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Garmin Approach S1W yardage watch


Mrs.Manbearpig

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MBP and I have played our fair share of courses, but after many years I still rely on him to give me yardage. If he's not around (usually looking for his ball, up on hill in the fescue LOL just kidding), I have to rely on yardage markers or my best guess. Neither of the latter options, allow me to trust my swing and usually end up hitting a few more shots than I had intended. This doesn't exactly breed sureness or self-reliance in a newbie golfer (if I can still call myself that after 5/6years of learning).

 

This past Christmas, Santa brought me a Garmin Approach S1W yardage watch. Now that the season is well under way I can truly appreciate this product. MBP has his range finder but for me with my shaky one handed picture taking and trying to aim at a spot, doesn't really work too well for me right now.

 

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Simplicity & Functionality

 

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If you are looking for something super easy to use, get one of these. If you are looking for a little confidence and are not a hard core golfer with a range finder, this watch should be taken with you on the course EVERYTIME! Four buttons on the watch. To start using it's as simple as:

 

1. Press the “power” button

2. Press the “menu” button

3. It will say “locating satellites” and find courses nearby – use the “up” and “down” buttons to find the right course

4. Press the “OK” button

 

That's it! It gives you yardage to the front, middle, and back of the green, simple and clear. That's all I need when I'm out on the course. I don't want to be fumbling around in my bag looking for a range finder, when I can just look at my wrist.

 

Look & Fit

 

It's a little sportier than accessories I'm normally used to but it's not hideous. I do like the white and that the display is very clear. It is a sports watch so it is weatherproof and comfy to wear for 18 rounds. There are a lot of adjustment notches for all sizes of wrists, including my small wrist. I can have it as tight enough on my wrist that it is still comfortable but doesn't move around on the course.

 

Flaws

 

There are only a couple flaws I see for the S1 in my opinion. One they already know; you have to get the prongs for the charger matched with the charging pads on the backside of watch correctly or the watch doesn't charge. Wait to see "Garmin" show up on the display and then the battery icon, so you know it is charging. Even if you only get a partial charge due to not aligning the charger right you will still usually get 9 holes to a full round of golf out of it.

 

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Second, it's a little thick (height-wise) for my wrist.... it's not going to kill me but aesthetically it would be more please to my eye if it wasn't.

 

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Overall

 

If you need something simple, comfortable, easy to use, sporty and even something to help a novice golfer gain some confidence. My game on the course has changed ten-fold since I've been using my watch. I feel more independent, especially when MBP's not around. When he is around I don't have to ask I just know which club to choose. I'm a completely different player in the field and I'm loving my new found sense of confidence.

 

Look out guys, you've got some new competition and I look good! B)

 

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Great review. I am getting a GPS watch on Monday. The Bushnell Neo X. Happy birthday to me.

:ping-small:G430LST 10.5° on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Driver 

:ping-small:G430MAX 3w  on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Fairway 

:ping-small:G425 3H on     T P T    POWER 18 Hi Hybrid 

:taylormade-small:P790 Black 4-A 
on :kbs: TGI 80S
 

:mizuno-small: ES21 54-8° & 58-12° on :kbs: Hi Rev

:L.A.B.:DF2.1 on :accra: White

:titelist-small: ProV1  

:918457628_PrecisionPro: Precision Pro  NX7 Pro

All Iron grips are BestGrips Micro-Perforated Mid

Driver, 3w, 3H are JumboMax JMX UltraLite XS 

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That's a nice one!

I got my wife the Bushnell neo+ plus GPS watch for the same reasons.

So far so good!

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
:mizuno-small: JPX919 Forged 4-PW w/ Modus3 105 S
:titelist-small: Vokey SM7 50/08F, 54/14F & 58/08M w/ Modus3 115 Wedge
:EVNROLL: ER1 34" w/ SuperStroke Fatso 2.0
MfleKCg.jpg Pro / 9dZCgaF.jpgH2NO Lite Cart Bag / :Clicgear: 3.0 / :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX7 Pro LRF

My reviews: MLA Putter // Titleist SM7 // PING i500 // PuttOUT

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Great write up Mrs MBP! I'm thinking of getting one this may have been the push I needed.lLOL

MY BAG-

Driver- Taylormade SLDR 12* (Speeder 7.2vc tour spec S)

3 Wood- Taylormade R11(bimatrix prototype S)

3 Hybrid- Ping I20(stock S)

Irons-Taylormade Tour Perferred MC ( C Taper S)

Wedges- 50, 54, and 58 SCOR4161( KBS)

Putter-Taylormade Ghost Corza.

 

All Left Handed!

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Very good review!

 

I have a laser I used to use. Last year my wife got me a Golf Buddy Voice which I clip to my hat and push a button to hear the yardage. I don't even take my laser out anymore. I agree; it's great having that info so quick and easy to access. It not only gives you the confidence in club selection as you mentioned, it is great for pace of play compared to finding a marker and pacing distance from it.

 

Nice job on the review.

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  • SPY VIP

I can't push enough the confidence builder this is for a less experienced golfer. It has really freed her up early in her career to say, to just go out and focus on the swing and shots. She gets to her ball, looks at wrist and can instantly grab a club and just focus. For anyone out there whether you're struggling or not, get something like this and make one part of the game that much easier.

Yo #JustPlayBetter


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Nidine, awesome review. Does the lady in the last pic come with the watch? :rolleyes:

 

I got my son the basic Bushnell version for Christmas because it was on sale and had a rebate on top of that. It's awesome. There are plenty of times I just ask him for the distance now rather than pull out my range finder. It's also sped up our rounds a ton because he knows which club to pull without having to check with me every time. One thing about 9 year olds, they have little problem shouting across the fairway to ask which club to pull :D

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Nidine, awesome review. Does the lady in the last pic come with the watch? :rolleyes:

 

I got my son the basic Bushnell version for Christmas because it was on sale and had a rebate on top of that. It's awesome. There are plenty of times I just ask him for the distance now rather than pull out my range finder. It's also sped up our rounds a ton because he knows which club to pull without having to check with me every time. One thing about 9 year olds, they have little problem shouting across the fairway to ask which club to pull :D

 

LoL not unless they clone me, sorry :P

 

That's great! Teach him sign language ;) haha!

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Nice review Mrs. MBP.

 

quick question: Have you had a chance to test its accuracy against a laser system? Since the watch gives you front/mid/back yardages, it would be a comparison of 'guesstimate' vs. exact yardage but I was wondering if you found that they seem to be reasonably in line with one another.

 

thanks!

Current Bag
Mizuno JPX-850 10.5 degree stock shaft, stiff
Srixon U45 2 iron stock shaft, stiff
Titleist 915H 3 and 4 hybrids. Aldila Rogue Black stiff
King Cobra Pro MB 5-p, DG  tour stiff
Titleist sm6 50, 54, 58
Mizuno MP T106

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Nice review Mrs. MBP.

 

quick question: Have you had a chance to test its accuracy against a laser system? Since the watch gives you front/mid/back yardages, it would be a comparison of 'guesstimate' vs. exact yardage but I was wondering if you found that they seem to be reasonably in line with one another.

 

thanks!

 

I have a Leupold and she now has the watch. Many times after lasering I'll just ask how far, she'll give me the 2 front/middle or middle/back and the watch data is very accurate for what you need once estimated in between. If I didn't like wearing watches on course I'd get one for sure.

Yo #JustPlayBetter


Follow @GolfSpyMBP

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Hello Mrs MBP,

 

Did you wear a watch while playing prior to using this? Just curious if you went through any adjustment period to having it strapped to your wrist.

 

Also would it work just as well if you strapped it to your bag? I'm not a big fan of watch tan lines in the summer so I don't think i would ever actually wear the thing.

Driver: :taylormade-small: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black

3w: :taylormade-small:'16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82

5w: :cleveland-small: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow

Hybrid: :cleveland-small: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black

Irons: :cleveland-small: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Wedges: :cleveland-small: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Putter: :odyssey-small: Red 7s

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Hello Mrs MBP,

 

Did you wear a watch while playing prior to using this? Just curious if you went through any adjustment period to having it strapped to your wrist.

 

Also would it work just as well if you strapped it to your bag? I'm not a big fan of watch tan lines in the summer so I don't think i would ever actually wear the thing.

 

I'm not nearly as pretty as Mrs. MBP, but I'll say my son straps his watch to his bag since it's a bit big for him. No problems at all there.

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Hello Mrs MBP,

 

Did you wear a watch while playing prior to using this? Just curious if you went through any adjustment period to having it strapped to your wrist.

 

Also would it work just as well if you strapped it to your bag? I'm not a big fan of watch tan lines in the summer so I don't think i would ever actually wear the thing.

 

I was wondering the same thing as I'm not a big watch fan but would love the uses of it

Driver:   :callaway-small: Epic 10.5 set to 9.5 w/ Tour AD-DI 44.5

FW:   :cobra-small: F6 baffler set at 16º

Hybrid:  NONE
Irons:   :taylormade-small:  3i 2014 TP CB  4-PW 2011 TP MC w/ TT S400

Wedges:   :nike-small: 52º :nike-small: 56º  :edel-golf-1: 60 º w/ KBS C-Taper XS Soft-stepped

Putter:   :ping-small: Sigma G Tyne 34 inches Gold dot

 

 

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Hello Mrs MBP,

 

Did you wear a watch while playing prior to using this? Just curious if you went through any adjustment period to having it strapped to your wrist.

 

Also would it work just as well if you strapped it to your bag? I'm not a big fan of watch tan lines in the summer so I don't think i would ever actually wear the thing.

 

I don't normally wear watches (I break them easily); I normally have a cuff or a hair-tie on my wrist instead. I actually didn't really notice it, as I usually have something on my wrist to replace the fact that I stopped wearing watches. It was noticeable when I took it off.

 

Like the others said, it would work just as well strapped to your bag. Funny you mention the tan line thing, I was worried about the last time I played. I am now thinking I could hook it to my belt loop as I don't want to hook it to my bag (I like to have it at the ready, kinda the point of having one for me).

 

Good questions!

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I really liked the S1. It was proved very accurate when compared to my rangfinder readings. Unfortunately, after 18 months the display went haywire and some of the buttons no longer function. Now its just a watch with a blurry display. I question its water resistance rating. While wearing this on my arm on hot days it would get moisture in the display. This probably was the cause of its demise.

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I really liked the S1. It was proved very accurate when compared to my rangfinder readings. Unfortunately, after 18 months the display went haywire and some of the buttons no longer function. Now its just a watch with a blurry display. I question its water resistance rating. While wearing this on my arm on hot days it would get moisture in the display. This probably was the cause of its demise.

 

 

Hopefully that was just a one off issue but will have to keep an eye out for that. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Did a little investigating and couldn't find anything quite related to that, more people tired of the battery charging issue.

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Ordered for Monday delivery! Thanks for the great review.. You had me at 'easy to use' :)

 

I must remember the tip about strapping it to the bag if it gets uncomfortable on the wrist...

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  • 1 year later...

I have had on of these for a year now and I love it.  I will probably have to buy a new one however before too long because the covering around the edge of the face has come up a bit and moisture is getting in and fogging up the face on humid days.

It really helps to have the yardage to the front and back and middle of greens.

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