A Golf Smartwatch With All The Bells And Whistles

Garmin knows GPS, they’ve been helping people navigate the great outdoors for 30 years. On the golf course, the Approach S62 is the company’s top of the line golf-centric model that goes beyond finding fairways, avoiding hazards, and hitting greens.

With its sunlight readable 1.3-inch colour touchscreen and scratch resistant ceramic bezel, the Approach S62 delivers an easier-to-read, larger display in a contemporary design. Enhancing the golfer’s game are options such as PlaysLike Distance, Hazard View and the new Virtual Caddie to analyse wind speed, course layout, and a golfer’s past swings for optimum club selection for each shot.

Integrating course information and full-color mapping right on the wrist, when left with a blind shot, the Approach S62’s PinPointer shows the exact direction to the pin. PlaysLike Distance adjusts yardages to compensate for uphill and downhill shots, and Hazard View lets the golfer know the distance to avoid trouble and traps. On approach shots, Green View allows golfers to drag-and-drop the pin for yardage accuracy, no matter where the player is on the course. Measuring and recording detected shot distances comes courtesy of Autoshot round analyser, which can also be paired with optional Approach CT10 club tracking sensors for more detailed game tracking.

Pair the Approach S62 with the Garmin Golf app for more insight into game analysis when the stats calculated in the app are sent to the watch. Review handicap index, fairway and approach shot hit/miss percentage, and green in regulation percentage. Know your advantage with analysis for strokes gained and participate in leaderboards and tournaments with other players around the world.

Outside of the golf course, the Approach S62’s wrist-based heart rate monitoring displays the intensity of fitness activities, with the addition of the Pulse Ox sensor to estimate blood oxygen saturation levels. Beyond fitness, there’s smart notifications for e-mails, texts, and alerts, activity tracking features and preloaded activity profiles for running, cycling, and swimming.

How long is the battery life? An extended 20 hours in GPS mode and up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. For personalisation and individual style, Garmin’s Quickfit bands customise  the look with leather, silicone, nylon, or titanium options, while the Connect IQ Store is the go-to place for custom watch faces, apps, and widgets.