approach S20
This is my favorite entry-level golf watch since it’s one of the more accurate models (in its price range), it comes preloaded with over 40,000 courses worldwide, and it’s not going to break the bank. I’ve tested a number of other units in this price range and most of them aren’t anywhere close to the S20.
I personally don’t think the cheaper models are worth picking up and would recommend waiting and saving up if need be. Any of the sub $100 watches aren’t reliable or accurate enough in my opinion and probably won’t last too long. Most of them did work for the basics but they tended to glitch a lot and weren’t very reliable.
It has a great battery life which will last about 3 rounds (12 hours or so), it’s weatherproof (not waterproof), and I found it to be more comfortable than most (even though I don’t like wearing watches myself).
Let’s talk about PROS:
- It’s the cheapest of the watches I’d recommend.
- It comes with an activity tracker.
- It’s a lot more accurate than the phone apps out there.
Now the CONS:
- It’s a little complicated to fully understand how to use all the features.
- It occasionally disconnected and some of the stats weren’t uploaded to the app.
Overall though, a solid beginner watch. See the full review here. Here’s a demo video:
#1: Garmin Approach S60
This is definitely my favorite golf watch and would recommend it to anyone who plans on using it a lot and wants a high-quality device with the most features. It’s going to be quite a bit more expensive than the previous two watches but it does have the most features.
The reason I have it ranked higher than the previous two is that I found it to be the most comfortable and it has the Touch Targetting feature (you can touch a point on the hole and it’ll give you the distance). This is incredibly useful because the other two only have basic distances.
The battery life will last about 2 rounds (enough for me) and it comes preloaded with over 40,000 courses from around the world. Pretty much all of the main courses in my area were on it and the same should be the case for you.
Another cool feature is the Playslike option which will take elevation into account and give you a more accurate reading. If you’re 150 yards out but it’s uphill, it’ll tell you 160 or 165 so you can club up. Most watches will just tell you 150 yards and you’ll most likely leave it way short.
The PROS:
- It’s waterproof.
- The battery life is decent.
- It has a fitness tracker.
- It’s just as accurate as any other watch.
- It has the most additional features.
The CONS:
- It’s a bit harder to use than the Bushnell (at first).
- There’s no heart rate monitor.
- It’s the most expensive of the 3.
If you need a high-quality watch with the most features, this is it. See the full review here. Here’s a demo video:
Final Thoughts
All three of these golf watches are great options and it really comes down to your budget or how often you’ll use it. I really don’t think you could go wrong with any of them.
If you’re tight on a budget or don’t golf much, go with the Garmin S20 or the Bushnell. They have all the basic features you’d be looking for on the golf course. If you plan on using it quite often and have the money to spend, go with the Garmin S60. It’s by far the best golf watch currently on the market.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
Looking to get some new golf gear? Click here to check out our recommended gear page to see the stuff we’re recommending and the cheapest place to get them.
Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API