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GPS Devicesby Garmin

Garmin Approach S70

The Garmin Approach S70 is a top-tier golf GPS watch that blends a gorgeous AMOLED display with smart caddie-like course intelligence, making it ideal for golfers who want data-driven insights without sacrificing everyday smartwatch style.

4.7/54.7
Our verdict

The Garmin Approach S70 is a top-tier golf GPS watch that blends a gorgeous AMOLED display with smart caddie-like course intelligence, making it ideal for golfers who want data-driven insights without sacrificing everyday smartwatch style. It's an investment, but one that pays off for serious players wanting precision and polish.

Key features

  • AMOLED touchscreen display with sunlight-visible clarity
  • Preloaded CourseView maps for 43,000+ golf courses worldwide
  • Virtual Caddie feature offering club and shot recommendations
  • PlaysLike Distance adjusting yardage for elevation changes
  • Green touch-targeting with pin position and hazard distances
  • Auto shot detection and full round scorecard tracking
  • Built-in heart rate, Pulse Ox, sleep and stress tracking
  • Up to 2 days battery in smartwatch mode, 12 hours GPS golf mode
  • Available in 42mm and 47mm case sizes

Tech specs

Display
1.2" or 1.4" AMOLED touchscreen
Battery Life
Up to 12 hours in GPS golf mode
Water Rating
5 ATM water resistance
Course Database
43,000+ preloaded courses
Case Sizes
42mm and 47mm options

Strengths & trade-offs

What we liked

  • Stunning bright AMOLED display easy to read outdoors
  • Virtual Caddie gives genuinely useful club selection advice
  • Elegant, premium design suitable for everyday wear off-course
  • Comprehensive health and fitness metrics beyond golf
  • Accurate auto shot detection reduces manual scoring hassle

Worth noting

  • Premium price point compared to other Garmin golf watches
  • Battery life shorter than solar-powered Approach models
  • Virtual Caddie requires learning your bag/club data for accuracy
  • Touchscreen can be less responsive with wet or gloved hands

In depth

The Garmin Approach S70 is a premium GPS golf watch designed to give serious players a complete on-course advantage without ever pulling out a rangefinder or yardage book. Built with a vivid AMOLED display and available in 42mm and 47mm case sizes, it delivers full-color, high-resolution CourseView maps for over 43,000 preloaded golf courses worldwide, showing hazards, doglegs, and green contours with striking clarity. Golfers can view precise front, middle, and back yardages, layup and dogleg distances, and even get a virtual caddie feature that factors in wind, elevation, and personal club data to suggest the ideal club for each shot, essentially replicating the insight of a seasoned looper right on the wrist.

Beyond mapping and club recommendations, the Approach S70 includes Garmin’s PlaysLike Distance technology, adjusting yardages for elevation changes so players can trust the number they see. The touchscreen bezel and control button combo make navigation intuitive even in bright sunlight or with gloved hands, while the built-in stat tracking automatically logs strokes gained, fairways hit, greens in regulation, and putts per round when paired with compatible sensors or manual input. Green undulation data on select courses provides a slope-based read for putts, giving users a clearer sense of break and speed before they ever crouch down to line up a putt. The watch also supports swing tempo tracking and can sync with Garmin’s Approach CT10 club sensors for automatic shot detection and club-by-club performance analysis.

Beyond the fairway, the Approach S70 functions as a full-featured smartwatch and fitness tracker, offering heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, stress scores, and multiple sport profiles for training days away from the course. Its long battery life supports multiple rounds between charges, and smartphone connectivity brings notifications, music control, and contactless payments to the wrist. Durable, water-resistant, and refined with a sapphire lens option on higher trims, the Approach S70 is built to withstand the demands of daily play while maintaining an upscale look suitable for the clubhouse. For golfers who want tour-level course intelligence, performance tracking, and everyday wearable functionality in one device, the Approach S70 stands as one of Garmin’s most complete and sophisticated golf GPS watches to date.

What golfers say

Mike Sanderson2024-03-15
Best golf watch I've owned

The Virtual Caddie feature alone has improved my club selection significantly. The screen is gorgeous even in bright sun, and I love wearing it as a daily watch too.

Julie Tran2024-02-28
Great features, pricey

Love the mapping and shot tracking accuracy. Battery could last longer in GPS mode, but overall it's a fantastic tool for serious golfers.

Robert Kim2024-04-02
Course management on another level

Having full color course maps with hazard distances right on my wrist has genuinely lowered my scores. Worth every penny.

Dana Whitfield2024-01-19
Sleek and functional

Switched from the S62 and the display upgrade is night and day. Only wish the touchscreen worked better with golf gloves on.