Garmin S70 Health and Tracking - 2024 Forum Review

[mike4hsc]

Congratulations to the testers and look forward to reading the results.

[FallenSaber]

Congratulations testers! I think you're going to love this watch, especially as a lifestyle piece that goes beyond golf. I do have 1 request if someone could take this one.

1. For the CT10 shot tracking system, can you test what would equate to be the starter package (3 trackers) vs the whole package.

I have the Approach S70 and really would like to get the CT10s but I'm leaning towards the starter package due to the cost of the full package and the full package seems to be more of a nice to have vs must have.

Thank you!

[frazzman80]

Congratulations to all! Looking forward to reading about the proceedings and the overall outcomes.

Share those fancy graphics!

[Bohnson]

Congrats testers! I have the S70 and it is a powerful golf watch. Have not used the club tags though. 

[William P]

Congratulations testers! Looking forward to hearing about your results.

[Shrek74]

16 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

 Please welcome and congratulate our testers! 

@revkev 

@cburins 

@Corentin Vadillo 

@NubianRugby

Congrats testers!!! I can't wait to hear all about your experiences. I'm most curious about the stat tracking part of the test. I haven't seen or heard much about the Garmin stat tracking or the CT10 sensors. So I'm really excited to hear about your experiences.

[MDGolfHacker]

Congratulations testers! 

[J7Hawkins]

Congrats to you all! Looking forward to your reviews!

[CorentinV]

1 hour ago, FallenSaber said:

Congratulations testers! I think you're going to love this watch, especially as a lifestyle piece that goes beyond golf. I do have 1 request if someone could take this one.

1. For the CT10 shot tracking system, can you test what would equate to be the starter package (3 trackers) vs the whole package.

I have the Approach S70 and really would like to get the CT10s but I'm leaning towards the starter package due to the cost of the full package and the full package seems to be more of a nice to have vs must have.

Thank you!

Hi @FallenSaber, 

Thank you for your message. I'll try to sort something answering your request. Could you be more specific about what you want to know? Is it regarding the performance of 3 vs 14-sensors? 

Thank you 

[Sam C]

Congrats to the testers! 

Having the S70 I would suggest cleaning the sensor and straps at least once a week. I use alcohol wipes and a microfiber and they work great!

[FallenSaber]

45 minutes ago, Corentin Vadillo said:

Hi @FallenSaber, 

Thank you for your message. I'll try to sort something answering your request. Could you be more specific about what you want to know? Is it regarding the performance of 3 vs 14-sensors? 

Thank you 

Thanks for taking it on! Essentially, yes. The performance of 3 vs 14. I feel like just getting the starter set would have me covered. I'd use it for my putter which does not get tracked by the watch and 2 wedges. I feel like the full set would just be a nice to have since all it would really do is eliminate the need of selecting a club after a shot. Given the price difference is $80 for the 3 piece starter set and $300 for the full set, I feel like I can save the $220 extra and just select my club after I hit.

[CorentinV]

4 minutes ago, FallenSaber said:

Thanks for taking it on! Essentially, yes. The performance of 3 vs 14. I feel like just getting the starter set would have me covered. I'd use it for my putter which does not get tracked by the watch and 2 wedges. I feel like the full set would just be a nice to have since all it would really do is eliminate the need of selecting a club after a shot. Given the price difference is $80 for the 3 piece starter set and $300 for the full set, I feel like I can save the $220 extra and just select my club after I hit.

Got it, I'll try to understand the benefit having all clubs with sensors vs only 3 (including the putter). Stay tuned

[cburins]

3 hours ago, FallenSaber said:

Congratulations testers! I think you're going to love this watch, especially as a lifestyle piece that goes beyond golf. I do have 1 request if someone could take this one.

1. For the CT10 shot tracking system, can you test what would equate to be the starter package (3 trackers) vs the whole package.

I have the Approach S70 and really would like to get the CT10s but I'm leaning towards the starter package due to the cost of the full package and the full package seems to be more of a nice to have vs must have.

Thank you!

Absolutely, I will defintely update you on this! 

[tdroma98]

Congratulations Testers!  Looking forward to reading all the reviews.  I only use a Range Finder, so interested in reading the reviews 

[USMCSnyper]

Looking forward to the updates!

[poprocksncoke]

Congrats testers!!!

[Zgrabby11]

Congrats everyone! Seems like a cool gadget for getting yardages. I’m jealous!

[Dweed]

Congratulations testers. Have fun and looking forward to your evals.

[revkev]

Thanks everyone for the congrats! @FallenSaber I will take you up on the 3 sensor trial as well and try to figure out a good point of comparison.

 

Last week of school and funeral this week for me (intro sneak peak I am what my screen name says and so I’m there for people whenever life or death happens).  I will get my intro up this weekend. As the old man in this group I can hardly what to get this party started. 

[KC Golf]

Congratulations!  Looking forward to seeing how the Garmin club sensors work for you!

[CorentinV]

Hey MGS Community,

I finally got my hands on the Garmin S70 and CT10 sensors, and I'm here to share my unboxing and setup experience. Here are my initial thoughts and impressions:

Packaging: The package arrived well-protected in a bubble wrap envelope. Both the watch and sensor boxes were in perfect condition, with no apparent damage. Each box contains the equipment and user guides, presented in a simple yet effective manner.

Sensor Installation Tool: Garmin includes a small black tool to help attach the sensors to the clubs easily. It's not a game-changer, but it saves your fingers from the strain of screwing in multiple sensors.

Watch Aesthetics: The watch face is stunning and modern, with a clear display and excellent contrast, making it easy to read. The 42mm model fits perfectly on the wrist, feeling light and almost unnoticeable during wear. The rear sensor has been refined over the years, now slim and non-intrusive.

Watch Band Quality: The plastic band of the watch feels somewhat low-quality. It has a very "sport watch" feel that struggles to compete with the premium feel of an Apple Watch. My Garmin Forerunner from five years ago had a better sport band too which feels more comfortable vs the S70.
In addition, my first impression made me think that you can't change the band but after some research you can do it which is a good point. I'm afraid the white band will become dirty and lose its shine. However, the frame of the watch will remain white which limits the choice of band color from an aesthetic point of view.

Sensor Quality: The plastic quality of the sensors isn't exceptional compared to Arccos sensors. They attach reasonably well but don't fit clubs perfectly. In addition there is no "face blocking", the sensor holds well but you can screw it endlessly which feels a bit weird to me. To finish, they're a bit too high and not wide enough to match the grip edges, even though I use undersized grips.

No Dedicated Putter Sensor: The lack of a dedicated putter sensor affects the fitting experience (compare with Arccos sensors). The Garmin sensor feels quite ugly on my Scotty. This is one of the biggest issue for me. I hope it will not affect my perception while putting.

Easy Watch Setup: Setting up the watch is straightforward but requires downloading several apps for a complete experience: Garmin Connect, Garmin IQ, and Garmin Golf. It will permit you to change your display, settings and add apps (like Spotify). The initial setup process is user-friendly, with clear instructions provided in the user guides. However, if you plan to go "all in" in the settings as soon as you receive the watch, you could spend quite a lot of time figuring out how to navigate between the 3 Garmin's apps and the watch.

Pairing Instructions: At the opposite of the watch setup, the pairing instructions are somewhat cumbersome, with certain aspects feeling a bit uncertain. And as expected after reading the user guide, the pairing process was indeed tedious and complicated. This was exacerbated by the fact that I have 5 wedges (43º, 48º, 52º, 56º, and 60º), which the app does not account for. I had to pair my 60º as a lob wedge, 56º as a sand wedge, 52º as a gap wedge, 48º as a pitching wedge, and 43º as a 9-iron... (here starts the problem). After many minutes of tinkering, I managed to rename and re-categorize the clubs correctly via the app, but this required re-pairing everything. It was an unpleasant experience unfortunately.

Watch Update Required: Not a big deal but the watch needs to be updated to complete the setup. Make sure your watch is fully charged and connected to Wi-Fi for a smooth update process.

Initial Impressions: Despite some initial hurdles, the Garmin S70 and CT10 sensors offer a promising start with impressive features that I'll detailed on another post. The unboxing was exciting and like opening a Birthday / Christmas's gift, it's always a great experience.
The watch's display is crisp and easy to read, and it fits comfortably on the wrist. The sensor installation tool is a handy addition, making it easier to attach the sensors to the clubs. However, the sensors are a bit disappointing vs Arccos sensors and the pairing process can be tedious, especially if you have a large number of clubs to pair. This could have an important weight in my decision of keeping the sensors in my bag after the review. We'll see...

I'm now excited to test out the Garmin S70 + the CT10 sensors on the course and dig into all features like the combination of health and activity tracking, along with detailed golf performance data.

FYI, my Body Battery is currently 68/100 after a computer work day.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the week is not good here in Quebec but I already have 2 golf rounds schedule for Saturday (Golf Château Bromont) and Sunday (Golf Royal Bromont). I'll use the next days as preparation days going to the gym and working on my Body Battery score.
I'll keep you updated!

Edited May 28 by CorentinV

[VernL4]

On 5/27/2024 at 7:10 PM, CorentinV said:

Hey MGS Community,

I finally got my hands on the Garmin S70 and CT10 sensors, and I'm here to share my unboxing and setup experience. Here are my initial thoughts and impressions:

Packaging: The package arrived well-protected in a bubble wrap envelope. Both the watch and sensor boxes were in perfect condition, with no apparent damage. Each box contains the equipment and user guides, presented in a simple yet effective manner.

Sensor Installation Tool: Garmin includes a small black tool to help attach the sensors to the clubs easily. It's not a game-changer, but it saves your fingers from the strain of screwing in multiple sensors.

Watch Aesthetics: The watch face is stunning and modern, with a clear display and excellent contrast, making it easy to read. The 42mm model fits perfectly on the wrist, feeling light and almost unnoticeable during wear. The rear sensor has been refined over the years, now slim and non-intrusive.

Watch Band Quality: The plastic band of the watch feels somewhat low-quality. It has a very "sport watch" feel that struggles to compete with the premium feel of an Apple Watch. My Garmin Forerunner from five years ago had a better sport band too which feels more comfortable vs the S70.
In addition, my first impression made me think that you can't change the band but after some research you can do it which is a good point. I'm afraid the white band will become dirty and lose its shine. However, the frame of the watch will remain white which limits the choice of band color from an aesthetic point of view.

Sensor Quality: The plastic quality of the sensors isn't exceptional compared to Arccos sensors. They attach reasonably well but don't fit clubs perfectly. In addition there is no "face blocking", the sensor holds well but you can screw it endlessly which feels a bit weird to me. To finish, they're a bit too high and not wide enough to match the grip edges, even though I use undersized grips.

No Dedicated Putter Sensor: The lack of a dedicated putter sensor affects the fitting experience (compare with Arccos sensors). The Garmin sensor feels quite ugly on my Scotty. This is one of the biggest issue for me. I hope it will not affect my perception while putting.

Easy Watch Setup: Setting up the watch is straightforward but requires downloading several apps for a complete experience: Garmin Connect, Garmin IQ, and Garmin Golf. It will permit you to change your display, settings and add apps (like Spotify). The initial setup process is user-friendly, with clear instructions provided in the user guides. However, if you plan to go "all in" in the settings as soon as you receive the watch, you could spend quite a lot of time figuring out how to navigate between the 3 Garmin's apps and the watch.

Pairing Instructions: At the opposite of the watch setup, the pairing instructions are somewhat cumbersome, with certain aspects feeling a bit uncertain. And as expected after reading the user guide, the pairing process was indeed tedious and complicated. This was exacerbated by the fact that I have 5 wedges (43º, 48º, 52º, 56º, and 60º), which the app does not account for. I had to pair my 60º as a lob wedge, 56º as a sand wedge, 52º as a gap wedge, 48º as a pitching wedge, and 43º as a 9-iron... (here starts the problem). After many minutes of tinkering, I managed to rename and re-categorize the clubs correctly via the app, but this required re-pairing everything. It was an unpleasant experience unfortunately.

Watch Update Required: Not a big deal but the watch needs to be updated to complete the setup. Make sure your watch is fully charged and connected to Wi-Fi for a smooth update process.

Initial Impressions: Despite some initial hurdles, the Garmin S70 and CT10 sensors offer a promising start with impressive features that I'll detailed on another post. The unboxing was exciting and like opening a Birthday / Christmas's gift, it's always a great experience.
The watch's display is crisp and easy to read, and it fits comfortably on the wrist. The sensor installation tool is a handy addition, making it easier to attach the sensors to the clubs. However, the sensors are a bit disappointing vs Arccos sensors and the pairing process can be tedious, especially if you have a large number of clubs to pair. This could have an important weight in my decision of keeping the sensors in my bag after the review. We'll see...

I'm now excited to test out the Garmin S70 + the CT10 sensors on the course and dig into all features like the combination of health and activity tracking, along with detailed golf performance data.

FYI, my Body Battery is currently 68/100 after a computer work day.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the week is not good here in Quebec but I already have 2 golf rounds schedule for Saturday (Golf Château Bromont) and Sunday (Golf Royal Bromont). I'll use the next days as preparation days going to the gym and working on my Body Battery score.
I'll keep you updated!

Body Battery of a 68 after a day of work??? That's amazing! My Body Battery was only at 24 to start my day this morning!

[CorentinV]

19 minutes ago, VernL4 said:

Body Battery of a 68 after a day of work??? That's amazing! My Body Battery was only at 24 to start my day this morning!

I'm not sure it was 100% accurate as only wore it for a day. 
Yesterday my Body Battery drop from 100 to 14 after a day of work, 1.5h at the gym and 2h playing video games. This morning I got back to 50 only. 

[Sam C]

Make sure to check out the music controls on the Approach as well! I put Spotify on mine and pair it with my AirPods so I don't have to carry my phone around the gym or on walks. You do have to download your playlist from the app to the watch and that could take some time but for me it was worth it not to be wasting time scrolling while working out.

[revkev]

I got a notice from UPS that mine arrives tomorrow afternoon. Sadly I have a 12 hour work day - on a positive note I should be able to play a quick nine Friday afternoon. Look for something from me in the next couple of days. 

[CorentinV]

May 29th, 2024: First In-Condition Test of the Garmin S70 + CT10 Sensors

Earning a +43 pts during the night, I woke up with a Body Battery score of 56/100 which isn’t the most promising start to the day, but I soldiered on, working from behind my computer all morning. I squeezed in a quick 20min practice session at the range during lunch, which provided a much-needed break from the screen. It didn't really affect my BB score: -2 pts

Later, I managed to book a 6:05 PM tee time at Golf 9Chatel. Thanks to traffic, I arrived just in time and started my round without any warm-up, with my BB score plummeting to 18/100. Not the most ideal conditions for a great round of golf, but here we go!  

The first three holes were rough, with three bogeys in a row. However, things took a turn for the better, and I found my groove. Birdie, Par, Birdie, Par, Par! I couldn’t believe it—I was sitting at +1 after eight holes, on track for my best nine-hole round ever.  

Then came the ninth hole. My mental game took a hit as I realized I was on the verge of my best score. Despite a solid 253-yard drive into the right rough, I botched my chip over the bunker, missed again, shirt chip and then three-putts for a triple bogey. I finished with a score of 40—my best yet, but still, the disappointment lingered.

Reflecting on the round, I ended with a BB score of 7/100 (-11 pts). I didn't feel that my BB affected so mush my game however, I can’t help but wonder: with a better Body Battery, would I have been able to keep my cool and at least finish with a Par or Bogey?
The mental pressure got the best of me this time. I'm finishing my day, writing this article with a 5/100 score... it's time to go to bed  

Despite the ups and downs, the Garmin S70 watch and CT10 sensors performed admirably. They provided accurate distances, helped me understand the course layout, and recorded my shots effectively. The data collected was mostly accurate, though some gimme putts didn’t get recorded. However, I found the post-round editing on the Garmin Golf app less intuitive compared to Arccos or Golfshot. I’ll delve deeper into this in a future post.

Overall, it was a great first experience even if my mental game let me down at the end. Onward and upward!

Edited May 30 by CorentinV
removing pictures

[VernL4]

9 hours ago, CorentinV said:

May 29th, 2024: First In-Condition Test of the Garmin S70 + CT10 Sensors

Earning a +43 pts during the night, I woke up with a Body Battery score of 56/100 which isn’t the most promising start to the day, but I soldiered on, working from behind my computer all morning. I squeezed in a quick 20min practice session at the range during lunch, which provided a much-needed break from the screen. It didn't really affect my BB score: -2 pts

Later, I managed to book a 6:05 PM tee time at Golf 9Chatel. Thanks to traffic, I arrived just in time and started my round without any warm-up, with my BB score plummeting to 18/100. Not the most ideal conditions for a great round of golf, but here we go!  

The first three holes were rough, with three bogeys in a row. However, things took a turn for the better, and I found my groove. Birdie, Par, Birdie, Par, Par! I couldn’t believe it—I was sitting at +1 after eight holes, on track for my best nine-hole round ever.  

Then came the ninth hole. My mental game took a hit as I realized I was on the verge of my best score. Despite a solid 253-yard drive into the right rough, I botched my chip over the bunker, missed again, shirt chip and then three-putts for a triple bogey. I finished with a score of 40—my best yet, but still, the disappointment lingered.

Reflecting on the round, I ended with a BB score of 7/100 (-11 pts). I didn't feel that my BB affected so mush my game however, I can’t help but wonder: with a better Body Battery, would I have been able to keep my cool and at least finish with a Par or Bogey?
The mental pressure got the best of me this time. I'm finishing my day, writing this article with a 5/100 score... it's time to go to bed  

Despite the ups and downs, the Garmin S70 watch and CT10 sensors performed admirably. They provided accurate distances, helped me understand the course layout, and recorded my shots effectively. The data collected was mostly accurate, though some gimme putts didn’t get recorded. However, I found the post-round editing on the Garmin Golf app less intuitive compared to Arccos or Golfshot. I’ll delve deeper into this in a future post.

Overall, it was a great first experience even if my mental game let me down at the end. Onward and upward!

Were you doing the post-round edits with the app on your phone or through the website? I find the app a bit clunky, but the website works much better for me.

[CorentinV]

9 minutes ago, VernL4 said:

Were you doing the post-round edits with the app on your phone or through the website? I find the app a bit clunky, but the website works much better for me.

I did it with the App to compare with my previous tracking system. But you're right, the app is clunky. 

[VernL4]

This is the website where you can see all of the info from the Garmin Connect app.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/

Part of the way down on the left side you can click on golf. There you can review scorecards and shots. Editing shots is much easier on the website than it is the app.

[revkev]

I’d love to have a unboxing post up but this was taken because I had to stop home on my way back to work - between hospital visits and a night meeting.

Should be ready to roll tomorrow - it’s 10:38 and I’m part way done.  Cat says, hi!

 

Actually she’s a cat so you can guess what she’s really saying.

 

Edited May 31 by revkev