Garmin Approach S44 Review: The Best “Good” Golf Watch You Can Buy?

The Garmin Approach S44 golf watch isn’t one of those products that’s really worth jumping up and down about. At least that’s what I thought initially.

I’m not going to lie. When Garmin walked me through their new products at the 2025 PGA Show, my initial reaction to the S44 was, “What’s the big deal? Why will anyone care?” I think I had become a little too accustomed to, or spoiled by, over-the-top innovation by the Garmin brand.

But that first reaction is not really fair. After all, the S44 was never meant to be the kind of big-splash product like their recent Garmin Approach R50 that redefined the golf launch monitor and simulator space. The S44 is not even meant to be as big of a deal as several of Garmin’s other golf watches.

Now, after using the S44 for a couple of weeks, I’ve come to appreciate what this watch is supposed to be. And even after my initial skepticism, I’ve come to realize that it’s got its place in the golf watch market. In fact, for some golfers, I think the Garmin S44 might be about perfect.

So while the S44’s release isn’t the most exciting news we’ve ever shared, there are readers for whom a deeper understanding will be beneficial. For some golfers, this is the right watch for their game, lifestyle, and budget. The question is, are you one of those golfers? Let’s find out.

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First, the Price: A Lot of Garmin Golf Goodness for Not a Lot of Dollars

As I see it, there are two main selling points for the Garmin S44: The price and the display. Let’s look first at the price and the value that it represents.

The Approach S44 sells for $299.99.

Listen, 300 bucks is 300 bucks. I’m not saying that’s nothing.

But what I am saying is that the value you’re getting for that $300 is outstanding. This is a Garmin golf watch we’re talking about. Of all of the golf tech product classes, I can’t think of another where one company is more clearly the undisputed leader. Garmin’s got the golf watch market on lockdown. They are the top dogs.

Also, the S44 is the replacement to the outgoing Garmin Approach S42. The S44 is the new and improved version. And as we’ll get into, there are some very significant improvements.

But guess what the S42 costs? The same $299.99 as the new S44! So, you see what I mean? You’re getting into the Garmin golf watch line without having to pay any more money than you did previously, only now you’re getting a better overall product.

So, yeah, price to me is a big win here.

Aesthetically and on the golf side of things, there’s a lot to like about the S44, especially compared to the S42.

But there’s also a lot that’s missing in the S44 when it comes to off the golf course use cases, especially compared to what’s available further up the Garmin golf watch line.

Having used each of the current Garmin golf watches, I’ll share my honest opinions as we go. 

Next, the Look: Approach S44 Features New AMOLED Display!

In a previous post, I compared all of the leading golf watches available today, and decided that, to my eyes, the Garmin Approach S42 was the overall best looking. What I liked about it was its diminutive size. So many golf GPS watches look and feel gigantic, especially on smaller wrists. The S42, by comparison, was sleek and just gave off classy, understated vibes.

Now we’ve got the Garmin Approach S44. And guess what? It looks even better!

Still sleek. Still classy. Still smaller. And still available in multiple bezel/band colorways.

Just like with the S42, the S44 has a narrower silicone band and a 1.2-inch watch face. It’s the same 43 x 43 x 11.4 millimeters and still weighs just 42 grams. Before you turn them on, they look very similar. And they both feature the same up-to-10-days-in-smartwatch-mode battery life.

One aesthetic touch difference is that on the new watch the “S44” model name at the top of the watch face is in white, the same color as the 1 through 18 numbers around the watchface perimeter that are used on the course to note what hole you’re on. On the older S42 watch, that model name is in red. It’s not a big difference, but I like the new design and how all of the text on the watch face is in the same color. Just makes it that much more discreet.

Just like with the S42, the new Garmin S44 features a much thinner back compared to models like the S62 and S70. That smaller backing profile allows the watch to lay flatter on the wrist and when you take it off and lay it on something like your nightstand. It's another nice sleekness feature.

But the huge aesthetic upgrade from the S42 to the new S44 is the bright AMOLED display. Finally, we’ve got a Garmin golf watch for under $300 that includes their most premium watchface display.

It’s a night-and-day difference between the relatively dull powered-up look of the S42 and the far more vibrant, crisp, crystal clear, beautiful display of the S44.

It used to be that you had to step all the way up to the most expensive Garmin golf watch, the Approach S70 for a minimum of $649.99, to get into AMOLED territory. So to have it now in a watch that’s only $299.99 is a really significant bonus.

The AMOLED display alone makes the S44 far superior to the S42. But, as it turns out, there are other improvements as well. And all, as noted, without a price increase. Keep reading.

Golfing With the Approach S44: A Look at Navigation and Course Features

The Garmin Approach S44, like the S42 model that it’s replacing, features touchscreen and button navigation. But whereas the S42 included just one button, the S44 adds a second.

That additional button just makes navigation that much easier and intuitive. It adds an extra option for finding your way through all of the various menu choices. I find using the watch and bouncing around between all of the screens to be more fluid the more navigation options I have.

With the top-of-the-line Approach S70, you’ve got three buttons plus the touchscreen. For me, that’s perfect. But I’ll take the two buttons on the S44 compared to the one on the S42. It’s a definite upgrade.

To use the S44 on the golf course, you push the red activity button on the top right side of the watch. Once you push “Play Golf,” this Garmin Approach GPS golf watch launches the more than 43,000 preloaded golf courses. It then locates the nearby options and prompts you to make your selection.

On each hole, you get full-color maps showing you the layout, all of the hazards, and your yardages to the front/middle/back of the green. This is another area where the S44 smokes the S42. The hole maps on the S42 are very basic. There’s not much visual detail.

The upgraded maps on the Garmin S44, coupled with the much more vivid AMOLED display, are much more visually engaging and appealing. You still have to scroll through hazard yardages by tapping on the screen, the same way you do with the S42. So it’s not as advanced as with the S70, where you can pinch and swipe your way around the hole. But the whole visual experience with the S44 is just far superior to that of the S42.

As with all Garmin golf watches, you can choose to pair the watch with the Garmin Golf app on your phone. That allows you to do things like sync your scorecards, see phone, text, and news notifications, get weather updates, and a lot more.

Also, with the S44, you’ve got the option to pay for Garmin’s Golf Membership Subscription ($9.99/month or $99.99/year). If you do that, you get plays-like distances that factor in local environmental conditions. You also get detailed green contour maps for each putting surface.

And you can pair the S44 with Garmin’s shot-tracking tags to keep track of your performance with each club in your bag. You can also use this watch in tandem with Garmin’s Approach Z30 rangefinder to sync your golf watch and rangefinder functionality.

What you don’t get with the S44, compared to higher-end Garmin golf watches, is personalized club recommendations. There is no virtual caddie option on the watch itself. That’s really the biggest golf-related separator between the S44 and something like the S62 or S70.

The virtual caddie feature on the S62 and S70 is definitely cool. But I know a lot of golfers who really have no use for it. If that’s you, the S44 might be quite attractive. You’re getting the same beautiful hole maps and GPS yardage information but for a fraction of what you’d pay for the more souped up Garmin models.

That said, we haven’t yet talked about off-the-course features. That’s where the S44 is going to come up short for a lot of users.

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Garmin S44 Golf Watch Limitations: Relatively Sparse Fitness Features

If you’re a fitness freak or someone who wants a smartwatch that’s going to monitor your entire life and provide advanced analysis of all the things you’re doing right and wrong, Garmin has much better options than the S44. That’s why this watch costs $299.99 while their highest-end watches exceed the $1K mark.

Make no mistake, the S44 is a smart watch. Very smart in fact. But just not quite the genius that other Garmin models are.

The S44 allows you to receive and view things like your email and texts on the watch. You can check out weather forecasts, browse through your calendar, and control your smartphone music.

And the S44 can count your steps and tell you when you’ve been sitting too long and need to get up and move. It can keep track of the calories you’ve burned and tell you how far you’ve traveled in a given day.

Like I said, it’s smart.

But you’re not going to get the advanced Garmin fitness and lifestyle features like sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, abnormal heart rate detection, a body battery, and relax reminders. Those are the kinds of features you’re leaving on the table when you opt for the S44. While this is a watch you can wear around the clock, off the golf course it’s not going to give you nearly as much as you’d get with other Garmin watches.

Garmin’s Good-Better-Best Golf Watch Line Comes Into Focus

Garmin does still offer the Approach S12 watch for $199.99. But it’s so basic compared to their other models. There are no hole maps. Smartwatch, fitness, and lifestyle features are even more limited. And, of course, there’s no AMOLED display. Really, I don’t see the S12 as a legitimate around-the-clock watch unless you just want to be able to tell the time.

To me, the serious golf watch in Garmin’s line now starts with the S44. And it’s a major upgrade from the S42 model that it’s replacing. I now consider the S44 to represent the “good” in Garmin’s golf watch line.

They also just released the Approach S50, which I’ll soon review. That watch includes an AMOLED display and all of the same golf features as the S44 but adds more advanced fitness and lifestyle features. It sells for $399.99. To me, it’s the “better” option.

Garmin is phasing out their S62 model to make way for the clear-cut top of their line being the S70. It’s got all of the best golf features and tons of awesome 24/7 fitness and lifestyle goodies. Starting at $649.99, it’s their “best” golf watch option.

I like that the line is now cleaned up to the point where golfers can make a straightforward decision. And, excluding the S12, now all of Garmin’s golf watches include that drop-dead gorgeous AMOLED screen. Love it!

The Garmin Approach S44 Is Right for You If…

So, are you looking for the “good” option in Garmin’s golf watch line? The one that gives you almost all of the best-in-class golf features but stops short of going above and beyond in the off-the-course offerings? If so, the Garmin Approach S44 is right for you.

And I can’t stress enough that getting the AMOLED screen for no more than you were going to pay for the previous “good” option, the S42, is great news.

If you’re looking for that perfect smartwatch that can be your ultimate companion on and off the golf course, the S44 isn’t the right pick. It just doesn’t have enough smartwatch functionality when you compare it to all that’s available in 2025. You’d be better off stepping up and spending the extra money for the Approach S50 or S70.

In other words, I think the S44 is about perfect for the person who wants a golf-focused watch but doesn’t care too much about the perfect off-the-course watch. If that’s you, this product release should be very exciting. Buy the Garmin S44 and don’t look back.

Garmin Approach S44 Golf GPS Watch

from$299.99

Garmin Approach S50 Golf GPS Watch

from$399.99

Garmin Approach S70 Golf GPS Smartwatch

from$549.99

Marc's Overall Garmin Approach S44 Rating

Stunning Golf-Focused Smartwatch!

8.7Entry-Level Excellence

When it comes to price and fitness features, this Garmin watch is no fuss. But when it comes to golfing features and gorgeous display—look out! If you want a helluva golf watch for less than half the price of the S70, look no further.

Hits

Price-to-Value Ratio

AMOLED Display

Improved Golf Maps

Garmin Ecosystem

Misses

Lacks Advanced Fitness Features

No Virtual Caddie

Price

9

Build Quality

9.5

GPS Accuracy

9

Ease of Use

8

Features and Functionally

8

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.