Best Golf GPS 2025

When played at its best, golf is a game of precision. You only have to watch the best players in the world to see how accurate they are with their yardages throughout the bag. While the skill of distance control is one that’s acquired through practice and experience, knowing your number when you’re out on the course is hugely helpful for any skill level. This can mean distance to the pin, knowing the carry number for a fairway bunker and more. Most of us don't have the luxury of a caddy at our disposal, which is where GPS devices come in.

The best golf GPS gear, be it one of the best golf rangefinders, the best golf watches or one of the improving golf GPS devices, helps you to make informed decisions that can lead to lower scores. In recent years they have become increasingly sophisticated in their offerings, but even the more affordable options will typically give yardages to the front, middle and back of the green.

That said, the overwhelming choice can make it a little tricky to find the best device for your game. Is a watch best for you? Perhaps you the ability to play music alongside the GPS function? Fortunately we’ve been testing the best golf GPS equipment and have created this guide to show our favorites across the various GPS sectors.

The Quick List

Best Golf GPS

Best watch overall

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The Garmin Approach S70 GPS watch has all the bells and whistles and is a great choice for those who believe that when it comes to information out on the course, more is more.

Like all of the best Garmin golf watches you get an incredible 43,000 preloaded courses all available at the touch of a button. The list of features is extensive to say the least but it does all the basics very well from accurate yardages to greens and bunkers, to keeping your score and tracking shot distances. There are more advanced offerings too, such as the Smart Caddie tool that provides you with club recommendations and Pinpointer, a handy compass that locates the green for you on blind shots. There’s even the option to integrate the weather forecast data into your round so you can take into account the wind.

There’s the option to move between the watch face, which will display your last round at the bottom, to the golf mode, for when you're really digging into the numbers out on the course. We were impressed with the S70’s battery life, with it holding its charge for as much as 16 days when in smartwatch mode and around 20 hours when we were using the GPS, which should be good for four rounds.

• Read our full Garmin Approach S70 Watch Review

Best budget watch

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Not everyone wants, or needs, all the features of a watch like the Garmin above. Fortunately there are a number of simpler options that come with a more affordable price tag, too. Our favourite in the budget category is the G6 watch from Shot Scope.

Despite its modest price it can match many of the best golf watches thanks to its array of easy-to-use features. In fact, its simplicity is a large contributor to why it’s been selected for this guide. Once it’s charged and turned on all you have to do is navigate to ‘Play Golf’ on the menu and you’re away. Using the four buttons located on each corner of the watch you can benefit from color maps of each hole, which serve up detail including hazards and yardages to the green. There’s no shot tracking here, though.

The G6 comes with 36,000 preloaded courses. Battery life is decent, we found that each charge is good for about two rounds of golf. It even comes with two interchangeable straps that we found to be perfectly comfortable. As for any potential downsides, we did find the buttons could be a little fiddly to use at times but this doesn’t stop us from recommending it as one of the best value golf watches available.

• Read our full Shot Scope G6 Watch Review

Best GPS device overall

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The Approach G20’s USP is that it’s the first distance measuring device that uses solar energy. It’s a neat feature that sees the device detect sunlight and then use it to charge itself. You’ll need a bright and clear day for it to really work, which makes it better suited to those of you lucky enough to live somewhere that sees these conditions with some regularity. That said, it does offer an impressive 36 rounds of battery life.

Perhaps more impressive for the majority of golfers is just how simple the G20 is to use. It really is just a case of turning it on and then selecting the ‘play golf’ setting to get going. From here the device locates the course, while coming with 43,000 preloaded options too for those who get to play a range of courses.

We tested the device for accuracy and the yardages were on the money. Pair it with the Garmin golf app and you open up a host of additional features from stats on range of categories including fairways hit, number of putts as well as club yardages, to tracking your score.

• Read our full Garmin Approach G20 Solar GPS Review

Most accurate GPS

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SkyCaddie Pro 5X benefits from a 5.5” screen, some 1.5” larger than the SX400 mode, that allows you to truly benefit from its array features, that includes 35,000 pre-loaded courses and what’s called Intellipath technology. Drag the cursor to your intended aim point and yardage and the feature will then show you all the distances to other points of interest including bunkers and water hazards, saving a great deal of time in the process.

We also appreciated the Dynamic Holevue technology that rotates the fairway and green as you move along the hole, which means that you get to see everything directly between you and the green in an instant. Other noteworthy features (and there are plenty) include Pinpoint that allows you to input pin positions from a pin sheet before you tee off, and Intelligreen Pro, which shows all the major contours of the green from the fairway, so you can select your club accordingly.

Perhaps the Pro 5X’s true calling card though is its accuracy. It left us genuinely impressed and believing that, particularly on course you;re new to, it could save you not only time but a few strokes as well.

It’s worth noting that while the Pro 5X comes with a 12-month Birdie Membership you will need to pay for a SkyGolf subscription once it ends; annual subscriptions range from $29.95 to $59.95 depending on the level of detail and features required.

• Read our full Sky Caddie Pro 5X GPS Review

Best speaker overall

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The best golf speakers are something of a niche item in that they appeal to a golfer who doesn't want to wear a GPS watch or use a rangefinder but does want to listen to music while they are out on the course. If you’re a frequent buggy user then this could be you!

Our favorite in this category is the Wingman View from Bushnell. We were impressed with the sound quality, delivering plenty of bass and enough volume for all of your group to enjoy; if you're heading on a golf trip with your pals then the WIngman View could be a welcome addition.

The GPS element is visible via a built-in LCD screen on the side of the speaker. To use it, all you have to do is link to the free Bushnell app, which then sends all the info from your phone to the speaker itself. You even get a detachable remote that means you can control the device when you’re on the fairway but the speaker has remained in the cart.

• Read our full Bushnell Wingman View Speaker Review

Best battery life

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Naturally, battery life can be an issue for some golf speakers, especially if you have them playing music consistently, one round after another. The Blue Tees Player magnetic speaker however impressed us with around 12 hours of life for each charge.

But its positive attributes don’t stop here. The magnetic strip that allows you to attach it to your cart is handy and proved to work well during use, with the device holding secure at all times. You also get good sound quality, range of up to 100 feet, and a waterproof rating of IPX7, should you get caught in a rain shower while out on the course.

Perhaps the only real gripe is its size. While fine to store in a buggy we found that it was a little on the large size to keep comfortably in a golf bag.

• Read our full Blue Tees The Player Magnetic Speaker Review

How we test the best golf GPS devices

We pride ourselves with our testing procedure at Golf Monthly - it's one that has been finely tuned over years of testing and one that has been trusted by our readership to this day. This trust is something we value highly and thus strive to give our readers and listeners to more most informative buying advice possible that is free from bias. No brand ever gets preferential treatment and no manufacturer can 'buy' a good review. Instead, our reviews are conducted by our team of avid golfers who both know what it takes to make a good golf product but also understand good value for money when they see it, too.

When it comes to GPS devices specifically we ensure that they are put through their paces, testing them for accuracy, ease of use and features. We do this over a number of rounds so we can truly get a feel for just how well they perform. A good GPS device is designed to make the game a little easier and deliver relevant data quickly and clearly, and it's only by spending time with each device can we evaluate whether they succeed on these fronts. Thorough testing by experience team also means we can review them other factors such as durability, portability and battery life.

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Our testers use a range of the best golf launch monitors, rangefinders, golf watches and GPS devices to gain more knowledge when we are testing golf clubs, be that the best golf drivers, best golf irons or the best golf wedges, particularly when it comes to gauging distances on offer. With any review, we like to test in a range of different conditions, whether that be conditions or style of golf course, we want to see how these devices perform in various contexts.

This includes testing rangefinders in clear but also dull conditions to see how they perform, testing GPS devices out on different courses and testing golf watches, especially those that double up as everyday smart or fitness watches, both on and off the course to explore and test each and every feature. We leave no stone unturned in our testing procedure as we strive to judge and critique every aspect of each device before concluding on our verdict.

For more information on how Golf Monthly tests its products, click here.

What to consider when buying a golf GPS device

Your routine

The best golf watches only require a quick glance so they are much quicker than taking a device out of its case, so weigh up if extra detail or less disruption is most important to you.

Your course

If your course has lots of doglegs, blind tee shots, or you play at other clubs in matches or socially, then you might want the extra information a GPS offers over a laser, although if you can afford it then having both is a useful option.

Type

As the list above shows, there are different types of GPS device to use and they all have positives and negatives affixed to them.

• GPS Watch - Simplicity and convenience are the key here. If you are the type of player who would rather have a quick glance at their wrist to know the yardage rather than using a larger GPS or laser, then a watch could be the way to go. GPS watches nowadays are a lot more compact, slim-lined and light making them ideal because they do not hamper the swing or distract in any way.
• Handhelds - The chief bonus here is the large screen which gives a lot more detail and the touch screen functionality will be familiar to most users because of modern phones. You get clear hazard information and overhead maps of the hole too which could guide your strategy and save you shots.
• Speakers - If you simply want numbers to front, middle and back and you don't care too much about having lots of in-depth information, then there is a lot to be said for having those numbers vocalised to you, so a GPS speaker can be a good choice.

Features

There is also a difference in device when it comes to features. Below is a list of some of the ones we consider to be useful to the GPS wearer.

• Clear and accurate distance information - this is a no brainer really but some models are more accurate and clear than others.
• Pre-loaded courses - there is some variation in how many courses are pre-loaded onto some models compared to others.
• Scorecard - rather than have to write down or log scores into an app, on some GPS devices you can mark your score down with ease.
• Stat tracking - particularly useful to those wanting to know more about their game and where they earn or give away shots.
• Green mapping and pin location - some devices give the user the ability to map the green and place the pin in the correct place. This often gives more information to the user on yardage and what club to hit.
• Waterproofing - a waterproof device is very important, especially if you play somewhere that gets a lot of rain
• Battery power - GPS devices normally need charging via a USB after two to four rounds, so consider which would be easiest for you on a week-to-week basis.

For more buying advice in the technological side of the game, check out our guides on the best golf launch monitors, best golf simulator, or best portable launch monitors.

FAQs

Are GPS devices worth it?

We think GPS devices are definitely worth it. They save a lot of time, last a long time, are convenient and simple to use, offer in-depth detail of the shot you face, and can sit easily on your golf bag. With a GPS device no longer do you have to find a sprinkler, or guess yardages because you can simply look at the screen to help you plot your way around the course.

Are there GPS devices which you can use for golf and other activities?

Yes, many GPS devices, specifically watches, offer users the freedom to check out yardages on the course, as well as use it for running or work off it. Many brands offer superb options, with many being used for golf, running, gym, emails and receiving texts.

Do golf GPS devices require a subscripton?

Most of the time GPS devices will already have thousands and thousands of courses already preloaded when you first turn them on. However, in some cases, companies will offer a subscription if you are to keep the courses updated, like on SkyCaddie's LX5 or SX550 because it maps the courses on foot for extra accuracy. This will either be in the form of a free trial followed by a monthly/yearly subscription.