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Golf GPS rangefinders have evolved significantly over the past few years, from handheld devices, to apps, and watches. Watches have several advantages over other types. A watch is always with you as you play, unlike a handheld GPS, which you have to carry and bring with you to the ball. Golf GPS smartphone apps are inexpensive, but phones are vulnerable to water and dirt damage. Watches are waterproof.

GPS maker TomTom has steadily expanded its line to include sports watches including running, multi-sport, and golf, based on its unique platform. The TomTom devices share a watch module that is managed by a one-button tactile control, rather than a touchscreen. The watch module may also be easily popped out of the band for placement into the charging and sync dock.

I recently played rounds using the latest version of the TomTom Golfer and found it to be an accurate and useful guide on the course.

Everything On Your Wrist
The TomTom Golfer uses a one-button tactile control that lets you scroll up or down, as well as as right and left through the watch menus. The control has several advantages over a touchscreen, including ease of use with a gloved hand, and reliable control that is not affected by wet conditions.

Highlights include real-time distance to the front, back, and center of the green, an advance view of the green, including shape of the green and adjacent hazards, distances to hazards from the tee, and from anywhere on the course, and scorekeeping.

Choosing a Course
The free (and product-lifetime free to update) golf course database includes more than 34,000 courses worldwide. TomTom uses the iGolf global database, and I was easily able to find even the smallest courses in regions where I play. 

Finding a course is easy. The watch automatically detects courses near your location, and you simply use the one-button control to scroll up or down to select the one course you are about to play.

You may update the course database via the free TomTom MySports mobile app, or when you charge your watch by connecting it to your computer and TomTom MySports Connect.

Distances
The main distances screen displays the hole number next to a flag icon, par for the hole, and the distance from your position to the front, back, and center of the green. This display also shows GPS signal strength and battery life remaining. 

Layups
You may consult the layup distances screen at any time by clicking to the right from the main distances screen. Layups is a split screen that shows the distance you need to strike the ball to achieve a layup distance of 100, 150, or 200 yards.

Green View
As you approach each green, you may toggle to the green view screen, which shows the shape of there green, as well as adjacent hazards. Hazards are shown on the screen with different patterns representing water or sand bunkers.

Scoring
Scoring is easy with the TomTom Golfer watch. Simply toggle to the scorecard screen, and then toggle up or down to increase or decrease your score relative to par. The scorecard screen also keeps a running tally of your total score above or below par. You may also view a score history right on your watch, organized by date. The scoring display may also be split by front 9 and back 9 after you have finished any round.

Other Modes
The Golfer also works as an ordinary watch, with a time and date display, a settable alarm, and an airplane mode. The watch will even show your calorie burn, if you walk the course. The watch display also has a backlight you may turn on or off with a tap of the screen.

Battery
The watch's built-in, rechargeable lithium-ion battery is good for 10 hours of active golf on a full charge. A low-battery symbol will appear if you have less than 4 hours of charge remaining, so you know if you have enough juice for a full round. 

Bottom Line
Overall, I found the TomTom Golfer to be comfortable to wear and easy to use. Distances displayed were accurate compared to course markers and another GPS device I used for comparison purposes.  I really like having real-time distances, layups, and advance green views right on my wrist, with no GPS device to carry or pull in and out of a pocket. Its scoring mode is exceptionally easy to use, although it keeps just your personal score, and does not have capacity for additional golfers in your group. The watch is easy to dock and charge, and it syncs well using TomTom's smartphone app and website.