Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the Approach S60, its newest GPS golf watch with a sunlight-readable color touchscreen display and sleek new design that’s made for everyday use both on and off the course. Preloaded with more than 40,000 courses from around the world with lifetime updates, the S60 features full-color course view mapping that golfers can view right from their wrist. It provides quick access to critical information needed during a round like precise yardages to greens, hazards and doglegs to help players master their game. With a modern style that goes beyond the clubhouse, the Approach S60 also features the popular QuickFit™ watchbands that can be easily interchanged in seconds, without tools. They’re available in an assortment of colored silicone, leather or stainless steel styles, and can be interchanged with a number of Garmin multisport watches, including the popular fēnix 5 series.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170531005115/en/

The Approach S60, Garmin's newest GPS golf watch, has a sunlight-readable color touchscreen display ...

The Approach S60, Garmin's newest GPS golf watch, has a sunlight-readable color touchscreen display and features a sleek new design that’s made for everyday use both on and off the course. (Photo: Business Wire)

To add another level of fun and competition, the Approach S60 is one of the many Garmin golf watches compatible with the new Garmin Golf app that lets users compete in weekly leaderboards on any golf course. This free app allows users to compete against friends and fellow golfers on the same course, plus view other players’ rank, score, handicap and more. Players can set up their own tournament event and invite multiple friends to compete, plus they can chat with each other and post their results for others to see. Using the Approach S60, players can also utilize the app for live scoring as they’re playing their round; scores entered on the device will automatically sync to the app for instant updates as they play.

“The Approach S60 is as functional of a golf watch as it is a stylish timepiece,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “It’s packed with industry-leading features golfers have come to appreciate and rely on with our Approach series – like advanced AutoShot, SwingTempo, touch targeting and more – yet it’s the most stylish golf watch we’ve offered so it can easily be worn 24/7.”

Thanks to the Garmin AutoShot™ game tracking technology1, players can easily review, map and analyze all of their detected shots from each round they play with the Approach S60. It automatically records the location and distance of each detected shot and uploads it to the user’s Garmin Connect™ account for post-round analysis. In addition to seeing how far a shot was, players can also use AutoShot data to compare stats from previous rounds, review distances for each club, and analyze their tendencies as they fine tune their game. The Garmin Connect mobile app can also be used to receive updates to the courses users play the most thanks to the CourseView auto updater, which automatically sends updates to the device.

The Approach S60 also features SwingTempo that measures the relationship between upswing and downswing, and TempoTraining that uses a 3:1 ratio and gives the user vibrations to synchronize their swing mechanics and fine-tune their swing tempo. When paired with the Garmin TruSwing™ sensor, it can also provide the user with swing speed and club path angles to improve their swing consistency.

Additionally, the Approach S60 measures precise distances to the front, back and middle of the green as well as the distance to course targets like sand traps, water hazards, layups and doglegs. Golfers can use the Green View feature to see the outline of the green on each hole, where they can manually position the pin to that day’s location to get the most accurate measurements. Thanks to the new PlaysLike feature, the Approach S60 can also take into account the elevation change between the player and the target and calculates what the distance will play like. For example, if the shot is downhill, PlaysLike will show that the shot will play shorter than it actually is.

Doubling as an all-day activity tracker2, the Approach S60 works with the Garmin Connect mobile app to monitor and record daily steps, calories burned, distance and sleep, with move alerts to keep users active throughout the day. It also receives smart notifications from compatible smartphones3, so users can stay connected with notifications for call, texts, emails and more right on their watch. What’s more, when paired with the app, the Approach S60 can also provide weather forecast data so players will know if they’re going to stay dry on the course.

The Approach S60 can get up to ten hours of battery life golfing and up to ten days in watch mode with activity tracking. It boasts a 5 ATM water rating, so it can easily withstand the elements, whether golfers get caught in a sudden rainstorm or are sweating on a hot day. The Approach S60 is expected to be available in June in black or white with a suggested retail price of $399.99. A premium version with a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and black leather band will also be available for $499.99. To learn more, visit www.garmin.com/golf.

The Approach S60 is the latest solution from Garmin’s expanding outdoor segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ outdoor experiences. Whether hiking, hunting, geocaching, golfing or using satellite communication, Garmin outdoor devices are becoming essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. For more information about Garmin’s other outdoor products and services, go to www.garmin.com/outdoors.

For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.

1 Lie and ball contact may affect shot tracking. Putts are not tracked. Some shots, particularly chip shots around the green, may not be tracked.
2 See Garmin.com/ataccuracy for more info.
3 Visit Garmin.com/BLE for a list of compatible phones

About Garmin

Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and Approach and are registered trademarks, and QuickFit, TruSwing, AutoShot and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.