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If you’re trying to up your game of golf, but the course management keeps holding you back, a GPS or a rangefinder can be the aide you’re looking for. They help you improve your game by providing significant boosts in your distance controls and shot enhancements.
Garmin has long been the frontrunner in the field of GPS devices. Over the years, they’ve produced several groundbreaking golf watches, which most golfers consider the handiest golf GPS solution of all.
In this article, we’ll compare three of Garmin’s latest produced golf watches from their Approach series. Keep reading to find out the winner in the contest among Garmin Approach S20 vs S40 vs S60.
Garmin Approach S20 Vs S40 Vs S60 At a Glance
The chart below gives you a thorough comparative overview of the three golf watches.
Attributes | Garmin Approach S20 | Garmin Approach S40 | Garmin Approach S60 | ||||||
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Image | |||||||||
Ratings | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | ||||||
Dimensions | 0.4 × 1.5 × 1.9 inches | 1.7 × 1.7 × 0.5 inches | 1.9 × 1.9 × 0.6 inches | ||||||
Display Size | 0.9 × 0.9 inches | 1.2 inches Diameter | 1.2 inches Diameter | ||||||
Weight | 1.6 ounces | 1.5 ounces | 1.8 ounces (Premium- 2.2 ounces) | ||||||
Bezel Material | Not Available | Metal | Ceramic | ||||||
Resolution | 128 × 128 px | 240 × 240 px | 240 × 240 px | ||||||
USGA compliant | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Touchscreen Operation | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Memory Capacity | 64 MB | 64 MB | 1 GB | ||||||
Battery Type | Li-ion (rechargeable) | Li-ion (rechargeable) | Li-ion (rechargeable) | ||||||
Average Battery Life with GPS on | Up to 15 hours | Up to 15 hours | Up to 10 hours | ||||||
Battery Level Indicator | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Dust and Water-resistant | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Sweat Resistant | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Interchangeable Bands | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Preloaded Courses | Yes (more than 30000) | Yes (more than 30000) | Yes (more than 30000) | ||||||
Preloaded Run Profiles | ✖ | Yes (Indoor Running) | Yes (Indoor Running) | ||||||
Preloaded Cycling Profiles | ✖ | Outdoor and indoor biking | Outdoor and indoor biking | ||||||
Auto Course Recognition | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Auto Hole Recognition | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Overhead View of Holes | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Save Feature for Missing Hole Location | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Automatic Shot Tracker | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Automatic CT10 Club tracking sensor | Yes (Separately Purchasable) | Yes (Separately Purchasable) | Yes (Separately Purchasable) | ||||||
Speed Sensor | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Swing Tempo App | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Auto Shot Round Analyze | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Manual Club Tracking | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Slope-Compensated Range | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Distance to the front, back, and middle | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Manual Pin Positioning | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Digital Scorecard | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Stat Keeper | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
PC Connectivity and Analysis | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Online Portal Access for Updates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Wireless Sync | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
IOS Compatibility | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Notification Alerts | Beep | Vibration | Vibration | ||||||
Odometer | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Footpod Capable | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Inactivity Alerts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Target Alternation | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Shot Distance Measuring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Distance/Time Alerts when Reaching Goals | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Pool Swim Metrics | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ||||||
Distance to Hazards | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Pace Measuring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
GPS-Based time, Distance, and Pace | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Price |
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From the chart above, you can see pristine contradistinction among the three golf GPS watches. It clearly shows how the S60 stays far in front of its prior models. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean the other two failed to uphold their worth in any way, especially when you compare their price tags.
Both the S20 and S40 have their fair shares of offerings, which deservedly justify their worth. And no doubt all the three of them can make great choices in line with different demands, and of course, different budgets.
Who is the Garmin Approach S20 for?
The S20 neither has a slim nor sleek look, but it does have a larger face compared to its competitors within its price range. Garmin had primarily launched it to turn away the appeal from Apple watches, and its mimicking of the design and several features of the latter should give you some idea.
We rate Approach S20 mostly for golfers who prioritize the essential practice range features within a long battery life. It undoubtedly has the most extended battery life while carrying some great high-tech technologies like a digital stat-keeping scorecard, automatic hole setups, target alternations, and shot pace measurements. In terms of durability and build, it doesn’t disappoint either.
Also, it’s suitable for you all the more if you’re looking to get a highly-accurate yet complexity-free golf watch.
This is also a newer model available of this one!
This is also cheaper than S20!!
How Worthy is the Garmin Approach S40?
Garmin brings this upgraded version of S20 in this Approach s40, and it’s yet to disappoint by any margin. The high-resolution color touchscreen should give you a natural, user-friendly feel, aside from better visibility. Compared to the S20, it boasts more enhanced analytical capabilities with more advanced practice range attributes.
Similar to the S60, it comes packed with some trailblazing technologies. According to most users, it’s pretty much like a highly affordable version of the S60, which is hands down the pioneer among the best GPS for golf.
It provides yardage to each of the traditional green positions, with the addition of distance to hazard. It also comes with a similar drag-and-drop feature as the S60, which gives you not only the exact length but also the actual shape of all the greens.
The S40 is easily the perfect option for you if you’re out for an affordable alternative to the S60. For the price and the likeliness to its superior model, it’s undoubtedly one of the best golf watches out there.
What Factors Win It for the Approach S60?
Garmin has jammed the Approach S60 to the brim with groundbreaking technologies to make sure it leaps far better than the rest of the Approach line. It has undoubtedly taken the idea of golf GPS watches to another level by offering you Garmin’s patented accuracy, along with its brand new multi-sport functionality.
The company has added a ton more unmatched features to this watch without sacrificing the benchmark of any of the previous ones. It has everything to offer in your game of golf, and it’s no exaggeration that it’s the best golf GPS watch in the market.
Let’s take a look at the notable winning factors of the Garmin Approach S60.
- The slope adjusting feature clearly gives Approach S60 the upper hand over its rivals. It ensures the watch displays the change in elevations on both uphill and downhill swings.
- The S60 shows yardage to any locations, not just the areas you preset.
- It comes with more detailed maps of the golf courses.
- The S60 boasts an astounding 1GB of memory, so it’s best suited for those avid golfers who not only enjoy their game but also love to keep all their stats and history.
- It also features blind shot assistance- a great feature that backs you up when you can’t locate the flag.
- The watch has apps for multiple sports, including running, swimming, cycling, and even skiing, rowing, and snowboarding too.
Attributes | Approach S20 | Approach X40 | Approach S6 | Approach S60 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Preloaded Courses | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
High-resolution, sunlight-readable display | 0.9” x 0.9” | 1.0” x 0.42” | 1.0” diameter | 1.2” diameter |
Yardages to front, back & middle of green | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Green View feature with pin positioning | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Auto measure shot | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
Activity Tracking | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
Touch Targeting | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
Full-color course maps | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
PlaysLike Distance | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
Multisport/built-in sports apps | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
Verdict
Our thorough comparative rundown of the Garmin Approach S20 Vs S40 Vs S60 clearly shows who’s the winner among the three. The S60 might be far too ahead of its fellow Garmin watches, but the S40 is an outstanding choice as well, so far as the budget is concerned.
So, choose accordingly, and make sure you have joyous moments in the course.
Read More
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Daisy is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Golfs Hub. She is associated with Golf for more than 20 years. She got the inspiration from her father. She is a very private person & doesn't like to be photographed. She's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Now she is enjoying her retirement from day job... but not from Golf! Daisy lives in southeasternmost part of New York state with her family.