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Garmin Strategy S50: One-minute evaluate
Sitting within the mid-range of the model’s golf watch vary, the Garmin Strategy S50 is a superb course companion. It contains all the model’s suite of fantastic {golfing} options, in addition to simply the correct amount of additional well being and health, and on a regular basis performance to supply a golf-first, near-complete package deal.
It’s {the golfing} pedigree that shines the brightest, in fact, and it places these options into motion brilliantly as a course companion. It enhanced my time and recreation on the course with its correct yardages, computerized shot monitoring and rating logging, golf course and gap graphics, and the superb PlaysLike characteristic — which components in elevation and climate — is sensible.
The design and construct are of fantastic high quality, too, with the S50 having extra of a lifestyle-friendly design and kind than others within the Strategy vary. Mix this with some very pleasant day-to-day performance and a number of health and well being options which are glorious to make use of, and the package deal turns into even clearer.
I nonetheless reserve a powerful dislike for Garmin’s personal proprietary charging methodology, which solely will get extra intense when mixed with a brilliant brief charging cable, however it is a wider downside shared by the S50, not distinctive to it. Elsewhere, it’s simple to make use of on-screen, and its battery life is powerful, providing greater than two rounds of golf’s price of juice earlier than needing to even contemplate charging.
All in, nevertheless, the S50 may actually give some extra premium gadgets a scare with its general providing, and for many who are delay by the higher-end Garmin Strategy S70’s hefty price ticket, this could possibly be the proper resolution and new golf course companion.
- Garmin Strategy S50 Golf Watch (Black) at Amazon for $324.99
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Garmin Strategy S50
Worth
Begins at $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$729
Dimensions
1.69 x 1.69 x 0.44in / 43 x 43 x 11.4mm
Weight
1.02oz/29g
Bezel/case
Aluminium
Show
390 x 390px; 1.2in / 30.4mm; AMOLED
GPS
GPS + GLONASS + Galileo
Battery life
Smartwatch mode: As much as 10 days; GPS solely: As much as 15 hours
Connection
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Water-resistant?
Sure, 5 ATM
Garmin Strategy S50: Worth and availability
(Picture credit score: Future / Rob Dwiar)
- Checklist costs of $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$729
- Mid-range in Garmin’s lineup
- Good worth for cash
Coming in proper within the center between the high-end Strategy S70 watch and the funds, entry-level Strategy S12, the Garmin Strategy S50 is concentrating on the center floor of its golf watch lineup. And does so efficiently from a worth and worth perspective.
The steadiness of options on supply, its general efficiency, and the whole lot that moving into the Garmin Golf ecosystem offers you, all on an AMOLED watch with the model’s greatest on-course parts — whereas nonetheless coming in significantly lower than the S70 is superb. In reality, I’d wager that the S50 might need the S70 nervous from a price perspective, as solely a few compromises may get you all the way down to the S50 from the S70 and prevent a bunch of money.
The S50 is joined in the midst of the Garmin golf watch pack by the S44, launched on the identical time late final yr. This provides a a lot leaner mid-range expertise, with out being a very entry-level system. With the S50 being lower than $100 / £100 / AU$180 greater than the extra streamlined-for-golf S44, however nonetheless $250 / £150 / AU$370 lower than the S70 (42mm), it actually does really feel prefer it’s hit the candy spot.
A small wrinkle for me on worth was that I discovered the default strap to be actually sub-par and swapped it out for an additional from Garmin; this naturally will increase the general value of the S50, however the freedom to vary straps and decide another for one you want is welcome.
Garmin Strategy S50: Design and display screen
(Picture credit score: Future / Rob Dwiar)
- 1.2in / 30.4mm AMOLED display screen
- Two-button management system is an acquired style
- Light-weight and sturdy construct however default strap is lame
Broadly talking, the S50 is similar dimension as its Strategy siblings, and that comes from being constructed round a 1.2” / 30.4mm show, with no different dimension choices. There’s no chunky bezel right here both, and actually, the S50’s show edge isn’t raised just like the S70. In consequence, the S50 is way more harking back to an on a regular basis smartwatch just like the newer Samsung Galaxy fashions.
Two compact buttons positioned on the right-hand facet, and the simply detachable watch strap system on all Garmin watches, spherical out the design to create a compact and tidy construct that may seem like a life-style watch and is powerful besides.
The display screen is gorgeous and clear. And whereas it will possibly’t maintain a candle to the MARQ Golfer (Gen 2)’s domed display screen, which I cherished, the S50’s show works effectively right here. Fairways and course maps are a vibrant inexperienced on the wrist, figures are crisp and clear at a look, and although I don’t like Garmin’s font in any respect, well being options, settings, and menus are all clear and simply readable.
I do far choose the three-button management on the S70 and MARQ Golfer (Gen 2) for ease of navigation and enter, with the latter gadgets offering less difficult methods to navigate techniques and menus to get to the place you have to be. After all, given time it quickly turns into simple to make use of and intuitive.
The most important design gripes I’ve are with the default strap, which I discovered, regardless of its consolation, very fiddly to make use of each time, and the inelegant Garmin charging resolution with a brief cable and the port on the again of the watch.
Garmin Strategy S50: Options
(Picture credit score: Future / Rob Dwiar)
- Consists of all Garmin’s golf options, together with PlaysLike
- Has intensive health and well being options
- Battery life is sweet, and as said
The Garmin Strategy S50 contains all of the (non-subscription-based) golf options that set one of the best Garmin watches aside, and that features the superb PlaysLike characteristic – Garmin’s personal device which can consider climate and elevation distinction between your location and the goal to present you correct, ‘actual’ yardages, not simply these primarily based on straight strains on a 2D map.
In reality, positioning itself as the most affordable watch within the vary that gives this characteristic is a really useful approach of figuring out itself to golfers who’re on the lookout for one of the best options, however not something outrageous price-wise. On the course, I discovered all of the yardages to be excellently correct and effectively introduced on the crystal clear AMOLED colour display screen, and options just like the AutoShot tech, swing temp meter, and inexperienced view (and extra) have been sometimes very good to make use of.
Away from golf, there’s a number of Garmin’s regular, and glorious, well being and health trackers, that are tremendous for the lively golfer seeking to monitor their wellness off the course. This units it aside from the remainder of the cheaper watches within the Strategy vary, and these embody options corresponding to sleep monitoring, physique battery, stress, and extra, all of which carry out as anticipated.
So far as each day watch options go, the S50 is completely purposeful and has been a stable if unspectacular companion for messaging, music management, and different each day use.
I discovered the battery life to be as Garmin described, too, going days and days in regular smartwatch mode earlier than needing to cost, and simply getting two rounds in earlier than having to consider charging it up when utilizing it primarily for golf.
Garmin Strategy S50: Efficiency
(Picture credit score: Future / Rob Dwiar)
- Great on-course efficiency
- Straightforward to make use of, correct, and game-improving
- Completely purposeful as a each day smartwatch
As anticipated, the Strategy S50 is a pleasure on the course, and provides precisely the top-level of efficiency I’d anticipate from a Garmin golf watch. The options are tremendous, the programs are introduced clearly, the yardages are correct, and the total suite of options that features the PlaysLike distance aspect is all unbelievable.
Switching between the PlaysLike yardage of a gap and the on-paper yardage of a gap, and navigating programs clearly via the watch’s crisp display screen, is a pleasure. You’ll get all of the accuracy you’d anticipate, which might then be elevated much more with a Garmin Golf Subscription, must you want.
The well being and health options are additionally unbelievable (typical Garmin), and carry out with accuracy, ease of interplay, and assist to make sure the watch provides one thing away from, or complementary to, the course.
There are a couple of Garmin-isms that I proceed to dislike personally, that the S50 options such because the font and the best way it shows the unique messages from WhatsApp chats by default somewhat than the newest (Garmin has introduced that there’s higher WhatsApp integration now out there for a few of its gadgets — however not its golf watches, not less than but, anyway). Battery life holds up as promised, and I discovered it to mirror Garmin’s personal description just about like for like, however the very brief cable mixed with Garmin’s inelegant resolution of the place you connect the charger (on the again of the watch, which then has to lie face down, not less than initially) makes for a pair extra small frustrations.
The aforementioned two-button management system takes a little bit of getting used to, particularly when you’re coming from a special management setup, however give it sufficient time, and it’ll grow to be second nature. Till I switched straps, nevertheless, I’d additionally argue that the default one hindered the watch’s efficiency personally, because it detracted from utilizing it and carrying it considerably.
Garmin Strategy S50: Scorecard
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Class
Remark
Rating
Worth
Providing sturdy worth for cash within the mid-range of Garmin golf watches, the S50 encapsulates one of the best of {the golfing} parts and combines them with a stable suite of health monitoring options to supply worth package deal.
4.5/5
Design and display screen
The default strap shouldn’t be one I’m a fan of or get pleasure from, and a few Garmin design-isms stay, which maintain the design rating again a degree. The display screen, nevertheless, is superb as regular, and the buttons are simple to make use of and intuitive.
4/5
Options
Combining glorious golf options from Garmin, together with the PlaysLike aspect, with Garmin’s regular brilliance in health and well being options, and the standard robustness in being an on a regular basis system, the feature-set is a powerful proposition on the S50.
5/5
Efficiency
That includes all of the Garmin golf characteristic greatness that you just’d anticipate, the S50 is a superb watch on the course and a pleasure to make use of to enhance one’s recreation and rounds. It’s supported by sturdy however unspectacular each day smartwatch efficiency to supply a full package deal.
4/5
Whole
If you happen to’re on the lookout for an important Garmin golf watch that options the whole lot you would need from the model’s esteemed lineup of golf options, then it is a very good watch. There should not many detractors right here, and the value level means the worth proposition is powerful, too.
4.5/5
Garmin Strategy S50: Ought to I purchase?
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Additionally contemplate
Swipe to scroll horizontallyRow 0 – Cell 0
Garmin Strategy S50
Garmin Strategy S70
Shot Scope G6
Worth
Begins at $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$729
$649.99/$699.99 / £549.99/£599.99 / AU$1,099/$AU$1,199
$179.99 / £179.99 (round AU$370)
Dimensions
1.69 x 1.69 x 0.44in / 43 x 43 x 11.4mm
1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5in/47 x 47 x 13.4mm / 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.5in/42 x 42 x 12.6mm
1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in/44 x 44 x 10mm
Weight
1.02oz/29g
2oz/56g / 1.6oz/44g
1.48oz / 42g
Case/bezel
Aluminium
Ceramic
Brushed metal
Show
390 x 390px; 1.2in / 30.4mm; AMOLED
454 x 454px / 390 x 390px; 1.2in/32mm / 1.4in/35.4mm; AMOLED
176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP
GPS
GPS + GLONASS + Galileo
GPS+GLONASS+Galileo
GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life
Smartwatch mode: As much as 10 days; GPS solely: As much as 15 hours
Smartwatch mode: As much as 16 days/as much as 10 days; GPS mode: as much as 20 hours/as much as 15 hours
GPS Mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch Mode: 4 days
Connection
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5
Water-resistant?
Sure, 10 ATM
Sure, 5 ATM
Not said
How I examined
I examined the Garmin Strategy S50 on the course and off it for a number of months, taking part in a number of rounds at my residence course in Somerset and some elsewhere within the UK. I additionally usually used it as my each day smartwatch, testing an entire host of its options from health and well being to messaging.
I in contrast the Garmin Strategy S50 to my TAG Heuer Linked Calibre E4 Golf Version, and the Garmin MARG 2 Golfer in addition to the extra inexpensive ShotScope G6 GPS watch, whereas additionally l,ooking again to my time with the Strategy S70 for comparability.
First reviewed November 2025-March 2026
Garmin Strategy S50 Golf Watch: Worth Comparability
