The Apple Watch does not have a built-in GPS app for golf.

That being said, golfers might wonder if there is a Golf GPS app available on the Apple Store and if they are any good?

The Tell Me More staff will inform you about golf GPS apps available for the Apple Watch and how the Apple Watch stacks up against golf app leaders like Garmin.

Apple Watch GPS For Golf (and alternatives)

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Later Apple Watch models are GPS enabled, and a quick search on the Apple Store shows many highly-rated golf GPS apps are available.

Popular Golf Apps on the Apple Store

• Golf GPS SwingU
• Golfshot: Golf GPS + Caddie
• GolfLogix Golf GPS + 3D Putts
• Golf GPS Rangefinder Scorecard
• 18Birdies: Golf GPS Scorecard
• Golf GPS Hole 19 + Rangefinder
• The Grint: Handicap & Scorecard
• Tag Heuer Golf
• Golfshot App
• Golf Pad
• Arcos Caddie
• Track My Golf

All the GPS golf apps on the Apple Store come in free versions

The more advanced features are available by purchasing a premium version or subscription.

The best golf apps available for the Apple Watch can give you a lot of information on the golf course during your round. A free golf app can provide a golfer with a digital scorecard, course maps, overviews of each hole, and accurate yardages to hazards and the green.

Premium Apple Watch golf apps from the App Store make club recommendations, shot distance and shot tracking.

Apple Watch For Golfing: Is It Good?

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Yes, the Apple Watch is good for golf. In fact, it is excellent. With a variety of free versions and premium versions of GPS golf apps available, you can find one with the look and the features you want.

The screen on the Apple Watch is bright, and hole overviews look great, and it‘s easy to punch in your score and track your stats when you‘re out on the course. In addition, when the golf GPS app runs, it is like having a dedicated golf GPS watch on your wrist.

Apple Watch Pros And Cons For Golfing

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While the Apple Watch with a quality golf GPS app is an excellent device for golfers, it’s not for everyone.

Pros	Cons
Many Quality Golf GPS Apps	Battery Life
Screen is Vivid	Need to be in Apple Ecosystem
Wearable (Don’t Have to Keep Looking at Your iPhone)	Premium Golf GPS – Apps Can Be Expensive
Accurate GPS Yardages
Control Bluetooth Speaker/iTunes from Watch
Touch Controls Are Responsive

There’s not a lot the Tell Me More Golf team didn’t like about using the Apple Watch with a quality golf GPS app. They loved the fact that it looked and felt like a dedicated golf GPS watch, even though they were just one of the apps available for the Apple Watch.

They also liked adjusting the volume on a portable Bluetooth speaker, changing songs from the watch in real-time, and not having to find their phone first.

If you’re an Android user and not part of the Apple ecosystem:

You will have a different experience than an iPhone.

Battery life can also be an issue, as continually running the GPS on the watch during a golf round can substantially drain the battery. However, the same is true for any golf watch running GPS regularly.

The upfront cost of the watch and paying for the premium functions in the golf GPS apps is also something to consider when purchasing an Apple Watch to use for golf.

Apple Watch Golf GPS Vs Garmin Smartwatches

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How does the Apple Watch stack up versus golf or fitness watches from Garmin smartwatches? This question sparked some debate among the Tell Me More staff!

If you‘re an Apple person and invested in the Apple ecosystem, you don’t need to look any further than the Apple Watch, with a quality golf GPS app to meet your golfing needs. And you’ll still have all of the functionality of the Apple Watch away from the golf course.

However, if you’re an Android person, the Garmin line of smartwatches, like the Garmin Approach, is a solid option. They have fantastic features for on and off the golf course. The built-in Garmin Golf App is one of the best golf GPS apps available, and you don‘t have to pay extra.

The cost of a watch in the Apple Watch Series and Garmin Smartwatches are comparable as you move up from older, more basic versions to newer, premium models.

Our golf testers split down the middle with Apple users sticking with the Apple Watch, while our Android testers weren’t ready to give up their Garmin Smartwatches either.

They all agreed on how much they loved how quick and easy it was to look at their watch instead of finding their phone, unlocking it, and getting a reading.

Our Garmin users did think that controlling the portable Bluetooth speaker and songs on the fly was cool. However, they did wish the Apple people had better taste in music.

FAQ Section

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Does the Apple Watch track golf?

The Apple Watch does not have a built-in golf GPS app. However, many high-quality golf GPS apps available can track almost anything a player does during a round.

Scorecard functionality, fairways hit, greens hit, and the number of putts in a round are basic stats that can be tracked during a round of golf.

Beyond providing accurate GPS distances to hazards and the green, some Apps have advanced features that can track shot distance and swing speed and make club recommendations based on past performance.

Does the Apple Watch Count golf strokes?

Yes, with a golf GPS app, the Apple Watch can have a built-in scorecard that you can use to count your golf strokes during a round of golf.

Many golf GPS apps available for the Apple Watch have scoring software with social elements so you can play games and tournaments with your other friends on the golf course.

A golf GPS can also sync with a handicap provider to help track and automatically manage your handicap index when you log a score.

How does the Apple Watch track swing speed?

The Apple Watch tracks motion using arm motion and an accelerometer, combined with a golf GPS app to track swing speed. Tracking swing speed is a feature available on premium versions of golf GPS apps like Track My Golf and Arcos.

These apps can also track how far a golfer hits each club during a round, track it for them over time, and then provide them with club recommendations.

Rumor has it that Apple may have a built-in golf GPS app as one of their Workout Apps in a future version of Watch OS, and measuring swing speed will be one of the functions.

Can you use the Apple Watch without iPhone?

You can use an Apple Watch with cellular and an active cell plan without an iPhone or Wi-Fi connection.

The Apple Watch uses Bluetooth to connect to an iPhone, so you don‘t have to carry your iPhone around while playing golf. Instead, you can leave it in the cart or your golf bag.

Do you recommend using the Apple Watch for golf?

Yes, the Tell Me More Golf staff highly recommends the Apple Watch for golf if you‘re already part of the Apple ecosystem. Many quality golf GPS apps available have all the functionality and tracking capabilities of a dedicated golf watch.

Having real-time distances to targets on a golf course on your Apple Watch on their wrists allows golfers to play more confidently during a round. It also allows them to play more quickly as they don’t have to look for yardage markers on the course or constantly take out and unlock their phones.

Premium versions of the golf GPS apps available on the Apple Watch can measure swing speed and provide other swing metrics during a round that can help golfers learn more about your swings.

The Apple Watch does many other things, like fitness tracking, making it a robust mobile accessory with excellent golf apps.

Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com

The Apple Watch dominates the sales of smartwatches worldwide, year after year. As part of the Apple ecosystem, it has built-in features and apps that one can purchase that allow it to do almost anything a user wants, all from their wrist.

Many high-quality golf GPS apps rival the accuracy and features of dedicated golf watches. In addition, the bright screen and responsive touch screen make using the Apple Watch during a round of golf easy for the golfer.

If you’re not an Apple person, the Apple Watch might not be the best as Android versions like Garmin Smartwatches are also fantastic on and off the golf course.

If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem and are considering purchasing an Apple Watch and want to use it as a golf watch, take the time to look at the GPS golf apps available and find one with the features and price that fits you, your game and your wallet.