Is it a 6-iron, or perhaps a 7? No, it’s definitely a 6. Hang on, it’s quite a bit uphill, could it be a 5? If this dilemma sounds familiar and you can’t be doing faffing around with a rangefinder, then perhaps you should have the best golf GPS watch on your horizon.
GPS technology has come a long way in recent years thanks to the quality and availability of satellite data, meaning for the discerning golfer, access to accurate yardages are readily available via a quick glance down at the wrist.
All the main players in this space are constantly refining iterations of their best GPS watches to provide golfers with the most accurate, feature packed models that help you to make better lifestyle decisions off the course and golf decisions on it.
But if its accurate yardages you’re after, take a read through our shortlist below.
Shot Scope V3 GPS Golf Watch – $200 / £160 RRP
Shot Scope’s V3 comes with 35,000 courses pre-loaded and shows yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green – but it is so much more than that.
While the V3 doesn’t offer the graphics of many rivals, it has a very clever system to give you a mountain of data.
The makers believe its dual satellite technology reduces the error to just 30cm. The golf watch comes with 16 sensors (that screw into each club), and this enables the watch to automatically detect every shot you hit, providing you with more than 100 statistics.
SkyCaddie LX5C GPS Golf Watch – $350 / £300 RRP
Skycaddie’s LX5C has one of the largest and brightest color touchscreens (1.39in) with full HD graphics and comes preloaded with more than 35,000 courses.
It even allows you to choose your tee box, gender, and yards or meters, for additional accuracy.
The LX5C lets you zoom and pan and is constantly calculating yardages to hidden hazards, so you know how far you’ve got to carry or lay up short of them.
With SkyCaddie, you can trust the yardages as the GPS brand updates courses using survey-quality equipment across thousands of points per course.
Bushnell ION Elite GPS Golf Watch – $200 / £219 RRP
The ION ELITE is a color touchscreen watch packed with most of the features found at the more premium end of the watch on the market.
The ELITE is loaded with over 38,000 golf courses and has an easy-to-read display showing distances to the front center and back of the green.
It is also the first watch to feature Bushnell’s patented Slope Technology.
The dynamic distances the watch displays, allows you to see the hole and provide precise distances from any point to the pin.
Voice Caddie T8 GPS Golf Watch – $240 / £220 RRP
The T8 from Voice Caddie is like having a caddy on your wrist, plus it will also let you know your swing tempo from your previous shot!
Less of a novelty though is the contoured green view feature, which really helps you focus on approach shots and long putts plus.
The T8 also adjusts the distance you have left to take account of uphill or downhill shots which is incredibly helpful when playing a course for the first time.
You also get adjustable pins thanks to the color touch screen, and you also get landing area suggestions off the tee.
GolfBuddy Aim W11 GPS Golf Watch – $200 / £175 RRP
This is a high functioning GPS golf watch for the money and features super useful functions including green contouring mode, especially handy when hitting your approach shots, as going for the pin is not always the best strategy.
Certainly, on the long putts, it also gives tremendous peace of mind.
The graphics are good, and you can manually alter the pin placement to ensure club selection is as precise as possible for those all-important approaches. There is also a pedometer option for the more fitness conscious.
How to choose a GPS golf watch
Regardless of the budget, deciding to purchase a golf GPS is a substantial investment and you should ensure you research thoroughly to make sure your choice of watch can perform all the functions you desire out on the course. Here are some key considerations:
Ease of use – We can assume if you’re reading this guide that accuracy is important to you. Therefore, make sure the information you require is presented clearly and in a way that allows you to digest it quickly and inform your next shot.
Design – You must love the look of the watch you’re wearing, and it needs to feel comfortable on your wrist too. Many brands now make versatile models that can be worn on and off the course, so spend some time making sure the style is right for you. It’s important to note that while GPS golf watches are great for the course, traditional watches like those from Blancpain watches uk offer elegance and functionality for everyday wear. Investing in a high-quality regular watch can complement your style off the course.
Battery life – This should not be a major concern if you are happy to charge your watch after each round, but just be mindful if you are playing multiple times a week without charging as this is where you might be left playing guess the yardage.
