| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
| Type | Junior golf GPS watch |
| Series | Approach |
| Released | 20 January 2026 |
| Price at launch | GBP 309.99 / USD 299.99 |
| Predecessor | First watch in the Approach J junior line |
| Successor | Not yet announced. See Release Radar. |
| Sizes | 43mm (small) |
| Colours | Cloud blue aluminium bezel with black and azure ComfortFit fabric band, silver aluminium bezel with lilac ComfortFit fabric band |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Jump to: Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Quick answers | Further reading
Expert opinion
The J1 is the first Approach watch built around a young golfer rather than a cut-down adult one, and the idea that makes it work is tee-off guidance. The watch places forward tee positions down the fairway on more than 43,000 courses, so a 400-yard hole becomes a hole the child can actually reach in regulation. Personal par sets the target to match their standard, and a visual pace-of-play timer teaches the one habit that makes a junior welcome in an adult fourball.
Underneath, this is S50 hardware: the same 43mm case, the same 29g weight, the same 390 by 390 AMOLED touchscreen and the same 10 days and 15 hours of battery. What differs is the fit and the framing. The elastic hook-and-loop fabric band goes down to a 115mm wrist, where the S50 band stops at 127mm, and the interface shows fewer numbers with celebratory animations for progress. Learning features switch off as the golfer improves, which is what keeps the watch useful past the first season. At GBP 309.99 it sits above the S44 and close to the S50, so the premium buys the junior-specific software rather than a cheaper device.
Garmin Approach J1
Scales every hole to a young golfer's ability and teaches pace of play.
RRP $299.99
£272.27, €295.45
- use code:
Get it nowOrder now – Garmin Approach J1 Also sold direct byWhat’s new in the Approach J1
Hardware
- Elastic hook-and-loop fabric band fitting wrists from 115 to 195mm
- Anodised aluminium bezel with a chemically strengthened glass lens
- 43 x 43 x 11.4mm case at 29g
- 390 x 390 AMOLED touchscreen with an optional always-on mode
Software
- Tee-off guidance, placing forward tee locations down the fairway on more than 43,000 courses
- Personal par, setting the target score to the golfer’s standard
- Visual pace-of-play timer
- Club suggestions based on the clubs in the golfer’s bag
- Simplified interface showing fewer data points per screen
- On-watch celebration animations for improvement
- Learning features that can be switched off as the golfer advances
Specifications
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | AMOLED, optional always-on |
| Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels |
| Lens | Chemically strengthened glass |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Case size | 43mm (small) |
| Dimensions | 43 x 43 x 11.4mm |
| Weight | 29g |
| Bezel material | Anodised aluminium |
| Strap material | Elastic fabric hook and loop, 20mm industry-standard quick release |
| Wrist fit | 115 to 195mm circumference |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| Other sensors | Compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth LE |
| Storage | 4GB |
| Maps | 43,000 preloaded golf courses |
Battery life
Garmin rates the J1 on default display settings, which means gesture wake-up in watch mode and an always-on screen while golfing.
| Mode | Battery life |
|---|---|
| Watch | Up to 10 days |
| GPS | Up to 15 hours |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
Features
Feature explanations are covered in the relevant the5krunner Garmin features hub.
Perform
- Tee-off guidance with forward tee locations scaled to the golfer
- Personal par and club suggestions from the golfer’s bag
- Pace-of-play timer
- 43,000 preloaded courses with automatic CourseView updates
- Yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, and to layups and doglegs
- Hazards and course targets
- Green View with manual pin position
- Garmin AutoShot automatic shot detection
- Digital scorecard with handicap scoring and stat tracking
- Round timer and odometer
- Tournament legal
- GPS speed and distance with Auto Pause and Auto Lap
Connect
- Pairs with the Garmin Golf app to review scorecards, personal par and pace-of-play times
- Step counting
- Alarm, timer, stopwatch and sunrise and sunset times
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Golf | Golfing |
| Running | Running |
| Cycling | Biking |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming |
| Outdoor | Walking |
Garmin Approach J1
Scales every hole to a young golfer's ability and teaches pace of play.
RRP $299.99
£272.27, €295.45
- use code:
Get it nowOrder now – Garmin Approach J1 Also sold direct byQuick answers
When was the Garmin Approach J1 released?
Garmin released the Approach J1 on 20 January 2026. The launch price was GBP 309.99 or USD 299.99.
Is the Approach J1 waterproof?
Approach J1 has a water rating of 5 ATM, and it includes a Pool Swimming profile.
What junior features does the Approach J1 have?
Approach J1 has tee-off guidance that places forward tee positions on more than 43,000 courses, a personal par, a visual pace-of-play timer and club suggestions based on the golfer’s bag. Its learning features can be switched off as the golfer improves.
What wrist size does the Approach J1 fit?
Approach J1 has an elastic hook-and-loop fabric band that fits wrists from 115 to 195mm, on a 20mm quick release.
What size and weight is the Approach J1?
Approach J1 comes in a single 43mm size, is 11.4mm thick and weighs 29g. It has a 390 x 390 AMOLED touchscreen.
How long does the Approach J1 battery last?
Garmin rates Approach J1 for up to 10 days in watch mode and up to 15 hours in GPS mode.
Further reading
- Garmin Approach S50 specifications
- Garmin Approach S44 specifications
- Garmin watch specifications
- Release Radar: upcoming Garmin watches
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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