Find the Best Golf Watch for Dad
Get a golf gift for dad this year that he'll really love! Our collection of golf GPS watches features only the best brands—like Garmin, Bushnell, Voice Caddie, & Shot Scope—with options for every budget!
***Undated November 2025 to add Garmin Approach S44, some S50 edits, fenix 8, and Venu X1***
If your dad loves golf but doesn’t already have a golf watch, there’s a very good chance he would appreciate one.
That’s because today’s golf watches are absolutely incredible in all that they can do. And it’s likely that your dad has taken notice. He’s probably regularly playing with golfers who wear golf watches. And he’s probably hearing all of the great things they say about them.
Plus, a golf GPS watch is one of those golf gift items that might actually fit within a reasonable Father’s Day budget. Golf is expensive as hell. There aren’t that many things you can buy your golfing dad that are going to make a big impact on him without costing you a fortune.
So, whether you want to go for it and get your dad the best of the best, or you just want to get him something more basic but still totally awesome, there’s an option for you on this list. The best part is that each and every one of these choices is vetted as a can’t-miss winner.
Read on to see which features (and prices) most resonate with you and what you think your dad might like.
Oh, and before you dismiss this list because you know your dad already has a rangefinder, don’t be so sure he wouldn’t also love a golf watch. More and more players are switching to the speed and convenience of modern golf watches. And many golfers now carry both a golf rangefinder and golf GPS watch while they play.
Think about it: Is your golf-nut dad really going to be bummed that you got him a golf watch? No chance!
SkyCaddie LX2: Best Basic Golf Watch
The thing about today’s golf watches is that, for a lot of people, the advanced technology is a bit overboard. Not everyone wants all of the features that a $500-plus golf watch delivers. If all your dad needs is accurate front/middle/back yardages, the SkyCaddie LX2 is the perfect choice. And it will only set you back $150.
There are no subscription fees with this little 1.28-inch touchscreen workhorse. And you do get a step counter, some alarms, a stopwatch, timer, and digital scorecard with stats to go along with preloaded yardages on more than 35,000 golf courses.
If your dad isn’t a tech junky but would still appreciate the ease and convenience that a golf watch would provide for his game, this is a great option that would make for a very nice gift at a reasonable price.
Garmin Approach S44: Best Golf Watch for Casual to Intermediate Golfers
The S44 delivers excellent-but-basic (by Garmin’s standards, that is) GPS golf features at a reasonable $299.99 price point, making it a great option for players who want a high-quality golf watch without stepping up to Garmin’s more expensive models.
With an AMOLED display, the S44 brings Garmin’s premium, crisp, and vibrant screen technology to a $300 golf watch for the first time.
Course maps are also much clearer and more engaging than on older Garmin models, making the whole experience a big step up from something like Garmin’s outgoing S42.
Navigation has also improved, thanks to the addition of a second physical button. It may seem minor, but for golfers who prefer tactile controls alongside a touchscreen, this makes flipping through menus and yardage screens much smoother.
Off the course, the S44 provides essential smartwatch features like text and call notifications, step tracking, and calendar updates, but it lacks advanced fitness metrics like heart rate monitoring or sleep tracking.
Ultimately, the S44 is the perfect “good” option in Garmin’s streamlined watch lineup.
Garmin Approach S50: Best Golf Watch for Most Dads
The reason we rate this golf watch as the best option for most dads is because it gets you surprisingly close to the highest-end Garmin Approach S70, but at a much more approachable price. That makes it a great choice if you want to buy a very serious golf watch but don’t want to spring for the absolute top of the market.
Priced at $399.99, the S50 justifies its cost and then some with a gorgeous AMOLED display and plays-like distances that factor in elevation changes. You’ll get detailed color maps of every hole on more than 43,000 golf courses, with pin placements, hazard locations, and ideal landing areas. And if you want the most advanced course data, like green contour maps or enhanced hole overviews, you can unlock them with Garmin’s optional golf subscription.
The Garmin Approach S50 is also a full-fledged fitness and lifestyle tracker that includes a heart rate monitor, a pulse oxygen sensor, a sleep sensor, a step counter, a stress level monitor, and more.
No, it’s not as beefed up as the S70, but it still packs a wallop and is likely to impress any golfing dad.
SkyCaddie LX5/LX5C: Best Golf Watch Display
No need for dad to strain his eyes if you’re going to hook him up with the SkyCaddie LX5. This golf GPS watch provides the highest-resolution display of any watch we’ve tested. Our partner Gabe at YouTube’s Let’s Play Thru agrees and rated the SkyCaddie display a 5 out of 5 in one of his golf watch reviews.
The difference between the LX5 and LX5C is in the watch’s bezel. With the LX5C, you get a higher-quality ceramic bezel, while the LX5 comes with a simpler, less-expensive plastic bezel. Overall, to our eyes, either option makes for one of the better-looking golf watches on the market.
You won’t get shot data or club recommendations with the SkyCaddie, and there’s no wind speed or direction with this watch. But for the quality of the display, this golf watch can’t be beat. It comes with a large screen, multiple brightness options, and a very crisp resolution.
The LX5/LX5C features a simple-to-navigate touchscreen with a nice overview of each hole. You can swipe, pinch, and drag around the screen to get distances to hazards and layup targets. And you’ll always get the standard front/middle/back yardages from wherever you are on the hole. On the fitness side, you get a step counter and heart rate monitor.
There may be golf watches with more features, and there are options that cost a bit less. But for display quality, which may be the most important consideration for your dad, the SkyCaddie stands above the competition.
Bushnell iON Elite: Best Golf Watch for $200
If you’ve got a Father’s Day budget of $200, this is our recommendation for the best way to spend it on a golf watch for dad. Yes, there are a couple of options on this list for $150, but if you can step up just a bit more, the Bushnell iON Elite offers fantastic returns.
This is a golf watch that is going to give dad everything he wants without giving him all the things he doesn’t need. The iON Elite does the basics but does them very well. You get front/center/back yardages, scorekeeping, a green view, moveable pin placement, distances for up to six hazards or layups per hole, and a 12-hour battery life.
Are there golf yardage watches that do more? Sure. But does your dad need any more features than what the iON Edge provides? Maybe not.
Almost every golfer, including your dad, knows that Bushnell is renowned for making durable, super-high-quality golf tech products. It’s a brand you can trust and a gift you can give with confidence.
Shot Scope X5: Best Golf Watch Value
If you’re looking for a very nice golf watch that isn’t quite as luxurious (or expensive) as some of the highest-end models but that still delivers almost all of the best features, here it is. The Shot Scope X5, at $299.99 and with no annual subscriptions, packs a serious punch for the price.
The X5 is stylish, and the band is very comfortable. Most importantly, the information it delivers is incredible and accurate. To get shot-tracking tags included and all of the resulting stats about your golf game, with no subscription fee, is crazy!
Shot Scope X5 features include:
- Green view with pin placement
- Front and carry distance for water and bunker hazards
- Layup points and doglegs on each hole
- More than 36,000 preloaded courses
- Automatic performance tracking
- Multiple clock-face designs
- Step counter
- Digital scorecard
- More than 100 statistics about your game, including Srokes Gained and handicap benchmarking
Best Overall Golf Watch: Garmin Approach S70
If you’ve got the budget for the best golf watch for dad, here’s a gift that will absolutely blow him away! This is the highest end golf GPS watch of 2024.
The S70 has everything! No other golf watch combines innovation, features, reliable performance, and style in a way that can rival the S70.
Among the features:
- A super-bright AMOLED touchscreen display
- Maps and yardages from 43,000+ preloaded golf courses
- Club suggestions based on performance and even wind speed and direction
- A plays-like distance feature that takes into account slope and weather
- 24/7 health monitoring and activity tracking
- A stylish, lightweight build and ceramic bezel
- Much, much more
The S70 comes in Black, White, or Gray, and there’s a 47mm or 42mm option. The watch itself is absolutely gorgeous. This is something your dad can wear proudly to even a high-end occasion.
Garmin fenix 8 & Garmin Venu X1: Two Bonus Options That Go Way Beyond Golf
Now, if you really want to go big-time with a gift for your dad, check out these two high-end Garmin options.
Why are we including them here?
Because these watches actually include all of the same golf features as the dedicated Garmin golf watches.
But, in the case of the Garmin fenix 8, you also get a ton of fitness/lifestyle features that make this one of Garmin’s top-of-the-line multisport watches. We’re talking navigation features, training tools, health and wellness monitoring, and so much more.
And with the Garmin Venu X1, you get Garmin’s best overall display in a square-shaped watchface that rivals an Apple Watch. This watch may be the most comfortable to wear in Garmin’s lineup, and it’s definitely the nicest to look at.
Yes, at $799.99 each, these are pricey watches, but if your dad is active beyond the course, either of these options is going to be a game-changer for his golf and everyday life.
Buy Your Dad a Golf Gift He’s Going To Love
Put a smile on your dad’s face and a little style around his wrist. If your dad loves golf, he’s going to be thrilled with a new golf watch.
Even if he’s been a rangefinder devotee to this point, you might be surprised at how much he’ll love playing with a GPS golf watch. Chances are, he already knows that but just hasn’t been able to justify spending even more money on his favorite hobby. You have the opportunity to give him something that will blow him away. How cool would that be this Father’s Day?
And you know what? If he hates it (he won’t), just send it back. Each one of these golf watches is eligible for free 60-day no-hassle returns at PlayBetter.com. Now this becomes a no-brainer, don’t you think?
About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen
Marc "Shef" Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he's not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.