| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
| Type | Golf GPS smartwatch |
| Series | Approach |
| Released | 9 October 2026 (announced 6 October 2026) |
| Price at launch | GBP 699.99 / USD 799.99 (both sizes) |
| Predecessor | Approach S70 |
| Successor | Not yet announced. See Release Radar. |
| Sizes | 43mm (small), 47mm (medium) |
| Colours | 43mm: Carbon Gray with Heritage Bronze DLC titanium bezel and Pebble Grey band, Soft Gold with Blush Pink titanium bezel and French Grey band. 47mm: Carbon Gray with Red DLC titanium bezel and Black band, Silver with Citron titanium bezel and Fog Grey band. |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Jump to: Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Comparisons | Further reading
Expert opinion
The S72 adds swing analysis, green reading and a full health suite to a golf watch whose core on-course function is unchanged from the S70. Green reading calls the obvious slopes correctly and misses subtle breaks. The swing metrics record hand speed, backswing length, wrist rotation and plane without telling the golfer what to do about any of them. Aerial imagery is muted, slow to draw, and sits behind a Garmin Golf membership along with green reading and green contours.
The hardware changes are real. Titanium and sapphire replace the S70’s ceramic bezel and Gorilla Glass, the Elevate Gen 5 sensor brings the ECG app and skin temperature, storage rises from 16GB to 64GB, and a speaker, microphone and LED flashlight arrive on an Approach watch for the first time. Road and trail maps and the wider Garmin training set come with them, which makes this the first golf watch that also carries Fenix-class breadth off the course. At GBP 699.99 the two sizes cost the same, so the 43mm buyer gives up six days of smartwatch battery and five hours of golf purely for the smaller case.
Garmin Approach S72
Garmin's top golf watch, with wrist swing metrics, green reading and a full training platform off the course.
What’s new versus the Approach S70
Hardware
- Titanium bezel, replacing ceramic
- Sapphire crystal lens, replacing Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, replacing Gen 4, adding the Garmin ECG app and skin temperature
- Built-in speaker and microphone for calls and voice commands
- LED flashlight in white and red, with variable intensity
- Storage raised from 16GB to 64GB
- ComfortFit fabric band, with the 47mm falling from 56g to 48g
- Smaller case grows from 42mm to 43mm, and its resolution from 390 x 390 to 416 x 416 pixels
- QZSS and BeiDou added to the satellite systems
Software
- Swing metrics measured at the wrist: hand speed, backswing length, wrist rotation and hand plane
- Driving range activity, with tempo training
- Green reading, which gives side slope and elevation to the pin, with a Garmin Golf membership
- Aerial imagery of the hole, with a Garmin Golf membership
- Golf heart rate, which lines the trace up with the scorecard
- Stableford and Scramble scoring, and a two-player scorecard
- Lost ball timer and directions to the next tee
- Preloaded road and trail maps, point-to-point navigation and ClimbPro
- Sleep Alignment, Breathing Variations, Health Status, Lifestyle Logging and Evening Report
TruSwing appears on Garmin’s S70 specification sheet and does not appear on the S72 sheet.
Specifications
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Size | 47mm: 1.4 inch (35.41mm). 43mm: 1.3 inch (32.45mm) |
| Type | AMOLED, optional always-on |
| Resolution | 47mm: 454 x 454 pixels. 43mm: 416 x 416 pixels |
| Lens | Sapphire crystal |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Case sizes | 43mm (small), 47mm (medium) |
| Dimensions | 47mm: 47 x 47 x 13.5mm. 43mm: 43 x 43 x 12.93mm |
| Weight | 47mm: 48g. 43mm: 41g, both with the ComfortFit band |
| Bezel material | Titanium |
| Strap material | ComfortFit fabric. QuickFit 22mm on the 47mm, 20mm on the 43mm |
| Wrist fit | 47mm: 154 to 229mm circumference. 43mm: 130 to 200mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| GPS | Multi-band GPS with SatIQ. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
| Heart rate | Elevate Gen 5, with the Garmin ECG app |
| Other sensors | Pulse Ox, skin temperature, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, NFC (Garmin Pay) |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Music | Yes, stored on the watch and played to Bluetooth headphones |
| Maps | 43,000 preloaded golf courses, plus road and trail maps |
Battery life
Garmin publishes two modes for the S72. An always-on display, the flashlight, voice wake words and the satellite mode in use all shorten these figures, and the watch carries a battery saver control and in-activity power modes.
| Mode | Battery life |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch | Up to 16 days (47mm), up to 10 days (43mm) |
| Golf activity | Up to 20 hours (47mm), up to 15 hours (43mm) |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
Features
Feature explanations are covered in the relevant the5krunner Garmin features hub.
Plan
- Garmin Coach plans for running, cycling and strength
- Garmin Running Coach and Running Coach Experts
- Garmin Cycling Coach and Garmin Triathlon Coach
- Daily Suggested Workouts, running and cycling
- Training Readiness and Training Status
- Morning Report and Evening Report
- Recovery Time
- Downloadable training plans and course guidance
- HRV Status and Health Status
- Sleep Coach, Sleep Alignment, Nap Detection and Smart Wake Alarm
- Body Battery and Breathing Variations
- Jet Lag Adviser
- Race Predictor and Projected Race Time
- Skin temperature
- Women’s Health tracking and past ovulation estimates
Prepare
- Wrist heart rate every second, with abnormal heart rate alerts
- Garmin ECG app
- Pulse Ox, as a spot check or through the day and in sleep
- Health Snapshot and Lifestyle Logging
- Training Load, training load focus and load ratio
- Training Effect, aerobic and anaerobic
- VO2 Max for running and trail running
- Endurance Score, Hill Score and Realtime Stamina
- Performance Condition and lactate threshold
- Running dynamics, with running economy, ground contact time and step speed loss through a compatible accessory
- Heat and altitude acclimation
- Strength, HIIT, yoga and Pilates workouts with on-screen animations and a muscle map
- Automatic rep counting
- Fitness Age, intensity minutes, stress tracking and hydration
- Physio TrueUp and unified training status
Perform
- 43,000 preloaded courses with free updates, full vector CourseView maps and automatic course updates
- Yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, and to layups and doglegs
- Hazards and course targets, custom targets, touch targeting and PinPointer
- PlaysLike distance, adjusted for elevation, wind and air density
- Virtual Caddie club recommendations, and wind speed and direction through the Garmin Golf app
- Garmin AutoShot, with CT1 and CT10 club tracking through accessories
- Swing metrics: hand speed, backswing length, wrist rotation and hand plane
- Swing tempo and tempo training, and the driving range activity
- Green View with manual pin position, putt tracking, and green contours, green reading and aerial imagery with a Garmin Golf membership
- Digital scorecard with handicap scoring, Stableford, Scramble and two-player cards
- Stat tracking for strokes, putts, greens and fairways
- Lost ball timer, next hole navigation and a round timer
- Tournament Mode for sanctioned events and handicap rounds
- Multi-band GPS with SatIQ
- PacePro, running power and grade-adjusted pace
- Garmin Live Segments and Strava Live Segments
- Pool and open water swim metrics, with underwater wrist heart rate
- Multisport workouts with automatic transitions
- Smart trainer control, power meter support, and Varia radar and lights
- Road and trail maps with point-to-point navigation, TracBack, Up Ahead, NextFork, ClimbPro and round-trip course creation
- Expedition activity, tides, Sight N Go, UltraTrac and dual grid coordinates
Connect
- Music stored on the watch, and control of music on the phone
- Garmin Pay contactless payments
- Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant support
- Voice commands and voice notes through the built-in microphone
- Smart notifications, calendar, weather, stocks and sports scores
- Incident detection, assistance and live event sharing
- Garmin Messenger and Garmin Share
- Find My Phone and Find My Garmin
- Connect IQ, with the store on the watch
- Colour shift and red shift modes
- Battery saver and customisable power modes
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Golf | Golfing, Disc Golf |
| Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing, Adventure Racing, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Multisport | Triathlon, Swimming/Running |
| Gym and fitness | Strength, Cardio, HIIT, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Mobility, Indoor Climbing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Outdoor | Walking, Hiking, Bouldering, Climbing, Rucking, Mountaineering, Expedition, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Archery, Inline Skating |
| Other | Winter sports: Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing. Water sports: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sailing Expedition. Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball. Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball. Motorsports: Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling. Other: Meditation, Breathwork, Gaming. |
Garmin Approach S72
Garmin's top golf watch, with wrist swing metrics, green reading and a full training platform off the course.
Comparisons and upgrade guides
- Garmin Approach S72 vs S70, what the extra $100 buys
Further reading
Related watches
Looking at alternatives to the Approach S72?
- Predecessor: Garmin Approach S70, the 2023 flagship, in 42mm and 47mm.
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.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
Support the site: Follow (free, fewer ads) · Subscribe (paid, ad-free) · Buy Me A Coffee
Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
