Garmin S50 review: premium golf GPS with a low-price window

Is the Garmin Approach S50 worth buying? Yes — if you want a premium golf GPS watch with a bright AMOLED screen, 43,000+ preloaded courses, and useful on-course yardages at a current all-time low price of £319.39. It is less compelling if you mainly want a laser-style point-and-shoot rangefinder or advanced simulator-style club data, because those are not its strengths.

First impressions

The S50 looks and feels like a proper premium golf watch rather than a stripped-back sports tracker. The 1.2-inch colour AMOLED display is the headline feature, and for golfers that matters: yardages, hazards, doglegs, and pin direction are easier to read at a glance than on older monochrome GPS watches. Garmin has also kept the design slim and lightweight, with a ComfortFit nylon strap that should make it easier to wear all day, not just during a round.

What does the Garmin Approach S50 do well?

The core golf tools are exactly what most players need. You get front, middle, and back distances to the green, plus hazard view for bunkers, water, and layups. The PlaysLike Distance feature is especially useful in the UK, where elevation changes and windy, hilly parkland courses can make raw yardage misleading. Instead of just telling you a number, it helps you understand the shot you actually have to hit.

PinPointer is another practical feature when the green is hidden. That is more useful than it sounds, because on blind approach shots it helps you commit to a line rather than guessing. The watch also supports scorekeeping and upload to the Garmin Golf smartphone app for stat tracking and handicap calculation, which makes it more valuable for golfers who want to improve rather than just collect distances.

How good is the display and battery life?

The AMOLED screen is one of the main reasons to buy this model. Garmin says it brings 43,000+ preloaded courses to life, and that large course database is a major plus for travelling golfers or anyone who plays away from their home club. Battery life is also respectable: up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 15 hours in GPS mode. That is enough for most golfers to get through multiple rounds before charging, though heavy users who wear it constantly and track lots of golf activity will still need a regular charging routine.

How does it perform for game improvement?

For actual improvement, the S50 is strongest as a decision-making tool. The combination of front/middle/back distances, hazard view, and PlaysLike Distance can help you choose better targets and avoid short-siding yourself. If you pair it with optional Approach CT1 or CT10 club trackers, you also gain shot-tracking capability, which can reveal patterns in your game — for example, which clubs you use most often, or where your misses tend to happen. That is useful data, but it is worth being clear that the trackers are sold separately, so the full shot-tracking experience adds extra cost.

The Garmin Golf app integration is another plus for golfers who like numbers. Score upload, stat tracking, and handicap calculation make the S50 more than a simple distance device. It is not a launch monitor, though, so it will not give you radar-style club speed, ball speed, spin, or simulator-grade strike data. If you want that kind of practice feedback, you need a different category of product.

Build quality and comfort

The slate aluminium bezel and black ComfortFit nylon band give the watch a more refined look than many sports-first GPS watches. The lightweight construction should suit golfers who dislike bulky wristwear, and the all-day wearability is a genuine advantage if you want one device for golf, walking, and general use. The main caution is that the nylon strap and slim profile are about comfort and style, not ruggedness in the way a larger, more heavily protected watch might be.

Is it good value for money?

At £319.39, the S50 sits in a premium bracket, but the current price is also the all-time lowest recorded price and matches the average exactly at £319.39. That makes this a better buy now than at a typical inflated launch price. It is still more expensive than the Bushnell Tour V5 Patriot Pack Jolt rangefinder at £260.07, which has a slightly higher 4.6-star rating, but the Bushnell is a different tool: it gives direct laser yardages, not a full smartwatch with course mapping, app sync, and all-day wear.

Against Garmin’s own Approach S62, the S50 looks better value if you want a modern AMOLED display and a lower entry price. The S62 black model is listed at £324.99 with a 4.4-star rating, while the white S62 is £461.31 with the same 4.4-star rating. The S50’s 4.5-star rating across 487 reviews also suggests strong buyer satisfaction for a watch in this class.

Should you buy it?

Buy the S50 if you want a premium GPS golf watch that makes course management easier, gives clear yardages, and doubles as an everyday smartwatch. Skip it if you mainly want laser precision, simulator integration, or the deepest club-fitting and launch-monitor metrics. For golfers who value readable data, good battery life, and a strong app ecosystem, the S50 is a well-judged purchase at £319.39.