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The Best Golf Watches Available Now

Up your game, in performance, style or both.

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By Zen Love

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So you’re a golfer, and you want to up your game. Whether you’re talking about your on-course performance or country-club style, a watch can help you with that.

What kind of watch you’re looking for depends on the kind of golfer you are, your individual needs and, of course, your tastes. For the data-oriented athlete, there are smartwatches with GPS that can help you hone your skills and lower your scores. But if you’re a golfer who simply wants a watch that’s appropriate for your interests and lifestyle, there are watches eminently appropriate for that, too.

The good news is that there are great options for every kind of golfer, and the below watches are among the best.

Products in the Guide

GPS Golf Watches

Golfers sometimes carry around relatively bulky, handheld GPS devices that help them manage the course, but you can also get all that info right on your wrist. Moreover, the very same watches even give you info like wind direction, in addition to all kinds of health and other performance metrics. Sure, the Apple Watch offers a lot of relevant functionality and golf-specific apps, but the following watches are made especially for hitting the links.

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Golf Edition

According to Samsung, the Galaxy Watch5 Golf Edition “does everything but carry clubs.” More specifically, it helps you manage the course with GPS and includes features specially made for tracking your shots and score. One caveat is that it requires a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but for those already using Samsung this is one of the best choices. We also like that it offers a relatively wearable 40mm option.

Diameter: 40mm, 44mm
Notable Features: GPS, fitness tracking, general smartwatch functionality, golf-specific applications, sapphire crystal, aluminum case, more

Garmin Approach S62

A number of the best GPS watches for golf are made by Garmin, primarily in its Approach series. It’s worth exploring Garmin’s complete golfing range, but the S62 represents the most serious golfer-focused watch among them. The brand’s expertise is in GPS, so you know you’re getting some of the best, most accurate out there. It doesn’t skimp on other features, either, and those looking for serious data and functionality will be happy with a Garmin.

Diameter: 47mm
Notable Features: GPS, maps, pre-loaded courses, up to 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode, ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal, general smartwatch functionality, more

TAG Heuer Connected Golf

The above watches might be wearable off the course, too, but the silhouette of a TAG Heuer Carrera on your wrist has recognizable elegance. That’s what the Connected offers, and it’s probably the best option for those wanting a balance of style and functionality. Aside from its smooth software and luxury materials, the Connected Golf offers a fun little bonus: a ball marker integrated into the clasp (and a spare).

Diameter: 45mm
Notable Features: GPS, golf-specific applications, general smartwatch functionality, sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel, steel case, ball marker integrated into clasp, full day of battery life, more

Traditional Golf Watches

Is it any surprise that luxury watchmakers are associated with a prestige sport like golf? Well-heeled players and fans of the sport are natural customers of high-end watches. While delicate mechanical clockwork might often not be best suited to the shock of whacking a golf ball, nor do they offer the functionality of smartwatches, they still feel right at home in the wider world of golf.

Rolex Day-Date

Really, just about any Rolex watch from a Daytona to a Datejust is going to feel appropriate for golfers. The brand sponsors major tournaments and has been involved in the sport for decades. While Tiger Woods prefers a chunky Deepsea, in the spirit of the prestige element of golf, we feel the swanky Day-Date is a perfect choice — just like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are known to wear.

Diameter: 40mm
Notable Features: Chronometer movement

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf Edition

Omega also sponsors tournaments and top golfing athletes. They’re so confident in the mechanical movements powering their Aqua Terra collection watches, the Golf Edition is actually intended to be worn while playing. It’s one of those watches, however, that’s going to transition perfectly off the course — while retaining that sporty character that’ll communicate your love of the game.

Diameter: 41mm
Notable Features: METAS-certified Master Chronometer automatic movement

Vintage Golf Watches

If you’re a fan of golf, certain vintage watches are sure to bring a smile to your face. Back in the 20th century, watchmakers got experimental with design and created some of the most iconic watches — as well as some of the quirkiest. The watches below are a couple of the more notable examples that bring a ton of history and character together with the game of golf.

Lord Elgin ‘Golf Ball’ Direct Read

Hailing from the 1950s, this watch is part of a series that featured a mostly covered face with an opening to display the time digitally on moving discs. The minutes are displayed on the outer track, but the trick up its sleeve is that the hour disc jumps ahead to change the hour. Made in the United States, they’re exotic curiosities appreciated by collectors today and versions like this with the dimpled dial cover that gives it its name are especially interesting and cool for the golfer or golfing fan.

Diameter: 31mm
Notable Features: Jumping hour, digital minutes

Gerald Genta Retro Fantasy Disney

Here, we’re talking about something rare, collectible and expensive (easily in the five-figure range). And it’s got a cartoon character on the dial. There are, in fact, multiple versions featuring different Disney characters (playing various sports), but what these watches from rockstar designer Gerald Genta all have in common is a complicated movement that allows the time to be read in a special way: The minutes are indicated by the golf club which, rather than circling the entire dial, jumps back to zero when it reaches 60. At the same time, the hour jumps ahead, just like the Elgin watch above.

Diameter: 36mm
Notable Features: Jumping hour, retrograde minutes

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