What They Have in Common
Both are Tier 2 devices in the $300–$400 range. Both have color touchscreens, full-color hole maps, hazard views, digital scorecards, and they'll tell you front, center, and back on every green. Neither includes Virtual Caddie or wind data. Both work fine for most golfers without understanding every feature on the spec sheet.
Where They Differ
Course Data and Green Contours
This is the biggest real-world difference. The S50 ships with 43,000 courses — free. Basic green views, hazard overlays, full-color maps, all included. Green contours, though, are locked behind Garmin Golf membership at $99.99/year. You get PlaysLike distances (elevation-adjusted yardages) for free, which is a nice add.
The Pro 4X has 35,000 courses, but here's the thing: SkyCaddie's courses are ground-verified, meaning someone has physically walked and mapped those layouts. The IntelliGreen Pro contour view comes included with the Double Eagle membership that ships with the device. So if you buy the Pro 4X at the current sale price of $299.95 with a 1-year membership, you're getting green contours on day one, no additional fee.
For the S50, adding contours means $99.99/yr on top of the $399.99 device price. Three years of Garmin Golf membership runs you another $300. That's worth knowing before you assume the S50's lower subscription cost means it's cheaper to own long-term.
Form Factor: Wrist vs. Hand
A 29-gram watch is genuinely hard to notice. I'd guess most golfers who try the S50 forget it's on within a few holes. The tradeoff is screen size — 1.2 inches means you're reading a small display, which is fine for yardages but less ideal for detailed green maps.
The Pro 4X flips that entirely. A 4-inch color touchscreen is much easier to read, and the auto-zoom feature brings you into the hole as you approach. You do have to pull it out of your pocket or cart holder to use it. Whether that's a dealbreaker depends on how you play. If you walk with a push cart, a handheld is easy. If you carry, adding a device to manage gets old.
Shot Tracking
The S50 has AutoShot built in — it uses the wrist sensor to detect swings and marks shots automatically. It's not perfect (cart canopy, indoor swings near the range, and some thin shots can fool it), but it works without buying anything extra. CT10 sensor compatibility is there if you want club-by-club data.
The Pro 4X supports SuperTag shot tracking, but the tags are sold separately. SkyCaddie calls it "SuperTag Ready" — meaning the hardware can handle it, but you're buying into another add-on if you want that data. If shot tracking matters to you, the S50's built-in AutoShot is the more complete out-of-the-box experience.
Smartwatch Features
The S50 is a proper smartwatch: heart rate, sleep tracking, pulse-ox, Body Battery, Garmin Pay contactless payments, 4GB music storage, smart notifications, fitness profiles. It works as your daily watch. The Pro 4X does none of this. It's a golf device, full stop — you're not wearing it off the course.
Battery and GPS Precision
The Pro 4X gets 18 hours of GPS time. The S50 gets 15. For most rounds that gap doesn't matter, but for 36-hole days or slow courses, the Pro 4X has headroom to spare. The Pro 4X also uses dual-frequency TruePoint positioning — SkyCaddie's proprietary system — which tends to be more consistent in tree-lined fairways and dense canopy. The S50 uses standard GPS, which is solid for open courses but can show more variation in tight tree corridors.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the Garmin Approach S50 if:
- You want one device you wear all day, not just during golf
- Shot tracking without buying extra sensors matters to you
- You play courses where 43,000 preloaded options is obviously plenty
- PlaysLike elevation adjustments are useful to your game
- Music on your wrist during a walk is something you'd actually use
Get the SkyCaddie Pro 4X if:
- You want green contours included without a separate annual subscription
- Course mapping accuracy (ground-verified data) is a priority — you play courses where generic GPS layouts sometimes feel off
- A bigger screen for green views and hole maps is worth carrying a separate device
- You play a lot of golf and want 18 hours of battery with no anxiety
- You already wear a regular watch and don't need a GPS watch
The Bottom Line
The S50 is the better device for most people who want GPS on their wrist, some shot tracking, and a watch they'll actually wear every day. It's a genuinely strong golf watch at $399.99. But the Pro 4X makes a real case if course accuracy is your priority — ground-verified data, IntelliGreen Pro contours included in the membership, a bigger screen, and longer battery. At the current $299.95 sale price with 1-year membership, it's cheaper upfront than the S50. Just know you're buying a dedicated golf device, not a wearable.
For everyday golfers who want one device that handles everything: the S50. For golfers who prioritize course data quality and green detail above all else: the Pro 4X.
Get the Garmin Approach S50.
See Also