Best GPS Golf Watches of 2024: 8 Great Rangefinder Alternatives

Traditionally, if you wanted to get a distance on the golf course, your best bet is to have a laser rangefinder.

But there is, of course, another option for getting your distances – and we’re not talking sprinkler heads.

Golf watches are the stealthy, practical alternative to rangefinders, and many golfers find them to be preferable.

Why?

The best golf watches include comfort, performance, simplicity, and even style – and some of them can even cost less than your typical rangefinder.

For some golfers, GPS golf watches beat the cumbersome and time-consuming routine of pulling out a rangefinder each time you want a distance.

Just as smartwatches are becoming more prevalent among an ever-increasing range of lifestyles, golf watches have evolved to incorporate features that may appeal to a wider range of golfers.

I’ve tested more than 2 dozen watches over the last 4 years, and these are the best of the best.

If you’re looking to put something around your wrist that will give you the information you need quickly and reliably all while you add a little something to your on-course style, these are your best options.

Best Overall Golf Watch for Most People: Garmin Approach S70

The Garmin Approach S70 came out a year ago, and is still top of the heap when it comes to a dedicated golf watch.

Everything about it is an upgrade from the outgoing Approach S62.

With its release, the S70 solves two of the biggest problems facing nearly every other watch on this list:

Screen resolution and lifestyle features.

The super bright AMOLED screen is a joy to look at, and is miles better than any other Approach series watch from Garmin.

But almost more importantly, they’ve finally packed in many of the health and fitness features that Garmin is known for into a reasonably priced golf watch.

Body battery, stress levels, sleep tracking – it’s a huge step up from previous Garmin golf watches.

This makes it the best choice out there for people who want a watch they can wear all day, every day.

And when it comes to golf? It’s the most advanced GPS golf watch to date.

It has built-in shot tracking, advanced “plays like” distances, compatibility with Garmin’s CT10 shot tracking system, green contour data and more.

Normally, in these “best of” posts I try and spread the love around to different products based on what different people are looking for.

But in this case, I’m a bit more adamant. If the Approach S70 is within your budget? Buy it. It’s the best-dedicated golf watch on the market, and it’s not even close.

Best Golf Watch for Fitness Nuts: Garmin Fenix 8

I never thought I’d get rid of my Apple Watch Ultra as my day-to-day watch – until the Approach S70 came around. 

I wore it every day for a few months and loved the fitness features it provided.

But then I learned about the Garmin Epix series

It has even more robust fitness tracking features than the S70 (especially for runners and cyclists), and it represents the most comprehensive and high-tech fitness watch Garmin makes.

Well, now Garmin has just released the Fenix 8. It takes the best stuff from the Epix (the AMOLED screen) and ALL of the high end golf features of the S70 – and puts it in one watch.

Plus it adds quality-of-life features like a microphone and voice assistant.

For people who want the best of the best in fitness tracking, golf, and smart phone features – this is the very best watch on the market. It’s also what I’m personally wearing every single day.

The downside? It’s expensive. It starts at $999, which is $300 more than a comparable S70 – which already isn’t cheap.

But if you want it all? And you’re ok with it not being an Apple Watch – this is the one to get.

Best Bang for the Buck: Voice Caddie T11 Pro

The previous generation T9 was (and still is) one of the best golf watches on the market. Especially at the current sale price of $249.

But for just a little bit more, you can pick up the newer T11 Pro.

This is by far the most feature packed golf watch under $500. It’s got built in shot tracking, a beautiful screen, wind and environmental slope adjustment, and even green heatmaps.

All with no subscription. The retail price is $349, but Breaking Eighty readers can snag it for $299. 

It’s easily the best deal in golf watches. 

The downside? Because there’s so much packed into it, navigating it can be a challenge at times. I also don’t love the fact it’s primarily a touch screen. But once you learn your way around it, this is going to be the best option for a lot of people out there.

Best GPS Golf Watch Under $200: Garmin S12

I used to give the nod in this category to the Bushnell ION Elite. And to be clear, that’s still a great watch.

But Bushnell stopped supporting previous generations of the ION watches, which has left a few users less than happy. 

Because of this, I’d recommend picking up a Garmin S12. Garmin is the best in the business when it comes to GPS accuracy, and you get the added benefit of being in the Garmin ecosystem. This gives you enhanced benefits when using the CT10 sensors, Approach Z30 rangefinder, or other Garmin devices.

I also think when looking for budget watches under $200, it’s best to just focus on distance numbers. As watches with GPS hole overviews and more elaborate graphics, are usually quite cumbersome in this price range.

Best Golf Smart Watch: Apple Watch Ultra 2

If having a day-to-day smart watch is more important than a dedicated golf watch, then the Apple Watch is tough (impossible?) to beat.

With the release of the Apple Watch Ultra (and subsequent 2), so much of the watch has been improved upon, and you have multiple options for golf apps to make it function like a dedicated golf watch.

If this is the route you want to go, then my recommendation is simple: Get Arccos Caddie, pair it with your Apple Watch, and thank me later.

Arccos Golf just keeps getting better and better.

And when using it with the Apple Watch you’re able to not only get all your GPS yardages directly on your wrist, but you can track every single shot you hit on the course.

After the round? You can see the exact distance of ever shot, every statistic you could ever want, and more.

It’s really a fantastic experience.

Best All-In-One Shot Tracking Watch: Shot Scope V5

So let’s say you like the idea of shot tracking, but you also want a dedicated GPS watch.

That rules out Arccos.

And for a Garmin watch and CT10 sensors, you’re starting to get up there in price.

The new Shot Scope V5 is likely the one for you.

At $249, this is the latest device in Shot Scope’s lineup and despite being $50 less than their X5 watch, I like this one better.

Main reason? It has physical buttons as opposed to a touch screen. This makes it easier to navigate quickly on the course, and saves some money in the process.

There is a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to using the watch and editing your rounds in the app after you finish, but once you get it, it’s pretty straightforward

So to have an accurate GPS watch with shot tracking, and no annual subscription? That’s a pretty compelling package. And the fact you can save an additional 15% using our Shot Scope coupon code “BREAKINGEIGHTY” makes it even better.

Best Under $100: TecTecTec Ult-G

Let’s face it. A lot of golfers don’t need all of the features that a lot of expensive golf watches or rangefinders offer.

They really just need to know how far it is to the green without having to pace off distances from the nearest marker.

If that’s you, there’s no need to spend more than $99.99. 

The TecTecTec Ult-G gives you everything you need – distances to the front, middle and back of the green and distances to various hazards. 

And that’s about it.

But do you really need anything more? 

If not, save some money and pick up this solid, reliable option.

Review: TecTecTec Ult-G Review: Solid Watch. Solid Price.

Best Luxury Golf Watch: Garmin MARQ 2 Golfer

Over $2k for a Garmin watch? Seems steep. And honestly? It is.

But the MARQ 2 Golfer is more than just a smartwatch, it truly is a luxury timepiece. And it both looks and feels like one.

The benefit of this, over say the luxury golf watch from Tag Heuer is that Garmin has been perfecting not just its golf watches, but its fitness watches for years now.

So you get the wonderful Garmin Golf eco-system, plus all of the health and fitness benefits that Garmin is known for.

Better yet, it just got an updated that rolled out some of the most high-tech features from the new Approach S70 – so it’s better than ever.

If you’re looking for a smartwatch that looks just as good in the board room as it does on the course? Look no further.

What to Look for in the Best GPS Golf Watches

Still not sure exactly which one is for you? Here are a few more things to consider.

First of all, you’ve got to settle the internal debate you’re likely having about whether to go laser (as in rangefinder) or watch.

We could throw hand-held GPS devices into this conversation. But based on what I’m seeing on the courses I’m playing, rangefinders and watches far exceed hand-helds in popularity.

The best golf rangefinders are going to give you that seeing-is-believing, pinpoint accuracy. For some golfers, there’s no substitute for looking through a telescopic lens, seeing their target, and getting the exact distance.

But let’s face it, you’re not a good enough golfer to need an exact, down-to-the-tenth-of-a-yard distance to the pin.

A modern GPS golf watch will also give you accurate yardages, but typically with tolerances of plus/minus a few yards. 

With a watch, you’re getting your yardages based on GPS that does not (usually) factor in that day’s specific pin locations. So instead of an exact number to the pin, you get yardages to the front, middle, and back parts of the green.

Another area where rangefinders shine is battery life. While with a rangefinder, you may only change the battery once a year (if that), with a golf watch you’ll usually need to recharge after every couple of rounds.

But what a lot of rangefinder users might not realize is that golf watches have evolved to the point that they can do things – a lot of things! – that a rangefinder cannot.

When you’re searching for a golf watch or comparing them to a rangefinder, consider which of these readily available golf watch features are most important to you:

• Wind speed and direction
• Slope
• Scorekeeping
• A compass
• Swing speed
• Stats about your distances with each club
• A shot-by-shot breakdown of your round
• A 3D flyover of each hole
• Distances to multiple hazards
• A virtual caddie to recommend club selection based on your shot data
• Touchscreen technology
• Step and calorie-burning counters
• A heart rate monitor
• Ability to receive and send email and text messages
• Ability to pay for transactions

The best golf watches today are absolutely loaded with technology and features. They are far more versatile and offer so much more data than a rangefinder.

But are you cool with wearing a watch while you play golf? Some people find it to be uncomfortable or distracting. Think of how it might feel when you’re sweating. And what about the sweet tan lines you’ll get?

You might want to play a round with a different athletic watch that you already own to see if you find wearing a watch while you play to be a problem for you.

On the flip side, a number of golfers look at a watch as an additional fashion accessory to complement their on-course style. If that’s important to you, there are a wide range of different sizes and looks to consider when shopping.

Of course, you’ll also need to consider your budget. The good news is that you can get good functionality for very reasonable prices. However, it can be tough to resist some of the slick features that come as you ratchet up the price list.

No matter your budget or what features are tops on your list, there is a perfect golf watch option for you. With this list, we give you our top picks for some of the most common consideration factors.

The Best Golf Watches of 2024: Final Thoughts

Alright, hopefully by now you have a good idea of what type of golf watch might fit your game, style and budget.

We’ve picked out 10 surefire winners, ranging in price from $100 to $2,000+.

If all you need is yardage, grab the TecTecTec Ult-G.

If you want a top-of-the-line experience and a classy look, go with the Garmin Marq 2 Golfer

Are you an Apple Watch devotee? If you add Arccos Caddie to the mix, you’ll have one of my personal favorite golf watch setups.

Are you anti-IOS? You can still get great shot-tracking functionality with the Shot Scope X5.

If you truly just want the best and most well-rounded golf watch available? Get the Garmin Approach S70.

And if you want that, plus a whole bunch of fitness features as well? Then grab a Garmin Epix Pro.

Whatever you choose, realize that golf watches offer an unbelievable array of features. If you’ve only considered rangefinders to date, you might want to stop to consider what this alternative option might bring to your game.

And if you’re still set on a rangefinder, don’t miss our top picks for 2024.

Where do you come down on the golf watch vs. rangefinder debate? Do you have experience using both? Let us know in the comments.

Looking for More Best of 2024 Reviews?

• Best Golf Shoes – We’ve scouted out the eight best pairs of shoes to make your rounds most comfortable.
• Best Golf Bags – Something for everyone on this list of 10.
• Best Golf Push Carts – Are you ready to take a load off?
• Best Golf Balls – You owe it to yourself to play the ball that best suits your game.
• Best Golf Vests – 5 stylish golf vests for any time of the year.

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Recent Updates:

September 17th, 2024: Added the Garmin Fenix 8 and removed the Garmin Epix Gen 2. Added comparison video for Fenix 8 vs S70.