Golfing

NOTE: If you found a golf course with data that’s inaccurate or outdated, please send us a report at Report a Golf Course Issue.

Playing Golf

Before you play golf, you should charge the watch (Charging the Watch).

1. From the watch face, press .
2. Select Activities > Outdoor > Golf.

The device locates satellites, calculates your location, and selects a course if there is only one course nearby.

3. If the course list appears, select a course from the list.
4. If necessary, set your driver distance.
5. Select to keep score.
6. Select a tee box.

The hole information screen appears.

NOTE: Because pin locations change, the watch calculates the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green, but not the actual pin location.

7. Select an option:
   • Tap the front, middle, or back distances to the green to view the PlaysLike distance (PlaysLike Distance Icons).
   • Press or to view additional data, including your handicap rating and the PlaysLike factors.
   • Tap the map to view more detail or measure distance with touch targeting (Measuring Distance with Touch Targeting).
   • Tap the map and press or to view the location and distance to a layup or to the front and back of a hazard.
   • Press to open the golf menu (Golf Menu).

When you move to the next hole, the watch automatically transitions to display the new hole information.

Golf Menu

During a round, you can press to access additional features in the golf menu.

View Green: Allows you to move the pin location to get a more precise distance measurement (Moving the Flag).

Virtual Caddie: Requests a club recommendation from the virtual caddie (Virtual Caddie).

Change Hole: Allows you to manually change the hole.

Change Green: Allows you to change the green when more than one green is available for a hole.

Scorecard: Opens the scorecard for the round (Keeping Score).

PinPointer: The PinPointer feature is a compass that points to the pin location when you are unable to see the green. This feature can help you line up a shot even if you are in the woods or in a deep sand trap.

NOTE: Do not use the PinPointer feature while in a golf cart. Interference from the golf cart can affect the accuracy of the compass.

Wind: Opens a pointer that shows the wind direction and speed relative to the pin (Viewing the Wind Speed and Direction).

Round Info: Shows the recorded time, distance, and steps traveled. This automatically starts and stops when you start or end a round.

Measure Shot: Shows the distance of your previous shot recorded with the Garmin AutoShot™ feature (Viewing Measured Shots). You can also manually record a shot (Manually Measuring a Shot).

Custom Targets: Allows you to save a location, such as an object or obstacle, for the current hole (Saving Custom Targets).

Club Stats: Shows your statistics with each golf club, such as distance and accuracy information. Appears when you pair compatible Approach club tracking sensors sensors or enable the Club Prompt setting.

Sunrise & Sunset: Shows the sunrise, sunset, and twilight times for the current day.

Settings: Allows you to customize the golf activity settings (Golf Settings).

End Round: Ends the current round.

Golf Settings

During a round, you can press , and select Settings to customize the golf settings.

Scoring: Allows you to set the scoring options (Scoring Settings).

Driver Distance: Sets the average distance the ball travels from the tee box on your drive. The driver distance appears as an arc on the map.

PlaysLike: Sets preferences for the “plays like” distance feature, which shows adjusted distances to the green while playing golf (PlaysLike Distance Icons).

Virtual Caddie: Allows you to select automatic or manual virtual caddie club recommendations. Appears after you play five rounds of golf, track your clubs, and upload your scorecards to the Garmin Golf app.

Big Numbers: Changes the size of the numbers on the hole view screen.

Tournament Mode: Disables the PinPointer and PlaysLike distance features. These features are not allowed during sanctioned tournaments or handicap calculation rounds.

Golf Distance: Sets the unit of measure for distance while playing golf.

Golf Wind Speed: Sets the unit of measure for wind speed while playing golf.

Club Prompt: Prompts you to enter which golf club you used after each detected shot to record your club statistics (Recording Statistics).

Satellites: Sets the satellite system to use for the activity (Satellite Settings).

Record Activity: Enables activity FIT file recording. FIT files record fitness information that is tailored for the Garmin Connect website and app.

Club Sensors: Allows you to set up your compatible Approach club tracking sensors.

Pair Rangefinder: Allows you to pair the watch to your compatible rangefinder.

Moving the Flag

You can take a closer look at the green and move the pin location.

1. From the hole information screen, press .
2. Select View Green.
3. If necessary, use the slider on the right side of the screen to zoom in or out.
4. Tap or drag to move the pin location.
5. Press .

The distances on the hole information screen are updated to show the new pin location. The pin location is saved for only the current round.

Virtual Caddie

Before you can use the virtual caddie, you must play five rounds with Approach club tracking sensors or enable the Club Prompt setting (Activity Settings), and upload your scorecards. For each round, you must connect to a paired phone with the Garmin Golf app. The virtual caddie provides recommendations based on the hole, wind data, and your past performance with each club.

PlaysLike Distance Icons

The PlaysLike distance feature accounts for elevation changes on the course, wind speed, wind direction, and air density by showing the adjusted distance to the green. During a round, you can tap a distance to the green to view the PlaysLike distance. You can swipe up or press to see how much the distance has changed due to each of the factors.

TIP: You can configure what data is factored into the PlaysLike adjustments in the activity settings (PlaysLike Settings).

: Distance plays longer than expected.

: Distance plays as expected.

: Distance plays shorter than expected.

: The difference in the distance due to elevation changes.

: The difference in the distance due to the wind speed and direction.

: The difference in the distance due to the air density.

PlaysLike Settings

During a round, press , and select Settings > PlaysLike.

Wind: Enables wind speed and direction to be included in the PlaysLike distance adjustments.

Weather: Enables air density to be included in the PlaysLike distance adjustments.

Home Conditions: Allows you to manually change the altitude, temperature, and humidity settings used for the air density.

NOTE: It can be helpful to set weather conditions that match where you typically play. If they do not match the conditions at your normal course locations, the air density adjustments may seem inaccurate.

Measuring Distance with Touch Targeting

While playing a game, you can use touch targeting to measure the distance to any point on the map.

1. While playing golf, tap the map.
2. Tap or drag your finger to position the target circle .

You can view the distance from your current position to the target circle, and from the target circle to the pinlocation.

3. If necessary, use the slider on the right side of the screen to zoom in or out.

Viewing Measured Shots

Your device features automatic shot detection and recording. Each time you take a shot along the fairway, the device records your shot distance so you can view it later.

TIP: Automatic shot detection works best when you wear the device on your leading wrist and make good contact with the ball. Putts are not detected.

1. While playing golf, press .
2. Select Measure Shot.

Your last shot distance appears.

NOTE: The distance automatically resets when you hit the ball again, putt on the green, or move to the next hole.

3. Press and select Previous Shots to view all recorded shot distances.

NOTE: The distance from the most recent shot also displays at the top of the hole information screen.

Manually Measuring a Shot

You can manually add a shot if the watch doesn’t detect it. You must add the shot from the location of the missed shot.

1. Take a shot and watch where your ball lands.
2. From the hole information screen, press .
3. Select Measure Shot.
4. Press .
5. Select Add Shot > .
6. If necessary, enter the club you used for the shot.
7. Walk or drive to your ball.

The next time you take a shot, the watch automatically records your last shot distance. If necessary, you can manually add another shot.

Keeping Score

1. From the hole information screen, press .
2. Select Scorecard.

The scorecard appears when you are on the green.

3. Press or to scroll through the holes.
4. Press to select a hole.
5. Press or to set the score.

Your total score is updated.

Recording Statistics

Before you can record statistics, you must enable statistics tracking (Scoring Settings).

1. From the scorecard, select a hole.
2. Enter the total number of strokes taken, including putts, and press .
3. Set the number of putts taken, and press .

NOTE: The number of putts taken is used for statistics tracking only and does not increase your score.

4. If necessary, select an option:

NOTE: If you are on a par 3 hole, fairway information does not appear.

• If your ball hit the fairway, select In Fairway.
• If your ball missed the fairway, select Missed Right or Missed Left.

5. If necessary, enter the number of penalty strokes.

Scoring Settings

During a round, press , and select Settings > Scoring.

Scoring Method: Changes the method the device uses to keep score.

Handicap Scoring: Enables handicap scoring.

Set Handicap: Sets your handicap when handicap scoring is enabled.

Show Score: Displays your total score for the round at the top of the scorecard (Keeping Score).

Stat Tracking: Enables statistics tracking for the number of putts, greens in regulation, and fairways hit while playing golf.

Penalties: Enables penalty stroke tracking while playing golf (Recording Statistics).

Prompt: Enables the prompt at the start of a round asking if you want to keep score.

About Stableford Scoring

When you select the Stableford scoring method (Activity Settings), points are awarded based on the number of strokes taken relative to par. At the end of a round, the highest score wins. The device awards points as specified by the United States Golf Association.

The scorecard for a Stableford scored game shows points instead of strokes.

Viewing the Wind Speed and Direction

The wind feature is a pointer that shows the wind speed and direction relative to the pin. The wind feature requires a connection with the Garmin Golf app.

1. Press .
2. Select Wind.

The arrow points to the wind direction relative to the pin.

Viewing the Direction to the Pin

The PinPointer feature is a compass that provides directional assistance when you are unable to see the green.

This feature can help you line up a shot even if you are in the woods or in a deep sand trap.

NOTE: Do not use the PinPointer feature while in a golf cart. Interference from the golf cart can affect the accuracy of the compass.

1. From the hole information screen, press .
2. Select PinPointer.

The arrow points to the pin location.

Saving Custom Targets

While playing a round, you can save up to five custom targets for each hole. Saving a target is useful for recording objects or obstacles that are not shown on the map. You can view the distances to these targets from the hazards and layups screen (Playing Golf).

1. Stand near the target you want to save.

NOTE: You cannot save a target that is far from the currently selected hole.

2. From the hole information screen, press .
3. Select Custom Targets.
4. Select a target type.

Big Numbers Mode

You can change the size of the numbers on the hole information screen.

1. During a round, press .
2. Select Settings > Big Numbers.

The distances to the front, middle, and back of the green appear in large font on the hole information screen.

3. Press or to view additional data, including the PlaysLike distance to the middle of the green, wind speed and direction, and your handicap rating.

Swing Tempo Training

The Tempo Training activity helps you perform a more consistent swing. The device measures and displays your backswing time and downswing time. The device also displays your swing tempo. Swing tempo is the backswing time divided by the downswing time, expressed in a ratio. A 3 to 1 ratio, or 3.0, is the ideal swing tempo based on studies of professional golfers.

The Ideal Swing Tempo

You can achieve the ideal 3.0 tempo using different swing timings, for example, 0.7 sec./0.23 sec. or 1.2 sec./0.4 sec. Each golfer may have a unique swing tempo based on their ability and experience. Garmin provides six different timings.

The device displays a graph that indicates if your backswing or downswing times are too fast, too slow, or just right for the selected timing.

To find your ideal swing timing, you should start with the slowest timing and try it for a few swings. When the tempo graph is consistently green for both your backswing and downswing times, you can move up to the next timing. When you find a timing that is comfortable, you can use it to achieve more consistent swings and performance.

Analyzing Your Swing Tempo

You must hit a ball to view your swing tempo.

1. Press .
2. Select Activities > Other > Tempo Training .
3. Press .
4. Select Settings > Swing Speed, and select an option.
5. Complete a full swing, and hit the ball.

The watch displays your swing analysis.

Viewing the Tip Sequence

The first time you use the Tempo Training activity, the watch displays a tip sequence to explain how your swing is analyzed.

1. During your activity, press .
2. Select Tips.
3. Press to view the next tip.