The best golf watch can be a real game-changer. Imagine playing every hole of any course as if it was your regular, which you know like the back of your golf glove. That is why the best golf watches pack GPS – acting like a Google Maps for every course you visit. Big names like Garmin, Bushnell and SkyCaddie have been working for decades on perfecting this tech, which makes it easy to pick the right club for every shot. Although you will still need to hit the ball in the right direction.

Knowledge is power, as they say, and that's no different when it comes to golf. If you know exactly how far you are from the pin, no matter where you are, then you can make a more informed decision on which club to use and how to swing. Essentially, a golf GPS watch could make the difference between a perfect shot and one that costs you another swing.

Of course the golf watch also helps take a load off your mind so you can stay relaxed and focused. It does this by counting your strokes for you, in many cases, so there's no need to keep a scorecard. More advanced models will even measure your swing details and some offer tips on how you can make improvements to your game. If you've already invested in some top clubs and the best golf balls, a good golf GPS watch can be the thing that help you take your game a step further.

Remove the guesswork from your game and potentially lower your handicap just by wearing a GPS watch. That's the simple part, now you have to pick one. Welcome to T3's guide to the best golf GPS watches 2020.

What's the best golf GPS watch right now?

The best GPS golf watches come preloaded with at least 30,000 courses from around the world, and are able to measure course elevation as well as your distance from the pin to help improve each shot. For long days on the green, it’s important to choose a watch that’s comfortable, with ample battery life and a bright screen that’s easy to read even in direct sunlight.

With that in mind, our top pick for golfers is the Garmin Approach S40 golf GPS. Newly launched this year, it’s packed with features to help you master any course. It also comes with a raft of standard smartwatch functions, including notifications from your mobile device and even accurate fitness tracking (steps, calories, distance covered, and so on).

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THE BEST GOLF GPS WATCHES TO BUY NOW

(Image credit: Garmin)

1. Garmin Approach S40 The best overall GPS golf watch Specifications Battery life: Up to 15 hours in GPS mode Courses: Over 41,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Clear colour display makes it easy to view + Cutting-edge GPS delivers accurate distances + Offers a raft of smartwatch features Today's Best Deals £228.90 View at Online Golf 89 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of GPS golf watches, Garmin has got the art down to a tee. Its latest wearable, launched this year, is crammed with features to help you master your swing, which is why it’s our top pick for the best golf GPS. A combination of cutting-edge GPS technology and a sunlight-readable 1.2-inch colour touchscreen enables you to calculate distances to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as any hazards.

AutoShot game tracking records your every pitch and putt, so that you can learn from your mistakes post-match. And data from 41,000 global courses gives you the opportunity to compare your score with others who’ve played there. Add in Bluetooth, notifications from your smartphone, and accurate sleep and fitness tracking, and the Approach S40 is a true all-rounder when it comes to golf GPS watches.

(Image credit: Garmin)

2. Bushnell ION2 Golf GPS Best cheap golf watch – keeps things nice and simple Specifications Battery life: Up to 12 hours in GPS mode Courses: Over 36,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Reversible band + Easy to understand + Automatic course and hole recognition Today's Best Deals £125 View at Amazon 193 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Don’t want to be distracted by fancy graphics? The second-gen edition of Bushnell’s discontinued ION golf watch is simplicity in itself, delivering the stats that matter in an easy-to-digest numerical format.

Automatic course and hole recognition means that you can get straight into the action without faffing around with dials. Built-in Bluetooth enables you to update course info without using your data. And the ION2’s generous battery life should be enough for three rounds. All of this comes in a sleek, modern package that’s rounded off by a distinctive reversible wristband, meaning your style will stay on course even when your balls don’t.

(Image credit: Garmin )

3. Garmin Approach S62 Best premium golf watch Specifications Battery life: 20 hours on GPS Courses: Over 41,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Sunlight readable 1.3-inch colour screen + Virtual caddie assistant + App supported Today's Best Deals £449.99 View at Amazon

The Garmin Approach S62 is the company's flagship golfing watch, which means it's not cheap but you get a lot for your money. The screen is a large 1.3-inch colour display that's built for outdoors; even in bright sunlight it offers at-a-glance clarity. You'll see all sorts from wind speed and direction to green view previews and blind pinpointing when you can't see your target. The watch will keep going on GPS mode for over 20 hours and is supported by an app for even more in depth data and analysis from your phone during or after your round.

The virtual caddie is a huge feature which offers detailed information to help you best assess how to play your next shot, including the right club to use in the face of wind or inclines, for example. The fact the watch looks good, is rugged and waterproof, is just a nice bonus. It also offers other Garmin features like heart rate tracking, blood oxygen levels, contactless payments and connected smartphone notifications. This really does it all.



(Image credit: Shot Scope)

4. Shot Scope V2 A great golf watch for analysing your game Specifications Battery life: Up to 7 hours in GPS mode Courses: Over 40,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Exhaustive statistical analysis + Smart GPS chip delivers accurate distance measuring + Distances are available in metres or yards Reasons to avoid - Empty List Today's Best Deals £125 View at Amazon

If you’re the kind of person who loves poring over statistics, the Shot Scope V2 may be the watch for you. This sturdy wearable uses ClubSense technology, along with tags attached to the grips of your clubs, to automatically track your distance from a particular hole and the club you’re using to take your shot. This information is then used to provide incredibly detailed analysis of your game, and enable you to relive your most memorable hits.

The Shot Scope V2 may not have the best battery life in this list, but it does boast an awesome database of worldwide golf courses, and also features a strap that can be adjusted to fit 11 different wrist sizes – so no chance of getting blisters as you swing for glory.

(Image credit: Garmin)

5. Garmin MARQ Golfer Best luxury golf watch Specifications Battery life: 12 hours on GPS/28 days without Courses: Over 41,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Great screen + All the same features as the Approach S62 + Huge list of non-golf features + Genuinely premium feel Reasons to avoid - Genuinely premium price Today's Best Deals £1,699 View at Jura Watches

Take the superb feature set of the Garmin Approach S62, add a full range of fitness and smartwatch features from Garmin's Fenix and Forerunner ranges, and then swaddle it in a truly premium titanium case with ceramic/titanium bezel and fabric or rubber strap and you have the Garmin MARQ Golfer.

This is the only watch out of this selection that most people would willingly wear off the golf course, it is a genuinely impressive slab of luxury. We will have a full review for you very soon.

Garmin MARQ Golfer is not widely available from third party retailers but can be bought direct from Garmin in many countries. Shipping is free.

• Buy MARQ Golfer for $1850 from Garmin USA

• Buy MARQ Golfer for £1700 from Garmin UK

6. Callaway GPSy Sport Watch This popular golf GPS watch is packed full of features Specifications Battery life: 10-12 hours Courses: 30,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Built in score tracker + Notifies you of hazard distances Reasons to avoid - Hazard information could be more accurate Today's Best Deals Check Amazon 506 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This big golf name offers the big features you'd expect from its dedicated golf watch. That means GPS tracking to offer green lay-up and carry distances plus hazards and dog-legs. This will also auto-recognise and track your game so you don't need to fill out a pesky score card. Over 30,000 courses are available and a 12-hour battery life means you can get a full day's golfing in without needing a charge. The display is big and clear so you can get what you need at a glance, leaving you to stay focused on your game.

7. Golf Buddy WTX Waterproof and with over 36,000 courses covered Specifications Battery life: 8 hours Courses: 38,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Large colour screen + Dynamic green view helps plan shots Today's Best Deals £129 View at Discount Golf Store 2 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The large colour screen of the Golf Buddy WTX, which is clear even in daylight, as a welcoming way to view data on over 38,000 courses that it has stored. Thanks to a lift-to-view display you can save battery while still having info access one handed. That means distance and hazard tracking plus a flyover view for each hole.

One really nice feature is dynamic green view. This allows you to plan your pitch from the angle of your approach shot. Of course GPS keeps your location accurate throughout and hole progression happens automatically as the watch realises you've moved on. Updates, via the smartphone app, also mean data is kept up to date for your courses.

8. Bushnell Neo iON GPS Watch A fairly basic watch, but it'll do the job well Specifications Battery life: 12 hours Courses: 35,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Great battery life + Autocourse recognition Reasons to avoid - Not as advanced as the others on this list Today's Best Deals £129 View at Scottsdale Golf

If you’re just getting into golf and fancy a helping hand, this Bushnell GPS golf watch will provide you with all the information you need to make sure your swing’s on par with the rest of the team. It features auto course recognition and auto hole advance with accurate and easy to read distances. It’ll also clue you in to nearby hazards and counts your steps so you can work out how many calories you’ve burned off round the course, and it won’t cost you the earth, either.

(Image credit: TAG Heuer)

9. TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 Golf Edition GPS Another luxury golfing option – really more of an Android smartwatch though Specifications Battery life: 25+ hours Courses: Over 39,000 Waterproof: Yes Reasons to buy + Super stylish + Comprehensive play analysis + Useful as a WearOS smartwatch off the course too Reasons to avoid - Very expensive Today's Best Deals £1,600 View at Goldsmiths

The Tag Heuer Connected is already one of the most stylish – and most expensive – smartwatches you can buy, and now it has a golf specific edition. It's worth noting this is a Tag Heuer Golf app so you can use it on a standard Tag Heuer Connected watch, only using the phone's GPS instead. The watch is comfortable and features a large display which you can tap to control – ideal when scrolling a course map to see how far you have to the pin. Or switch to the connected phone and get everything in clear 3D too – complete with tips on which club to use.

While the watch lasts an impressive 25 hours on GPS, you can let the connected phone's GPS do the work to extend battery life even further. Either way you'll be able to get text and call notifications from the watch while your phone is tucked away. You will need to enter your scores and shots manually as you play, which is less automated than a lot of the competition. But then this also doubles as a luxury smartwatch, which most of the others on this list can't claim.

It struggles a bit in comparison to Garmin's similarly luxe MARQ Golfer when it comes to core functionality, but on the other hand it is more of a 'proper' smartwatch when away from the course, with an OLED screen and full range of Google Wear OS features.