The Garmin Approach S50 is a mid-range golf watch that could give some
premium devices a scare
Date:
Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000
Description:
The Garmin Approach S50 is a brilliant mid-range golf watch that shines on
the course and is only slightly held back by some familiar grievances.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Garmin Approach S50: One-minute review Sitting in the mid-range of the brands golf watch range, the Garmin Approach S50 is an excellent course companion. It includes all of the brands suite of excellent golfing features, as well as just the right amount of extra health and fitness, and everyday functionality to offer a golf-first, near-complete package.
Its the golfing pedigree that shines the brightest, of course, and it puts those features into action brilliantly as a course companion. It enhanced my time and game on the course with its accurate yardages, automatic shot tracking and score logging, golf course and hole graphics, and the excellent PlaysLike feature which factors in elevation and weather is brilliant. The design and build are of excellent quality, too, with the S50 having more of a lifestyle-friendly design and form than others in the Approach range. Combine this with some very friendly day-to-day functionality and a host of fitness and health features that are excellent to use, and the package becomes even clearer.
I still reserve a strong dislike for Garmins own proprietary charging method, which only gets more intense when combined with a super short charging cable, but this is a wider problem shared by the S50, not unique to it. Elsewhere, its easy to use on-screen, and its battery life is strong, offering more than two rounds of golfs worth of juice before needing to even consider charging.
All in, however, the S50 could really give some more premium devices a scare with its overall offering, and for those who are put off by the higher-end Garmin Approach S70s hefty price tag, this could be the perfect solution and new golf course companion. Garmin Approach S50 Golf Watch (Black) at Amazon for 319 Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0
Garmin Approach S50
Price
Starts at $399.99 / 349.99 / AU$729
Dimensions
1.69 x 1.69 x 0.44in / 43 x 43 x 11.4mm
Weight
1.02oz/29g
Bezel/case
Aluminium
Display
390 x 390px; 1.2in / 30.4mm; AMOLED
GPS
GPS + GLONASS + Galileo
Battery life
Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days; GPS only: Up to 15 hours
Connection
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Water resistant?
Yes, 5 ATM Garmin Approach S50: Price and availability (Image credit: Future
/ Rob Dwiar) List prices of $399.99 / 349.99 / AU$729 Mid-range in Garmins lineup Good value for money Coming in right in the middle between the
high-end Approach S70 watch and the budget, entry-level Approach S12, the Garmin Approach S50 is targeting the middle ground of its golf watch lineup. And does so successfully from a price and value perspective.
The balance of features on offer, its overall performance, and everything
that getting into the Garmin Golf ecosystem gives you, all on an AMOLED watch with the brands best on-course elements while still coming in considerably less than the S70 is excellent. In fact, Id wager that the S50 might have the S70 worried from a value perspective, as only a couple of compromises could get you down to the S50 from the S70 and save you a bunch of cash. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
The S50 is joined in the middle of the Garmin golf watch pack by the S44, released at the same time late last year. This offers a much leaner mid-range experience, without being a totally entry-level device. With the S50 being less than $100 / 100 / AU$180 more than the more streamlined-for-golf S44,
but still $250 / 150 / AU$370 less than the S70 (42mm), it really does feel like its hit the sweet spot.
A small wrinkle for me on price was that I found the default strap to be really sub-par and swapped it out for another from Garmin; this naturally increases the overall cost of the S50, but the freedom to change straps and pick an alternative for one you like is welcome. Value score: 4.5/5 Garmin Approach S50: Design and screen (Image credit: Future / Rob Dwiar) 1.2in / 30.4mm AMOLED screen Two-button control system is an acquired taste Lightweight and robust build but default strap is lame Broadly speaking, the S50 is the same size as its Approach siblings, and that comes from being
built around a 1.2 / 30.4mm display, with no other size options. Theres no chunky bezel here either, and in fact, the S50s display edge isnt raised like the S70. As a result, the S50 is much more reminiscent of an everyday smartwatch like the more recent Samsung Galaxy models.
Two compact buttons positioned on the right-hand side, and the easily removable watch strap system on all Garmin watches, round out the design to create a compact and tidy build that can look like a lifestyle watch and is robust to boot.
The screen is lovely and clear. And while it cant hold a candle to the MARQ Golfer (Gen 2) s domed screen, which I loved, the S50s display works well here. Fairways and course maps are a vibrant green on the wrist, figures are crisp and clear at a glance, and even though I dont like Garmins font at all, health features, settings, and menus are all clear and easily readable.
I do far prefer the three-button control on the S70 and MARQ Golfer (Gen 2) for ease of navigation and input, with the latter devices providing more easy ways to navigate systems and menus to get to where you need to be. Of course, given time it soon becomes easy to use and intuitive.
The biggest design gripes I have are with the default strap, which I found, despite its comfort, very fiddly to use every time, and the inelegant Garmin charging solution with a short cable and the port on the back of the watch. Design score: 4/5 Garmin Approach S50: Features (Image credit: Future / Rob Dwiar) Includes all Garmins golf features, including PlaysLike Has extensive fitness and health features Battery life is good, and as stated The Garmin Approach S50 includes all the (non-subscription-based) golf features that set the best Garmin watches apart, and that includes the excellent PlaysLike feature - Garmins own tool which will factor in weather and elevation difference between your location and the target to give you accurate, real yardages, not just those based on straight lines on a 2D map.
In fact, positioning itself as the cheapest watch in the range that offers this feature is a very helpful way of identifying itself to golfers who are looking for the best features, but not anything outrageous price-wise. On the course, I found all the yardages to be excellently accurate and well
presented on the crystal clear AMOLED color screen, and features like the AutoShot tech, swing temp meter, and green view (and more) were typically superb to use.
Away from golf, theres a host of Garmins usual, and excellent, health and fitness trackers, which are super for the active golfer looking to monitor their wellness off the course. This sets it apart from the rest of the
cheaper watches in the Approach range, and these include features such as sleep tracking, body battery, stress, and more, all of which perform as expected.
As far as daily watch features go, the S50 is perfectly functional and has been a solid if unspectacular companion for messaging, music control, and other daily use.
I found the battery life to be as Garmin described, too, going days and days in normal smartwatch mode before needing to charge, and easily getting two rounds in before having to think about charging it up when using it mainly
for golf. Features score: 5/5 Garmin Approach S50: Performance (Image credit: Future / Rob Dwiar) Wonderful on-course performance Easy to use, accurate,
and game-improving Perfectly functional as a daily smartwatch As expected,
the Approach S50 is a joy on the course, and offers exactly the top-level of performance Id expect from a Garmin golf watch. The features are super, the courses are presented clearly, the yardages are accurate, and the full suite of features that includes the PlaysLike distance element is all fantastic.
Switching between the PlaysLike yardage of a hole and the on-paper yardage of a hole, and navigating courses clearly through the watchs crisp screen, is a joy. Youll get all the accuracy youd expect, which can then be elevated even more with a Garmin Golf Subscription, should you wish.
The health and fitness features are also fantastic (typical Garmin), and perform with accuracy, ease of interaction, and help to ensure the watch offers something away from, or complementary to, the course.
There are a few Garmin-isms that I continue to dislike personally, that the S50 features such as the font and the way it displays the original messages from WhatsApp chats by default rather than the latest (Garmin has announced that there is better WhatsApp integration now available for some of its devices but not its golf watches, at least yet, anyway). Battery life holds up as promised, and I found it to reflect Garmins own description pretty much like for like, but the very short cable combined with Garmins inelegant solution of where you attach the charger (on the back of the watch, which
then has to lie face down, at least initially) makes for a couple more small frustrations.
The aforementioned two-button control system takes a bit of getting used to, especially if youre coming from a different control setup, but give it enough time, and itll become second nature. Until I switched straps, however, I
would also argue that the default one hindered the watchs performance personally, as it detracted from using it and wearing it somewhat.
Performance score: 4/5 Garmin Approach S50: Scorecard Swipe to scroll horizontally
Category
Comment
Score
Price
Offering robust value for money in the mid-range of Garmin golf watches, the S50 encapsulates the best of the golfing elements and combines them with a solid suite of fitness tracking features to offer a good value package.
4.5/5
Design and screen
The default strap is not one Im a fan of or enjoy, and some Garmin
design-isms remain, which hold the design score back a point. The screen, however, is excellent as usual, and the buttons are easy to use and
intuitive.
4/5
Features
Combining excellent golf features from Garmin, including the PlaysLike element, with Garmins usual brilliance in fitness and health features, and
the usual robustness in being an everyday device, the feature-set is a strong proposition on the S50.
5/5
Performance
Featuring all the Garmin golf feature greatness that youd expect, the S50 is
a brilliant watch on the course and a joy to use to improve ones game and rounds. Its supported by strong but unspectacular daily smartwatch
performance to offer a full package.
4/5
Total
If youre looking for a great Garmin golf watch that features everything you could want from the brands esteemed lineup of golf features, then this is a superb watch. There are not many detractors here, and the price point means the value proposition is robust, too.
4.5/5 Garmin Approach S50: Should I buy? Buy it if... You want a really good value mid-range golf watch
If youre on the hunt for a mid-range golf watch that channels all that Garmin does brilliantly in the field, then the S50 is hard to beat. You simply have to have Garmins PlaysLike feature
The Approach S50 is the cheapest Garmin golf watch, which will still bag you the excellent PlaysLike feature. Dont buy it if You want a premium device and experience
If you want a watch that will be all-singing and dancing, then you might need to consider investing more into a watch and go for something even more
flashy, like the Garmin Approach S70 or even the MARQ Golfer (Gen 2). Youre looking for an entry-level golf watch
Alternatively, if youre looking to rein in the spending on your golf watch
and are happy to consider something even more restrained or dont fancy loads of bells and whistles, then you can save money with something like the Garmin Approach S12 or Shot Scope G6. Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0
Garmin Approach S50
Garmin Approach S70
Shot Scope G6
Price
Starts at $399.99 / 349.99 / AU$729
$649.99/$699.99 / 549.99/599.99 / AU$1,099/$AU$1,199
$179.99 / 179.99 (around AU$370)
Dimensions
1.69 x 1.69 x 0.44in / 43 x 43 x 11.4mm
1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5in/47 x 47 x 13.4mm / 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.5in/42 x 42 x 12.6mm
1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in/44 x 44 x 10mm
Weight
1.02oz/29g
2oz/56g / 1.6oz/44g
1.48oz / 42g
Case/bezel
Aluminium
Ceramic
Brushed steel
Display
390 x 390px; 1.2in / 30.4mm; AMOLED
454 x 454px / 390 x 390px; 1.2in/32mm / 1.4in/35.4mm; AMOLED
176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP
GPS
GPS + GLONASS + Galileo
GPS+GLONASS+Galileo
GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life
Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days; GPS only: Up to 15 hours
Smartwatch mode: Up to 16 days/up to 10 days; GPS mode: up to 20 hours/up to 15 hours
GPS Mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch Mode: 4 days
Connection
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5
Water resistant?
Yes, 10 ATM
Yes, 5 ATM
Not stated Garmin Approach S70
If youre looking to get the absolute most out of your Garmin golf watch purchase and experience but without spending the huge price of admission the MARQ Golfer requires then the Approach S70 is the watch to go for.
Read our full Garmin Approach S70 review ShotScope G6
If you want to keep the budget down and want to laser in on golfing prowess and focus, then ShotScopes G6 is a brilliant GPS-only watch.
Read our full Shot Scope G6 review How I tested I tested the Garmin Approach S50 on the course and off it for several months, playing multiple rounds at
my home course in Somerset and a few elsewhere in the UK. I also regularly used it as my daily smartwatch, testing a whole host of its features from fitness and health to messaging.
I compared the Garmin Approach S50 to my TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition, and the Garmin MARG 2 Golfer as well as the more affordable
ShotScope G6 GPS watch, while also l,ooking back to my time with the Approach S70 for comparison.
First reviewed November 2025-March 2026 Garmin Approach S50 Golf Watch:
Price Comparison 319 View 319 View 349 324.64 View 329.99 View 379.99 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/smartwatches/garmin-approach-s50-revi ew
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