The ifrothgolf review
Garmin's entry-level golf GPS watch, built for the bloke who just wants accurate yardages on his wrist without dropping a small fortune or fiddling with a rangefinder.
What's great
For the money, the core job is nailed. Front, middle and back yardages are accurate and quick, and it loads your course automatically from 43,000 preloaded maps with free lifetime updates. Battery is the standout: I've seen it knock out four or five rounds on a charge, so it never dies mid-back-nine. The monochrome screen sounds naff but it's dead easy to read in bright sun, and there's a Big Numbers mode if your eyes aren't what they were. Light enough that it won't put you off your swing.
Worth knowing
It's a one-trick pony, and that's the point, so don't expect steps, sleep or any smartwatch nonsense. The four-button setup takes a few rounds to learn (no touchscreen here) and feels fiddly at first. Greens are a basic half-circle and you're estimating the pin, not lasering it, so it'll never match a rangefinder for pinpoint shots. The charger is Garmin's own oddball cable, so losing it is a faff. A few owners also report Bluetooth app sync going walkabout.
The verdict
If you want simple, reliable distances and bombproof battery without paying silly money, I rate it. Just go in knowing it's a pure golf tool, not a do-everything watch.
What reviewers say
Owners and reviewers rate it as the best easy-to-use entry-level GPS watch, highlighting accurate distances and outstanding battery life (weeks in watch mode, ~30 hrs GPS). The common gripe is the lack of a touchscreen, so scrolling yardages via the side buttons feels a little fiddly.
