The Best Golf Watches of 2023

Known for their reliable GPS technology, it’s no surprise that Garmin has their own line of golf watches. Garmin S12 users like the watch for more than its large 0.9-inch screen, which makes for easy reading on the course. With up to 30 hours of battery while the GPS is in use—and 10 weeks with GPS disabled—this is one of the best on the market when it comes to battery life. Garmin packed the S12 with 42,000 golf courses from around the world, and it pairs with Approach CT10 club-tracking sensors (sold separately) to count your strokes as you go.

The S12 lends itself to a smooth golf game, eliminating the need to stop your play and use a rangefinder to measure progress; it marks distances and hazards all along the course. And one of the best perks of the S12 is that there’s no extra cost associated, so you won’t have to worry about paying for a subscription.

A larger Garmin golf watch, the S62 is packed with great features, but that does sacrifice some battery life. On a full charge, it’ll last for about 20 hours in GPS mode, or 14 days in smartwatch mode. Still, the battery is what one would expect from a company like Garmin, and users don’t seem to have any issues. The S62 has a 1.3-inch screen with a ceramic bezel, interchangeable sport bands, and a color touchscreen display that pairs easily with your smartphone.

When paired with the Garmin Golf app, golfers can participate in leaderboards and tournaments with other players to gain more insights into their game, making the S62 a great interactive golf watch, even if your buddies are across the country. Hazard view allows users to quickly scroll through obstacles on the course map, and allows for more control over one’s game. The Garmin PlaysLife Distance feature accounts for uphill and downhill shots, which is crucial for accurate club selection.

When choosing a golf watch, it’s important to know whether you’ll be incurring any additional costs, which is why the SkyCaddie LX5’s three-year prepaid worldwide membership to over 35,000 course maps is a great feature. The LX5 also boasts 10 hours of battery life and full-color HD graphics.

While the screen is large at 1.39 inches, some users don’t like that it dims after 30 seconds, though this is likely an intentional battery-saving measure. Along with the auto dim, this golf watch requires a firm touch to move from one screen to the next, which may not be to everyone’s liking.

The SkyCaddie LX5 comes with both small and large wristbands, making for universal sizing, and users like the optional step counter and heart-rate monitor.

Shot Scope’s V3 golf watch is another great option that doesn’t require a subscription in order to access its 36,000 preloaded courses. Four color options are available, along with Bluetooth compatibility with iPhone, Android, laptops, tablets, and iPad. So it’s easy to personalize your golfing experience no matter your tech preferences. And the 1.3-inch screen conserves battery life by showing color only when deemed necessary.

As is the case with other golf watches, the V3 shows distances to the front, back and middle of the green, and is said to be accurate to within plus or minus one yard. Distances to all hazards and automatic hole progression are also included in the V3’s capabilities. Users of the V3 say that setup is simple, but that the battery life could be better as it holds enough power to play two rounds of golf before requiring a charge.

An inexpensive golf watch with just four buttons for navigation, the TecTecTec Ult-G has great reviews due to its ease of use. Once the initial setup is complete, the device automatically connects to a satellite and displays course information.

Like other golf watches, the Ult-G measures distances to the front, back, and middle of the green, making it easy to determine the distance of your shots, and automatic hole progression while you play helps keep you on task. This golf watch offers data on 38,000 golf courses around the world without the need for a subscription, which can be an annoying added expense in other golf watches of similar caliber.

The Bushnell Neo Ion 2 is a great golf watch option whose visibility and basic functionality satisfies the majority of users. Preloaded with over 36,000 courses in more than 30 countries, the traveling golfer is sure to be impressed with the Bushnell golf watch’s capabilities. Golfers love that they have the ability to see the distances of their previous shots with the shot-calculator distance feature, making it easier to keep up with their game and perfect their puts.

While the Neo Ion 2 advertises a 12-hour battery life, keeping up for three full rounds before charging, users say it might be closer to five or six hours (or about two rounds of golf), depending on how busy the course is. And it can be tricky to attach to the charger, so that’s something to keep in mind from an accessibility standpoint.