The Garmin Approach S10 and Garmin Approach S20 golf gps watches and Garmin G10 handheld golf gps device are easy to use and they come with 41,000 preloaded courses and stat tracking. For each hole on the course, the Garmin Approach S20, S10 and G10 will calculate the front/middle/back distances to the putting green and layup and carry distances to hazards. Also none of these devices have slope compensation for uphill and downhill shots.
Table of Contents
Differences between the Garmin Approach S10, S20 and G10
The biggest difference among the Garmin Approach S10, S20, and G10 is that only the S20 has a sleep monitor, step tracker and odometer while the S10 and G10 only have an odometer. Also the Garmin S20 has automatic shot tracking and manual club tracking while both the S10 and G10 do not come with shot or club tracking features.
The main advantage of the S10 and G10 is that they both costs less compared to the S20. An important thing to mention is that the Garmin S20, S10, and G10 display the same types of hazard information and dogleg and layup marker distances.
The Garmin S10, S20, and G10 all calculate front/middle/back distances to the green and distances to layup markers, hazards and doglegs but only the S20 comes with automatic shot tracking (view shot locations and distances on a 2-D overhead aerial course map on the Garmin Connect website after the round is over), manual club tracking, audio smartphone notifications, step counter (pedometer), calories burned counter, sleep monitor, move bar inactivity alert and intensity minutes tracker.
While the Garmin S20 comes with a step counter, sleep monitor, inactivity alert, and other fitness features, both the Garmin S10 and G10 do not have any fitness tracking features except for an odometer. If you only want an affordable watch that will give you accurate distances to the green, hazards, and doglegs and has no fitness tracking features, then you should definitely purchase the Garmin S10, because it is much cheaper than the S20. The only advantage of the G10 over the S10 and S20 is a cheaper price tag.
The Garmin S10, S20, and G10 do not have as many of the fitness features found in the S60 and S40. The price difference makes the S60 and S40 the better purchase. Please read this article to see how the Garmin S40 compares to the S60.
Comparison Chart for Garmin Approach S10 vs S20 vs G10
| Features and Specifications |  Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date: | February 2016 | June 2018 | February 2016 |
| Price | Best Value | cheaper than Garmin S20 | cheaper than Garmin S20 and S10 |
| Display resolution | 128 x 128 pixels | 128 x 128 pixels | 128 x 128 pixels |
| Display Size (W x H inches) | 0.9” x 0.9” | 0.9” x 0.9” | 0.9” x 0.9” |
| Product Dimensions (W x H x D inches) | 1.47" x 1.87" x 0.44" | 1.4” x 1.6" x 0.44" | 1.5” x 2.0” x 0.7” |
| Weight (in ounces) | 1.5 oz | 1.28 oz | 1 oz |
| Touchscreen | No | No | No |
| Step Counter (Pedometer) | Yes | No | No |
| Move bar alert | Yes | No | No |
| Sleep monitoring | Yes | No | No |
| Calories burned | Yes | No | No |
| Intensity minutes | No | No | No |
| Heart Rate Monitor | No | No | No |
| Hazard Distances | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dogleg distances | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Layup distances for 250, 200, 150 and 100 yard markers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Shot Tracking except for putts and chip shots | Yes | No | No |
| Automatic Shot Tracking with Garmin Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (purchased separately; tracks all shots including putts and chip shots) | Yes (CT10 club tracking sensors purchased separately) | No | No |
| Manual Club Tracking - manually select the club used after each shot is taken | Yes | No | No |
| Automatic Club Tracking with Garmin Approach CT10 club tracking sensors (purchased separately; automatically tracks all clubs used) | Yes (CT10 club tracking sensors purchased separately) | No | No |
| View shot locations, distances and clubs used online on a 2-D aerial view for each hole | Yes | No | No |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts, greens in regulation, fairways hit) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life in GPS mode | Up to 15 hours | Up to 12 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Slope compensation | No | No | No |
| Putting green layouts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manual pin position | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Aerial view of each hole | No | No | No |
| Manual shot distance calculator | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic shot distance calculator | Yes | No | No |
| Distance traveled | Yes | No | No |
| TrueUp | Yes | No | No |
| Countdown timer | No | No | No |
| Stopwatch | No | No | No |
| Smartphone Notifications | Yes | No | No |
| Audible alerts | Yes | No | No |
| Vibration alerts | No | No | No |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | No | No |
| TruSwing compatible | Yes | No | No |
| USB Interface | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display type technology | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome |
| Automatic course and hole recognition | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Color display | No | No | No |
| Yardage to front/middle/back of green | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Club suggestion | No | No | No |
| Preloaded Course Maps | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses |
| Water Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Memory/history | 64 MB | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Free Lifetime Course Updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
More information about the similarities and differences between the Garmin Approach S10, S20 and G10 are listed below:
Golf Features Comparison
1. The Garmin S10, S20 and G10 will calculate the front/middle/back distances to the putting green and layup and carry distances to hazards for each hole.
2. The Garmin S10, S20 and G10 will calculate the distances to 100, 150, 200 and 250 yard layup markers and distances to doglegs.
3. The Garmin S10, S20 and G10 all come with the same black and white display, display resolution (128 x 128 pixels), display size (0.9″ x 0.9″) and similar physical dimensions (S10: 1.4″ x 1.6″ x 0.44″ vs S20: 1.47″ x 1.87″ x 0.44″ vs G10: 1.5″ x 2.0″ x 0.7″) and weights (S10: 1.28 ounces vs S20: 1.5 ounces vs G10: 1 ounce).
4. Unlike the Garmin Approach S10 and G10, the Garmin S20 has an Autoshot round analyzer for shot tracking and viewing your shot locations after the round is over.
5. Only the Garmin Approach S20 has manual club tracking for keeping track of the club you used for each of shot. After each shot, the watch will prompt you to enter the club you used.
5. None of these devices display overhead aerial views of each hole or slope adjusted distances like the Garmin Approach S60 does.
Fitness Activity Tracking Comparison
The Garmin Approach S20 has many more fitness tracking features than the S10 and G10. Like the Garmin Approach S20, the S10 and G10 have an odometer for measuring the distance traveled on the course. However, only the Garmin S20 has a step counter, sleep monitor and inactivity alert. The step counter will keep track of how many steps you take and calories burned and the sleep monitor will keep track of your sleep patterns. The inactivity alert will indicate if have been inactive for too long, in which case, you will have to walk for a couple of minutes to reset it.
Battery Life Comparison
The Garmin Approach S20 has a longer battery life than the Garmin Approach S10. The S20 lasts for 15 hours in GPS mode while the S10 lasts for 12 hours. This means the S20 will last for 4 rounds of golf while the S10 will last for 3. But the S10 lasts for 14 weeks in watch mode while the S20 lasts for a shorter 8 weeks. The Garmin G10 has an equivalent battery life to the Garmin S20 which means it will last for 15 hours or 3 rounds of golf per charge.
Garmin S20 Review
The Garmin Approach S20 was released two years before the S10 in 2016 and it has all of the same features as the Garmin Approach S10 plus some additional ones including a step counter and shot tracker and it also has a longer battery life but the S10 is cheaper and has a sleeker form factor. Both the Garmin Approach S10 and Garmin Approach S20 are easy to use and have 41,000 preloaded courses and can measure distances to pins, layups, hazards and doglegs. But neither the S10 or S20 have slope compensation.
The Garmin Approach S20 is better than the S10 because the S20 has more golf and activity tracking features and a longer battery life. Both the S10 and S20 have an odometer but only the S20 has a step counter, sleep monitor and shot tracker that will lower your score. However, the S10 is cheaper and better for those on a budget. The step counter will keep track of step count, daily step goal, distance traveled, and calories burned.
Also only the S20 has an inactivity alert, smart notifications, and audible alerts. They both weigh about an ounce so they are lightweight and will not affect your golf swing. You can also use these watches off the course because they will give you the date and time, but only the S20 has an alarm clock. The only advantage that the S10 has is that it is a little cheaper. However, in my opinion, because of the number of additional golfing and fitness tracking features that come with the S20, I think the S20 is worth the extra money.
Garmin S20 Layup Distances
Pros
• Fitness tracker features include: Step counter (includes step data from previous days), Automatic daily step goal based on previous activity levels, Round Timer/Odometer, Move bar inactivity alert, Sleep monitoring, Calories burned counter, Distance traveled, TrueUp. Unlike the Garmin S20, both the Garmin S10 and G10 do not contain a step counter (pedometer), sleep monitor, inactivity alert or any other fitness tracking feature except for an odometer.
• Golfing features include: Preloaded with 41,000 course maps worldwide, distances to the front, middle and back of the green, hazard distances, layup distances for 100, 150, 200, and 250 yardage markers that tell you the distance from the middle of the fairway to the middle of the green, dogleg distances, automatic shot tracking, manual club tracking. The Garmin S10 and G10 do not have shot tracking or club tracking.
• Smart notifications: The S20 can receive smart notifications for calls, texts, and emails from compatible smartphones.
• Longest Battery life: 15 hours (3+ rounds) per charge is the longest of any golf watch with a step counter and shot tracking
• Includes alarm and backlight
• Best value for your money: The S20 has the lowest price tag of any golf watch that comes with hazard distances, shot tracking, club tracking, step counter and sleep monitor.
Cons
• No aerial overhead views of each hole like the more expensive Garmin S60
• Only displays the layout of the greens; it has no other graphics of the different parts of the course
• Can move the location of the pin to only 9 different positions on the green
• No touchscreen (only 4 buttons on the side of the watch that moves the screen forward or backward)
• Does not track putts or chip shots unless you purchase the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors
• Does not automatically track clubs used for each shot unless you purchase the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors
• No advanced swing training features
• No slope compensated distances
• No vibration notifications or alerts – only comes with audio beeps when you get notifications or alerts
• No heart rate monitor
• No sports tracking apps – will not track your running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing or snowboarding activities
• No Bluetooth connection for course updates so you will have to plug it into your computer to get your updates
• Not waterproof (water-rated to 5 ATM (50 meters) so the S20 is only water resistant)
• Does not track running, cycling, or swimming activities
Final Verdict for the Garmin Approach S20
The Garmin S20 has all of the most common features a golfer would want including distances to the greens, hazards, layup markers and doglegs and it also comes with a step track, sleep monitor and inactivity alert. It does not have the slope adjustment technology, overhead views of each hole or touch targeting (get the distance to any point on the course) that the more expensive Garmin S60 has. However, it is much cheaper and has a much longer battery life. In my opinion, the Garmin S20 is definitely worth the money.
Is there a Garmin Approach S20 Bundle available for purchase?
Yes, there is. The bundle includes 3 Garmin Approach CT10 sensors.
Garmin S10 Review
The Garmin Approach S10 was released two years after the Garmin Approach S20 in 2018 as a lower budget version of the S20 with much less golf and fitness tracking features. Both the Garmin Approach S10 and S20 have 41,000 pre-loaded courses and can measure distances to pins, layup markers, hazards and doglegs but the S10 does not include a step counter and shot tracker and it also has a shorter battery life. The only advantages of the S10 over the S20 is a cheaper price and sleeker form factor.
Pros
Golfing features include: Preloaded with 41,000 golf course maps worldwide, distances to the front, middle and back of the green, hazard distances, dogleg distances, layup distances to the 100, 150, 200, and 250 yardage markers that tell you the distance from the middle of the fairway to the middle of the green.
Cheapest Garmin golf watch: The Garmin Approach S10 is the cheapest Garmin golf watch on the market.
• Slimmer build than the S20
• weighs slightly less than the S20
Cons
• No fitness tracking features
• shorter battery life than the S20
• No aerial overhead views of each hole
• Only displays the layout of the greens
• No touchscreen (only 4 buttons on the side of the watch that moves the screen forward or backward)
• No shot or club tracking
• No advanced swing training features
• No slope compensated distances
• No vibration notifications or alerts
• No audio beeps when you get notifications or alerts
• No heart rate monitor
• No sports tracking apps
Final Verdict for the Garmin S10
The Garmin S10 has all of the most common features a golfer would want including distances to the greens, hazards, layup markers and doglegs but it does not come with any fitness tracking features such as a step tracker or sleep monitor. However, the S10 is cheaper and better for those on a budget.
Garmin G10 Review
The Garmin Approach G10 was released at the same time as the Garmin Approach S20 in 2016. The Garmin G10 is the watch version of the Garmin S10 which means it has none of the shot and club tracking and activity tracking features of the S20 but the G10 does have a longer battery life than the S20. However, the G10 has 41,000 preloaded courses and will display distances to the front, middle and back of the green, hazards, layup markers and doglegs.
Why buy the Garmin G10 handheld instead of the Garmin S10 or S20 golf GPS watch?
1. Garmin Approach G10 is cheaper than the Garmin S10 and S20 – The Garmin Approach G10 handheld device is cheaper than any of the Garmin watches and it has the same features except for shot tracking, club tracking, smartphone notifications, step counter and sleep monitor.
2. Wearing a watch while playing golf might be too uncomfortable for some people with small wrists – The Garmin Approach G10 handheld is ideal for anyone who finds it uncomfortable wearing a watch while they are swinging a golf club. The G10 handheld comes with a clip that allows you to attach it to your belt. It also comes with a feature that allows you to look at the screen without turning it upside down.
Comparison Table – Garmin Approach S20 vs S10 vs G10
| Features and Specifications | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date: | February 2016 | June 2018 | February 2016 |
| Strong Points (Best Features of Each Device) | *List of Hazard Distances (displays distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes) | *List of Hazard Distances (displays distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes) | *List of Hazard Distances - list of distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes |
| Weak Points (Missing Features in Each Device) | *Black and White Display | *Black and White Display | *Black and White Display |
| Display resolution | 128 x 128 pixels | 128 x 128 pixels | 128 x 128 pixels |
| Display Size (Width x Height in inches) | 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) | 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) | 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) |
| Product Dimensions (Width x Height x Depth(Thickness)) | 1.47" x 1.87" x 0.44" (37.4 x 47.6 x 11.3 mm) | 1.4” x 1.6" x 0.44" (35.5 x 40.7 x 11.3 mm) | 1.5” x 2.0” x 0.7” (37.8 x 50.6 x 17.1 mm) |
| Weight (in ounces) | 1.5 oz (42.52 g) | 1.28 oz (36.29 g) | 1 oz (28.35 g) |
| Battery Life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 8 weeks GPS mode: Up to 15 hours | Watch mode: Up to 14 weeks GPS mode: Up to 12 hours | GPS mode: Up to 15 hours |
| Green View - Displays true shape and layout of green and you can manually place the pin for more accurate yardage by pushing the buttons on the side of the device | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hole View - Displays current hole number; Par for the hole; Accurate distances to the front, center and back of the green Distances to Center/Back/Front - The main screen in golf mode displays the distance to the center, back, and front of the green. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Slope adjusted distances | No | No | No |
| Accurate layup and dogleg distances for par 4 and 5 holes - Layup and Dogleg distances appear on the left on the screen and the distances required to reach each layup or dogleg appears on the right. Layup distances are given for the 250, 200, 150 and 100 yard markers. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hazard Distances - Accurately shows layup & carry distances for sand traps, water and out of bounds or other hazards | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manual shot distance measurement - hold the OK button and walk to your ball location to get the shot distance measurement. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic shot distance calculator (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | Yes | No | No |
| Club Tracking - Enables you to track the clubs used and set the driver distance | Yes | No | No |
| Big Numbers Mode - increases the font size of the front, back and center distances for easier viewing | No | No | No |
Fitness Tracking Features | Garmin S20 | Garmin S10 | Garmin G10 |
| Step Counter (Pedometer) | Yes | No | No |
| Step Counter Daily Summary - displays daily steps and daily step goal | Yes | No | No |
| Step Counter Weekly Summary - displays total steps and total distance traveled | Yes | No | No |
| Move bar alert (displays on device after a period of inactivity; walk for a couple of minutes to reset it) | Yes | No | No |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | No | No |
| Sleep monitoring (monitors total sleep and periods of movement or restful sleep) | Yes | No | No |
| Calories burned | Yes | No | No |
| Distance traveled | Yes | No | No |
| Intensity minutes | No | No | No |
| TrueUp | Yes | No | No |
Daily Smartphone Features | Garmin S20 | Garmin S10 | Garmin G10 |
| Smartphone Notifications - lets you receive emails, texts and alerts right on your handheld, even if you’re in the middle of the fairway. The device receives the wireless signal from your Bluetooth enabled iPhone 4s or later, let’s you know you have a message, and displays the full text on its own screen whenever you’re ready to read it | Yes | No | No |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ | No | No |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone, Android | No | No |
| Compatible with Garmin Connect Mobile | Yes | No | Yes |
Clock Features | Garmin S20 | Garmin S10 | Garmin G10 |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | No | No |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sensors | Garmin S20 | Garmin S10 | Garmin G10 |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer (used to measure speed, distance and number of steps) | Yes | No | No |
Other Features | Garmin S20 | Garmin S10 | Garmin G10 |
| TruSwing compatible: TruSwing Features - Swing Tempo, Swing Speed, Face to Target, Dynamic Loft, Shaft Angle, Club Path, Club Path Coordinates, Shaft Lean | Yes | No | No |
| Digital scorecard - Allows you to keep track of your score hole-by-hole; scoring options include Stroke Play | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individual hole scores - When scoring is enabled, you are prompted to enter your score when you are on the green. You can adjust the score manually for any hole at any time during a game. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audible tones when pressing keys | Yes | No | No |
| Audible tones for notification alerts | Yes | No | No |
| Autoshot round analyzer | Yes | No | No |
| Language - Multilingual (up to 11 languages, 8 preloaded including English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean) | No | No | No |
| Set Alarm | Yes | No | No |
| Units - Sets the unit of measure for distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Language - Sets the device language | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| clip-on design Rear View | No | No | Yes |
| clip-on design Profile View | No | No | Yes |
| Clips on Belt - Clip your unit to a belt and easily view screen without having to take unit off. | No | No | Yes |
| USB Interface - This interface is used to charge your unit by connecting the USB charging data cable (included) to the USB port of your computer or to a USB charger (not included). You can also use the interface to update data for existing courses and access newly added golf courses. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Legal for Tournament Play (complies with USGA rule 14-3/.05) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display type technology | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome | sunlight-readable, high-resolution, monochrome |
| Automatic course and hole recognition | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Color display | No | No | No |
| Touchscreen | No | No | No |
| Yardage to front, middle and back of green | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point) | No | No | No |
| PinPointer blind shot assistance | No | No | No |
| Green View with manual pin position | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Digital scorecard (scoring options include Stroke Play and Stableford for a single player) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Computer scorecard review (save and review scores on computer) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Save locations (mark course points of interest for future reference) | No | Yes | No |
| Club suggestion | No | No | No |
| Preloaded Golf Course Maps | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses | 41,000+ worldwide golf courses |
| Water Proof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Course preview (see detailed, hole-by-hole preview) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Memory/history | 64 MB | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Free Lifetime Course Updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Fees Or Subscriptions | None | None | None |
| Recharge Time | |||
| Battery Type | Internal rechargeable lithium polymer | Rechargeable lithium-ion | Internal rechargeable lithium polymer |
| High-sensitivity GPS Receiver | Yes | Yes | Yes |