Best Golf GPS 2026
We take you through the best golf GPS devices on the market this year
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
As premium as it gets, the Garmin S70 combines a crisp, high-resolution display with comprehensive course mapping. Whether you're tracking a hidden bunker or a specific corner of a dogleg, this watch delivers.
It's an entry level watch but let that fool you - the G6 is packed full of useful features which makes it excellent value for money. It's dead easy to use and both the hole maps and hazard info are features you rarely see in a watch at this price point.
A product that focuses on out-and-out performance, the G20 provides you with all the information you could ever need on the golf course. The peace of mind brought to you by the seemingly endless battery life is another plus.
The Pro X5 from SkyCaddie is a comprehensive GPS caddie that can help you around the course in great detail whilst delivering top notch accuracy. The speed of which it gives you the information you need is very impressive.
The Wingman HD makes notable improvements from the previous iteration including a crystal clear 3.5" screen which gives you hole flyovers, green previews and yardages to any target you need.
Blue Tees have impressed us greatly with their rangefinders in recent years, so we were excited to get our hands on their new GPS speaker - it didn't disappoint. It's a great device to whack onto your golf cart for a round with your buddies.
Best Golf GPS
Best watch overall
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
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
Meet the first solar-powered golf GPS. The Approach G20 uses sunlight to recharge on the fly, offering a staggering 36 rounds of battery life. It’s perfect for golfers in sunnier parts of the world, but its simplicity is what will appeal to everyone. With no complex menus to navigate, you simply turn it on and play. Between its ease of use and the massive database of 43,000 courses, it’s a reliable, low-maintenance tool for any golfer, whether you a one-a-week player or spend half your week on the golf course.
We tested the device for accuracy and the yardages were on the money which is unsurprising considering the quality of the best Garmin golf watches and rangefinders.. 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
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 were highly impressed by the Dynamic Holevue system, which keeps the map oriented to your position, showing you exactly what lies ahead in real-time and differentiates it from competing models on the market. The Pinpoint function which allows you to move the flag around on the green for a more personalised yardage is another feature worth mentioning. Furthermore, the Intelligreen Pro feature reveals major undulations on the putting surface before you’ve even reached it. Knowing how the green breaks from 150 yards out helps you miss in the right spots and set up better birdie looks.
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
The best golf speakers are something of a niche item but we are seeing more and more pop onto the market as the days go on, which leads to more competition for your custom and, ultimately, better quality products to choose from. Bushnell's Wingman HD makes some notable quality of life improvements to the previous generation to cement its place as our #1 pick for the best GPS speaker.
A new 3.5" screen display not only shows you what song you're listening to, but also accurate yardages to the front, middle and back of each green as well as any hazards that lie in your way between tee shot and green. Hole flyovers and green previews are also shown on this relatively small but crystal clear display, whilst Bushnell's BITE magnetic strip allows you to easily attach this device to your cart as you whizz round the course.
In terms of its qualities as a speaker, the sound quality is as good as any music speaker I've ever owned (quite a few). It is a worthwhile investment for social golfers looking for a durable, multi-functional gadget that performs as well in their living room as they host a party as it does on the fairways.
- Read our full Bushnell Wingman HD GPS Speaker Review
Best battery life
Especially when we compare them to rangefinders, watches and other GPS devices, golf speakers often struggle with battery life. However, the same can't be said for 'The Player' from Blue Tees, a speaker which delivers roughly 12 hours of life to give you peace of mind on the golf course.
Its heavy-duty magnet locks onto cart frames with ease, and with an IPX7 rating, it’s completely waterproof against sudden rain. The sound quality and 100-foot range are excellent, though its larger size means it's better suited for a buggy than a cramped golf bag. It's a powerhouse choice for those who want big sound and a secure fit at a reasonable price.
- Read our full Blue Tees The Player Magnetic Speaker Review
How we test the best golf GPS devices
Conor joined Golf Monthly in late 2024 after graduating with a Masters degree in Sports Journalism from St Mary's University and heads up reviews for rangefinders, GPS and golf watches.
Conor is lucky to have Royal County Down as his home golf course, beginning to play the game at the age of four, later becoming a caddy at RCD at just eleven years old and doing so for over 12 years. Playing to a 5 handicap, you’ll likely find him on the range trying (and failing) to hit a Shane Lowry-esque stinger that helped him win The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Our testing methodology at Golf Monthly is a rigorous process built on years of expertise and our commitment to editorial integrity - it's why we've built a trust amongst our readership over a decade-plus of impartial reviews. We provide our readers with unbiased, informative buying advice, ensuring that no manufacturer can influence our ratings. Our reviews are led by category experts who understand both premium performance and the importance of value. For GPS devices, this involves testing each product across multiple round of golf to verify accuracy and usability. By spending significant time with each unit, we can accurately assess its long-term reliability, battery endurance, and overall impact on course management.
Testing the latest Garmin Approach watch on the 9th hole at Royal County Down
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?
Absolutely. They take the stress out of the game by providing instant, accurate numbers that help you play faster and smarter. Instead of wandering around looking for yardage markers or trying to eyeball the distance to a hazard, you simply check your screen and pull a club. They are simple to set up, highly portable, and provide the kind of in-depth course detail that makes navigating 18 holes much more enjoyable.
Are there GPS devices which you can use for golf and other activities?
Most leading brands now offer models that function as elite health trackers and personal assistants, allowing you to log a run, track a workout, or stay on top of your email inbox without reaching for your phone. There are plenty of 'do-it-all' watches and GPS devices out there that justify their place on your wrist every day of the week, not just when you tee it up.
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.