Splurge on a powerful smartwatch

Trust us, dad probably isn’t secretly hoping for another pair of socks, a shirt, or even a new pair of shoes this Father’s Day. What he really wants is the kind of gift he’d never buy for himself: a rugged, premium smartwatch that can keep up with everything from golf rounds to workouts to everyday life: the Garmin Fēnix 8 Solar.

Yes, the Garmin Fēnix 8 Solar costs more than an Apple Watch Ultra. But if you can rally the siblings, cousins, neighbors, or anyone else willing to chip in, you might just pull off the best Father’s Day gift he’s received in years. Even better? Right now, it’s available for $250 off.

And for golf dads specifically, this thing is a home run.

Walking 18 holes, grinding through range balls and staying mentally sharp for four-plus hours takes more energy and endurance than most people realize. That’s where the Garmin Fēnix separates itself from a typical golf smartwatch. The bright, crisp screen makes yardages, notifications, workout stats and maps incredibly easy to read, whether he’s standing in direct sunlight on the 16th fairway or checking recovery data after a brisk morning walk. Via Garmin, you can access 43,000 pre-loaded courses and have accurate yardages and course information no matter when or where you play.

Battery life is another massive win for the Fēnix. Thanks to Garmin’s Power Sapphire™ solar charging lens, the Fēnix can deliver up to 28 days of battery life, meaning dad can get through multiple rounds, workouts, trips and daily wear without constantly reaching for a charger.

But the biggest advantage of the Fēnix may be how much it helps golfers improve away from the course. These days, playing better golf isn’t just about swing mechanics. Mobility, strength, endurance, recovery, sleep quality and energy management all play major roles in performance over 18 holes. Garmin’s advanced training features and 24/7 health tracking give golfers a much clearer picture of how their body is performing day to day. If there’s ever anything to movinate dad to keep moving, it’s a watch like this one. 

And unlike many golf watches that feel limited once the round is over, the Fēnix is designed to handle everything else too. It’s rugged enough for hiking trips, gym sessions, swimming, travel and everyday wear, while still looking premium enough to wear to dinner afterward.

That’s what makes the Garmin Fēnix 8 Solar such an impressive gift. It doesn’t force golfers to choose between a golf watch, fitness tracker and everyday smartwatch — it successfully combines all three into one seriously capable device.

For dads who love golf, stay active and appreciate great gear, the Garmin Fēnix may be one of the best Father’s Day upgrades you can buy this year.

Not ready to plunk down that much cash? Here are some solid watch picks for less dough:

Garmin Approach S62

A premium GPS golf watch featuring a large 1.3-inch color touchscreen display that’s preloaded with more than 41,000 full-color CourseView maps from around the world. Features like PlaysLike Distance help golfers account for uphill and downhill shots, while Virtual Caddie factors in wind speed, wind direction and your typical club distances to recommend the best club for each shot. Golfers can also take advantage of Green View, PinPointer, Hazard View, and front/middle/back green distances for more confidence on every approach.

1 thing we really like: The touchscreen is easy to use and easy to see in broad daylight.

Approach S62, Black – Garmin Golf GPS Unit

Garmin Approach S62 We’ve Got Your Game We’ve got your game with Approach® S62, a premium GPS golf watch that puts critical information from more than 41,000 full-color course maps worldwide on your wrist. It sports a large, easy-to-read 1.3” color touchscreen and a style that goes beyond the clubhouse. The PlaysLike Distance feature accounts for uphill and downhill shots, and Virtual Caddie takes into account wind conditions and past swings to select the best club for each shot. AutoShot round analyzer measures and auto-records detected shot distances¹; pair with optional Approach® CT10 club tracking sensors for more automatic game tracking capabilities. Pair with the Garmin Golf™ app for strokes gained analysis, to participate in leaderboards and tournaments and gain more insights into your game. Wear the watch all day, and get wrist-based heart rate monitoring2, blood oxygen saturation levels from the Pulse Ox sensor3, smart notifications4, activity tracking features2 and Garmin Pay™ contactless payments5. Overview BIGGER SCREEN Large 1.3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display is 17% larger than Approach S60 to make your experience that much better. CUSTOMIZABLE WATCH FACES Download custom watch faces, apps and widgets from the Connect IQ™ Store, and customize your watch face with any photo from your mobile device. GOES BEYOND THE COURSE Whether you just got done with a game and find yourself in the clubhouse, or you want to hit the town, Approach S62 is great for everyday wear. QUICKFIT® BANDS If you like to change watch bands as often as you change your course, no problem. Choose from interchangeable QuickFit bands. VIRTUAL CADDIE Get caddie help right on your wrist. Virtual Caddie factors in wind speed and direction1 and suggests a club based on the distance you typically swing with that particular club. WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION The watch displays wind speed and direction1, which makes figuring out which club to use and which direction to swing much easier. 41,000 PRELOADED COURSES Your watch comes preloaded with more than 41,000 full-color CourseView maps of golf courses from around the world. Download updates for the course you play most often. PLAYSLIKE DISTANCE The PlaysLike Distance feature adjusts yardages to account for uphill and downhill shots. GREEN VIEW The Green View feature gives you each green’s true shape from wherever you are on the course, and it allows you to drag-and-drop the pin for greater accuracy. GO GREEN Quickly reference the front, middle and back of the green so you can make the shot you want. PINPOINTER When on blind shots, the PinPointer feature will tell you the direction of the pin so you can make the most of each swing. HAZARD VIEW This feature allows you to quickly scroll through each hazard on the map and get critical distance information so you know what to avoid. In The Box Approach S62 watch Charging/data cable Documentation

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Bushnell iON Elite Golf GPS Watch

The Bushnell iON Elite GPS Watch packs a surprising amount of premium golf technology into a sleek, easy-to-use GPS watch. Comes with more than 38,000 preloaded golf courses worldwide, patented Slope Technology, HoleView and Shot Planning, GreenView with movable pin placement and Dynamic Green Mapping. The color touchscreen and simple icon-driven interface make navigation easy, while automatic course recognition and auto hole advance keep the experience seamless during play.

1 thing we really like: 12+ hour battery life means it won’t die on you after 15 holes like your phone will.

Bushnell iON Elite Golf GPS Watch

Bushnell iON Elite GPS Watch The iON Elite is an evolutionary Golf GPS watch that features Bushnell Golf’s patented Slope compensated distances. This stylish watch also features a color touchscreen and is easy to use (i.e., simple, icon-driven user interface). The iON Elite is ready to use right out the box, it comes preloaded with more than 38,000+ worldwide golf courses and is Bluetooth enabled to allow you to automatically update courses via the Bushnell Golf Mobile App. NOW WITH SLOPE ION ELITE is the first watch to feature Bushnell Golf’s patented Slope Technology HOLEVIEW & SHOT PLANNING The HoleView screen allows you to view the layout of the hole, with Shot Planning on you can get precise distances to any point on the hole. GREENVIEW WITH MOVABLE PIN PLACEMENT Allows the golfer to see the shape of the green and adjust for the location of the pin for heightened accuracy. DYNAMIC GREEN MAPPING The front and back distances are shown based on the golfer’s line of play. 12+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE ION ELITE features long, extended battery life. Play 2+ rounds on a single charge. NEW BUSHNELL GOLF MOBILE APP The Bushnell Golf app provides additional product benefits, information and data to further help improve your game, as well as access to easily be able to update your GPS device (for 2021 GPS products and beyond). Additional Features: Auto Course Recognition: Once in Play Golf mode, ION ELITE automatically finds the courses closest to your location. Auto Hole Advance: ION ELITE automatically advances from hole-to-hole without having to press any buttons. Shot Distance Calculator: Want to know how far you hit it? The shot distance calculator will do it for you. Magnetic USB Charging Cable: Right out of the box ION ELITE has everything you need to hit the greens, including the USB charging cable. Scorekeeping: Keep score and stats on your wrist and upload your scores to the Bushnell Golf Mobile App for post-round review and analysis. One Year Limited Warranty: Bushnell Golf guarantees these products to be free of defects in materials and workmanship. What’s Included ION ELITE Golf GPS Device Magnetic USB Charging Cable Quick Start Guide WARRANTY One Year Limited Warranty – Your Bushnell® Golf ION ELITE GPS is warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for one year after the date of purchase. In the event of a defect under this warranty, we will, at our option, repair or replace the product, provided that you return the product postage prepaid. This warranty does not cover damages caused by misuse, improper handling, installation, or maintenance provided by someone other than a Bushnell® Authorized Service Department.

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SkyCaddie LX5 Golf GPS Watch

The SkyCaddie LX5 brings next-gen golf GPS technology to a sleek, wearable smartwatch. Powered by the same technology found in SkyCaddie’s award-winning SX rangefinders, the LX5 combines an ultra-fast multi-core processor, intuitive touchscreen controls, and some of the most detailed course maps in golf to deliver highly accurate yardages golfers can trust. Its large 1.39-inch AMOLED color touchscreen offers HD HoleVue® graphics that allow players to zoom, pan and analyze the hole much like a professional yardage book. Ground-verified course maps, individually walked and mapped by SkyCaddie for sub-meter precision, provide exceptional accuracy and confidence when choosing clubs and planning shots.

1 thing we really like: Greta golf features aside, the LX5 doubles as an everyday smartwatch with customizable watch faces, heart rate monitoring, step tracking, timers and additional fitness features.

Skyhawke SkyCaddie LX5 Golf GPS Watch

Using the same “next-generation” technology found in the award-winning SX family of rangefinders, the new SkyCaddie® LX5 delivers – in a wearable – all the information you need to play your best golf with a simple, intuitive interface, powered by an ultra-fast multi-core processor, simple touch screen, and the most accurate course maps in the game, the SkyCaddie LX5 is the simplest way to get yardages you can trust. An eagle’s view of the hole presented in stunning graphics allows you to select the right club and plan your next shot just like a Pro! Now you can enjoy the benefits of playing with a SkyCaddie in a wearable format, priced to beat the competition. DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR GAME. PLAY THE BEST TO BE YOUR BEST. Rich, Amoled Touchscreen With Brilliant HD Graphics The SkyCaddie LX5 offers the industry’s largest color touch screen at 1.39 inches. Full HD HoleVue® with stunning imagery provides the best graphics in a golf wearable. Zoom and pan to get all the details you need to avoid trouble and save strokes. A responsive and easy-to-use interface makes navigating during play almost touch free. Just pan the fairway image up and down to focus on any area of the hole and move the cursor to dial in distances to critical targets. A Stylish Smartwatch, On or Off the Course The SkyCaddie LX5 is light-weight and comfortable to wear. Its modern feel and handsome looks make it a versatile watch for use both on and off the course. Customize the watch face with the analog or digital option that suits you. The LX5’s brilliant AMOLED display allows you to see information on the screen in direct sunlight, and its ruggedized water-resistant casing can handle any weather. Fitness Features To Stay Healthy The SkyCaddie LX5 is equipped with some of the same features you’ve come to expect from modern fitness bands: heart rate monitor, step counter, step goals, stopwatch, and timer. Ground-Verified Course Maps To trust their club, a golfer must be able to trust their caddie, just like a Tour player. The SkyCaddie PRO 4X is “the closest thing to a Tour players yardage book” but automated to provide the best course management information faster and more reliably than any alternative. NOTHING ELSE COMES CLOSE! Only SkyCaddie walks each course to ground verify their course maps with sub-meter precision. You deserve the most complete course maps in golf, that is why we record thousands of points on each course. To play better you need to trust your distance so you can trust the club on each shot. With the SkyCaddie PRO 4X, you will quickly SEE MORE, PLAY BETTER and HAVE MORE FUN with GREATER ACCURACY and GAME’S MOST INTUITIVE STROKE SAVING FEATURES.

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