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More than most sports, golf is a game that demands repetition and proper coaching for those who want to improve. Tech doesn’t change that; there’s no one gadget that’ll lower your handicap overnight.
That said, there are things that can make a day at the course more convenient. Many of these are tailored toward golf and golf alone, but the Garmin Vivoactive stands out as a jack-of-all-trades that has particular utility for golfers, yet serves as a solid fitness tracker in its own right.
As we’ve noted in our (soon to be updated) fitness tracker buying guide, the Vivoactive is meant for more active types. It does the step and sleep tracking you’d expect from a halfway decent wearable, and while those are mostly just okay, the real draw is its built-in GPS and variety of sport-specific tracking modes.
Those modes are built for runs, bike rides, swims, and, yes, golf. For that last one, the Vivoactive works like one of Garmin’s own Approach GPS golf watches. You can upload layouts for close to 40,000 courses, then use the device’s GPS to see how far you are from the green at any given time. It’ll automatically detect what hole you’re playing, measure forthcoming layup and dogleg distances, and help you keep score, which you can then upload to the Garmin Connect app. While it may take a moment for the GPS to connect at first, all of this can help keep you better informed as you work on your swing.
Again, there are more in-depth tools along these lines, but for less intense golfers, the Vivoactive should have broader, more practical appeal. While we wouldn’t call it attractive, it’s thin, comfortable, and waterproof. Its battery can last around three weeks, too, though that’s largely because its square, 1.38-inch display isn’t all that vibrant. It is useful for picking up notifications, however, which gives the whole thing some bit of smartwatch functionality alongside all the fitness tracking it can do.
The big caveat here is that Garmin has a Vivoactive HR on the way. As its name suggests, that updated model adds continuous heart-rate monitoring, along with a dedicated altimeter, a more vibrant display, and a slimmer, less watch-like design.
We’ll give it a try to see if it’s a worthwhile upgrade, but if you don’t need the HRM — or don’t trust it, since wrist-based monitoring has traditionally been iffy — the Vivoactive gets you most of the way there for about $70 less. Either way, for golf enthusiasts in the market for a new fitness tracker, the Vivoactive is worth a look.
Garmin Vivoactive, $178.99, available at Amazon.
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