Garmin Approach® S44 GPS Golf Watch

I have used the S20 for years. they stopped working reliably so I now have the S44. It is a very good device once I ama use to using it. The only thing is I would like for it to come out of the sleep mode earlier like 5am not 7am. Maybe I will figure it out.

While everyone I golfed with has a device, the opportunity came up with my retirement to get a device of my own. A great choice to choose Garmin as every one I paly with has a Garmin. So a no brainer.

Tried 5 or 6 free apps that worked but I'd always forget my phone in the golf cart and had to go back to get it. Or I'd miss inputting my score and have to edit my round while playing. It's minor but it does affect pace of play, rhythm, concentration and possibly irritate your group. I tried tags that needed a tap (scan by your phone NFC reader) before every shot and every putt. Imagine you're 9 inches away and it's a tap in. Your instinct is just give it a knock and move on. But wait! First you need to dig out your phone and tap your tag. I guarantee you at least 2 of the other 3 people you're playing with will get tired of this after a few holes. The s44 just simplified things for me. It's always on me so no forgetting. You can pick how much automation you want. Club tracking - toggle it on or off. Score keeping - toggle. Yardage to f/m/b, hazards- it's all right there with you so no forgetting. Even if you choose club tracking and scoring the watch gently vibrates asking which club you just hit. As you walk to the next tee it vibrates and asks how many strokes, putts, penalties. It's all on your wrist, just scroll and tap your club, your score, you're done. My true purpose for trying different apps, tags and eventually the s44 is to really understand what my distances are for every club. So, with club tracking toggled on, once you hit enough shots with your clubs (I think it needs 5 rounds for a true average) it'll tell you which club to pull based on your hitting history and the distance to avoid hazards etc. For me, no more guessing. There is a optional paid tier that garmin offers for many of their products that gives greater insight such as accounting for elevation, wind speed, green contours. These features use the sensors already built in to the watch. This subscription is compatible with the s44 but it's not needed for any of the features I described above. Last point that some folks might be wondering. I retired 10 years ago. I took off my watch and I've never worn it since. I did consider how wearing a watch while golfing might bother me but honestly there wasn't even a moment while wearing it that I thought, "well this just isn't comfortable at all". Not once. It's so lightweight you'll barely notice it. My advice, stop thinking about it and buy the darn watch. You have 30 days to try it. If you don't like it, take it back.

I love it i still have some things to learn im a man and we don't read instructions

Working great! Nice bright display, even in the sun. Picks up the change in holes automatically each time so far. It has all of the smartwatch functions apart from golf that I wanted, including the ability to send a text from the watch face. Battery life is excellent so far — close to two weeks between charges without golfing. I golf once a week, so it needs a charge every ten days or so. Very pleased with this purchase.

Disappointed that the watch doesn’t record my tee shots. I guess my old man swing is too slow.

Great watch can track my runs and golf without having separate watches. Battery life is excellent even after several days of runs and golf. Also features for each in each of those apps. Charges battery quickly.

Still learning how to use it to the fullest extent, however, what I have learned is great. The watch doesn't come with written instructions so I have had to play with things to learn the features.