Slope refers to a laser rangefinder’s ability to compensate for gradient changes and adjust the distance to the flag or object accordingly. When you hit uphill, the shot actually plays longer, and a Slope Distance will reflect this.

A shot hit downhill, on the other hand, will travel further. The slope function can be particularly useful on hilly courses where elevation changes are frequent.

Remember, however, that slope functionality is not currently legal for competition use, so you can only employ it during practice and social rounds.

Fortunately, the best golf laser rangefinders with slope allow users to quickly and easily switch the slope feature on and off depending on the round they are about to play.

In some cases, the laser unit has indicator lights that inform your players that it is legal for competition play.

Most golf rangefinders with slope only account for elevation change, but there are some models like the Bushnell Pro XE that also account for environmental factors like temperature and altitude, which affect how far the ball travels and therefore provide an even more accurate adjusted distance number.

This is why we saw a lot of players and caddies using this particular model when laser scopes were allowed to be used during the 2021 PGA Championship.

These are our picks after evaluating a large number of the best golf rangefinders with slope currently available.

Our Top Pick: INESIS GOLF 900 LASER RANGEFINDER

Specifications of Inesis Golf 900

• Weight: 175g
• Range: 5-1300 yards (flag 350 yards)
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: N/A
• Battery life: 5000 measurements

Like our previous equipment reviews, we’ve grown to love Decathlon’s Inesis gear, and the same is true of this rangefinder.

It’s a good value and has a Slope Compensation switch that can be used to quickly turn on and off slope-adjusted distances for practice or competition play. 

The Inesis outperformed the more expensive rangefinder in terms of accuracy and ease of use, which are both critical aspects when evaluating a laser.

While vibration measurements are confirmed, a First target priority function isolates the flag. It can measure in yards or metres and has a precision of +/- 1 yard.

Other features to mention include a 6x magnification, which gives you a very clear view through the viewfinder, as well as its excellent construction, comfortable grip, and appropriate weight.

You also get a very sturdy case that is really well made, as well as some instructions, a cloth for cleaning the rangefinder’s lens, a CR2 battery, and a clip that allows you to attach the laser to your bag.

Editors Choice: ZOOM FOCUS X RANGEFINDER

Specifications

• Weight: 170g
• Range: 850+ yards
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: N/A
• Battery life: N/A

The Focus X is the first product from the new rangefinder brand Zoom.

It has a number of premium features, including premium optics and six times magnification, as well as Slope Adjusted distance technology, which measures distances adjusted to compensate for the target’s elevation.

It can also change from yards to metres. 

When the flag is picked out from the background, the unit vibrates and displays the yardage to the nearest 0.1 of a yard, providing an extra level of accuracy not available with other lasers.

Despite the fact that the display was not quite as bright or clear as other models, the focus toggle does a good job of making everything visible through the viewfinder.

Given the product’s quality, it’s surprising to see it come with such a low price.

Best Value: VOLVIK V1 LASER RANGEFINDER

Best Value

Volvik V1 Pro Golf Range Finder

‘PRIORITY FIRST GOAL’ makes it possible to measure the distance to the nearest hazard

SLOPE COMPENSATION’ feature when measuring distances. Accurate to within 1 metre under normal circumstances

High-quality viewer with 6x magnification and multi-layer coating for a clear image

‘Slope compensation’ feature when measuring distances

Water resistant

Pros:

• Colour choices enhance appeal
• Accurate and picks out flags with ease

Cons:

• Lightweight design may reduce stability

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Comes in three colours, but the style has substance behind it.

Specifications

• Weight: 125g
• Range: 1300 yards
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: N/A
• Battery life: N/A

The Volvik V1 rangefinder is equipped with a variety of technologies to ensure you get the right yardage every time.

First, it has a Pin Finder function that can calculate distances of up to 1,200 yards within a yard. This function was absolutely effortless for us, as it allowed us to lock onto the flag and get accurate yardage the first time, every time.

Furthermore, it has a slope compensation mode that takes elevation changes into account to ensure you get the right yardage every time.

Volvik has also introduced a new feature called “Priority First Goal,” which allows the user to measure specific objects like flags and bunkers.

Finally, the three colour options available here are all very smart, especially in the all-over black design shown above. Golfers have a choice of black or red display graphics, as well as slope functionality.

Runner Up: SHOT SCOPE PRO L1 LASER RANGEFINDER

Specifications

• Weight: 200g
• Range: 875 yards
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: Water-resistant
• Battery life: N/A

The Shot Scope Pro L1, the company’s first laser rangefinder, was a very good start in the market, according to our tests.

The lightweight feel is the first thing we noticed, and while that may be a plus for some, particularly bag carriers, we prefer a slightly heavier model when the wind blows, but Shot Scope has since added 40g of weight to help.

The laser has two main modes, the first (M1) being a scanning mode that displays distances almost instantly as well as continuously, allowing you to scan the horizon and pick out various points of interest.

The flag icon in the display appears in the second mode (M2). It was able to distinguish the flag from the background most of the time, although it takes quite a while for the distance to display, longer than most other lasers we’ve tested.

However, once it has been detected, you get a nice vibration that confirms the distance is correct, to within 0.1 yards in fact. This adds to the accuracy of the data.

Overall, while the Pro L1 isn’t a perfect laser rangefinder, it has more than enough features and modern styling to justify the price tag and was easy to use.

Runner Up: GOLFBUDDY LASER LITE RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Golf Buddy Laser Lite Rangefinder With Slope

$109.99

The GOLF BUDDY LASER LITE - This compact and sporty golf laser rangefinder has slope compensation with on/off functionality and clear measurement with bright 6X magnification viewfinder.

Fast and Accurate - Fast measurement in 0.5 seconds with 1-click scan and accurate measurement with vibration alert. The jolt vibrates ensure you are picking up the flag rather than the landscape behind and the 0.5-second one-click measure makes it extremely fast at picking up your targets.

Pros:

• IPX4 waterproof rated
• Ergonomic and compact design
• Three available modes to help improve your swing

Cons:

• Pin detection can be somewhat inaccurate, requiring multiple scans

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02/05/2024 01:53 pm GMT

For golfers that prefer a lightweight laser rangefinder

Specifications

• Weight: 143g
• Range: 5-880 yards
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: IPX4 light rain.
• Battery life: N/A

This entry-level laser measures in just 0.5 seconds, vibrates when the target is locked, provides slope-adjusted distances, and has three modes (Normal, Scan, Pin) for various situations.

Normal mode allows you to get a distance for anything you aim at and confirms it with a vibration when you’re locked onto something.

Scan mode allows you to move between various targets with their distances displayed individually for up to 10 seconds.

Pin mode helps you identify the flag when there are obstacles behind it by starting it and then moving onto the pin, with a vibration when it locks on.

Normal mode was found to be efficient, while Pin mode was excellent in our testing. However, given the quality and ease of use of the other two modes, the Scan mode seems a little redundant.

Runner Up: GOLFBUDDY LASER 1S RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Golf Buddy Laser 1S Rangefinder with Slope

$143.99

Lower your score with the GOLFBUDDY GB LASER1S Rangefinder, reading distances from 5 to 880 yards and accurate to within 1 yard of distance. The ergonomically designed GB LASER1S features three different targeting modes: Standard, Scan and Pin finder with vibration. The rangefinder also comes with and on/o" slope feature that provides slope-adjusted distances for various elevations for more accuracy and is legal for handicap & tournament play.

Pros:

• Easy to use with enough useful modes
• Quick to display distances

Cons:

• A little basic in functionality

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02/05/2024 11:28 am GMT

Specifications

• Weight: 218g
• Range: 5-880 yards
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: IPX4 light rain.
• Battery life: N/A

The Laser 1S offers laser measuring performance at a lower price point. It’s lightweight and has an ergonomic and sporty look.

It has a 6x magnification and a larger LCD screen for better measurement visibility, as well as three different targeting modes: standard, scan, and pin. 

The simpleness of use is at the heart of the design, with a vibration option to confirm target lock and a one-click scan feature.

It’s one of the best GolfBuddy rangefinders in the current range because it has a Slope function that adjusts for any slope in the terrain between golfer and target, unlike the Laser 1 model.

Runner Up: GARMIN APPROACH Z82 RANGEFINDER

Combines GPS hole maps with fast and precise laser functionality in a single device.

Specifications

• Weight: 232g
• Range: 450 yards flag
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: IPX7 Waterproof
• Battery life: 15 hours

The Approach Z82 has 2-D overlays for full-colour Course View and Green View detail through the lens.

A full-colour 2-D Course View mapping is displayed on the left side of the lens view when looking through the viewfinder, showing distances to hazards and the green.

The flag finder feature will lock on the flag and provide precise distances to the pin. The Laser Range Arc will be drawn on the green at the distance ranged to the flag so that the golfer can see if the pin is in the front, middle, or back of it.

When ranging other targets on the course, the arc can also be used to see what else is in play.

There’s also a PlaysLike Distance feature that takes slopes into account, as well as a Pin Pointer feature that points to the middle of the green on blind shots.

Check out our guide to the best Garmin golf watches if you like Garmin products. This is without a doubt one of the best golf laser rangefinders you can buy.

While it’s expensive, the user experience is unrivalled, and the way GPS technology and hole maps have been integrated into a rangefinder is truly impressive.

Runner Up: BUSHNELL TOUR V5 SHIFT LASER GOLF RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Bushnell Golf Tour V5 Rangefinder

$249.99 $236.00

Size, speed and accuracy evolved with a new generation of tech — featuring PinSeeker with Visual JOLT, BITE Magnetic Mount, and next level clarity and brightness.

Pros:

• It is easy to see when slope mode is active for use during tournaments
• Crystal clear optics
• Flag lock is effective for up to 400yds
• Magnetic strip in the body

Cons:

• No specified maximum range
• Not waterproof

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02/05/2024 11:38 am GMT

When the flag is found, it combines speed with a vibration and a flashing red ring in the display.

Specifications

• Weight: 226g
• Range: 1300 yards (400+ flag)
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: Rainproof
• Battery life: N/A

Bushnell is a name synonymous with the best golf laser rangefinders, and the Tour V5 and V5 Shift continue that tradition.

Both are packed with technology, such as Bite technology, a magnetic mount, and Pinseeker with visual JOLT technology, which is a red ring that flashes as JOLT vibrates to give golfers, even more, feedback and confidence in knowing they have locked onto the flag.

It couldn’t be simpler in terms of ease of use. The crystal clear display and adjustable Fast Focus System toggle make it easy to spot the flag quickly.

The button on the side also allows you to change from metres to yards in a flash. The Shift has a new and improved slope algorithm as well as Slope-Switch technology, which allows the user to turn the slope function on or off.

This is the difference between the Tour V5 and the Shift. Both are waterproof, which is a great feature, and they come with a sturdy carry case, making it one of the best golf laser rangefinders on the market right now.

Runner Up: NIKON COOLSHOT PRO II STABILIZED GOLF RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED

$392.99

From the moment you step onto the course and look through the COOLSHOT PROII, you’ll know your game has changed. The view is stunning, bright, clear and sharp thanks to Nikon's brilliant optics. With the new DUAL LOCKED ON ECHO you get a visual and audible confirmation that you're ranging the flag and not a tree or other items in the background. Key measurements appear in an instant thanks to integrated HYPER READ technology and a premium OLED display.

What's most striking? The stability. Regardless of the weather conditions or excitement level, the view through the COOLSHOT PROII is calm and steady, for unshakable confidence in every shot.

Pros:

• Ideal for golfers with an unsteady hand
• Waterproof protection is rare in this category

Cons:

• The stabilisation feature may frustrate initially

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02/05/2024 08:18 pm GMT

Designed for golfers with unsteady hands to pick the flag more easily.

Specifications

• Weight: 180g
• Range: 1,200 yards
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: Waterproof and fog proof.
• Battery life: N/A

Nikon’s latest all singing and dancing laser rangefinder is packed with features to help you get quick and accurate distances to the points you want.

The stabilisation feature is said to reduce handshake by around 80 percent, and while it takes some getting used to, it certainly seemed to help us lock on to a flag more easily with practice.

There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to get the right distance, and this rangefinder should help.

This laser can provide audible and visual flagstick confirmation for added reassurance, and there are four measurement modes available for golfers who play a lot of hilly courses.

It’s a lot of money, but the waterproof protection and automatic brightness adjustment level, as well as the unique stabilisation feature, help to make it worthwhile.

If your hands are unsteady, you play a lot of different courses, and money is no object, it’s probably your perfect match.

Runner Up: BUSHNELL PRO XE LASER RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Bushnell Pro XE

Compete like never before with Bushnell's best golf laser rangefinder ever made, the Bushnell Pro XE. This golf rangefinder provides the power of yardage, performance, accuracy, and consistency to unleash your full potential on the course. Packed with essential golfing features such as Slope-Switch Technology, PinSeeker with Visual Jolt, 7X Magnification, and a fully waterproof multi-coated casing - you are ready to conquer what lies ahead.

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The most accurate laser rangefinder available, and a popular choice among tour caddies.

Specifications

• Weight: 312g
• Range: 500+ yards to flag
• Magnification: x7
• Protection: IPX7 Waterproof.
• Battery life: N/A

The Pro XE is one of the best Bushnell golf rangefinders to consider. There are a variety of factors that influence how far the ball travels and how far the pin is from you.

The new Pro XE takes even more of these into account, including temperature and altitude, as well as slope, to give you an unprecedented level of accuracy on compensated yardages.

Although these features aren’t legal for competition use, a button on the side quickly and easily disables them for your monthly medal.

You can now benefit from the improved PinSeeker with Visual Jolt feature in tournament play, where a red ring and a vibrating burst appear through the viewfinder when the flag is detected from the background.

The added assurance should help you feel more confident about the club you’ll need for the next shot.

The Bite magnetic mount is another distinctive feature of the Pro XE. This allows it to be attached to almost anything metallic, the most convenient of which being a buggy’s frame.

Runner Up: MOTOCADDY PRO 3000 LASER

Easy to use and offers simple point-and-shoot functionality.

Specifications

• Weight: 196g
• Range: 1300 yards
• Magnification: x7
• Protection: Rainproof.
• Battery life: N/A

Compared to everything else we’ve tested, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that’s easier to use than the Pro 3000.

It stands out from the crowd with its wide range of features, as well as the case’s unique connection to the Motocaddy Accessory station and two-year warranty. Let’s look at a few features now.

The boxy shape fits well in the hand, and the weighty feel of it meant we could hold it steady when measuring yardage.

Visually, the display is bright and clear, while the quick detection also helps off the tee when scanning the hole, as you can see the distances change almost constantly as you move to different targets.

With a reassuring vibration, the Pin Lock mode made it very easy to pick out the flag.

In slope mode, we liked that it displayed both the legal and adjusted distances, allowing you to get a sense of elevation changes.

The battery level in the display is a welcome addition, as it lets you know when a new power source will be needed. 

Runner Up: EASYGREEN VISION PRO RANGEFINDER

Specifications

• Weight: 145g
• Range: N/A
• Magnification: N/A
• Protection: Water-resistant (IXP4)
• Battery life: N/A

One of the lightest and smallest laser rangefinders you’ll find. Despite this, it still appears to fit well, but keeping it steady is a little more difficult.

The display is surprisingly large and bright, especially in dim lighting, and you can alter the graphics’ opacity if you so desire.

You can find a decent amount of options here, and it appears to be fairly easy to navigate through them and get the distances you want.

It may lack the wow factor, but for the price, it offers competitive value for money for golfers looking for a hassle-free user experience as well as the option of slope-adjusted yardages.

Runner Up: NIKON COOLSHOT 50I LASER RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Nikon COOLSHOT 50i

$299.95 $246.95

Meet the first Nikon COOLSHOT rangefinder with a built in mounting magnet so it's ready when you need it and out of the way when you don't. Packed inside this smart, ergonomic design is Nikon's outstanding rangefinder technology—slope-adjustment, DUAL LOCKED ON QUAKE for flagstick confirmation, superior optics, continuous measurement and more.

Pros:

• Red OLED display that is clear and easy to read
• Magnetic strip for attaching to your golf kart
• Pin locking technology ensures you never get incorrect measurements for things behind your target

Cons:

• The magnet in this product makes it unsuitable for people who use pacemakers

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02/05/2024 12:08 pm GMT

Provides a high level of features and accuracy at a reasonable price.

Specifications

• Weight: 175g
• Range: 1200 yards
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: IPX4
• Battery life: N/A

The Coolshot 50i strikes a good balance between being reasonably priced and offering a competitive level of features.

The tacky textured sections on the top and bottom make it unlikely to fall in your hand, but its weight of just under 200 grams makes it a little shaky in the wind since it lacks the stabilisation feature of the Coolshot Pro II Stabilised model to compensate.

In overcast conditions, the display’s red graphics are bright, and the optics were generally excellent.

We were able to shoot everything we wanted, and the distances increased quickly. This laser is for the golfer with a steady hand who plays a lot in the sand and wants to have slope-adjusted distances available.

Runner Up: ZOOM FOCUS TOUR LASER RANGEFINDER

For golfers who want to add a touch of class to their equipment.

Specifications

• Weight: 210g
• Range: 850+ yards
• Magnification: 6x
• Protection: N/A
• Battery life: N/A

How it looks is what sets this laser rangefinder apart. It has a premium, elegant look that users will be proud to own thanks to its hybrid metal design.

It also doesn’t skimp on functionality. Users can gain more accuracy on hilly courses with a Slope mode that can be easily switched on the side.

It has a scan mode that is useful off the tee when determining how far it is to clear bunkers, as well as a flag mode that excels at distinguishing the target from the background on approach shots.

Furthermore, the display is one of the best around – bright and wide, you have a clear view regardless of the time of day you are playing.

It’s light, but not too light, and it offers a variety of useful features at an affordable price.

Runner Up: SURESHOT PINLOC 5000 IPS LASER RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

Sureshot Pinloc 5000IP Golf Laser Rangefinder

$218.95 $118.30

The sure shot laser Pin-Lock 5000IP, Class 1 and 0. 2mW units is packed with intelligent software with the addition of pulse technology, ensuring golf is played with trust and confidence. Once locked onto your desired target a game-boosting pulse can be felt. This 5000IP comes in a sleek silver color.

Pros:

• Flag distance remains in the display for 15 seconds
• Variety of useful, easy to use modes

Cons:

• Gold trim reduces visual appeal

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02/05/2024 10:33 pm GMT

An underrated option that is ergonomically designed has been proven to be correct.

Specifications

• Weight: 175g
• Range: Up to 1000 yards
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: Not waterproof
• Battery life: N/A

While the gold trim adds a touch of tackiness, we can’t fault the rangefinder’s user experience.

We liked how the distance locked in flag mode will stay on the display for 15 seconds, so if you go to get a club, get distracted, and then forget the distance, you don’t have to zap the pin all over again.

The Priority loc feature, which ignores background images and prioritises focal points, makes the process easier. A button underneath the eyepiece can be used to switch on and off the scan mode and slope.

The distances we measured compared well to other lasers with higher prices. The carry case is budget and basic, but it’s a strong contender for a spot on your bag for golfers looking for performance on a budget.

Runner Up: EASYGREEN 1300 RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

EasyGreen 1300 Golf Rangefinder

The EasyGreen 1300 laser rangefinder is packed with market leading innovations. It has a huge range of up to 1'300 yards and +450 yards to the pin. Tour level slope-switch technology gives golfers compensated distance based the holes incline/decline - and turns off for a usga & r&a-conforming device when needed. There's pin-tracking with jolt technology to eliminate any doubt that you have locked onto the flag and all wrapped up in a fully-waterproof ergogenic housing to give the golfer the ultimate golf laser rangefinder.

Pros:

• Simple to use
• Decent value for money

Cons:

• Lacks wow factor and shelf appeal

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The obvious choice for golfers on a budget who don’t want to sacrifice features.

Specifications

• Weight: 280g
• Range: 5-1300 yards (400 yards flag)
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: IPX4 splash-proof.
• Battery life: N/A

EasyGreen’s 1300 model is an entry-level laser with a range of 1,300 yards and accuracy to within one yard. It features ‘Slope Compensation Technology,’ which improves measurement accuracy in slopes and declines.

It also vibrates when locked onto the flag, comes with a premium carry case, and is considerably cheaper than most of its competitors.

Runner Up: GOLFBUDDY AIM L10V RANGEFINDER

Runner Up

GolfBuddy L10 AIM

The aim L10 is a compact and sporty laser rangefinder with slope compensation technology that you can manually turn on or o at any time. The aim L10 features three different targeting modes: Standard, Scan and Pin along with a slight vibration that assures you when you have locked on to your intended target. The slope-adjusted distances help you incorporate the elevation of the hole, providing a better perspective of your shot and making club selection even more accurate.

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If golfers want them, this is a small device that provides audio confirmation of distances.

Specifications

• Weight: 150g
• Range: 5-880 yards
• Magnification: x6
• Protection: IPX4 light rain
• Battery life: N/A

The Aim L10V is the brand’s most advanced laser rangefinder to date, but it also offers ease of use.

The L10V’s unique audio feature provides spoken distance confirmation, giving the golfer more confidence and ease of use.

This is combined with three targeting modes – standard, scan, and pin – and 6x magnification to ensure that the results are precise and clear on the larger LCD screen.

It also has a slope on/off feature for greater accuracy at various elevations.

How Do We Evaluate The Best Golf Laser Rangefinders With Slope?

It’s an obvious statement, but the best way to test rangefinders is to use them on the golf course at every opportunity.

Because the entire team is avid golfers, rangefinders are frequently put through their paces and compared to one another side by side to see how accurate, waterproofing, durability, and other features are.

That way, we can give you, the reader, honest and insightful feedback.

Best Golf Viewfinders With Slope Buying Guide

What To Look For When Buying A Laser Rangefinder?

You’ve decided to buy a laser rangefinder, but what are some of the things you should know before buying one? Let’s take a look.

Accuracy 

This is the most critical aspect of laser buying. If it isn’t accurate, it is pointless because it will provide misinformation, which could lead to you playing the wrong club and a bogey or two.

Accuracy is what usually separates the models we’ve chosen above from those you can find on Amazon, so be aware of how inconsistent and unreliable some very cheap models can be.

Slope 

Do you want your model to include slope measurements? If so, check out the technical specifications of certain models, but all of the models featured in this guide offer slope functionality, compensating for gradient changes.

Waterproofing 

A good laser will work just as well in the rain as it will out in the sun, making waterproofing essential.

We’d recommend doing some research on which models offer full waterproof protection and which are only water-resistant, as that can make a big difference, especially if you play a lot of golf in the rain.

Strength 

In keeping with the previous point, good lasers must be able to withstand a drop or two because we all drop things from time to time.

Check out which lasers have some impact resistance, and make sure to check if the laser comes with a case, as many models now come with strong cases that easily clip onto your golf bag.

Convenience 

Lasers must be quick and easy to use, in terms of convenience. Get it out, measure the flag, and store it in its case.

If a laser is complicated or takes a long time to display a measurement, it adds time rather than saves it. We often recommend trying out some models in stores and pro shops to figure this out.

Budget 

Be aware of how much you are willing to spend on a laser, as there are good models at every price point these days.

The Inesis 900, for example, is one of the cheapest on this list and we thought it provided excellent performance, while models like the Garmin Approach Z82, for example, can be bought for more money and go towards the premium end of the spectrum.

FAQ – Best Golf Viewfinders With Slope

The post 17 Best Golf Viewfinders With Slope appeared first on Golftlink.

Garmin is a fantastic choice for tracking fitness, whereas Apple provides the best of the best when it comes to smart notifications.

There have been a number of watches released by both brands and the battle is still on.

They’re both great for their own unique reasons, but which option is the best for you? Here’s what you need to know.

Which Watch Has Superior Sports Tracking?

You may be wondering which one of these watches will be the better option if you want something for sports tracking.

Well, the Garmin is usually best thanks to its multisport tracking, performance metrics and GPS navigation. You will get the best value for money in this regard from Garmin.

If smart notifications are a priority to you though, Apple is certainly the better choice, not to mention that you will also get a bunch of extra cool features with the Apple watch that are generally only accessible through your smartphone.

It can sometimes be a little challenging to choose which brand you want to go with, but in most cases it’s important to work out what your priorities are when buying a smartwatch.

Garmin watches are generally much better for athletes, whereas you will essentially get a miniature iPhone with the Apple watch which means it has a lot of functionality.

If you are trying to choose between the two then it’s vital that you are aware of the similarities and differences.

Which Of These Brands Is Better?

Garmin makes some pretty impressive watches. Just take the Garmin Forerunner series, for instance.

This is a spectacular offering for anyone that is looking for a fitness watch, and the watches from Garmin have only improved since then.

With that being said, we all know how intricate the iPhone is, and the Apple Watch is a testament to the kind of top class technology that we have come to expect from Apple through the years.

Being able to access a smartphone from your wrist comes with a lot of different benefits. In reality you can get amazing smartwatches from both of these brands, but there are a few differences between them that are good to consider before making any kind of decision.

A lot of people that are heavily into fitness will stay away from the Apple watch on a regular basis for tracking things like performance.

Instead they will often use a Garmin or Suunto watch, since for the most part they are better suited to fitness tracking and can provide you with much more in depth metrics.

If you are just looking to get into fitness and want a way of tracking your progress, the Apple watch will certainly work well for you.

In fact, if you aren’t going to need the in depth metrics, the Apple watch is actually the superior option thanks to its versatility.

Don’t misunderstand us though – you will still get some fantastic performance tracking with the Apple watch offerings.

You have lots of options available to you with the Apple Watch. You will get Vo2 max tracking for instance, and will also get performance conditioning features much like you would find on more advanced fitness specific trackers.

You’ll get sleep tracking from both brands, and they are both very good in terms of accuracy. You are definitely going to get more bang for your buck from Garmin if you are in the market for the health and fitness tracking functionality though.

These watches are great for multisport tracking, and the watches are specifically designed to work in a variety of different environments, whether you are indoors or outdoors. This makes it ideal for more rugged sports activities.

Garmin isn’t the best with smart notifications though, and this is where the Apple Watch offerings truly shine.

You can respond to texts and other notifications in no time at all using the Apple Watch series and the screen is also significantly better.

With the Apple Watch you can get some truly intuitive app notifications and they are easy to access too – no clunky buttons included.

Spot the Difference: Garmin VS Apple Watch

The first noticeable difference that you will see between these two watches is the touchscreen. The Apple Watch has a spectacular touchscreen, and frankly, the Garmin is the obvious loser in this debate.

In order to use the Garmin watch you will instead need to use buttons. This isn’t the end of the world, but it can sometimes be finicky to use.

The Apple Watch takes a lot of the hassle out of it with the touchscreen. Of course, it’s worth noting that the battery life on Garmin watches is usually significantly better than what you would get with an Apple Watch.

For instance, if you get a Garmin watch then there’s a chance that it could stay charged and functional for 1-2 weeks. 

If you have the GPS on all the time then you will still manage to get around 3-4 days of battery life. With the Apple Watch, you aren’t going to get nearly as much battery life.

There are some Garmin watches that are even solar powered, and this is even more of a selling point for the Garmin.

You will get pay apps that you can use with both offerings – Garmin Pay and Apple Pay.

They can be used without too much trouble, and are very useful for when you don’t want to have to mess around with a million apps on your phone in order to pay for something. 

You will also get some great health monitoring statistics from both of these brands. Everything that you need to know about your health and fitness can be accessed right from the app for the watch. You can see a lot of your data directly from the watch screen, too.

For instance, you can view your blood oxygen levels, your recommended activities and your heart rate. The apps will usually tell you some ways that you can improve your fitness too. 

You will get slightly more options with the Garmin model, and the heart rate monitoring is much more in depth. You will get far more fitness suggestions with the Garmin watch too.

The Apple Watch is usually a lot faster and it’s easier to use it in order to access your data. Garmin is no slouch in this regard either, but the Apple watch is far more convenient to use.

The Apple Watch is also much better for music accessibility too. If you get a set of Apple AirPods, then you can listen to music easily right from your watch. You don’t need to get the AirPods, but they certainly help.

Apple Music is also included with the watch. The Garmin options simply can’t compare in this respect, even the Music editions of the watches.

It’s important to really highlight that it’s so important to think about what you really want out of a smartwatch before you buy one.

In some respects the Apple Watch is superior, but in others it can’t hold a candle to the Garmin watches. You’ll get good features from both, but the better option will vary depending on you and what you want.

Basically, Garmin tends to be better for fitness features, but Apple reigns supreme with smart features.

What Can I Get Instead Of An Apple Watch?

You will get much better apps and downloads from Apple, but there are a number of great competitors out there that are great both in terms of fitness and technology.

Garmin Forerunner 245

$299.99

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02/05/2024 01:18 pm GMT

Garmin Forerunner 945

$299.00

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02/05/2024 10:08 pm GMT

Garmin Venu Sq

$178.98

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02/05/2024 10:16 pm GMT

Our Top Pick: Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

Our Top Pick

Garmin Forerunner 245

$299.99

You do the running. Forerunner 245 Music does the thinking. It even gets to know you, mile after mile and song after song. This GPS smartwatch has storage for your favorite tunes, so you can keep moving to the music without having to lug your phone along. It also tracks your stats, crunches the numbers and gets to know all about your performance, your running form, your training history and even your goals. All you need to focus on is putting one foot in front of the other.

Pros:

• Music syncing using streaming services
• You can download up to 500 songs
• Enhanced running dynamics
• Heart rate data

Cons:

• The wristband isn’t very comfortable
• Battery life could be better

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02/05/2024 01:18 pm GMT

There’s one thing that a person simply has to have when they are pumping the iron – an incredible soundtrack.

You need to make sure that you have those tunes at the ready to keep you motivated! That’s why the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is so great.

With this watch, you can have up to 500 audio files on hand – or wrist – that will play randomly when you activate them.

This is a huge advantage, since you won’t need to get your phone out just to change a song. It’s pretty revolutionary for a workout.The watch is also ideal if you want more enhanced metrics for your workouts that you can access later on.

It comes with the Garmin Coach, and this will give you recommendations of status and effects that you want to achieve during your fitness training.

It will help you to achieve your biggest goals and will give you plenty of insights into things that you should do in the future to get the best results based on your goals.

All of the insights are broken down into categories too, making it much easier to analyze.

In addition to that, you will also get an exceptional battery life with the watch. You are going to get 24 hours of battery if you use the watch in GPS mode.

If you are using it in its standard smartwatch mode then you will get a full week of use out of it before you need to put it on charge.

The watch is pretty similar to the Apple Watch in terms of its capabilities, and the added music functionality is really useful.

It is a solid choice if you are looking for an alternative to the Apple watch. You can use it for lots of activities too, and you can change things without too much trouble.

Use this watch for activities including cycling, swimming, running, elliptical straining, strength training and so much more. In short, it’s a wonderful choice as an alternative to the Apple Watch.

Editors Choice: Garmin Forerunner 945

Garmin Forerunner 945

$299.00

You’re an athlete, and this is your watch. The forerunner 945 running watch lets you sync with premium music services to put your songs on your wrist when paired with a compatible smartphone (may require premium subscription). It also offers our most advanced physiological features, including training load balance and more. Also enjoy the convenience of quick, contactless payments solution (available for supported cards from participating banks) from the wrist with Garmin Pay. With full color, onboard maps to guide you on your run, you’ll never get lost during a workout. Wherever you go, built in safety and tracking features — such as incident detection (during select activities), which sends you send your real time location to emergency contacts through your paired compatible smartphone.

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02/05/2024 10:08 pm GMT

If you’re looking for an improvement on the Forerunner 745 then the Garmin Forerunner 945 will definitely be worth trying out.

There are a lot of things to love about this watch, and it’s a great rival to the Apple Watch. With this you can see your training performance and you will get all sorts of insights. This will allow you to truly optimize your training efforts.

You can use the smartwatch to keep track of your VO2 max, and it will be modified based on the heat levels and the altitude.

You can also check your training status, which will tell you your training history and give you indicators on your performance to tell you how effective your workouts have been.

Enhanced insights will show you how the things you have been doing are likely to affect your performance in future, which is handy for different sports.

You can also access information about recovery time. This will help you to make sure that you reap the rewards of all of your workouts since it tells you how long you should be resting in between.

It’s possible to check the training load too, and this will tell you about how much you have been exercising over the course of a week and makes recommendations going forward based on your level of fitness and how you have been training recently.

The training history is very well organized too which is useful.While the Apple Watch certainly isn’t a slouch with the fitness features, the Garmin Forerunner 945 runs rings around it in this respect.

You have never seen performance tracking quite like it.

Best Value: Garmin Venu Sq

Best Value

Garmin Venu Sq

$178.98

Featuring a bright color display, the Venu Sq GPS smartwatch combines daily style with health monitoring and fitness features that inspire you to keep moving. Estimate your heart rate, sleep, stress, Body Battery energy levels and so much more. Walk, run, ride or choose from more than 20 preloaded apps for indoor or outdoor sports. Never miss a call or text with smart notifications delivered to your wrist (when paired with a compatible smartphone). Breeze through checkout lines and select transit systems with Garmin Pay contactless payments (with a supported payment network). Go longer between charges with up to 6 days of battery life. Swim, bike, run — do it all with a smartwatch that uses multiple satellite systems to accurately track your workouts.

Pros:

• Lightweight and small
• Comes with 20 preloaded apps for sports, including things like golf and
• Comes with preloaded workouts such as plates, cardio yoga and strength
• Comes with smart notifications

Cons:

• It can have a habit of glitching and the GPS reception isn’t very good
• The screen may be a little bit small for cyclists

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02/05/2024 10:16 pm GMT

You will love the Garmin Venu Sq if you give it a try. It’s a relatively small watch but it certainly has a lot of different features to love.

It’s ideal if you want a fitness watch that doesn’t take up too much space on your arm. It’s a fantastic alternative to the bulky nature of many other sports watches on the market.

It’s fairly affordable and also comes with smart notifications much like the Apple watch. 

The main thing to love about this watch though is the tracking and the health statistics that you will have access to.

You can access breathwork activities on the watch that are ideal for lowering stress levels and for relaxing after workout sessions.

It’ll keep track of your respiration and your stress and give you insights on your breathing. If you want to know more about your fluid intake then you can also access that information on the watch.

If you struggle to drink enough water, you can set goals to help you to stay on top of your fluid levels.

In addition to this, the watch comes with a Pulse Ox sensor that will tell you about your blood oxygen levels.

This is really useful when you are training, especially if you are going to be running. It will prompt you to keep on top of your breathing activities in moments of stress too.

It doesn’t have quite the same level of depth in performance features, but it’s certainly ideal if you want an intricate health watch.

Runner Up: Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Runner Up

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

$329.99 $284.95

Tune in to your body, and tone up with the 40 mm vívoactive 4S GPS smartwatch. It has the broadest available range of all-day health monitoring features, music storage and on-screen, Animated workouts To help you reach your goals. Boost every activity by downloading your favorite Spotify® or Deezer (may require a premium subscription With a third-party music provider) playlists straight to your watch.

Pros:

• Monitors the user’s sleep and rest
• Comes with 20 apps preloaded
• You can download songs onto it
• Comes with animated workouts that you can follow
• 7 days of battery life if used in smartwatch mode, and 5 hours of battery life when using music and GPS mode

Cons:

• Not especially durable
• Cycling features are somewhat lacking

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02/05/2024 03:11 pm GMT

This is yet another great option if you are looking for a smaller sports watch that isn’t going to feel too clunky on your wrist.

It’s got a lot of features that you are sure to enjoy, including a training power meter that will allow you to keep track of your performance and your overall health and wellbeing when you are in the process of your training.

If you enjoy mixing things up a little with your training then the Vivoactive 4S can also accommodate for that.

For instance, if you feel like having a swimming session then you can enjoy the swimming mode on the watch.

With this you can keep track of all of your movements underwater without even needing to do a thing.

When you have finished the swim, the watch will then give you suggestions on how your performance can be improved in the future.

What really shines about this watch though is the Garmin move IQ performance tracker.

This is useful since it allows the watch to automatically work out what kind of workout you are doing, so in the event that you forget to start the workout on the watch first, you don’t need to worry. 

The workout will still be logged so you can see all of your metrics.This watch in particular has everything you could love about Garmin but with a number of added extras.

The watch is a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to take charge of their health and fitness and to learn more about their body.

Runner Up: Suunto 3 Fitness

Runner Up

SUUNTO 3

$125.99

Suunto 3: This fitness tracker sports watch accurately tracks steps, exercise, stress, and recovery; Adaptive training guidance creates custom 7 day plans that help maintain or improve your fitness level

A Life In Balance: This fitness watch delivers a holistic view of your daily activity, including steps, calories and sleep; Stylish, ultra soft microfiber strap looks good in the gym or out on the town

Pros:

• Provides an intricate view into daily activities
• Good looking strap is versatile enough to work with any outfit or for any purpose
• A company with a long standing reputation
• High quality products are to be expected
• Durable design with in depth metrics that are perfect for daily training
• Can be connected to other sports apps and services

Cons:

• It has a 5 button layout that can be tricky to navigate
• Not everyone likes the thicker bezel and band – it can be sort of uncomfortable

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02/05/2024 09:43 pm GMT

Finally we have the Suunto 3 Fitness. This is a durable watch with a number of fantastic features.

It’s a great watch for people who lead an active lifestyle and want to keep an eye on their general health and wellbeing. 

With the watch you can create a personal training plan and it will adjust depending on your goals and needs.

You’ll get guidance as you go when you are training to ensure that you are doing things at a level that works for you.

You will need to create your personal profile, and when you have done that, the Suunto app will create a 7 day training program for you that’s based on the right duration and intensity for every exercise to help you to get better.

You can set them up without too much trouble, and the watch will help you to stay on track throughout the workout.

All of these exercise recommendations are generated based on you, your goals and your fitness level.

It will also alter depending on the activities that you prefer to do or based on your actions. It will alter the plan if you end up missing a day of exercise for whatever reason, so you don’t need to worry about it.

This device is ideal for lots of activities since it’s a multisports watch. Whether you’re running, swimming or cycling, the Suunto 3 has got you covered.

When measuring your distance and speed, the watch utilizes something known as wrist based cadence. This allows you to monitor your distance and speed both indoors and outdoors.

Not only that but it also keeps track of your recovery and stress, which is great for helping you to properly plan your day.

When you’re done, you can simply check out the watch or the app to learn more about your activity throughout the day.

Are Garmin Watches Worth The Money?

It can often be difficult to choose the perfect smartwatch for your fitness endeavors, so it’s only natural that you may wonder whether the Garmin watches are actually worth the money.

Thankfully, they are definitely worth it for anyone looking to monitor their health and fitness.

They are advanced watches with fantastic, in depth statistics that are sure to aid you in your fitness journey. They provide a lot more in this department than comparable watches from brands like Apple do.

You will get lots of sports and fitness metrics available to you, and these watches will give you far more than just some basic smart notifications that you would otherwise be able to see just by looking at your smartphone.

In addition to this, the technology is incredibly impressive. It helps you to improve your performance by offering you feedback based on previous activity – there’s nothing general about these metrics, to say the least.

The watches are lightweight and comfortable to wear, though there are options available if you prefer something a little more bulky and more hard wearing for certain types of activities.

If you still aren’t sold on the idea of getting a Garmin watch, here are a couple of things that they are good for:

Fantastic For Triathletes

These watches are a tremendous choice for people that want the latest and greatest statistics about their performance, making them one of the best options for triathletes.

This watch certainly has you covered if you are planning on going on a triathlon.

You can monitor your cadence, the amount of time that you are in contact with the ground, the lengths of your strides and even your heart rate to see where your performance levels currently are.

VO2 Max Tracking 

You want only the most accurate statistics when you are training, so you don’t want random outside variables affecting your metrics.

That’s why these watches include VO2 Max readings to make your workout tracking even more accurate. Many other brands also offer this, but none to the level that you would get from Garmin.

Comes With Activity Profiles Already Loaded 

It doesn’t matter what activity you’re interested in, the Garmin watches are ideal for you. They are versatile and work for all sorts of different fitness activities.

You will get in depth metrics for triathlons, swimming, bicycling, running and pretty much anything else that you can think of in between. Just select the right profile and you’re good to go. 

If you want to make a few changes to your routine then Garmin watches are also good for this too, since they will make activity recommendations for you based on your previous activities.

Music Synchronization 

Many watches have the ability to sync to music, but Garmin also does this well. Certain watches are much better at it than others and Apple is slightly better for music.

With that being said though, you can access music from all of your favorite streaming profiles and you can also install music directly onto the watch.

With this, you can control what you listen to directly through the watch. You won’t need to carry around your phone to change your tunes with one of these watches!

GPS Navigation 

The GPS functionality in these watches is truly phenomenal. It’s ideal for working out when you are outdoors, and has a lot of other uses too that you are sure to appreciate.

It’s highly accurate and definitely leagues above many competing products.

The post The Battle Of The Smartwatches: Is Apple Or Garmin Better For Multisports Tracking? appeared first on Golftlink.

But for someone who has never bought a GPS for this purpose before, choosing the right one can be a bit complicated. lan

Garmin’s Approach G80 GPS launch monitor is one of the more powerful monitors currently available.

In comparison to other models, the G80 scored highly for accuracy, course selection, battery life, and overall quality.

However, the more features a product has, the more expensive it becomes, which is true for Garmin’s Approach G80 as well.

While this may put some people off, after reading this review and seeing everything that the GPS has to offer, you may change your mind. Let’s do this!

Garmin Approach G80 Golf GPS

Our Pick

Garmin Approach G80

$409.02

Why buy a golf handheld and a golf radar separately when it’s so easy to get both in a single convenient unit? Approach G80 is the first all-in-one premium GPS golf handheld with integrated launch monitor. Garmin radar technology makes it easy to track club head speed, ball speed, smash factor, swing tempo and estimated distance.

Pros:

• Accurate
• Good build quality
• User Friendly

Cons:

• High price
• Both a GPS and a launch monitor

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02/05/2024 11:48 pm GMT

This is Garmin’s flagship golf GPS, and it’s rather remarkable in that it includes a launch monitor.

This is a wonderful GPS for anyone who wants to keep track of their swing numbers at the range and course information when out on the golf course.

While there are several GPS gadgets and launch monitors on the market, hybrids are uncommon.

Previously, a GPS for the course and a launch monitor for the range was required, which are two separate devices.

A GPS device will effectively tell you how far each shot traveled and how close you are to key sections of the course. This is crucial for shortening your distances and lowering your score.

A launch monitor is a piece of equipment that collects information about your swing, including swing speed, ball speed, smash factor, and a few other characteristics.

Launch Monitor

A golf launch monitor is a device that measures many aspects of your swing. It will inform you of the distance traveled by each club and will also make range practice much more fun.

Although it will not be 100% accurate, it will provide you with an indication of where your game stands.

Here are the things that the launch monitor will track for you:

Swing Tempo

Swing tempo refers to the duration of your entire swing. It will essentially inform you of the smoothness of your swing, which is really important to know.

Accelerating your tempo is a highly effective strategy for increasing your consistency. Your backswing, as a general rule, should be three times as long as your downswing.

Clubhead Speed

Clubhead speed is the rate at which your club is swung. Increased velocity equates to increased distance (generally).

Knowing your clubhead speed can assist you in determining the appropriate shafts to use and the appropriate golf ball to play. All of these things are crucial in elevating your game.

Distance

Distance is how far down the fairway the ball is hit. Obviously, the further, the better.

Smash Factor

The smash factor relates to the amount of energy your club transfers to the ball. Your smash factor dictates the amount of energy sent towards the ball.

The more energy the greater the range. With a smash factor of 1.5, a 100 mph swing results in a 150 mph ball speed. Your driver will have the highest smash factor.

Ball Speed

The term “ball speed” refers to the rate at which the golf ball comes off the club. Increased speed results in increased distance.

While the majority of it is dependent on the club and ball you choose, it is still a helpful statistic to know.

GPS

A golf GPS will show you the distance between various points on the course.

If you have always struggled with distance control then knowing the right yardage to the targets will help you improve your game.

It is also a big help knowing how far you hit each club. Over 41,000 courses from across the world are preloaded on the Garmin G80, so you should hopefully find your local course on there.

If you are a bit nervous about buying this product without knowing if it has your course on it, then you can check the Garmin website.

On there, you will be able to search up your local course and it will verify that it is on the GPS.

Additionally, it will identify your location in relation to the 100- and 150-yard marks. Developing proficiency in these two strokes is one of the most effective techniques for increasing your score.

All that is left is for you to choose the suitable club to get you to the 100 or 150-yard marker.

Here are some of the best features of the golf GPS:

Stat Tracking

Stat tracking is a wonderful tool since it offers a birds-eye view of your game. It will display information such as putts per round, regulation greens/fairways, and a few more things.

Pinpointer

When shooting blind, the pinpointer aids in establishing the green’s position. You may be ahead of a cluster of trees, or you may be firing over a hill and so unable to see the flag. This is pretty big benefit of this device

Playslike

Playslike will account for elevation and calculate the right yardage for you.

If you strike downward from 150 yards out, the distance may appear to be 140 yards. This is possibly one of the most usefual traits fo the whole device.

Touch Targeting

Touch targeting may be used to calculate the distance to any place on the course. To obtain your distance, all you have to do is touch a specific location.

Other GPS features

Apart from these excellent features, there are several more packed into the GPS side of this device:

• Course preview
• View of the green
• Yardage to front, middle, and back of the green
• Stat tracking
• Yardage to doglegs & layups
• Scorecard
• Shot distance

Practice Mode

The G80’s practise mode is an intriguing feature that you will probably appreciate since it makes practising more entertaining.

This feature will boost the challenge and enjoyment of the game. It will give you yardage to hit and a gauge of how near you came. Additionally, it will tell how far to the left or right of the target you were.

You can shoot simulated rounds against a human opponent at the range. This adds some diversity to your swing and applies some pressure to it. It’s a lot more fun than hitting ball after ball.

Specs

Here are the most important specs of the Garmin G80:

• Courses – 41,000+
• Size – 59 x 144 x 16mm
• Water resistant – yes
• Touchscreen – yes
• Battery – 15 hours in GPS mode
• Screen size – 3.5 inch
• Weight – 199 grams
• Launch monitor – yes
• Preloaded – yes
• Touch targeting – yes
• Distance To Front, Middle, Back – yes
• Playslike – yes
• Distance To Hazards/Doglegs/Layup – yes
• Manual Pin Placement – yes
• Shot distance – yes 
• Auto shot – yes
• Score card – yes 
• Stat tracking – yes

Pros:

• Accurate – though the distance on both the GPS and launch monitor may be out by a few years, it is still farly accurate for a GPS device 
• Good build quality – when taking a device such as this out onto the course, you want to make sure that it is durable and waterproof as you never know what could happen. The Garmin 80 is a pretty sturdy device
• User Friendly – if you have never used a GPS device for golf before, then you will appreciate just how easy to use the GArmin 80 is

Cons:

• High price – though it is it packed full of features and is made to be sturdy and durable, there are palnety of other GPS devices on the market that do pretty much the same thing as the Garmin 80
• Both a GPS and a launch monitor – While this can also be considered a pro of this device as having both is very useful, if you just want a GPS devioce then thisi may not be for you. Also getting a simple GPS device will be much cheaper than this product

Frequently Asked Questions about the Garmin Approach G80 Golf GPS

The post Review of Garmin Approach G80 Golf GPS appeared first on Golftlink.

In this review, we will be taking a look at the Garmin Approach CT10 golf club tracker.

We will go through what you get with the purchase, what the device actually does, and how well it works when out on the green.

By the end of this review, you should know whether the Garmin CT10 is the right choice for you.

Garmin CT10 Quick Summary

Although the Garmin Approach CT10 is an excellent golf monitoring system, some devices perform better than this on the market right now. For a similar pierce you may find ones that are more accurate or easier to use, though it all depends on what your preferences are. 

Maybe try this one out before you buy it to see if it works for you, or skip it altogether and go for a different option (another popular option is the Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors).

What is the Garmin CT10?

The CT10 is a Garmin club tracking system that fits your grips, keeps track of your stats, and collects data.

It features a sensor for each club and records the distance traveled with each club, allowing you to be assured and avoid second-guessing which club to use.

This should significantly improve distance management and the ability to hit more greens.

What Does the CT10 Do?

Understanding the data these devices offer is just as crucial as picking the correct golf ball when it comes to improving your game (especially if you struggle with distance control).

Many golfers, especially beginners,  simply guess which club to use and end up leaving the golf ball well short of the green or smashing it over it.

With this device, you will be able to see how far off the tee, along the fairway, and onto the green, you generally hit each club. After that, you may develop a strategy for enhancing your golf game or pinpoint areas for development.

Following your round, you may evaluate it using the app to determine which areas require the most care.

Additionally, if you possess a Garmin watch, you may connect it to the app in order to get extra stats.

Our Pick: Garmin Approach CT10

Our Pick

Garmin Approach CT10 - Automatic Club Tracking System Bundle with (6 sensors)

The CT10 is a Garmin club tracking system that fits your grips, keeps track of your stats, and collects data. It features a sensor for each club and records the distance traveled with each club, allowing you to be assured and avoid second-guessing which club to use. This should significantly improve distance management and the ability to hit more greens.

Pros:

• Pretty accurate distance date
• Can track your progress
• Very easy to use

Cons:

• May input the wrong data
• May offer the wrong club

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Pros

• Pretty accurate distance date – though sometimes being off by as much as 5 yards, this device is pretty accurate in recording your distances. 5-yard leeway is the standard, so no matter what device you pick you may still get the same results
• Can track your progress – seeing where you went wrong in the past and how you have improved can be useful in improving your overall game
• Very easy to use – even those who have never used a device like this before will be able to get the hang of it very quickly

Cons

• May input the wrong data – sometimes the stats and data that relates to your scores is wrong, though this can be edited after the fact
• May offer the wrong club – based on misinterpreted data, the device may offer you the wrong club to use in a situation

Is the CT10 Accurate?

While many golf devices rely on accuracy to ensure that you make the right shot every time, they are never 100% accurate in their readings.

This can be for several reasons including everything from user error to the weather on the day impacting the systems. 

That is why there is a general rule that any measurement is given a 5 yard leeway on either side of the target, though people tend to buy products that are only off by a yard each way as these are even more accurate. 

While Garmin has been a leader in GPS technology to make their measurements, they still fall short of being 100% accurate in their devices.

For the CT10, you may find that accuracy varies, though it is never out by more than the standard 5 yards either way. 

There is an area that is not as accurate as it could be though, and that is when the device is recording your data. You may find that the device sometimes selects the wrong club for you to use, records shots that you did not actually take, or miss a score.

All of this can be edited though which is a little frustrating but not the end of the world. 

Is the Collected Data Useful?

Understanding the data that these devices provide is critical for progressing to the next level. While this is unlikely to be that helpful if you only play golf a few times a year, it may be beneficial for those who like to spend every weekend on the course and want to practice for tournaments. 

A lot of times, people cannot improve their golf game until they understand distance control. And when you are measuring distance by eye you may be getting very inaccurate results.

That is why the CT10 is such a useful device for beginner golfers who are trying to improve their game. 

Having the data all in one place is also very useful as you can see how you have improved from the start, and how long it has taken you to get the hang of the sport. 

After a few rounds, you’ll be able to examine your stats, which will include the proportion of fairway/green shots and the percentage of left/right shots to see how you can improve.

Is The CT10 Worth It?

Overall, the Garmin CT10 is an excellent golf monitoring system that’s worth buying up if you can get it at a reasonable price. It may be more suited to amateur golfers over pros though due to its slight inaccuracies in the readings.

That is not to say that novice golfers do not need high-quality equipment, just that this device is more suited to people who are trying to get the hang of the sport over those who already are pros. 

There are several other devices on the market that are more accurate than the CT10 though, and they are often around a similar proce.

So if you want something a bit more hi-tech, maybe shop around a bit to see what is out there.

The post Garmin Approach CT10 Club Tracker Review appeared first on Golftlink.

Not only do they require a clear line of sight to get the yardage, but they also require steady hands and rain or mist can affect the laser.

The solution is to invest in a golf GPS watch. It gives you all your yardages, while leaving you completely hands-free. And if you’re also in the market for a fitness tracker, there’s no need to pay twice.

There are some great golf GPS watches around that also double as fitness trackers. You can track your number of steps, your heart rate, your calories burned, and more.

I’ve been checking out some of the best golf GPS watches around that also double as fitness trackers.

After much deliberation, I was able to handpick a shortlist of our top few favorites to review for you. Let’s start with our top pick, the Garmin Approach S60.

Our Top Pick: Garmin Approach S60

Our Top Pick

Garmin Approach S60

$299.90

Look good on and off the course. The Approach S60 golf watch gives you the critical information you need for your round — displayed on a large, 1.2-inch sunlight readable color touchscreen — so you can master your game. And with convenient QuickFit bands, you can change your style without tools to match your activity, so you’re always in fashion.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• 1.2 inch diameter, full color touchscreen display
• Provides yardages, auto shot tracking and more
• It can give you a bird’s eye view of the green
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications
• Fitness tracker with several preloaded activity profiles
• Reasonably good battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• Poor fitness tracker due to lack of heart rate monitoring
• Not a budget golf GPS watch

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02/05/2024 01:41 pm GMT

Introduction to Garmin Approach S60

I decided to make this my number one pick. I feel it has the most to offer the golf enthusiast without costing quite as much as some of the more expensive high-end models. like the Garmin Approach S62 which also made my shortlist.

When the Garmin Approach S60 became available in 2019, it became a quick hit, legendary even.

It has a large, 1.2 inch diameter, full color high resolution touchscreen display. And it comes preloaded with 40,000 golf course maps from all over the world.

When I tried the watch for myself, I found that I could bring up bird’s eye views of the course I was on, and of each hole. Even under direct sunlight, there was no glare, and I could see the display clearly.

Based on the GPS signal, you get yardages to the front, middle and back of the green and so on, so you will be informed exactly how far you have to hit the golf ball at each turn.

This in turn can also help you to decide which club to use for each shot. And it will also give your yardages to any hazards and doglegs and such as well.

But, the usefulness of the S60 to your golf game does not stop there – not by a long shot (excuse the pun!).

There’s PlaysLike Distance, to automatically adjust yardages to account for uphill and downhill shots (in other words, compensation for slope or elevation – somewhat of a rare feature).

There’s Touch Targeting to give you precise distances to any spot, be it the hole or a hazard. And it has AutoShot to automatically record distances during the game. Super handy for post game analysis.

You can also pair it up with the Garmin Truswing Sensor, via Bluetooth. For the uninitiated, the Garmin Truswing Sensor is an incredibly useful tool for anyone who’s serious about improving their golf game.

The Truswing Sensors attach to your golf clubs to give you super accurate data on the club path, your swing tempo, your swing speed, face to target, the dynamic loft, the shaft angle and more besides.

It can even give you 3D animations of each swing, displayed on your smartphone. Although, technically speaking, this watch doesn’t have heart rate monitoring already built-in, it turns out that you can pair it to a heart rate monitor via Bluetooth.

And this is actually a good thing because you get more accurate readouts if you were to use a heart rate monitor around your chest than any heart rate monitor going on the pulse in your wrist.

That said it is still a decent fitness tracker, and it comes with preloaded activity profiles for running, cycling, swimming and more.

It also offers smartwatch functionality, which basically means you can pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more.

When I tested the watch for myself, I was more than happy with the yardage accuracy, especially when there were slopes involved.

I thought the battery life in GPS mode was quite good, coming in at 10 hours on a full charge, but depending on what time of day your game starts, this could be an issue if you had left it on GPS mode all day long.

Admittedly, this watch does cost considerably more money than the budget golf GPS watches that made my shortlist.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• 1.2 inch diameter, full color touchscreen display
• Provides yardages, auto shot tracking and more
• It can give you a bird’s eye view of the green
• Can be paired with Garmin Truswing for swing metrics
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications
• Fitness tracker with several preloaded activity profiles
• Reasonably good battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• Poor fitness tracker due to lack of heart rate monitoring
• Not a budget golf GPS watch

Editors Choice: Garmin Approach S62

Editors Choice

Garmin Approach S62

$448.99

We’ve got your game with Approach S62, a premium GPS golf watch that puts critical information from more than 41, 000 full-color course maps worldwide on your wrist.

Large 1.3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display (18% larger than Approach S60) with scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands

Virtual Caddie suggests club based on typical distance the golfer hits that club, factors in wind speed and direction, and indicates where the golfer should aim on the map.

Pros:

• Sleek smartwatch with a wide range of helpful features for golfers
• Provides slope adjusted distances
• Tells you the wind speed and direction
• The large display makes this watch easier to use

Cons:

• Tracking system sold separately

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02/05/2024 02:21 pm GMT

Introduction to Garmin Approach S62

The Garmin Approach S62 is an upgraded version of the Approach S62 that I reviewed for you earlier. It has more features than the S60, but I didn’t make it the top pick of the shortlist because of its much higher price tag.

It has a large 1.3 inch, scratch resistant, easy to read full color touchscreen, that’s 18% larger than that of the S60. And it comes preloaded with 41,000 golf course maps worldwide.

My favorite feature was the Virtual Caddie, which suggests which club to use next, based not just on the typical distances you hit but also factoring in the wind speed and direction. 

This was a mind opener and really helped my game.

Key Features

• Green view – allows manual pin positioning 
• Hazard view – self-explanatory
• PlaysLike Distance – slope or elevation compensation
• PinPointer – shows direction of pin when you’re in a blind spot
• Pairing up with the Garmin golf app – for post game analysis & leaderboards etc.

It also offers smartwatch functionality, which basically means you can pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more. And it even allows you to make contactless payments.

When I tested it out, I was impressed not only with the golf features and the display itself, but also with the battery life. It lasted a whopping 20 hours in GPS mode.

You can also use it as a fitness tracker, and use it to count your steps, and track what distance you cover in activities like hiking and running.

Unfortunately, however, it does not feature heart rate monitoring, so it cannot give you a good estimate of calories burned during exercise. Other than that, I guess the only other real drawback to this watch for a golf enthusiast is the scary high price tag.

Pros:

• Very large full color touch screen
• Has a great Virtual Caddie function
• Loads of other great golf features
• Even features slope compensation
• Is also a smartwatch & fitness tracker
• Amazingly long 20-hour battery life

Cons:

• Premium product at a premium price
• Poor fitness tracker due to lack of heart rate monitoring

Best Value: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (Golf Edition)

Best Value

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (Golf Edition)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Golf Edition brings smart to your golf game. You can get up-to-date information on over 40,000 golf courses around the world so you can always know accurate yardage to plan your next shot.* A sleek, sporty design is built for style and comfort everywhere from the golf course to the pool to a night out.** Plus, seamless notifications and integration with your favorite apps means you can stay on top of everything without interrupting your round.

Pros:

• 40,000 preloaded golf courses
• Offers color bird’s eye views
• Loads of great golf features
• Also doubles as a smartwatch
• Works great as a fitness tracker

Cons:

• No slope or elevation compensation
• Battery life could be better
• It’s not what I’d call a budget watch, but it’s significantly more affordable than the Garmin Approach S62

Check Price

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Introduction to Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (Golf Edition)

Now, this is a great watch in all three categories, as a golf GPS watch, as a fitness tracker with heart rate monitoring, and as a smartwatch too.

Let’s start with the golf features. It comes preloaded with over 40,000 golf courses from around the world, which is about the same number as those offered by Garmin golf GPS watches.

It features full maps that display bunkers, hazards and such, and satellite views of the course, displaying the current location, fairways, greens, and yardages.

There’s also automatic hole recognition, touch targeting to find distances to specific locations, dual arc distancing to and from the hole, automatic shot tracking.

And there’s also a digital scorecard that will keep track of holes played, the par for each hole, and the number of putts, etc.

It’s also a great fitness tracker because it features a sensor to monitor your heart rate right on your wrist, so you don’t need to pair it with a chest monitor.

And measuring your heart rate gives you more accurate estimates of your calories burned, AND it can be used to track your sleep patterns.

It also features a step counter, and features apps for tracking swimming, running, and cycling.

It will also give you how many floors you’ve climbed, or laps around a track or pool, your calories burned per day, and number of repetitions done for any strength training exercise you do.

The smartwatch functionality, which basically means you can pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more.

And that’s not all. You can also use it to play music and podcasts from Spotify, and even download your favorite music directly to the watch, thanks to the whopping 4 GB of internal storage.

When I took the watch to the course to test it, I accidentally dropped it in a puddle (I wasn’t wearing it at the time), and I found that the watch still continued to work just fine.

I also found that I could see the color display very clearly, even in direct sunlight, with no glare. I have to admit that when I tested out the battery life, I was quite disappointed.

But I guess I was asking a lot of the watch that day because I had both the heart rate monitor on and had the GPS running.

Pros:

• 40,000 preloaded golf courses
• Offers color bird’s eye views
• Loads of great golf features
• Also doubles as a smartwatch
• Works great as a fitness tracker
• You can use it to play music

Cons:

• No slope or elevation compensation
• Battery life could be better
• It’s not what I’d call a budget watch, but it’s significantly more affordable than the Garmin Approach S62
• Be sure to buy the Golf Edition, because the regular version does not have the special golfing features

Runner Up: Garmin Approach S20

Runner Up

Garmin Approach S20

$249.99

Approach S20 is the golfing partner that doubles as your everyday watch. Features more than 40,000 courses plus Garmin AutoShot round analyzer, activity tracking and smart notifications.

Combines elegant watchband design with high-resolution display and activity tracking.

AutoShot round analyzer measures and auto-records shot distances.

Pros:

• App support with AutoShot Round Analyser for reviewing your performance after every game
• Shows layup distances
• Works as a regular watch and can also be used for email and social media

Cons:

• This watch has difficulty syncing to the course you are on

Check Price

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02/05/2024 12:31 am GMT

Introduction to Garmin Approach S20

The Garmin Approach S20 is the full package. Not only is it an excellent GPS golf watch and fitness tracker, but it’s a smartwatch too.

You can pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more. Its performance as a golf GPS watch is exemplary.

Like most other Garmin golf watches, it comes preloaded with over 40,000 golf course maps from all over the world.

Plus, users get unlimited updates of these courses for the whole lifetime of the watch. Based on the GPS signal, you get yardages to the front, middle and back of the green and so on, so you will be informed exactly how far you have to hit the golf ball at each turn.

This in turn can also help you to decide which club to use for each shot. And it will also give your yardages to any hazards and doglegs and such as well.

It also has a Green View feature which shows you the true shape and layout of the green, even if you’re behind it. And you can manually reposition the pin as needed.

But where the S20 really comes into its own is when you pair it up with the Garmin Truswing Sensor.

The S20 is also quite a good fitness tracker. Not only does it count your steps every day, and the distance you cover as you walk, jog or whatever, but it also monitors your heart rate through the pulse on your wrist.

And because of this monitoring, it can give you a far more accurate estimate of your calories burned than it otherwise would have. And it can also be used to monitor your sleep to boot.

I like the aesthetic of this watch, with its black silicone band, and smooth rectangular monochrome display. And I can confirm, because I tested it, you can see the display clearly even under direct sunlight.

When I tested the battery life of the device, I found that it lasted about 15 hours in GPS mode on a full charge.

I also found that the yardages provided matched that on my handheld GPS unit, and I never had a problem with the GPS signal.

I would argue that it’s incredibly competitively priced, given just how much functionality this watch has.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• Provides yardages and auto shot tracking
• It can give you a bird’s eye view of the green
• Can be paired with Garmin Truswing for swing metrics
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications
• Fitness tracking includes heart rate monitoring
• Excellent battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• No slope or elevation compensation
• Display is not color but black/white monochrome

Runner Up: Garmin Approach S40

Runner Up

Garmin Approach S40 GPS Golf Watch

$372.98

The Approach S40 GPS golf smartwatch with color touchscreen looks great on your wrist and on the course. It shows distances to the front, middle and back of the green, hazards and automatically records detected shot distances (lie and ball contact may affect shot tracking). It also lets you manually adjust to today’s pin position for accurate approach shots. For even more precise automatic game tracking, pair with optional Approach CT10 club tracking sensors.

Pros:

• Responsive touchscreen
• Waterproof
• Fitness tracking included
• Versatile

Cons:

• Not very user-friendly
• No heart rate monitor
• Quite expensive

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02/05/2024 03:43 pm GMT

Introduction to Garmin Approach S40

Now, the Garmin Approach S40 is an excellent GPS watch for golf. Not only because it comes preloaded with 41,000 golf course maps from all over the world. There are plenty of other excellent features.

This makes it an excellent gadget for those who like to enter golf tournaments abroad. And where the S40 really stands out against other Garmin GPS fitness tracking watches, is that the display is in full color, and you can bring up a clear bird’s eye view of the area before you start your game and for each shot.

You can manually set the pin position, and the watch will automatically work out the yardages to the front, middle and the back of the green. And it will also work out the yardages to any hazards as well.

You can connect it to the Garmin Golf app, which enables you to view all your stats, both in real time during play, and afterward as well, for some in-depth post-game analysis.

And if you’re feeling really confident, you can compete on leaderboards, too. But where the S40 really comes into its own as a golf GPS watch is how you can pair it up with special sensors over Bluetooth to get advanced swing metrics.

These sensors can be screwed into each grip of all of your clubs, and they will automatically track every stroke, and tell you where and how far you’ve hit each shot. They can even measure your downswing and upswing tempo.

For more information on the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors, just go to our review here on Golftlink. They may be somewhat expensive, but if you have the budget for them, they can really help your game.

It’s also a smartwatch, and you can pair it with your smartphone to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more.

You can also use it as a fitness tracker, and use it to count your steps, and track what distance you cover in activities like hiking and running.

Unfortunately, however, it does not feature heart rate monitoring, so it cannot give you a good estimate of calories burned during exercise. When I tried it out for myself, I felt it was a really nice change to have a display that’s in full color. And I found that having that bird’s eye view really helped me get a better feel for the game.

The display is also a nice size at 1.2 inch diameter, which I found I could view clearly even under direct sunlight.

When I tested its battery life, I was really impressed to find that it lasted a whopping 15 hours in GPS mode on a full charge. It’s available with different color bands and bezels.

And through Amazon, you can also buy it as a bundle deal with the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors, or with golf balls or golf balls and such.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• Provides yardages and auto shot tracking
• Gives a bird’s eye view of the courses and holes
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications
• Large, easy to read full color touchscreen display
• Excellent battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• Poor fitness tracker due to lack of heart rate monitoring
• No slope or elevation compensation

Runner Up: Garmin Vivoactive 3

Runner Up

Garmin Vivoactive 3

$239.99

From playing to paying, vívoactive 3 is the smartwatch for your active life. Make contactless payments with ease, right from your watch, and with more than 15 preloaded sports apps — you can choose how you like to get fit. Built-in GPS lets you record the distance, pace, location and more for your outdoor activities.

Pros:

• Met with excellent customer ratings
• It comes very reasonably priced
• Preloaded with many activity profiles
• Handy range of golfing features
• Tracks heart rate, fitness & stress levels
• Good battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• No preloaded golf course maps
• No bird’s eye view of the courses or holes
• No advanced swing training metrics
• Doesn’t save locations of hazards
• No slope compensation

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02/05/2024 02:27 pm GMT

Introduction to Garmin Vivoactive 3

Now, this GPS watch and fitness tracker has simply been flying off the shelves at Amazon, where it’s received well over 10,500 individual customer ratings.

And, better yet, the average customer rating there still comes in at an impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5. It’s very reasonably priced for a branded watch, I have to say. Especially when you consider all the features it has to offer.

It features not just GPS tracking and fitness tracking but it also features smartwatch functionality as well, which means you can get notifications for the likes of calls, text messages, emails and more directly on your wrist when paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth.

But when it comes to other features, it’s definitely a fitness tracker first and a golf GPS watch second. I say this because while it has a lot to offer in terms of fitness tracking, it doesn’t actually come with preloaded golf courses already built in. 

But if you don’t tour worldwide anyway, this isn’t such a big deal, and you can just download the courses you want as and when the need arises.

The golfing features include those all important distances to the front, back and middle of the green, as well as hazard, layup and dogleg distances, which can also come in very handy.

And that’s not all. It also covers club tracking, touch targeting, pinpoint blindspot assistance, and shot tracking.It also comes with about 15 other preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, and with activity profiles, including the likes of strength or cardio workouts, water sports, skiing, running, cycling, and more.

And you can customize your workouts, so they’re completely personalized to you.

The fitness tracker functions feature not only the standard step counting, heart rate monitoring and sleep monitoring, but also your fitness level, using VO2 max and fitness age estimates, and see how they change as your fitness improves over time.

It also tracks your heart rate variability, which in turn is used to deduce your stress levels. When I tried this watch out for myself, I was impressed by just how much you can customize it.

There are loads of different watch faces available through the Connect IQ store that can give the watch a whole new look as often as you wish.

And you download thousands of free widgets and apps too, including the likes of Uber and SmartThings. The other thing I like about this watch is that you can even use it for contactless payment with certain banks.

The display is 1.2 inches in diameter, which is all you really need, and it’s very easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

I tested out the battery life in GPS mode, and it lasted about 13 hours in total, which I thought was pretty good. And I can confirm the yardages on the golf course were spot on too – I compared it with a handheld GPS unit.

It’s available in a range of different color options.

Pros:

• Met with excellent customer ratings
• It comes very reasonably priced
• Preloaded with many activity profiles
• Handy range of golfing features
• Tracks heart rate, fitness & stress levels
• Good battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• No preloaded golf course maps
• No bird’s eye view of the courses or holes
• No advanced swing training metrics
• Doesn’t save locations of hazards
• No slope compensation

Runner Up: Garmin Approach X40

Runner Up

Garmin Approach X40

Slim, lightweight GPS golf band with Elevate wrist heart rate technology and activity tracking

Displays distances to front, back and middle of the Green Plus Hazards. Autoshot tracking measures your shot distances and auto-records detected shots for post-round analysis. Activity tracking shows steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate and activity intensity.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• Provides yardages and auto shot tracking
• Features accurate 24/7 heart rate monitoring
• Also an excellent watch for running workouts
• Smart, sleek appearance with easy to read display

Cons:

• No bird’s eye view of the courses or holes
• No advanced swing training metrics
• Display is in black and white, not color

Check Price

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Introduction to Garmin Approach X40

In this model, Garmin has built a GPS watch specifically with golfing in mind. It comes preloaded with their normal offer of 41,000 golf course maps based all over the world.

And in addition to providing yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, it will also give you layup and dogleg distances as well.

You can even use it for automatic shot tracking and club tracking as well.

And when you get back home from your round of golf, you can carry out a post round analysis by syncing your data to your Garmin connect account.

It’s not quite a perfect golf GPS watch, though, as it doesn’t feature slope compensation or advanced swing training metrics, like some of the other golf GPS watches do.It’s also quite a good fitness tracker, too.

It will monitor your heart rate right on your wrist, so you don’t need to shell out for a chest heart monitor. Provided you wear it snug and above the wrist bone, you should get very accurate readings.

The watch also displays your heart rate in beats per minute, and it can give you your seven-day average resting heart rate. It can also bring up a graph of your heart rate over the previous 4-hour period.

The Approach X40 also functions great as a step counter. I know because I have tried it out for myself. And you can have it monitor your sleep for you.

It also works well as a running workout tracker, because it can see your distance covered thanks to the GPS functionality. And because it’s tracking your heart rate at the same time, it can also work out your calories burned as you run.

It’s also a smartwatch, and you can pair it with your smartphone to receive notifications of calls, text messages, emails and more.

When I tested out the battery life in GPS mode, I wasn’t particularly impressed, it lasted about 5 and half hours, but since then I’ve come to understand that this is because I was testing a renewed, preowned version of the watch and not a brand new one.

And anyway, 5 and a half hours in GPS mode is more than long enough for an entire round of golf.

It’s a great watch for fans of Fitbits, because it has that same, minimalist, streamline aesthetic, it’s pretty similar to the Sense 2 or Versa 4 in this case. The band has a width of 21.1 mm, which is just under an inch, and the display has a long rectangular shape that fits inside this width.

It may not be a full color display, but on the flip side it’s still very easy to read. I tried it out on the golf course, and even found it easy to read under direct sunlight.

I was also impressed at the accuracy of the yardages given (I compared it with a handheld GPS unit).

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• Provides yardages and auto shot tracking
• Features accurate 24/7 heart rate monitoring
• Also an excellent watch for running workouts
• Smart, sleek appearance with easy to read display
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications

Cons:

• No bird’s eye view of the courses or holes
• No advanced swing training metrics
• Display is in black and white, not color
• No slope or elevation compensation
• Doesn’t come with several preloaded activity profiles, only running

Best Golf GPS Watch With Fitness Tracker / Heart Rate Monitor Buying Guide

As promised, here’s your buying guide. Let’s walk you through some of the key things to consider when buying a golf GPS watch with heart rate monitoring.

Aesthetic & Display

You’re more likely to enjoy the watch if you like the look of it and it goes well with your outfits. But what’s more important than that is whether you can actually read the watch.

To that end, you need a large display that measures at least an inch in diameter, or an inch diagonally if it’s a square or rectangular display.

You also need the watch to feature bold numbering and lettering, so you can see the yardages etc. at a glance without having to squint.

You will also need to be able to see the display under direct sunlight, without any glare.You may be happy with a purely black and white display, or you may prefer full color maps.

Preloaded Golf Courses

If you like to go touring with your golf, then you need a golf GPS watch that features preloaded golf course maps from all over the world.

Garmin is the key brand here, as you can see, most of their watches comes preloaded with over 40,000 courses.

Smartwatch Functionality

Did you know that you can get golf GPS watches that not only double as fitness trackers but are also smartwatches as well?

This means that they can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and give your notifications directly on your watch for calls, emails, text messages, and even some social media notifications too.

Some people see this as a great feature to have, but others say that they find it a distraction while they’re on the golf course. So each to their own on that.

Fitness Tracking

All of the watches that made my shortlist feature fitness tracking, but only some of them offer heart rate monitoring directly on the wrist.

If this is important to you, be sure to check this feature before you buy.

Battery Life

GPS usage has long been known to put quite a severe strain on GPS devices.

However, the battery life of most GPS watches on the market will last for at least 6 hours on a full charge, which is more than enough for a full round of golf. I made a point of testing the battery life of every watch in the shortlist.

Water Resistance

Many golfers like to continue with their game even in light rain. And why not? Don’t let the weather get in the way of your fun if you can help it.

For this reason, you should check whether the watch you like has water resistance.

Brand

I think brand is important when it comes to high-tech products like GPS watches that double as fitness trackers.

This is why our shortlist includes the likes of GPS tracking specialist Garmin, and cutting edge tech from Samsung.

Value For Money

Now, it’s important to note that I don’t include prices in my text in the reviews. This is because they are subject to change. However, you can click on “Check price” to check prices as you go along.

Be sure to be on the lookout for any great deals on special occasions like Black Friday or Cyber Monday!

The post Best Golf GPS Watch With Fitness Tracker & Heart Rate Monitor appeared first on Golftlink.

If you are thinking of buying this fantastic watch, you may be wondering what its selling points are and whether it’s worth buying.

First of all, let’s get one thing out of the way. We’re pretty big fans of this watch, and it’s significantly better than its previous version.

The features are pretty similar to the Vivoactive 3 except with a few extra welcome additions.

Of course, you won’t get the same level of advanced technology that you would get with the Garmin S60 or S62, but this watch is still incredibly versatile and great for a wide variety of different activities. 

You can get it in many sizes depending on your needs, the battery life is fairly impressive and you will even have the opportunity to put your own music on the watch that you can play on the go.

It’s an incredible watch and it does cost less than this version that we are reviewing today. It’s definitely worthwhile to invest in the Vivoactive 4 if you do want to take advantage of all of those nifty extra features, however. 

There are also a bunch of great golf GPS watches out there too that are also worth considering. 

Garmin Vivoactive 4 GPS Golf Watch

Our Pick

Garmin Vivoactive 4

$279.00

Tune in to your body, and tone up with the 45mm Vivoactive 4 GPS smartwatch. It has the broadest available range of all-day health monitoring features, music storage and on screen, Animated workouts To help you reach your goals. Boost every activity by downloading your favorite Spotify or Deezer playlists (may require a premium subscription with a third party music provider) straight to your watch. Bezel material: Stainless steel.

Pros:

• Body Battery Energy Monitoring
• Hydration Tracking
• Built-In Sports Apps
• Smart Notifications
• Tracking Features

Cons:

• Limited Battery

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02/05/2024 09:28 pm GMT

First Thoughts On The Garmin Vivoactive 4

If you do a number of different sports in your free time, then you will almost definitely be impressed with the Vivoactive 4.

It’s the quintessential sports watch for people that love to be active. It’s pretty similar to its previous iteration, the Vivoactive 3, but it has a bunch of additional features that make it even more spectacular than the 3.

One thing that you will get with the Vivoactive 4 is that you can choose between two separate sizes, so you are almost certainly going to be able to get a size that will work for you. You can get either a 40 or a 45 mm edition.

The 40 mm is a little smaller which is ideal for some people, especially those with smaller arms, but if you prefer to have a larger watch then the 45 mm is also a great option.

Another thing that the Vivoactive 4 has that the previous version doesn’t is music storage. You could buy a subscription separately for music with the Vivoactive 3, but with the 4 it comes with the watch itself so you won’t need to pay extra.

The music subscription was quite pricey, so it’s definitely a welcome addition. With it, you can use Amazon music, Spotify and a bunch of other music streaming platforms too.

Last but not least, you will also get a much better battery life. With this watch you are going to get a battery that’s better than what you would get on the previous versions.

With this version of the watch you will get around 8 days of battery life when using smartwatch mode, whereas you’d get 7 days with the 3. It’s not a massive difference, but it’s certainly worth noting.

Pros:

• There are a lot of things to love about this watch. For starters, it has impeccable battery life when being used as a regular watch.
• You can use it effectively with a wide variety of different devices.
• The touchscreen is high quality and very responsive.
• You’ll also get a bunch of fantastic features – there are so many that the chances are that you will never get around to using every one of them.

Cons:

• While the battery is decent when used as a regular watch, it isn’t the best when you use it for the GPS or when you are listening to music.
• The watch is somewhat expensive – may not be the perfect option if you are on a budget.
• It would also be good to see more golf specific features in the watch similar to the S60.

Golf Features

Of course, there’s a good chance that you are thinking about getting this particular watch because of the golf features that it comes with.

Here’s the thing that you need to remember. This is ultimately a multisport watch, meaning that you won’t get the same golf functionality out of it that you would from a golf specific watch.

It’s best that you don’t expect features that are quite that in depth. With that being said, you can get everything you need out of this watch, albeit without all of the fancy features of a golf specific watch.

To begin with, download the course that you are going to be playing. This is something that’s pretty simple to do – go on the Garmin Connect app and then search for the course there.

Luckily, it will be saved on the app when you want to visit the course in the future, which is pretty handy.

When you are using the watch, it will tell you the hole that you’re currently on, your current par, the distance to certain parts of the green and what the overall shape of the green is.

If you want to measure specific distances then you can also move the pin to your heart’s content. It’s also possible to see things like doglegs, layup spots and hazards on every hole that you visit.

The watch will show you the distances of the hazards, the kind of hazard you’re facing and where it actually is on the green.

In addition to this, you can also see the shot distance when you hit the ball, and it will keep a record of that in the watch that you can see.

After you have finished your golf round you can then take a look at the history of the round to see how you did and how you can improve.

In case you’re bad at keeping score, the watch will also do all of the heavy lifting for you so that you don’t have to worry.

Other Features

If you want a watch that’s good for more than just golf, you will be happy with this particular option.

In the event that you would prefer to have something just for golf then you may be better suited to the S60, but if you want to have a bunch of other additional features then you are sure to love the Vivoactive 4.

This watch can be used for tracking your general fitness, and you can use it for other sports activities like running, cycling, swimming and so much more. The main features worth talking about are health, fitness and sleep tracking.

With this you can keep track of your daily steps, hydration, calories, quality of sleep and if you want to then you can even look at your workouts on the watch screen. As we previously mentioned it’s also possible to play music right from the watch itself.

This makes quite the difference from a lot of other fitness watches where it is only possible to control the music using your phone. You can use Spotify or Amazon Music with this watch.

You will also get a built in GPS with the watch which is incredibly handy. It can be used for a range of different activities including boating, hiking and driving.

With this, there will be no need to carry around a huge, heavy GPS device when you’re going from one place to another. With the watch you will get over 20 sports apps that you can use that are pre-loaded onto the device.

Some of these include climbing, cycling, running and swimming, though there are plenty more than just this. If you are very active then this will certainly be useful for you.

Design Of The Watch

One of the best things about this watch other than the features is the way that it’s actually designed.

We were pretty fond of the design of the 3, but the 4 looks a million times better. If you’re making a choice based on the aesthetics of a watch, you’ll certainly be happy with this offering.

It’s not just the aesthetics either. As we mentioned before, there are two sizes available with this watch.

The 3 before it would only give you a 43mm option, whereas you can get a 40mm or a 45mm option with this.

You can choose which one works for you and is most likely to be comfortable. It may seem like a minor thing to mention but it’s something that we were certainly happy about.

Performance

So, what’s the performance like on this watch? Let’s start off by talking about two main things – what’s the battery like, and how are the golf features?

These are the things that you are most likely to be wondering since you’re here to find a watch for golf. The battery is the first point of discussion. What’s great about this watch is that allegedly it lasts around an hour longer than its predecessor when it’s used in smartwatch mode.

It’s honestly not too different from its predecessor despite this claim, but it’s plenty good enough either way. 

If you’re using the watch normally and the GPS isn’t always running, this watch can run for around a week without any trouble.

When you are using the features, it tends to last for a few days. In essence, you really don’t need to panic about a poor battery life with this watch – you will be covered.

Okay then, what about the golf features? It’s worth noting that this watch isn’t nearly as good as the S60 as a golf watch, but it’s still very good to use for golf. It’s a lot like the Garmin S10/S20 in many respects, and is an all around decent sports watch.

The GPS is fairly accurate, with around 5 yards of error, give or take. This is pretty great for most people.

The post An Honest Review of Garmin Vivoactive 4 GPS Golf Watch appeared first on Golftlink.

It takes years of practice and dedication to get to a high standard and lessons may not be a viable option for everyone as they may not have the time to attend or have the money to book a coach. 

With the development of technology in sports, especially in golf, luckily, you’re able to buy some great equipment to help you improve your game.​

If you’re looking to improve your swing and get a better analysis of how your swing affects the ball flight, then the Garmin TruSwing may be the perfect golf gadget for you.

Garmin TruSwing Golf Swing Sensor

Our Pick

Garmin TruSwing, Golf Club Swing Sensor for Advanced Metrics

Garmin TruSwing: Train your swing with game-changing metrics!

Use TruSwing golf swing sensor metrics to see how your mechanics affect ball flight and shot results. Metrics include swing tempo, speed, club-path measurements, critical club angles and more. Easily upload data to Garmin Connect online golf community for 3-D swing reviews. Integrates with Garmin Approach golf devices¹ for at-a-glance swing data. Small, light, unobtrusive design mounts securely below your club grip.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Compact

Cons:

• Understanding the data
• Only connects to a limited number of devices
• Limited information

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Introduction to Garmin TruSwing Golf Swing Sensor

This small piece of equipment that simply attaches to your club without you even knowing it’s there and will allow you to track the swing tempo, critical club angles, speed, and club path measurements, and then using this data it can provide a 3D swing for you to view and analyze in the Garmin Connect app.

This is brilliant because when it comes to improving your swing, being able to see exactly what you’re doing is a big advantage, and typically this is very difficult to achieve accurately without this kind of technology.

When connected with the app and you connect to the online community, you’re able to get frequent recordings of how you’re playing, this is super advantageous because being able to compare yourself with previous results can show improvement and what needs changing.

Once in the app you’re able to get feedback in the 3D model of how your swing made the ball travel, and how different changes you make can affect the ball, like changing the path that you swing the club in or changing the angle of the club face.

Another feature to pair with the app is the GPS watches provided by Garmin to get even more accurate results by analyzing your wrist path.

Specifications and Features

Specs:

• The sensor is only 2.39” x 0.63” x 0.80”
• The device only weighs 0.98oz or 28 grams
• Lithium-ion, rechargeable battery
• 12 Hour battery life
• Connectivity, USB, and Bluetooth Low Energy

Features:

• Swing Tempo
• Swing Speed
• Face to Target
• Dynamic Loft
• Shaft Angle
• Club Path
• Club Path Coordinates
• Shaft Lean
• Shaft Lean Wrist Path Coordinates

Pros:

• Easy to use, just clip onto the club, connect it to your smart device and swing.
• Affordable, the price range doesn’t break the bank and most golfers will be able to purchase this product.
• Small/ compact, combined with easy to use, it’s barely noticeable when attached to the golf club.

Cons:

• Understanding the data, according to a lot of user reviews the data is difficult to understand and may take some time to get to know what the information provided means.
• Only connects to a limited number of Garmin smart devices.
• Compared with other devices users have used, it doesn’t provide that much valuable information.

Does TruSwing Really Work?

Most reviews and articles surrounding the product do claim that it works, but as mentioned people say that you need to be able to read and understand the data yourself as it doesn’t provide information on whether what you’re doing is wrong or right.

Looking online there will be plenty of information on how to read the data and you’ll be able to tell if yours is any good or not.

Once finding out what the information provided actually means, you’ll then need to learn how to correct that data, this can be done by simply watching and reading information based on what you need to do.

The idea is to get all of the statistics down to zero, so you may need to find information on how to under or over correct the way you swing, how you hold the club face and what angle the club face needs to be at.

The post Review of Garmin TruSwing Golf Swing Sensor appeared first on Golftlink.

Able to provide accurate and up-to-date information about your training and health, and tell you when you’ve got a message, the smart running watch is here to stay. But how do you choose the right one?

Garmin has created a range of smartwatches and fitness trackers to appeal to all sports lovers. From golfers to triathletes, Garmin has a smartwatch to match. And the Forerunner range is perhaps the best they’ve come up with so far.

The Garmin Forerunner 935 and the Forerunner 945 are impressive smartwatches.

From the GPS capabilities to the running metrics, these fitness aids act as a training partner. No matter which model you choose, a Garmin Forerunner is a smartwatch you can rely on. 

In this guide, we’ll take a close look at what sets them apart, and which is the right smartwatch for you.

What’s The Difference Between The Garmin Forerunner 935 and 945?

The Garmin Forerunner is a smartwatch designed to monitor exercise and assist you with your training.

As they are both products from the Garmin Forerunner line, there are some immediate similarities between the two watches. How do the differences stack up?

The 935 is the earlier model, packed with multisport features, as well as the general connectivity and versatility that you expect from a smartwatch.

So, how could the 945 possibly improve? The Garmin Forerunner 945 has taken all the basic features of the 935, and then added some more.

The most notable of these additions is the enhanced GPS, but the 945 is a watch packed full of uses. And while Garmin were adding these extra features, they also increased the battery life.

But did the Forerunner 935 need the updates of the 945? And are either of these smartwatches worth the heavy price? 

Garmin Forerunner 935

$305.00

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02/05/2024 12:21 pm GMT

Garmin Forerunner 945

$299.00

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02/05/2024 10:08 pm GMT

Garmin Forerunner 935 vs 945

From an initial glance, it isn’t immediately obvious what features are included in the Garmin Forerunner 945 to justify the price leap.

The 945 is roughly $100-$150 more than the 935, and is used in much the same way. But the 945 is a serious upgrade, and we’ll go into the details below.

Design And Quality

In terms of overall design, both the Forerunner 935 and the 945 are attractive watches. The look is simple, preferring a sleek, streamlined finish over excessive design.

The bezel of both watches is similar in design, and made from a fiber-reinforced polymer.

The display size is 1.2 inches in diameter on both watches, and includes color display. Both displays are sunlight-visible, with transflective memory-in-pixel.

Both watches feature a silicone strap, which is Quickfit Watch Band Compatible if you wish to change it.

If there is one issue with the Forerunner 945, it’s the strap. Long and cumbersome, it’s surprisingly difficult to open. A disappointing stumbling block for a premium smartwatch.

With 5 buttons used for navigation on both watches, and an incredibly similar finish, it would be easy to confuse the 935 for the 945.

The Forerunner 945 is the slightly heavier watch, but only by a gram. In terms of how it feels to wear, the difference isn’t noticeable.

For swimmers, both the 935 and 945 have a 5 ATM waterproof rating. This means the watch can withstand a depth up to 50 meters, and can be submerged.

The real difference in the build is in the lens material. The 935 uses chemically strengthened glass, but the 945 has Corning Gorilla Glass DX.

This makes the 945 more durable, and less likely to scratch. Perfect if you like adventure with your exercise.

And in terms of battery life, the 945 is the clear winner. In GPS mode, the 945 has an impressive 36-hour battery life, compared to 24 hours with the 935.

Basic Features And GPS

As useful as the training features are, the Garmin Forerunner 935 and 945 are both intended to be used as a standard smartwatch as well. So, how do their basic features stack up?

The 935 and 945 are both compatible with the iPhone and Android. They also both connect to the Garmin mobile app, which allows you to access additional features.

Calendar and Weather are included as standard, and both watches have smart notifications. Connect IQ allows you to download widgets and apps for the 935 and 945, via Bluetooth Smart, ANT+, or Wi-Fi.

Again, the 945 features some upgrades that you just can’t ignore. Like the music features. Although some people can enjoy exercising without their favorite playlists, most will agree music enhances the experience.

You can listen to music using the Forerunner 935, but you do so by connecting to a smartphone, and listening via the watch.

With the Forerunner 945, music can be downloaded directly onto the watch. It has storage to hold up to 1000 songs, so you can download your perfect Spotify playlist and take it with you. And if you lose connection, the music keeps going.

The Forerunner 945 also features Garmin Pay, allowing you to pay using your watch. This feature is sadly missing from the 935.

If you plan on heading off-grid, Forerunner 935 has your back. The GPS and GLONASS coverage tracks across environments, providing you with accurate locational information. But the Forerunner 945 does a better job again. As well as using GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite systems to track your location to an incredible degree, you can also access full scale color maps.

With the 945, you can really concentrate on what you’re doing, rather than where you’re going (especially with the Round-Trip Routing and Turn-By-Turn Navigation). Interactive, full color mapping technology makes the 945 a cut above.

Performance Tracking And Training Features

The Forerunner is a smartwatch designed to monitor fitness, and help you reach your goals. The 935 and 945 are both designed for multi-sports, and are packed full of features to improve your training plans, and help you move forward.

Activity profiles and the ability to download activities from the Garmin Connect community helps users switch between sports, from cycling, to golf, to cross-country skiing.

Switching profiles gives you access to tailored features designed to monitor minute aspects of each activity. The 935 is absolutely packed with sensors, including a barometric altimeter, accelerometer, and thermometer.

With activity tracking, the user can monitor step count, and be given an auto goal based on the daily step level. Calories burned, floors climbed, and distance travelled are all monitored in your day to day.

The range of metrics provided is impressive, and can be used to accurately monitor progress, and design a workout routine to fit your lifestyle.

Again, the 945 does all that — and then so much more.

Rather than listing all the specs of the Forerunner 945, which would take a while, we’ll focus on a few of the stand-out features. A Pulse Ox sensor is added with the 945, able to monitor blood oxygen levels for better sleep, and improved altitude acclimation.

And with the Body Battery Energy Monitoring, the 945 can provide you with accurate information about when your body needs to rest, and when energy levels are optimal.

The smart analytics used by the VO2 max feature gives the user feedback regarding current fitness level, as well as any changes.

VO2 max can help you set goals and assess previous performance. It’s personalized training, straight from your watch.

Finally, the workouts and training plans included cover an incredible range of activities.

For those who enjoy so much more than road running, the 945 has metrics to support you. Although the 935 covers an impressive amount of sports, there’s a real step up with the 945.

The Forerunner 945 also features an exceptional mode dedicated to triathlon training. It’s comprehensive, including features such as stride length and ground contact time.

And with a decent battery life, you can train hard for a triathlon, without needing to charge.

Is the Garmin Forerunner 945 Worth The Cost?

The Garmin Forerunner 945 is an expensive watch, likely to set you back around $400-$600. Included in that price is a massive range of features, and enough sport modes to satisfy almost any type of athlete.

But if you’re just starting out, the Forerunner 935 may offer a better deal. Admittedly, it doesn’t have the same coverage as the 945, but it can still be a real help in guiding your workout. And the money saved can make up for the missing features.

Although the Forerunner 945 is expensive, we felt during the course of our testing that it was worth the price.

The wonderful GPS alone can explain some of the price difference. Plus, the overall build quality and integrated smart features will ensure this is the only smartwatch you’ll need for a long time.

Frequently Asked Questions about Garmin Forerunner 935 vs 945

The post Garmin Forerunner 935 vs 945 — What’s The Difference? appeared first on Golftlink.

They use satellite imagery to help you map out your current golf course so you can tactfully plan out your distances per shot to help reduce your number of strokes per game.

This is why golf GPS watches have been picked up by so many golfers over the years. They are incredibly popular thanks to their high accuracy and have been helping golfers all around the world improve their scores.

You definitely do not want to end up spending your hard earned money on a golf GPS watch that is inaccurate or the battery dies in an hour.

In this review, we are going to be comparing the Garmin Approach S62 and S60 – two golf GPS watches from a very acclaimed brand.

We are going to go into each one individually before comparing them to see which of the two comes out on top.

Garmin Approach S60

The S60 overview

Garmin Approach S60

$299.90

Look good on and off the course. The Approach S60 golf watch gives you the critical information you need for your round — displayed on a large, 1.2-inch sunlight readable color touchscreen — so you can master your game. And with convenient QuickFit bands, you can change your style without tools to match your activity, so you’re always in fashion.

Pros:

• Preloaded with 41,000 courses worldwide
• 1.2 inch diameter, full color touchscreen display
• Provides yardages, auto shot tracking and more
• It can give you a bird’s eye view of the green
• Can be paired with your phone for smart notifications
• Fitness tracker with several preloaded activity profiles
• Reasonably good battery life, even in GPS mode

Cons:

• Poor fitness tracker due to lack of heart rate monitoring
• Not a budget golf GPS watch

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02/05/2024 01:41 pm GMT

Let’s start with the older model – the Garmin Approach S60. First released in 2017, the Garmin Approach S60 is quite a few years old now yet is still beloved by golf enthusiasts everywhere.

The price tag, however, is way more affordable than the Approach S62 – but this is understandable considering that the S60 is 3 years older.

But this difference in price can still be a big contributing factor when it comes to golfers going for the S60 or the newer S62.

Those who golf less or are on a budget might not want to sink so much money into the Approach S62, so they choose to save a bit by picking the S60 instead.

This might also be something for you to consider but if price is really not an issue, you will want to focus on other areas of the watch – like it’s design or features, for example.

Design And Quality

It’s important to note that while most golf GPS watches are not designed to be flash or fancy, the Approach S60 still sports a very sleek and sophisticated overall design.

Although I am sure you don’t expect your golf GPS watch to look like a Rolex, you probably expect it to look nice and be made from some fine materials that make it durable and high quality to justify the price tag.

Well, I am glad to say that the Approach S60 is just that. Available in two colors (black or white), the Approach S60 is a beautiful watch made with either a polymer or ceramic bezel.

It uses sturdy Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for its lens, meaning that it features native damage resistant technology to make this lens tougher and more scratch resistant. 

This makes the Approach S60 quite durable and sturdy, so you can use it freely knowing that it won’t break easily. The Approach S60 comes with a Quickfit watch band that is easy to fit on and off your watch with just a snap.

Secure yet easy to switch, you can change up your strap’s material from silicone to leather to fit your style and aesthetics.

As for your watch’s display, the Approach S60 features a reasonably good display size with a 1.2 inch screen diameter that includes color display and an easy to use touch screen.

You will also clearly be able to see the map of your golf course thanks to the 240 x 240 pixel screen resolution.

It also gestures a sunlight-visible, transflective memory in pixel (MIP) display type which means that you can still clearly see your watch’s screen even in harsh sunlight.

As for battery life, it is important for you to consider just how long you spend out on the course in a single game.

The last thing you want is your golf GPS watch to die suddenly while out on the green. Luckily, the Approach S60 has a battery life of up to 10 hours in golf mode so you can definitely enjoy a fair amount of time outside playing golf with the aid of your golf GPS watch.

It also has a 10 day battery life if you just use it as a regular watch – just remember to top its battery up before you switch it to golf mode.

So, overall, we are impressed with the Approach S60’s design and quality. It definitely feels like a sturdy golf GPS watch plus you have the ability to swap out the strap or choose a color that best suits your personal taste. 

Also, its design features like its MIP display type and fair sized display screen makes it easy for everyone to use. It weighs in at 1.8 ounces, making it light and comfortable to wear. The Approach S60 is off to a good start!

Golfing Features And Use

When it comes to trying out your Approach S60 out on the golf course, you will be impressed with all the options at your fingertips.

Thanks to Garmin’s years of research, the Approach S60 has access to preloaded maps for more than 41,000 golf courses all around the world.

This means that you have the ability to take and use your Approach S60 at any golf course you like, whether you are at home or on holiday abroad.

It even offers automatic downloads of updates when you sync to Garmin Connect, the company’s own online app that features tools for tracking and analyzing your health and fitness.

So, you are pretty much guaranteed to be able to use the Approach S60 anywhere and be able to use accurate maps at any golf course you play at.

Also, these maps help you get precise distances from every location on the course. It even adjusts yardages to account for slopes and gradients so you can play with the best club even if you are going uphill or downhill.

Not a lot of golf GPS watches in the past accounted for gradients, but now thanks to Garmin’s technological research, its Approach series now includes sensors that take gradients into consideration when calculating distances, helping you to choose the right club to get to where you desire.

So how do you find out the distance to the spot you are aiming for? Just use the touchscreen which features Garmin’s Touch Targeting technology. Touch any point on the map and it will give you a measurement of the distance from your location to your desired pinpoint. 

It really is as simple as that, making this golf GPS watch very easy to use. The Approach S60 also includes a lot of other features that help improve your golfing experience.

You can use your S60 as a digital scorecard and track your statistics such as strokes, putts per round, and even green and fairways hit.

If you choose to sync your Approach S60 to your compatible smartphone (iPhone or Android) then you can even receive incoming calls, texts, and alerts on your Approach S60.

This way, you don’t have to be constantly checking your phone for alerts and you can concentrate purely on your game. Connecting to the Garmin Golf app will also allow you to compete on leaderboard with other Garmin golfers.

This is a great way for you to keep in touch and compete with other likewise golf players on any of the 41,000 courses available on your Approach S60.

Regular Features

Of course, the Approach S60 is more than just a golf GPS watch. It features a watch mode that requires less energy so you can use it just like a regular smart watch without draining its battery.

This means that you can also use your Approach S60 not only as a clock up as a timer, alarm, calendar and stopwatch. It is also able to stay fit and healthy by connecting to the Garmin Connect app, allowing you to monitor your sleep and hydration.

You can also use it for other activities other than golf including running, rowing, swimming and cycling. With a water rating of 5 ATM, this golf GPS watch can also withstand rain or snow, swimming and diving, and even snorkeling.

So, if you are also a sport enthusiast who enjoys water-based activities, you can even wear the Approach S60 as a regular fitness watch and put yourself to the test in the swimming pool.

Garmin Approach S62

The S62 overview

Garmin Approach S62

$448.99

We’ve got your game with Approach S62, a premium GPS golf watch that puts critical information from more than 41, 000 full-color course maps worldwide on your wrist.

Large 1.3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display (18% larger than Approach S60) with scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands

Virtual Caddie suggests club based on typical distance the golfer hits that club, factors in wind speed and direction, and indicates where the golfer should aim on the map.

Pros:

• Sleek smartwatch with a wide range of helpful features for golfers
• Provides slope adjusted distances
• Tells you the wind speed and direction
• The large display makes this watch easier to use

Cons:

• Tracking system sold separately

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02/05/2024 02:21 pm GMT

The Garmin Approach S62 is the most recent addition to Garmin’s Approach range of golf GPS watches. It was first released in 2020, making it 3 whole years younger than the Approach S60.

Garmin announced that the Approach S62 was meant to be an improvement of the popular S60 model and advertised it as the upgrade all golfers needed.

This would lead us to expect that the Garmin Approach S62 is better than the S60 in many ways – perhaps it’s more durable, contains more features or has a sleeker design.

However, not all ‘upgrades’ are for the better – and we have been stung by products who fall flat when compared to their predecessors.

So, is the Garmin Approach S62 really the superior model? Let’s take a look at this watch before comparing it to the Approach S60.

Design And Quality

When it comes to appearance and quality, it is easily noticeable that the Approach S62 is one of the best golf GPS watches out there. It features a simple yet sporty design that, it looks and feels like a sturdy fitness watch.

Its bezel material is ceramic and it uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for a scratch resistant and durable lens that is difficult to damage.

This means you can wear your Approach S62 with the confidence knowing that it won’t break or damage easily.

It comes with a flexible silicone wristband that fits comfortably around wrists with a circumference of 125-208mm.

The strap is also Quickfit compatible so you have the ability to swap it out for a different material to suit your own personal style and taste.

Customization does not stop there as you can also choose between two color schemes (white or black) for your Approach S62.

As for display, this golf GPS watch boasts an impressive 1.3 diameter touchscreen with a very clear display resolution of 260 x 260 pixels.

This means that those who hate small and fiddly accessories and gadgets can feel more at ease when using the Approach S62.

It is also very clear to read even in strong sunlight thanks to the MIP technology used in it’s design.

With a strong color display and such a large screen size, it is very easy for everyone to be able to use and enjoy this golf GPS watch.

The Approach S62 also includes a built in lithium ion battery that is rechargeable and can be used for up to 14 days in smartwatch mode.

When you are using it out on the greens, it switches to its golf mode and can be used for up to 20 hours – that is plenty of time to fit in more than a few rounds of golf!

So overall, the Approach S62 is a very well designed golf GPS watch. It is also very high in quality and uses materials like Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and silicone to make for a durable watch.

Although it is a little on the heavy side, weighing in at 2.2 ounces, it is still very comfortable to wear. Now – how does it do when it comes to features?

Golfing Features And Use

The whole point of buying a golf GPS watch is to use it to help you improve your game. That is why the features that come with the Approach S62 are so vital and important to consider when looking into buying your very own golf GPS watch.

How does the Approach S62 help improve your golfing experience? Well, first it has access to the 41,000 worldwide golf course maps that are preloaded into the Approach S62 from purchase.

This means that you can take your Approach S62 anywhere and use it on pretty much any course worldwide. It automatically updates and offers you a full vector map of the area with clearly marked hazards and targets.

You can even make your own custom targets with just your finger tip thanks to Garmin’s Touch-Targeting technology implemented in this golfing gadget.

This means that not only do you have access to many accurate course maps, you can also personalize it to your game. Just touch your screen, set your targets and allow the Approach S62 to tell you the precise distance measures to your target from your exact location.

This will help influence you to choose the right club for the swing so you can improve your game and take less swings to reduce your score.

It also takes into consideration gradients for uphill and downhill shots, adjusting yardages so you can continue playing with accurate distances.

While this is a massive help when it comes to improving your score, there are other features that come with the Approach S62 that you can also benefit from.

When you connect your Approach S62 to a compatible smartphone (iPhone or Android) and sync it to the Garmin Golf app, you will have access to the virtual caddie feature.

Although most golf GPS watches act like virtual caddies anyway, the Approach S62 takes it one step further by also factoring in wind speed and direction.

The virtual caddie feature helps factor in wind speed and direction when calculating distances on your map and also helps give suggestions on which club you should use.

It does this by looking at your statistics, recognizing which club you are best with when aiming for a certain distance and will advise you to use that club – a huge help when it comes to improving your golf score! It also advises you on which direction to swing your club so your golf ball won’t be blown off course.

While this feature may be inconsistent when the wind either picks up or suddenly dies mid swing, it is still a huge feature that can really help you stay on track. Connecting to the Garmin Golf app also offers you more features than just the virtual caddie.

You can use your Approach S62 as a digital scorecard, track your statistics like strokes and putts per round, and also help you compete with other Garmin golfers for that course on a digital scoreboard.

This means you can compete in tournament-like competitions and prove your skill to other golfers!

The Approach S62 offers an abundance of golfing features like the virtual caddie and the impressive course map database.

All of these can really help improve your score by warning you of hazards like water and sandbanks that may be obscured from view.

Plus, the virtual caddie offers very useful advice that can help you out in tricky situations.

Regular Features

Although the Approach S62 is designed specifically for golfers, it is more than just a golf GPS watch.

It offers a range of other features that can help you with outdoor recreation, indoor swimming, and maximize your health.

This means that you can also use your Approach S62 like a fitness watch as well as a golf GPS watch, making it incredibly versatile and useful to those who do more than just golf.

Monitor your health by using your Approach S62’s sensors to measure your daily resting heart rate and receive alerts for when your heart rate becomes abnormal.

You can also receive alerts to remind you to relax or do breathing exercises to help you stay calm and stress free all day.

The Approach S62 is capable of recording your activity history as well as monitoring your steps, distance traveled and calories burned while doing gym activities like cardio or treadmill.

You can also take it in the pool with your as it has a water rating of 5 ATM and measures pool swim metrics like lengths, pace, stroke count and swim efficiency.

But, of course, if you are not into fitness and just like a calm game of golf, then you also have the option to use your Approach S62 as a regular watch. Switch the Approach S62 to smartwatch mode and you can use it as a calendar, alarm clock, timer, stopwatch and even use Garmin’s new feature – Garmin Pay!

Now, you can pay for things using your golf GPS watch by syncing it to the app on your phone, making payment transactions quick and simple.

The Approach S60 Is More Durable And Sturdy

When compared side by side, the Approach S60 and the S62 are very similarly designed. They also use very similar high quality materials, such as the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 used for the lens material.

However, there is one minor difference when it comes to the bezel material. The Approach S60 offers you the choice between ceramic and polymer, while the Approach S62 only offers ceramic material. Ceramic material is far more brittle than polymer and breaks a lot easier, but this is a relatively minor difference.

However, ceramic is virtually scratch proof so your golf GPS watch will look as good as new even after many rounds of golf. You won’t notice a thing – until it breaks. Despite this difference, the two watches are on par with each other when it comes to durability.

However, the difference between ceramic and polymer is still something to consider if you know you are bound to be a bit heavy handed with your golf GPS watch.

The Approach S62 Is Bigger

We are not saying that size matters, but if you are someone with large hands or struggle to see screens up close, then you may be more inclined to go with the Approach S62.

Its screen measures as 1.3 inch in diameter compared to the 1.2 diameter of the Approach S60’s screen, meaning that it is easier to map and read the Approach S62.

It still retains a sharp resolution despite its size increase from its previous model so you can use your golf GPS watch with ease.

On the other hand, this increase in size does make the S62 heavier. It weighs in at around 2.2 ounces compared to the lighter alternative of 1.8 ounces with the Approach S60 so if you don’t mind the smaller screen and prefer less weight on your wrist while golfing, you might prefer the Approach S60.

The Approach S62 Has A Longer Battery Life

This is definitely a dealbreaker for some. A long battery life requires less time charging and you are less likely to be caught out on the greens with a dead golf GPS watch.

Imagine the annoyance you would feel if your watch died and you saw your score steadily increase without its help.

A good, long battery life helps you to avoid this and while both watches offer a fair amount of usage time both in golf and smartwatch mode, the Approach S62 easily wins out here. Its battery life in both golf and smartwatch mode is twice as long as the S60.

While the S60’s golf mode battery life of 10 hours might last you a full day of golfing, the S62’s 20 hour golf mode battery life will definitely see you through.

So if you want to avoid any unfortunate setbacks in the middle of your game, you will be better off choosing the Approach S62 for it’s far longer battery life.

The Approach S62 Features the Virtual Golf Caddy

We have to be fair and say that the Approach S60 still works great as a golf GPS watch. It is very accurate when it comes to measuring distances between your location and your target.

Plus, both watches use the same databases for their maps and receive updates so you know that with both watches, you will be getting a very accurate look at your golf course.

But the Approach S62 also features the virtual caddy, which accounts for wind speeds and directions where the Approach S60 does not.

Wind is a huge influence when it comes to golf as it can blow your golf ball at a slant or work against your ball and slow it down. 

The Approach S62 will take this into consideration when calculating the distances and even advise you on which club to use to really maximize your swing’s potential.

While the Approach S60 does consider gradients and hazards, it just does not have this additional feature that can really make a difference.

The golf caddy feature enhances the Approach S62’s accuracy and makes it the better golf GPS watch for helping reduce your golf scores.

The Approach S62 Works Better As A Fitness Watch

Versatility is also another important factor to consider when choosing your golf GPS watch. Are you only going to use it on the greens? Or do you want to use it as a smartwatch too?

If this is the case, then both the Approach S60 and S62 work as great smart and fitness watches. However, the Approach S62 has additional health and fitness features like the daily resting heart rate monitor with abnormal heart rate alerts.

This is thanks to how the S62 features additional sensors to make more precise and sensitive heart rate measurements, allowing it to measure your heart rate without needing to exercise.

The Approach S62 can also monitor your exercise and fitness while you do various gym activities such as cardio, strength, treadmill and yoga.

The Approach S60, however, is only effective when doing indoor rowing. So if you are a fitness enthusiast and are thinking of doubling your golf GPS watch as a fitness watch, you will have more versatility with the Approach S62 as it has more features and can analyze your performance during more exercises.

The post Garmin Approach S62 vs S60 appeared first on Golftlink.

In this article, we will be reviewing the Garmin Approach S40 golf watch so you can decide if this is the right purchase for you. The Garmin Approach S40 has most of the features that you would want in a device aimed at improving your golf game.

It is also extremely well-built and is as accurate as any other GPS device, watch or not. It’s significantly more advanced and also slightly more sturdy than the previous model, the Garmin S20.

Because it is not the cheapest watch on the market, you should only consider it if you want to wear it regularly.

The Garmin S40 is incredibly popular with golfers though, even though it does have slightly fewer features than the next model up, the Garmin S60.

It does everything you need it to do when you are out on the course.

Garmin Approach S40 GPS Golf Watch

Our Pick

Garmin Approach S40 GPS Golf Watch

$372.98

The Approach S40 GPS golf smartwatch with color touchscreen looks great on your wrist and on the course. It shows distances to the front, middle and back of the green, hazards and automatically records detected shot distances (lie and ball contact may affect shot tracking). It also lets you manually adjust to today’s pin position for accurate approach shots. For even more precise automatic game tracking, pair with optional Approach CT10 club tracking sensors.

Pros:

• Responsive touchscreen
• Waterproof
• Fitness tracking included
• Versatile

Cons:

• Not very user-friendly
• No heart rate monitor
• Quite expensive

Check Price

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02/05/2024 03:43 pm GMT

Features

The Garmin S40 golf watch is a mid-range model that sits between the S60 and S20. It misses some of the S60’s capabilities but is far more complex than the S20.

Hopefully, by selecting the proper club, you will be able to lower your scores. One important difference between the S20 and S40 is that the S40 incorporates non-golf-specific tracking features.

It has a range of timekeeping functions such as a stopwatch and alarm, as well as certain health-related features including sleep and hydration levels.

Additionally, it features a selection of running and cycling accessories. These features make the watch more versatile for use of the course, which may be a selling point for those who want a more all-around product over one that does a specific thing.

The first benefit of this device is that it has over 42,000 courses from all around the world.

Garmin has the most comprehensive variety of courses, including practically all of the main courses in well-populated areas. If you are a bit worried about buying this product without knowing if your local course is on the device, then you can easily check this on the Garmin website.

Garmin is constantly adding new courses to their lineup, so even if yours is not currently on there, there is a high chance that it will be eventually.

On this device, you will see the distances to the front, centre, and back of the green. If you are someone who struggles with direction, then this will help you to not end up on the wrong side of the green.

Additionally, it will display the distance between doglegs and layup locations.

If you miss the proper distance into a dogleg, you will almost certainly have a tough or blind shot into the green. This is not great for your scores, so the device helping you to avoid this is very useful. It will tell your location relative to the 100 and 150-yard marks.

Knowing the distance travelled by each club is crucial if you wish to enhance your consistency. This is one of the few ways to access the data.

What the S20 does not include is the capability to compute distances to custom targets. The S40 on the other hand, enables you to select any location on the course and stores the distance for future reference.

Unfortunately, this must be done manually, and the distance to any point cannot be determined (unlike with the S60).

Another complex feature is statistic tracking. Following your round, you will be able to evaluate your performance and discover areas for improvement.

It will track the number of putts made every round, the proportion of greens in regulation, and the percentage of fairways hit. The Autoshot feature maintains track of your club distances, providing you with an average of the lengths travelled by each of your clubs.

This will aid you in deciding which club to attack from a variety of different distances.

Also, you may inspect the green shape and operate the pin to get a desired distance. This is another improvement on the S20, where this is not possible. At times, the pin may not be in the centre of the green, in which case this feature is useful.

Finally, the S40 has a digital scorecard, maintains track of your handicap, and can be used in connection with the Garmin CT10 to measure club stats automatically.

Design

What everyone wants in a watch’s design is its comfort and ease of use. Both are crucial, even more so if you are not a watch wearer and so will notice more if a heavy device is on your wrist.

Despite the fact that the watch is filled with features, the S40 is significantly more comfortable to wear than the vast majority of its competitors. It is somewhat larger than the S20 but substantially better.

There is a distinct difference in comfort between the less expensive watches and the S40, which is good given the range of materials available.

It comes with removable straps that allow you to experiment with different colors and materials. This is an option that the majority of golf watches do not provide.

It is designed similarly to the Garmin Forerunner 945 and boasts a 1.2-inch color touchscreen display.

The screen appears to be quite durable and should not be as easily scratched or broken as the screens on some other smartphones.

That said, the watch’s user interface was first a little hard to get used to, which you may notice even more if you have never used a smartwatch before. But once you get the hang of it it should be smooth sailing from there.

Performance

When it comes to performance, people are most concerned with the battery’s life and the watch’s accuracy on greens and hazards. These are the major factor to consider while shopping for a golf GPS.

Battery life usually is slightly under three complete rounds, or just 3 rounds if you play quickly. You can be sure that it will last at least two rounds though, which is the standard for many golf watches.

Your location was quite precise in relation to the greens and hazards (as is the case with the majority of Garmin GPS systems), and it always appeared to be within 4-5 yards of the course markers. This is a very common occurrence with all Garmin watches.

Specs

Here are the all-important specs of the Garmin S40:

• Golf courses – 41,000+
• Size – 43 x 43 x 12mm
• Water rating – 5 ATM
• Quick-release bands – yes
• Battery life – 15 hours in GPS mode
• Touchscreen – yes
• Weight – 43 grams
• Strap material – silicone
• Club tracking – need CT10
• Preloaded – yes
• Custom target – yes
• Distance To Front, Middle, Back – yes
• Manual Pin Placement – yes
• Distance To Hazards/Doglegs/Layup – yes
• Autoshot – yes
• Shot distance – yes
• Stat tracking – yes
• Scorecard – yes

The post Garmin Approach S40 GPS Golf Watch Review appeared first on Golftlink.