Garmin unveiled Approach S72 today, adding swing measurements on the wrist and tools for comparing a golfer’s heart rate around individual shots. The golf smartwatch is available immediately at a suggested retail price starting at $799.99. Buyers can choose a 47mm case or a smaller 43mm version.
Several of the new golf tools require an ongoing subscription: green reading, aerial imagery and putting analytics need an active Garmin Golf membership. Green reading uses course contours to show which way a putt will break and the average slope percentage. That feature works only on select courses, while aerial imagery gives golfers an overhead view of holes to help plan shots.
For the 47mm model, Garmin rates battery endurance during golf at up to 20 hours. Turning GPS off extends that model’s rated battery life to up to 16 days. The watch uses an AMOLED screen, while its construction pairs a titanium bezel with a sapphire lens and a ComfortFit fabric band.
Golfers can check their real-time heart rate before a shot and compare it with the reading afterward. Once a round is finished, reviews place heart-rate trends beside scoring information. Wrist swing measurements cover how fast the hands move, how long the backswing is and how the wrist rotates.
A driving range activity tracks swing measurements as well as tendencies during practice. Those practice activities are recorded in the Garmin Connect app, and range sessions contribute toward fitness goals. After rounds, the Garmin Golf app provides putting analytics covering make rate and biases in speed and direction.
Approach S72 is Garmin’s first golf smartwatch to include a microphone and speaker. It supports calls in both directions and lets users issue voice commands for basic tasks. A built-in flashlight provides red illumination or white light whose brightness can be adjusted.
Away from golf, the watch tracks stress and heart rate at the wrist. Its health tools also include advanced sleep monitoring and Body Battery energy monitoring. Built-in activity profiles cover mobility work and strength training.
The watch follows Garmin’s July 21 introduction of the Approach Z10 laser rangefinder, which measures pins at distances of up to 350 yards. Its Range Relay feature lets compatible handhelds and smartwatches receive distance readings taken by the rangefinder.
