Get the Shot Scope V5.
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| Garmin Approach S50 | Shot Scope V5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $399.99 | $249.99Lower price |
Get the Shot Scope V5.
Get the Shot Scope V5. At $150 less than the S50, it includes 16 club tracking tags, no subscription fees ever, and 100+ strokes gained stats — all free. The S50 is the better pick if you actually want a smartwatch that happens to play golf: music, contactless payments, heart rate, sleep tracking, the works. But if you're buying a GPS watch primarily to improve your golf game, the V5 gives you more of what matters at a price that's hard to argue with.
Both are tier-2 GPS watches with 1.2-inch color displays, automatic shot tracking, full hole maps, hazard yardages, and strokes gained analysis. Neither requires a subscription for core features. Both cover 36,000–43,000 courses worldwide, and both are tournament-legal.
The S50 runs an AMOLED touchscreen — bright, sharp, 390x390 pixels. It looks genuinely great. The V5 uses a MIP (memory-in-pixel) display at 240x240, button-only navigation. MIP isn't flashy, but it's exceptionally readable in direct sunlight, which is exactly when you need it. If you've ever tried to read an AMOLED screen on a bright summer day, you know the drill — you're cupping your hand, squinting, maybe rotating your wrist. MIP just works in the sun without drama.
Button navigation is slower to learn, but the V5's notes mention something worth flagging: buttons work better in rain than touchscreens. If you're playing in wet conditions, that's not a minor point.
This is where the gap opens up. The V5 includes 16 club tags — physical sensors you screw into the grip butt of each club. Those tags automatically track every shot, every club, every round. No extra purchase. No companion device. The S50 has AutoShot built-in (accelerometer-based detection), but it doesn't include CT10 sensors — those run $179 for a full set separately. AutoShot is good, but tag-based tracking tends to be more accurate for club attribution.
Both produce strokes gained. The V5 explicitly calls out 100+ tour-level stats and handicap benchmarking, all free. The S50's stats are solid too, but deeper analytics require the Garmin Golf membership ($99.99/yr).
The S50 is a full smartwatch. Heart rate, sleep tracking, Garmin Pay, 4GB music storage, smart notifications, fitness profiles, pulse ox — it does everything a Garmin lifestyle watch does, and then plays golf. The V5 does none of that. No heart rate, no notifications, no music, no payments. It's a golf watch that wears like a watch, not a lifestyle device.
That's not a knock on the V5 — it's a deliberate choice. If you're already wearing an Apple Watch or Garmin for daily fitness tracking, you might not want to double up. But if you want one wrist device for everything, the V5 can't be that for you.
The S50 is 29 grams with the nylon band. The V5 is 50 grams. Both are fine — 50g is not heavy for a watch — but 29g is genuinely remarkable. If you're sensitive to anything on your wrist during a swing, the S50 disappears.
The V5 has no membership tier, no premium unlock, no ongoing costs. Buy it once, use it forever.
The S50's core GPS features are free. But green contours (when they're eventually useful to you), enhanced maps, and deeper data tie into the Garmin Golf membership at $99.99/yr. Over three years that's $300 on top of the $399 purchase price — $699 total if you go all-in. The V5 stays at $250 flat, though adding full club tags is already included.
PlaysLike distances — which adjust yardage for elevation — come free on the S50. The V5 doesn't have them. That's a genuine S50 advantage if you play hilly courses.
Get the Shot Scope V5 if:
Get the Garmin Approach S50 if:
Both watches track your shots automatically and show you detailed stats without requiring a subscription for the basics. But they're solving slightly different problems. The V5 is a focused golf improvement tool with included hardware and no ongoing costs. The S50 is a lifestyle watch that also plays excellent golf, with a price tag and optional subscription to match.
If golf stats and course data are the priority and you're not looking to replace a fitness tracker, the V5 is the cleaner buy at $250. If you want one watch for everything — including workouts, music on the course, and contactless payments at the turn — the S50 earns its premium.
Get the Shot Scope V5.