Garmin Approach S4 Watch Review

Technology
If you’re in the market for one of the best Garmin GPS watches, you should definitely consider the S4. This GPS watch pairs to your Apple smartphone via bluetooth so you can read incoming emails and receive notifications for calls, texts and social media. Comes pre-loaded with over 30,000 courses, is touch screen and boasts customisable yardage points and a Dynamic Green view.

Looks
This device is stylish but also compact and light enough not to impede your swing. The strap has holes in it so your wrist doesn’t get sweaty while you’re playing, too.

Ease of use
A breeze. The four corner buttons have pictures on so you know what they do and the touch screen interface makes it easy to switch between features and change settings, even with a glove on. Pairing the device to my smartphone was quick and easy. It took longer to find my course than I hoped, a minor qualm.

Functions
It takes a few minutes to remember all the features you can use (there are that many) but they’re easy to locate and navigate. The main screen tells you the hole you’re on, its par and the front, middle and back distances. Swiping up or down from here changes the hole, but I didn’t need to use this feature as the device moved on automatically. On the tee, I have access to dog-leg and lay-up distances and into greens, I can change the pin location to where I please using the touch screen with the front and back distances changing with it. Battery life was impressive and charging it is simple.

Tested
As reviewed in our 2014 Distance Devices Test – winner of our Silver Award: Easy to use, it was clear which button did what thanks to the pictures on them. It’s got lay-ups and dog-legs, but not hazards. Lots to like here, especially the GreenView and how easy it is to use. The Smart notifications don’t appeal to me, I’d rather have hazards, but it looks really cool. A little pricey though. Looks slick in white and was quick to start out of the box and navigate on the course. The small screen created a fine line between scrolling and selecting on the touchscreen. The combination of touching the screen and the edges is strange at first.

www.garmin.co.uk