Welcome to the Golf GPS Authority website. I hope that all of your questions about Golf GPS watches and golf laser rangefinders are answered by the articles on this website. This article will give you reviews of the best golf GPS watches and handheld units for 2023.
My pick for the best golf gps watch on the market is the Garmin S70 (released in May 2023) because it has slope compensation, virtual caddie that recommends clubs to use for each shot, shot and club tracking, and it is the only Garmin golf watch that can store music. Read this article that where I compare the Garmin S70 to the S62 golf watch: Garmin S70 vs S62 golf GPS watch comparison.
If you want to learn more about the second and third best golf GPS watches on the market, then you should read this comprehensive article that compares the Garmin S60 and S62 golf GPS watches: Garmin S60 vs S62 golf GPS watches. The Garmin S62 is the newest Garmin golf GPS watch, which was released to the market in January 2020. I think that the Garmin S62 has better golf features than the Apple Watch and Garmin S60. One of these features is the virtual caddie club recommendation feature which is my favorite since it helps me select the right club for each of my shots based on my average club distances and wind conditions. For more information about the Apple Watch 7, please read this article: Garmin S62 vs Apple Watch 7.
There are two versions of the Garmin S60: Premium and Standard. The Garmin S60 Premium looks better than the S60 Standard but they have the same golf and fitness features.
The Garmin S60 has many more golf features, such as slope compensation technology, than the multi-sport Garmin Fenix 5S watch but not as many fitness tracking features, such as a heart rate monitor. If you want to learn more about the best golf gps watches with a fitness tracker and heart rate monitor, then please read this article: best golf gps watch with fitness tracker and heart rate monitor.
This article will give you detailed reviews of the best golf GPS units for 2020 and give you a good idea about what is the best golf GPS for the money. There are many comfortable golf GPS watches, including the Garmin S60 and S40 and Garmin S10 and S20, and handheld units, including the Garmin G80, G8 and G30, to choose from.
The Garmin G80 is the best golf GPS handheld because it is the only golf gps handheld with a radar-based launch monitor. A comparison between the Garmin G80, SC300, Rapsodo, and Mevo launch monitors will tell you that the Garmin G80 has less ball and club data than the Swing Caddie SC300, Rapsodo, and Mevo. It will track club head speed and ball speed but not ball spin rate and launch angle like the Swing Caddie SC300 and Flightscope Mevo do. For more information about the best radar-based launch monitors, please read this article: Garmin G80 vs SC300 vs Mevo vs Rapsodo
Also, in a comparison between the Garmin G80, G8, and G30 (Garmin G80 vs G8 vs G30), the Garmin G80 has more accurate yardages to flags and hazards than the Garmin G8 and G30.
They are available at many different price points. The high-end golf GPS watches and handheld GPS systems, including the Garmin G8, G7 and G6, can cost more than $300. They will display the distances to the back, middle and front of the green as well as layups and hazards. However, there are plenty of good cheap golf GPS watches, such as the Garmin Approach S10, that you can purchase for low prices.
The most popular golf watches are manufactured by Garmin and Golf Buddy. There are pocket-sized handheld golf GPS units for low prices from GolfBuddy that you can clip onto your hat. The distances that they give you will be almost as accurate as the distances you can get from the very best budget golf rangefinders with slope, such as the TecTecTec VPRO500, TecTecTec ULT-X, Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized, Nikon Coolshot 20, Nikon Coolshot 40, Callaway 300 Pro, Callaway EZ, Callaway Hybrid GPS, Precision Pro NX9 HD Slope or Precision Pro NX7 Pro Slope.
If you want really accurate distances to the pin, then you should purchase either a Bushnell Pro XE vs Bushnell Tour V5 Shift or the Bushnell Pro X2 vs Tour V4 Shift.
The Gogogo Sport Vpro GS19W has a rechargeable built-in lithium battery, slope adjustment, and vibration confirmation after locking onto the flag. It is a great value for under $100.
Comparison Chart – Best Golf GPS Under $300
| Features |  Learn more | Garmin X40 Learn More |  Learn more |  Learn more |  Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | February 2016 | April 2016 | June 2018 | January 2018 | March 2018 |
| Strong Points | -Pre-mapped Hazard distances (displays distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes) | -Pre-mapped Hazard distances (displays distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes) | -List of layup and carry distances to the front and back of all hazards | -Touchscreen | *Best battery life (16+ hours; play more than 3 rounds of golf on one charge) |
| Weak Points | -Black and White Display | -Black and White Display | -Black and White Display | -Black and White Display | *Black and White Display |
| Fitness Tracker (includes Step Counter, Sleep Monitor, Calories Burned Counter, Distance Traveled Calculator, etc.) | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Heart Rate Monitor | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Smartphone Notifications for incoming calls, texts and other alerts | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Clock Features (includes time, date, GPS Time Sync, Automatic daylight saving time, Alarm clock, Sunrise/sunset times) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (no alarm clock) | Yes |
| Display Size | 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) | 1.00” x 0.42” (25.4 x 10.7 mm) | 1.0" (25.4 mm) diameter | 0.87 x 0.98" | 23mm x 23mm |
| Display resolution | 128 x 128 pixels | 160 x 68 pixels | 180 x 180 pixels | ||
| Display type | sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | LCD | sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | Monochrome LCD | Monochrome LCD |
| Product Dimensions (in inches) | 37.4 x 47.6 x 11.3 mm | Width: 0.83” (21.1 mm) Regular: 5.4”-7.6” (136-192 mm) circumference X-large: 7.1"-8.8" (180-224 mm) circumference | 45 x 45 x 14.2 mm | 1.4" x 9.8" x 0.5" inches Thickness - 0.5" | 45mm x 45mm x 15mm 2.1" x 4.4" x 0.6" |
| Weight (in ounces) | 1.5 oz (42.2 g) | 1.1 oz (31 g) | 1.6 oz (46.6 g) | 2.2 oz | 1.8oz / 51g |
| Color display | No (Monochrome) | No (Monochrome) | Yes | No (Monochrome) | No (Monochrome) |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Yardage to front, middle and back of green | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto course recognition | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto hole advance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin AutoShot | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Round odometer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shot distance calculator (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point) | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| PinPointer blind shot assistance | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Dedicated CourseView button with Green View for manual pin positioning | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Dedicated Green View button with manual pin position | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Custom targets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit and average shot distance) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Preloaded Golf Course Maps | 40,000+ worldwide golf courses | 40,000+ worldwide golf courses | 40,000+ worldwide golf courses | 40,000+ worldwide golf courses | Preloaded with 36,000+ worldwide golf courses in over 30 countries |
| Course preview (see detailed, hole-by-hole preview) | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| SwingTempo | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Tempo Training | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| TruSwing compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Memory/history | 64 MB | 64 MB | 512 MB | ||
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water rating | 5 ATM (50 meters) | 5 ATM (50 meters) | 5 ATM (50 meters) | 1 ATM (10 meters) | 5 ATM (50 meters) |
| Free Lifetime Course Updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Fees Or Subscriptions | None | None | None | None | None |
| Battery Life | Smart mode: Up to 8 weeks GPS mode: Up to 15 hours | Smart mode: Up to 5 days GPS/HR mode: 10 hours | Watch mode: Up to 20 weeks GPS mode: Up to 10 hours | 16 hours - Play three full rounds between charges | |
| Legal For Tournament Play | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Types of features you should look for in a wearable Golf GPS and handheld unit
- Touchscreen – Touchscreens can be found on newer and more expensive golf GPS watches (including the Garmin Approach S6 and S4) and handheld units (including the Garmin Approach G6, G7 and G8). If there is no touchscreen, then you have to advance to the next screen by pressing buttons on the GPS device.
- Display Types – The newer models will have color screens (including the Garmin Approach S6) and the older models will have monochrome (black and white) screens (including the Garmin Approach S4)
- Preloaded with over 40,000+ golf courses worldwide
- Free lifetime course updates
- No annual fees; no subscriptions or download fees
- Hi-Res Color Touchscreen – High-resolution, sunlight readable, glove-friendly, color resistive touchscreen display
- Dedicated Green view button – Dedicated button shows true shape and layout of the green by one simple push, and then you can manually move pin to day’s location
- Dedicated CourseView button with Green View (shows you the true shape and layout of the green even if you are behind it) for manual pin positioning and as you move the pin, your distance-to-the-pin numbers will change
- Touch-targeting – Touch any point on the display, and it shows you the precise distance to that exact spot, whether it’s the fairway, hazard or green (found in Garmin Approach S6 and Garmin Approach G6, G7 and G8)
- Manual pin positioning (tap and drag flag on green for precise yardage)
- PinPointer – Provides blind shot assistance by giving you a directional arrow to the green and pointing you in the right direction when you are unable to see the pin (only found in Garmin Approach S6)
- Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course)
- Auto shot detection – round analyzer measures shot distances and auto-records your shots for post-round analysis on your Garmin connect account (only found in Garmin Approach S20 and X40)
- Main screen displays the precise distances to the front, back and middle of the greens plus layups and doglegs. The units that are lower priced will only display the distances to the front, back and middle of the greens.
- Tracks stats (putts per round, greens & fairways hit, average distance)
- Digital scorecard (scoring options include Stroke Play and Stableford for a single player)
- Computer scorecard review (save and review scores on computer)
- Save locations (mark course points of interest for future reference)
- Internal Memory/History – Stores your previous scorecards and other statistics. The Garmin Approach S6 has the biggest internal memory at 512 MB. The handheld units have memory card slots that allow you to insert a MicroSD memory card for additional storage space.
- Vibrating Smartphone Notification feature – receive vibrating smart notifications for any incoming calls, emails, texts and alerts from your iPhone (4s or later), iPad or Android smartphone (only found in the Garmin Approach S4, S6, S20 and X40)
- Activity Tracker (only found in Garmin Approach S20 and X40)
- Wrist-based Heart Rate Monitoring (only found in Garmin Approach X40)
- TruSwing Compatible (only found in Garmin Approach S4, S6, S20 and X40)
- Battery Life (how long a rechargeable battery lasts on a single charge)
- Current Date, Time and Alarm: The Golf GPS watches will display the current date and time and come with an alarm. Only some handheld units will display the current time.
Garmin Approach X40 GPS Golf Band with Activity Tracking and Heart Rate Monitoring
The best affordable golf watch is the Garmin Approach X40 GPS Golf Band because it has fitness tracking features and heart rate monitoring. It is very similar to the S20 except it is lighter and comes with more activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and a touchscreen. However, it is more expensive than the S20 and has a smaller display.
Garmin Approach S20 Golf GPS Watch with Activity Tracking
The S20 has a lot of the features that the S6 has but it costs a lot less than the S6 and has a much longer battery life. Like the S6, it will give you distances to the front, middle and back of greens plus distances to layups and doglegs and it also contains a digital scorecard, stat tracking, dedicated green view button, automatic course and hole recognition, shot distance measurement feature, and smartphone notifications. But, in comparison to the S6, it has a smaller display and the display resolution is only 128 x 128 pixels. It also has a black and white display and no touchscreen. However, this watch is thinner and lighter than the S6 and it comes with activity tracking (which includes step counter, sleep monitor calories burned and distance traveled).
Garmin Approach S6 GPS Golf Band with Activity Tracking and Heart Rate Monitoring
This was the best golf GPS watch on the market before the X40 and S20 came out because it will tell you everything that you want about the golf course that you are playing on and it will improve your golf swing with the use of swing metrics including SwingTempo, TempoTraining and SwingStrength. However, it was released in 2014 so the technology is outdated at this point. I feel that the Garmin S20 would be a better purchase because it is cheaper and it came out in 2016 with better technology that will give you more accurate distance readings. It costs about $300 so it is really expensive but it comes with all of the features that a golfer would expect including:
Strong Points
-Swing metrics including SwingTempo, TempoTraining and SwingStrength will improve your golf swing
-Color display
-Touchscreen
-Touch-targeting – Touch any point on the display, and it shows you the precise distance to that exact spot, whether it’s the fairway, hazard or green
-In golf mode, the main screen will display distance to the center, back, and front of the green
-distances for layups and hazards
-automatic course and hole recognition
-shot distance measurement feature
-Green view screen that will show you the shape of the green as well as your angle of approach; this screen also displays the hole number, par information, satellite signal strength, and left/right green information
-Digital scorecard to record your scores
-Displays current time (minutes are set automatically by the GPS signal)
Weak Points
-Expensive
Features
- Preloaded with full-color course views and precise distances for more than 40,000 golf courses around the world
- No subscriptions or fees
- Hi-Res Color Touchscreen – High-resolution, sunlight readable, glove-friendly, color resistive touchscreen display
- Dedicated CourseView button with Green View (shows you the true shape and layout of the green even if you are behind it) for manual pin positioning and as you move the pin, your distance-to-the-pin numbers will change
- Touch-targeting – Touch any point on the display, and it shows you the precise distance to that exact spot, whether it’s the fairway, hazard or green
- Manual pin positioning (tap and drag flag on green for precise yardage)
- Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course)
- Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green)
- Yardage to layups/doglegs
- SwingStrength – Calculates how hard you swing your golf clubs so you can train yourself to swing more consistently
- SwingTempo – Calculates the relationship between upswing and downswing and expresses it as a ratio
- PinPointer – Provides blind shot assistance by pointing you in the right direction when you are unable to see the pin
- Tracks stats (putts per round, greens & fairways hit, average distance)
- Digital scorecard (scoring options include Stroke Play and Stableford for a single player)
- Computer scorecard review (save and review scores on computer)
- Save locations (mark course points of interest for future reference)
- Smart Notification feature lets you receive emails, texts and alerts from your iPhone (4s or later), iPad or Android smartphone
Specifications
- Color: Black/Orange
- Size (LWH): 0.56 inches, 1.8 inches, 1.8 inches
- Weight: 1.6 ounces
- Display size, WxH – 1.0″ (2.54 cm) diameter
- Display resolution, WxH – 180 x 180 pixels
- Battery – Rechargeable lithium-ion
- Battery life – up to 20 weeks (watch mode); up to 10 hours (GPS mode)
- Rugged and water rated to 5 ATM (50 meters)
- USB Interface
Garmin Approach S4 Touchscreen GPS Golf Watch
This watch is not as great as the S6 but it costs about $150 so it is great for anyone who wants to save about $150 and is satisfied with having the most common features that a golfer would want including precise distances to the front, back and middle of greens plus layups and doglegs, digital scorecard, green view button for seeing the true shape and layout of the green, and vibrating smartphone notification.
Features
- Touchscreen GPS golf watch with sunlight readable, high-resolution display
- Touchscreen allows you to scroll through pages and select items. It also allows you to manually move the pin to the day’s location which is helpful on par 3s where you’ll be able to figure out the distance you need to swing away with complete confidence
- Dedicated Green view button – Dedicated button shows true shape and layout of the green by one simple push, and then you can manually move pin to day’s location
- Precise distance to the front, back and middle of greens plus layups and doglegs
- Allows you to input and save customizable yardage points — such as water hazards or bunkers
- Measure shot feature tells you how far your shot went
- Odometer allows you to see how far you walk
- Round timer keeps track of how long it takes to play 18 holes
- Preloaded with more than 30,000 international courses with no subscriptions or fees
- free lifetime course updates allows you to download free course updates whenever they’re available
- Digital scorecard options for individual players. Scoring options include Stroke Play and Stableford, so you can save, review, share and print scorecards from your computer
- Smart notification – S4 acts as a wireless extension of your iPhone allowing you to see any email, text message or alert that is displayed on your phone
Specifications
- Display Size: 1 inches
- Display Resolution: 128 x 128 pixels
- Dimensions (LWH): 2.41 inches, 1.83 inches, 0.58 inches
- Weight: 2.08 ounces
- Batteries – 1 Lithium ion batteries required (included)
- Rugged and waterproof to 10 meters
- Extra-long life lithium-ion battery lasts up to 10 hours in GPS mode, 6 weeks in watch mode before the battery needs to be recharged
- Available in 2 Colors: Black or White
Garmin Approach S2 GPS Golf Watch with Worldwide Courses
This watch is one of the older models but it is still really popular. It does not come with the more sophisticated features such as green view, touch targeting, smartphone notification but it does give you accurate distances for the front, back and middle of the green, layups, doglegs, measures individual shot distances from anywhere on the golf course, comes with a digital scorecard and is more affordable than most other golf GPS watches.
Features
- Preloaded worldwide courses (over 40,000 courses worldwide) and free lifetime course updates
- High-sensitivity GPS receiver for stronger signal strength and improved tracking under trees
- Provides precise yardages to front, back and middle of the green
- Layup and dogleg distances improve usability for the entire hole
- Measures individual shot distances – calculates precise yardage for shots played from anywhere on the course
- An individual digital scorecard that can be stored and printed
Specifications
- Physical dimensions: 1.8″ x 2.7″ x 0.6″ (4.5 x 6.9 x 1.4 cm)
- Display size, WxH: 1.0″ (2.54 cm) diameter
- Display resolution, WxH: 64 x 32 pixels
- Display type: Monochrome LCD
- Weight: 1.8 oz (52 g) with batteries
- Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion
- Battery life up to 3 weeks (watch mode); up to 8 hours (GPS mode)
- Water rating 1 ATM (10 meters)
- Interface USB
Bushnell NEO XS Golf GPS Rangefinder Watch
The Bushnell Neo XS GPS Watch is thin and lightweight so it is really comfortable to wear. It comes pre-loaded with over 33,000 courses in over 30 countries. You get these courses without paying any membership fees or downloading anything. It also comes with Auto course recognition, auto hole advance, round odometer and one button shot distance calculator. It will calculate the front/center/back distances to the green and hazard/layup distances (up to 4 per hole). It can also be used as a standard watch since it gives you the time and date and you can even set an alarm. It can be used to play 3 rounds before charging so it has a really long battery life. Besides the watch, your purchase also comes with a USB cable to charge the unit via a USB port. It is also waterproof to 10m, legal for tournament play and comes with a 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Strong Points
-Pre-loaded with more than 33,000 courses in more than 30 countries
-Free course updates so there are no annual membership or download fees
-Accurate distances for the front, back and middle of the green, layups, doglegs
-Accurate layup and dogleg distances for par 4 and 5 holes (up to 4 per hole)
-Long battery life allows you to play 3 rounds before charging
-Round odometer
-Shot distance calculator
Weak Points
-Smaller display area than the more expensive watches
-No digital scorecard
Features
- no membership or download fees
- Pre-loaded with 33,000+ courses in over 30 countries
- Auto course recognition
- Auto hole advance
- Easy-to-read front/center/back distances
- Hazard/Layup distances (up to 4 per hole)
- Round odometer
- Shot distance calculator
- Long battery life provides over 3 rounds of golf between charges (based upon average of 4 hours per round) or 2-year battery life when used in watch mode (time only)
- Comes with USB charging/sync cable for easy charge or course updates and quick-start guide
- one-year limited warranty
Specifications
- Display Area: 23mm x 23mm
- Weight: 1.8oz
- Battery Life: 16hrs
- Recharge Time: 2.5hrs
- Water Proof:Yes
Callaway GPSy Golf GPS Watch
The Callaway GPSy Golf GPS Watch will supply you with the most important features that you expect from a golf GPS watch and tell you everything that you will need to chose the right golf club and hit your next shot with confidence. It comes preloaded with over 30,000 global course maps and requires no download or subscription fees. It will give you fast, accurate distances to the front, center and back of the green as well as layup and carry distances to hazards and doglegs and it will also give you the time and date. The GPSy Watch sports a sleek, lightweight design with an ultra-comfortable band.
Upon launching into GPS mode, the GPSy will automatically locate your golf course and will auto-advance from hole-to-hole during play. No more searching for sprinkler heads or other distance markers, the GPSy Watch is especially useful and convenient during those cart-path only rounds or holes. Other useful features include shot distance measurement, odometer and a scorekeeper function that allows you to easily track round data during play – including score, GIR and putts per round. In watch-only mode, the GPSy is comfortable enough to wear all day/every day and will last weeks on a single charge. No winding required, the time and date is automatically set by satellite and can be displayed in analog or digital format. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to 10 hours in GPS mode; and up to 40 days in watch mode.
Features
- Pre-loaded with 30,000+ worldwide course maps no download or subscription fees
- Accurate front, center, and back distances to green
- Accurate layup and carry distances to hazards and doglegs
- Auto-course recognition
- auto-hole advancement
- shot distance measurement
- Odometer
- Scorekeeper function records round data – hole/total score, GIR and putts per round
- Search full course map library at http://www.callawaydmd.com/course-library; add/update course maps on demand – at no charge
- Analog and digital time display
- Time and date automatically set by satellite
Specifications
- Battery lasts 8-12 hours in GPS mode
- 90+ days battery life in time mode
- Display size: 1.28″
- Band length: 10.25″
- Comes with a 1 year limited warranty
- Available in two colors: Black or White
Best Pocket Golf GPS Units (Updated for 2020)
Talking GolfBuddy Voice 2 Golf GPS (That Clips on Hat)
Strong Points
This is a great pocket-sized golf GPS for people who don’t like wearing watches or want to hold one of the bigger handheld units. You can attach it to your cap, belt or wrist strap. It comes with many of the features found in some of the more expensive handheld units including:
-distance to the center, back, and front of the green
-automatic course and hole recognition
-shot distance measurement feature
-Green view screen that will show you the shape of the green as well as your angle of approach; this screen also displays the hole number, par information, satellite signal strength, and left/right green information
-One unique feature found in this device is the voice feature. It will actually tell you the distances of your shots. This feature is not found in any other devices
-Displays current time (minutes are set automatically by the GPS signal)
Weak Points
-Black and White screen
-No touchscreen
-No digital scorecard so you have to use something else to record your scores
-Does not display the current date
-No alarm
Features
- Talking Golf GPS – Press the button and it will tell you the distances
- Pocket sized unit is about the size of a match box. It can be clipped on a cap, visor, belt or wrist band.
- It allows you to have world’s courses in the size of a match box with its 40,000 course storage capability.
- Easy to use
- Multiple greens
- Automatic course and hole recognition
- vibrant user interface
- Simple audio distance measuring device (voice tells you the distance)
- Shot Distance Measurement
- All units are preloaded with 40,000+ courses from around the world and are 100% free
- All GolfBuddy products are 100% fee free. No download charges. No annual subscription fees. Guaranteed free lifetime course & software updates.
- Dynamic Green View screen – this screen shows you the shape of the green as well as your angle of approach. It will also display hole number, par number, and right/left green where available.
- 8 different spoken languages pre-loaded
- Distances to front/center/back of the green – In golf mode, the main screen will display the distance to the center, back, and front of the green
- Water resistant
- Rechargeable battery
- Up to 14-hour battery life (2+ rounds per charge)
- Male/Female voice options through free GolfBuddy Manager Program
- Detachable unit to provide versatility
- Multilingual (up to 11 languages, 8 preloaded)
- Legal for tournament play
- Color: White/Silver
Bushnell Neo Ghost Golf GPS
Features
- Tournament legal
- pocket-sized – little larger than the GolfBuddy
- Easy to use
- Pre-loaded with 35,000+ courses
- No downloads and no membership fees ever
- Auto course recognition
- auto hole advance
- Easy to read distances to front/center and back of greens
- Up to four custom hazard and layup distances per hole
- Long rechargeable battery life – play up to 16 hrs (or 3 full rounds of golf) on a single charge before having to recharge
- fully recharge the battery in about two hours
- Multi-function clip and USB charging cable included
- Water resistant
Best Handheld Golf GPS Units Under $300 (Updated for 2020)
Garmin Approach G8 Handheld Touchscreen Golf Course GPS
This is the best handheld Golf GPS unit. It costs about $300 so it is a lot more expensive than the Talking GolfBuddy Voice Handheld Golf GPS that was mentioned above. This is a lot bigger than a pocket-sized golf GPS so you can’t attach it to your cap or wrist strap. However, it comes with all of the features that a golfer would want including
Strong Points
-distance to the center, back, and front of the green
-distances for layups and hazards
-Color display
-Touchscreen
-Touch-targeting – Touch any point on the display, and it shows you the precise distance to that exact spot, whether it’s the fairway, hazard or green
-automatic course and hole recognition
-shot distance measurement feature
-Green view screen that will show you the shape of the green as well as your angle of approach; this screen also displays the hole number, par information, satellite signal strength, and left/right green information
-Digital scorecard to record your scores
Weak Points
-No voice feature to tell you the distances of your shot
-Expensive (approximately $300)
-Does not display the current date or time
-No alarm
Features
- Preloaded with over 40,000 worldwide courses – no subscriptions required
- Slim, rugged, waterproof design
- internal rechargeable battery
- 2.6″ glove-friendly
- touchscreen display
- adjustable backlight
- Color: Black
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Golf GPS watches and handheld units have the longest battery life?
For watches, the Garmin Approach S6 has the longest battery life in watch mode of up to 20 weeks.
Garmin Approach S6 – Watch mode: up to 20 weeks; GPS mode: up to 10 hours
Garmin Approach S6 – Watch mode: up to 6 weeks; GPS mode: up to 10 hours
Garmin Approach S20 – Smart mode: up to 8 weeks; GPS mode: up to 15 hours
Garmin Approach X40 – Smart mode: up to 5 days; GPS mode: up to 10 hours
Garmin Approach S6 – Watch mode: up to 3 weeks; GPS mode: up to 8 hours
For handheld units, the Bushnell Neo has the longest battery life. It can give you up to 16 hours or about 3 rounds of golf.
Garmin Approach G6, G7 and G8 – up to 15 hours
Bushnell Neo Ghost Golf GPS – up to 16 hrs (3 rounds of golf typically) on a single charge
GolfBuddy Voice 2 Golf GPS/Rangefinder – up to 14 hours of battery life (2+ rounds per charge)
Do all Golf GPS devices tell you the distances to the front, back and middle of the greens plus layup and dogleg distances?
For devices that cost more money, the main screen of the device will usually display the precise distances to the front, back and middle of the greens plus layup and dogleg distances for par 4 and 5 holes. However for units that cost a lot less, they will only display the distances to the front, back and middle of the greens.
Are there any devices that will tell you the exact distance to any point on the golf course?
Yes there are. The Garmin Approach S6 watch and Garmin Approach G6, G7 and G8 handheld units come with a Touch-targeting feature that will allow you to do this. These devices come with touchscreens and if you touch any point on the touchscreen, the display will show you the precise distance to that exact spot, whether it is a fairway, hazard or green.
Are there any watches that come with a club recommend feature?
No there are not. The club recommend feature can only be found in the handheld units Garmin Approach G6, G7 and G8.
Are the course updates free or is there a yearly membership fee?
Purchasing golf GPS products from Garmin and Bushnell will entitle customers to free course updates for life. Customers of SkyCaddie products will have to pay a yearly membership fee to get course updates.
Which watches come with activity tracking and heart rate monitoring features?
The Garmin Approach X40 come with both activity tracking and heart rate monitoring features. The Garmin Approach S20 only comes with activity tracking and will not monitor your heart rate.
Which watch has the largest display and highest resolution?
The Garmin S6 has the largest display and the highest resolution at 180 x 180 pixels. The second highest resolution is 128 x 128 pixels and that belongs to the Garmin S20 and S4.
Which handheld unit has the largest display and highest resolution?
The Garmin Approach G8 has the largest display with a 3 inch diagonal. It also has the highest resolution at 240 x 180 pixels.
Are there any golf GPS devices that come with color displays?
Most golf GPS watches and handheld units come with black and white screens. However, the Garmin S6 watch and Garmin G6, G7 and G8 handheld units com with color touchscreens.
Are these Golf GPS watches and handheld units waterproof?
Yes they are all waterproof. You can take the more expensive golf GPS watches down to 50 meters below the surface.
What are the lightest golf watches and handheld units?
The lightest golf watch is the Garmin Approach X40. It weighs only 1.1 ounces. The second lightest golf watch is the Garmin S20. It weighs only 1.5 ounces.
The lightest handheld unit is the GolfBuddy Voice 2 Golf GPS/Rangefinder. It weighs approximately 1 ounce and you can clip onto your hat, belt or golf bag. The Garmin Approach G10 weighs approximately 1.1 ounces and clip onto your hat, belt or golf bag as well. It also has a few additional features not found in the GolfBuddy Voice 2.
What are the thinnest golf watches and handheld units?
The thinnest golf watch is the Garmin Approach X40. It is only about 0.83 inches thick.
What is the most comfortable golf watch?
The Garmin Approach X40 is the most comfortable watch because it is the thinnest and lightest. You will barely feel it on your wrist while you swing your golf club.
Do Golf GPS watches have the same functions as a typical watch such as time, date and alarm?
Yes all of the golf GPS watches can display the time and date. You will also be able to set an alarm.
