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The old days of driving around on the fairway looking for a yardage marker is basically over due to products like the Garmin Approach S20.
There are obviously a lot of alternatives out there, so a Garmin Approach S20 Review is exactly what you need to read and see if it is going to fulfill your needs on the course.
Things to Consider When Buying a Golf Watch
If you are new to the technology or are not sure where to start with golf watches, let me just go ahead and point out a few of the most important things to look at.
1. Selection of Courses
There have been too many disappointed customers who have bought a golf GPS or a golf watch and it hasn’t supported their local golf club. It would be smart to do your research and see if the desired golf course is in their system.
Without the golf course in their system or eligible to be downloaded, your golf watch is going to be completely useless! A golf watch that has thousands and thousands of preloaded courses is probably going to be able to support any golf courses that you intend to play.
2. Durability/Comfortability
When comparing golf watches we usually only consider features and accuracy but do not let other points get overlooked. Not all golf watches are made the same, and in my opinion, this is one of the most important factors.
A watch that feels awful on your wrist or is easily broken is not going to work. It will become a liability instead of an asset on the course if you do not choose correctly.
3. Distances and Miscellaneous Features
There are so many different features that each company has come up in order to better our game of golf, that it would be too hard to list everything. What I will say is that the bare minimum nowadays is distances to the green and some sort of stat tracking software.
There are many more potential features that are offered, but let’s focus on the most important!
Garmin Approach S20
Pros
- Auto shot feature that measures distances and analyzes your round in your connected Garmin account.
- Fully hinged design with a comfortable wristband.
- Compatible with TruSwing to analyze your shots.
- Stat tracking of greens in regulation, fairways, and putts.
Cons
- Only tracks to the middle of the green.
- Does not read the wind.
Garmin is the cream of the crop when it comes to golf equipment and technology. Their Approach S20 golf watch is a perfect example as to why that is. The golf watch has several different aspects that set it apart from the rest.
It is perfect for players that want to get their first golf watch or want to switch to a watch after using a rangefinder or GPS for their yardages. While it is not the most advanced or up to date golf watch on the market, it is going to get the job done for just about everyone’s needs.
After weighing out the pros and cons, it is pretty obvious that this is a quality golf watch that should be considered heavily in your buying decision. Let’s go ahead and get into more detail about what is being offered here.
Features and Benefits
1. Garmin Compatibility
Garmin has products available throughout the golf industry, and some of them are actually compatible with each other. A huge selling point to this watch is that it is compatible with Garmin’s TruSwing.
TruSwing analyzes your swing and can help you build consistency to greatly improve your game. If you already have it, then it might be a no-brainer to get the Approach S20 because it is going to be able to be used simultaneously with other Garmin products.
2. Accurate Distances
Something that is usually considered the most valued feature of a golf watch is the accuracy of it. Garmin is certainly known as one of the most accurate companies out there at the moment, along with Bushnell.
This watch lets you know the distance from where you are standing, to the front, back, and middle of the green very quickly. The advantage of this watch is that it updates automatically, so you do not need to sit there and point at the flag as you do with a rangefinder.
3. Activity Tracker
The greatest thing arguably about this watch is all of the features that are available for you to track. The tracker can do your steps, hours of sleep, and other features unrelated to golf.
However, I’m pretty sure you are mostly considering the golf-related things that this watch can help you with. The watch can track your scores, greens in regulation, fairways in regulation, and putts per round. You do not have to keep track of all of that by yourself anymore!
Once you start to pay attention to those stats and read between the lines, then you are going to start to improve your game in new ways and know what to work on.
4. Durability and Comfortability
The watch comes with a hinge wristband that fits any golfer very comfortably and does not lead to any uncomfortable positions. One of the most important features of any watch is that it is comfortable, and there are no complaints about this watch.
Another big thing that you need to consider is the possibility of the watch breaking. A watch that is not durable is not practical. Luckily, there really are not any negative reviews that I could see on Amazon that said this product is cheaply made.
5. Autoshot
The last major feature that I had to mention is the fact that this golf watch has an Autoshot feature built into it. The watch automatically tracks your shots and what hole you are on, so there is no need to do it manually.
It is pretty incredible to be able to score yourself with a much more hands-off experience and not have to type every stat or write it on your scorecard. Messing with your watch after every shot or hole is going to get you distracted from hitting good shots.
Alternatives
Other golf watches that you should look into are:
- TecTecTec ULT-G Golf Watch
- SkyCaddie LX5 Golf Watch
1. TecTecTec ULT-G Golf Watch
TecTecTec is one of the BIG players in the golf technology industry, so it would only be right to mention a comparable product to the Approach S20 golf watch. The watch comes with 38,000 available courses to choose from, so it looks like you have options.
The watch also updates automatically to which hole you are on, so it is pretty hands-off to use. As a cheaper alternative, it could be worth looking into. Also, the amount of five-star reviews is enough social proof to have to check this thing out.
2. SkyCaddie LX5 Golf Watch
Next on the list, I wanted to point out a very sophisticated product that is one of the nicest on the market. The SkyCaddie LX5 actually gives you a layout picture while on the course, so you are going to have a great idea of how to play a particular hole.
The watch comes with a 3-year membership to over 30,000 courses, which means that you should be able to use it on most courses that you play. Another great feature of the watch is that you have other features that it can track for you, even your heart rate!
Final Thoughts
And that concludes the review of the Garmin Approach S20 Golf Watch. Hopefully, you gained a better understanding of what it offers and who is meant to use it. Golfers that want their first golf watch to get a better idea of their stats and distances will be pleasantly surprised by this product.
But for players that are already happy with their current product that tells them the distances, then they might not need to purchase this item. Please share this post if you know anyone that would love to try out this watch!
Thank you for reading!
Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
