5 Reasons Why the Garmin Fenix 8 is the Best Golf Watch

So here’s the thing…

The Garmin Fenix 8 isn’t marketed as a golf watch.

Garmin promotes it as a premium, all-around, do-everything multisport smartwatch.

But a sneaky little under-reported fact is that not only can it do golf, but the Fenix 8 is completely loaded with golf features.

Guys, you know how much I love the Garmin Approach S70. And I still think it’s the best-dedicated golf watch. It has everything you’d want for playing golf. A great screen, accurate yardages, slope adjustment, stat tracking, and even wind data and a virtual caddie.

If all you want is a golf watch, then the S70 is the best you can find.

But the Fenix 8 takes what the S70 does on the course and then adds a ton more for life off the course.

So if you’re a golfer and you’re serious about your fitness or even just someone who wants a watch that can truly do it all from workouts to workdays to weekends, you need to give this thing a look.

And just to be clear, in terms of golf performance, the Fenix 8 is right there with the S70. It locks onto targets quickly, delivers slope- and weather-adjusted yardages with precision, gives you club recommendations based on your actual past performance, keeps track of how far you hit all of your clubs, and a lot more same as the S70.

And with better battery life and a more rugged design, the Fenix 8 might even be better as a watch that’s going to last for years.

Today, I’m giving you 5 reasons why the Garmin Fenix 8 might actually be the best golf watch you can buy.

Let’s start here because this one blows a lot of golfers’ minds.

The Fenix 8 includes all of Garmin’s premium golf features.

Yes, all of them.

We’re talking about things like

• Preloaded course maps

• Full-color hole maps

• Plays-Like Distances

• Virtual Caddie

• Stat Tracking

• Wind speed and direction

• Green Contour Maps

• Touch Targeting

All of it!

Literally, the only thing golf-wise that the S70 has that the Fenix 8 doesn’t are the 18 numbers around the bezel of the watch face that help you keep track of your score.

Other than that, the Fenix 8 is an S70. Except for it’s much more than that once we get off of the golf course.

If you’re like me, you don’t just want a golf watch you want an all-around watch.

You want something that helps you manage your health, fitness, calendar, text messages, and emails and that looks stylish at the same time.

That’s why I’ve loved the S70 so much.

But when it comes to all of those extra things, especially involving fitness and activity tracking, the fēnix 8 blows the S70 out of the water. I mean, I thought the S70 was already pretty incredible in this regard, but the fēnix 8 takes it to a totally new level.

It has everything!

Do you want to track your workouts? Running, cycling, strength training, hiking, diving you name it this thing can track it and give you deep analysis.

If you’re into wellness, you get heart rate, sleep tracking, nap detection, HRV, Body Battery, stress tracking, and even skin temperature and hydration tracking.

Are you a climber, skier, or diver? It’s dive-rated to 40 meters and includes topographical maps, backcountry ski tracking, multi-band GPS, a built-in compass, and climb analytics.

If you’re a traveler, the Fenix 8 has Garmin Pay, onboard music, jet lag tracking, and even a built-in LED flashlight.

Honestly, I could keep going. There are so many sneaky little features that just make life easier. It’s little details and stuff you haven’t even considered that are packed into this watch to make it an ultimate companion for whatever you’re into. Including golf, of course.

There’s more tech in this watch than any I’ve ever seen.

And not only does it track pretty much everything you could think of, it gives you really detailed analysis. So if you want to set goals, or just know exactly how well you’re doing with your health, this watch is an incredible tool.

So, yeah guys, I still think the S70 is the best golf-specific watch. But for an all-around smartwatch that still includes the highest-end golf features, the Fenix 8 is definitely the winner.

This thing is rugged! Like, military-tested rugged.

It’s leakproof and dive-rated, and it has metal button guards.

It’s got a titanium bezel.

You can get it with sapphire crystal to protect the AMOLED screen (which, by the way, looks amazing).

It has a full touchscreen plus five buttons, so navigation is incredibly fast and easy.

But here’s the part that surprised me: it actually looks great.

The design is clean. And, like I said, the AMOLED screen is insanely sharp.

This watch looks and feels like a serious timepiece. It’s definitely something you could wear to even high-end occasions. A lot of golf watches just don’t really look right when you want to dress a little nicer. But I think the Fenix 8 is a really nice blend of sporty and classy.

You’ve got multiple sizes to choose from, and Garmin’s QuickFit bands make it easy to swap styles.

So it’s a rare combo of serious tech, serious durability, and serious style all in one package.

Do you want a long battery life? The Fenix 8 definitely has it.

You get up to 29 days in smartwatch mode and 13 days if the screen is always on.

And you could be in continuous GPS tracking for 84 straight hours before you’d need a recharge.

Even with multi-band GPS and music, you still get up to 18 hours.

Guys, that’s some seriously impressive battery life!

Compared to the S70’s 16 days in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS? The Fenix 8 leaves it in the dust.

And it’s not just about duration. It’s about how smart the watch is with power.

It uses a proprietary Garmin technology to automatically adjust where it’s pulling its GPS data from. So it’s always choosing the most efficient way to operate, which saves on battery life and allows for even better accuracy.

For golfers who forget to charge or who want to play a lot without having to worry about their watch’s battery life, the Fenix 8 is the answer.

Here’s the real point.

The Garmin Fenix 8 might not be the obvious choice for a golf watch.

But if you’re a golfer who also runs or bikes, lifts or trains, skis or hikes, swims, paddles, dives, or surfs or just wants one watch that does everything and still gives you best-in-class golf features… Then this watch is perfect.

It’s not just about stacking up features. It’s about finding a watch that matches your lifestyle, wherever the day takes you.

So yes, it’s not built just for golf. But if golf is just one part of a much bigger active life? Then the fēnix 8 is the best golf watch you can buy.

Now, this kind of performance and versatility doesn’t come cheap. The Fenix 8 starts at $1,000 for the 43mm AMOLED model, $1,099 for the 47mm, and the 51mm version will cost even more depending on your materials.

By comparison, the 47mm Garmin Approach S70 is $700.

So, yes, it’s a big jump. But if you’re looking for the ultimate all-day watch, that price starts to look pretty reasonable. Especially when you consider that you’re essentially getting a high-end golf watch plus a top-tier fitness and lifestyle device in one.

Absolutely, while the Garmin Fenix 8 Watch is a great product, there are a few pros and cons that you need to be aware of:

Pros:

• Comprehensive Activity Tracking: Monitors nearly every conceivable activity, both on land and in water.
  
  
• Impressive Battery Life: Offers up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.
  
  
• Advanced Display: Features a bright AMOLED screen, ideal for indoor and outdoor use.

Cons: 

• High Price Point: Expensive compared to other smartwatches.
  
  
• Limited Smart Features: Lacks LTE/4G/5G connectivity and has limited voice assistant capabilities.
  
  
• Bulky Design: Can be too large for smaller wrists.

The Garmin Fenix 8 is a premium sports watch designed for high-performance athletes, offering advanced GPS, heart rate monitoring, and a durable design. It excels in tracking various activities but falls short in smart features and lacks cellular connectivity. Despite its impressive capabilities, the Fenix 8 is expensive, with prices starting at $999, and some users have reported reliability issues and inconsistent battery life compared to advertised claims