10 Best Golf Watches 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Approach S44 is a sleek golf GPS smartwatch designed for avid golfers. One of its standout features is the 1.2” color AMOLED display, which offers vibrant visuals that bring the 43,000+ preloaded courses to life on your wrist. This watch excels in providing accurate distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, as well as navigation around hazards, making it a valuable tool on the course.

The slim design and lightweight build (1.5 ounces) add to its appeal, ensuring it is comfortable to wear throughout the day. Additionally, the watch is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to receive smart notifications directly on your wrist, which can be convenient when you want to leave your phone behind during a game. The S44 also supports pairing with optional club trackers for shot-tracking capabilities and offers an advanced stat tracking and handicap calculation feature through the Garmin Golf smartphone app.

There are some drawbacks to consider. The battery life, while decent at up to 15 hours in GPS mode, may require frequent charging for extensive use. Additionally, the watch's water resistance rating is not specified, which might be a concern for those who play in varying weather conditions. Lastly, while the watch offers a wide range of features, some users might find the need for a Garmin Golf membership to access enhanced course maps an added expense.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 stands out with its highly accurate dual-frequency GPS, which helps golfers track their location very precisely — an important feature for navigating golf courses and measuring distances. Its rugged titanium case and sapphire front crystal ensure strong durability, while 100m water resistance adds extra protection against rain or sweat. The large 49mm superbright Always-On Retina display offers clear visibility outdoors, making it easy to glance at stats even in bright sunlight.

Battery life is impressive for a smartwatch, lasting up to 36 hours in typical use and extending to 72 hours in a low-power mode, so it can reliably last through long rounds or multiple days of play. Beyond golf, the Ultra 2’s advanced workout metrics, health tracking, and safety features like fall detection add value for active users. However, it lacks golf-specific apps or preloaded course maps that some dedicated golf watches offer, which might be a downside if you want detailed golf course coverage straight out of the box.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a robust, feature-rich smartwatch that offers excellent GPS precision and durability, making it a strong choice for golfers who want a versatile device that supports a wide range of outdoor activities and health monitoring. Its higher price and relatively large size might not appeal to those seeking a simpler, more affordable golf watch.

The Garmin fēnix 7S Pro Sapphire Solar is a high-end multisport GPS watch designed for golf enthusiasts who require reliable and detailed course data. It offers excellent GPS accuracy enhanced by multi-band SatIQ technology, ensuring precise location tracking on the course. The watch supports thousands of preloaded golf courses worldwide, making it ideal for players who travel or play at varied locations. Its 1.2-inch round display is clear and bright enough for outdoor visibility, a key feature when checking distances or course layouts in sunlight.

A standout feature is solar charging through a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, which significantly extends battery life and allows users to spend more time on the course without concern. The battery lasts for weeks in smartwatch mode, a strong performance compared to many competitors. Durability is addressed with a tough fiber-reinforced polymer case complemented by a steel or titanium bezel, plus water resistance, so the watch can withstand rough outdoor conditions and weather. Additional features such as a built-in flashlight and advanced health tracking enhance versatility beyond golf, supporting multisport training and everyday use.

The relatively small 1.2-inch screen might feel cramped for those who prefer larger displays. Although the watch offers many advanced metrics for fitness and endurance, some users may find these features overwhelming if they are seeking a straightforward golf watch. This Garmin model is well suited for golfers who value precise GPS, long battery life, and rugged design alongside extensive training tools, though it may be more complex than necessary for casual players.