Garmin Approach S12 vs S44 vs S50: Which Golf Watch to Buy

The short answer on Garmin Approach S12 vs S44 vs S50: the S12 (from RM949) gives you GPS and the essential on-course features, the S44 (from RM1,369) adds a larger AMOLED screen and an aluminum bezel, and the S50 (from RM1,779) adds wellness tracking on a 29 g watch with a nylon band.

All three are golf watches first. The choice depends on how much screen you want and how often the watch will be on your wrist away from the course.

• Casual golfer on a budget: Garmin Approach S12 Smartwatch, from RM949.
• Improving golfer who wants a bigger, AMOLED display: Garmin Approach S44 Smartwatch, from RM1,369.
• Golfer who will wear the watch every day: Garmin Approach S50 Smartwatch, from RM1,779.

Garmin Approach S12 vs S44 vs S50 at a glance

“Not listed” means our product details do not give that spec. Garmin’s spec sheet has the full figures for each model.

Approach S12: the basic GPS golf watch

The Garmin Approach S12 Smartwatch is the lowest priced of the three at from RM949, and it comes in one colour, Black. It is listed as a golf smartwatch with GPS and essential on-course features.

Its screen is a sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display measuring 0.9″ x 0.9″ (23 x 23 mm). That is the smallest display here and a different technology from the AMOLED panels on the other two. Transflective screens use ambient light to stay readable, which suits a watch you mostly look at outdoors in daylight.

The S12 weighs 1.20 oz (34.1 g), has a silicone strap and is rated 5 ATM. Our details do not give a battery figure for it, so check Garmin’s spec sheet if battery life matters to you.

Pick the S12 if you play now and then, want a dedicated golf watch on your wrist, and care more about price than about the screen.

Approach S44: the AMOLED step up

The Garmin Approach S44 Smartwatch starts from RM1,369. Its golf description reads the same as the S12’s (GPS and essential on-course features), with one addition: an AMOLED display.

That display is 1.2″ (30.4 mm) in diameter with an optional always-on mode. It sits under a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, inside an anodized aluminum bezel. So the step from RM949 to RM1,369 pays for a larger screen, a different display type, and a named lens and bezel material.

Battery life is listed as up to 10 days in smartwatch mode. Battery life with GPS running during a round is a separate figure, and Garmin’s spec sheet lists it.

At 42 g the S44 is the heaviest of the three. The strap is silicone, and there are two versions: Silver Aluminum Bezel with Black Silicone Band, or Silver Aluminum Bezel with Twilight Silicone Band.

The S44 suits an improving golfer who plays often enough to want the larger screen, prefers a silicone strap, and does not need wellness tracking.

Approach S50: same screen, lighter watch, wellness tracking

The Garmin Approach S50 Smartwatch starts from RM1,779 and shares the S44’s screen: 1.2″ (30.4 mm) AMOLED with optional always-on mode, a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens and an anodized aluminum bezel. The listed battery life is the same too, up to 10 days in smartwatch mode.

Three things change:

• The description adds wellness tracking to the on-course features.
• The strap is a ComfortFit nylon band in place of silicone.
• The listed weight drops to 29 g, the lightest of the three, against 42 g for the S44 and 34.1 g for the S12.

It comes in two versions: Cream Gold Aluminum Bezel with Ivory ComfortFit Nylon Band, or Slate Aluminum Bezel with Black ComfortFit Nylon Band.

The S50 makes sense if the watch will stay on your wrist between rounds. Wellness tracking only earns its price when you wear the watch daily, and a 29 g watch on a nylon band is easy to keep on. The product page and Garmin’s spec sheet list which wellness metrics it covers.

If you take your golf watch off after the 18th hole, the S44 gives you the same display for less.

Price and how ordering works

Each price above is the lowest variation price for that model: S12 from RM949, S44 from RM1,369, S50 from RM1,779. Other options on a product page can cost more, so check the colour you want before you add it to the cart. You can see all three alongside our other Garmin watches on the Garmin brand page.

All three are preorders. After you order, we buy the watch new from the US brand store, and estimated delivery is 30 calendar days. If you have a golf trip or a gift date coming up, order with that window in mind.

You can pay in full. Where the product page offers it, you can instead pay a 50% deposit now and the balance later, and checkout shows when the balance is due for your country.

Delivery is free within Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan pay RM21 per item, or nothing on orders over RM 2,200. Every other country sees its shipping fee at checkout, and the shipping fees page explains how it works.

Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery. A change-of-mind return must be in new condition, carries a 10% restocking fee, and the cost of shipping it back to the seller is deducted from your refund. Exchanges are only for items that arrive damaged, so settle on the model and colour before you order. If the watch is damaged when it arrives, report it with photos straight away. The refund and returns page has the full terms.

If you want an Approach model or colour that is not listed, you can ask us to buy it from a US store through our buy for me service. For questions, WhatsApp +1 603 440 9886.