If you are a golfer who loves high-tech gear, Garmin’s Approach series is basically the gold standard. Back when the Garmin Approach S70 launched, it completely wowed us with its gorgeous AMOLED screen, sleek styling, and top-tier course mapping.
Now, Garmin is back with the brand-new Approach S72. But before you rush to trade in your wrist companion, let’s look at what has actually changed. Is this a massive leap forward for your golf game, or is it just a minor fairway tweak? Let’s break it down in plain English.
The Short Answer: What’s the Vibe?
At a glance, the Approach S72 and Approach S70 look very similar. They both keep that brilliant, punchy AMOLED display, come in choice sizes (like 43mm and 47mm), and maintain a sleek look that you can easily wear both on the golf course and out to dinner.
So, what makes the S72 different? Out of the box, Garmin packed some heavy-hitter upgrades into the new model, including built-in voice calling, an LED flashlight, ECG tracking, and double the internal storage.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Feature | Garmin Approach S70 | Garmin Approach S72 |
| Display Type | AMOLED (with Always-On) | AMOLED (with Always-On) |
| Sizes Available | 42mm and 47mm | 43mm and 47mm |
| Internal Storage | 32 GB | 64 GB |
| Built-in Flashlight | No | Yes (with white and red light) |
| Speaker & Microphone | No | Yes (Supports phone calls & voice commands) |
| Health Tracking | Heart Rate, Sleep, Body Battery | Adds ECG App & 24/7 Pulse Ox enhancements |
| Smartwatch Battery | Up to 10–16 days (depending on size) | Up to 16 days |
| Launch Price | $649.99 – $699.99 | $799.99 |
What’s New on the Approach S72?
Garmin didn’t just change the model number; they added some heavily requested lifestyle and golf tools:
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Speaker, Microphone & Voice Assistant: For the first time in a dedicated Garmin golf watch, the S72 features a built-in speaker and mic. You can take phone calls directly from your wrist or use voice commands.
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Built-in LED Flashlight: Just like Garmin’s high-end outdoor line, the S72 adds a handy built-in flashlight with variable white brightness and a red-light mode—perfect for digging through your golf bag before dawn or walking back to the clubhouse.
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Massive Storage (64 GB): The internal storage jumps from 32GB on the S70 up to 64 GB on the S72, giving you plenty of room for global golf courses, apps, and local music.
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Advanced Golf & Biometric Insights: The S72 introduces cooler on-course tools like real aerial imagery of holes, detailed putting analytics, swing metrics, and post-round reports showing how your heart rate fluctuated during stressful putts.
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ECG App: The health suite gets an upgrade with certified ECG capability for on-demand heart rhythms.
Should You Upgrade?
If you are coming from an older device or wondering how this stacks up against other tech shifts (like the minimal changes seen between the Enduro 3 and Enduro 4), upgrading to the Approach S72 actually looks quite reasonable.
Unlike minor iterative refreshes where you only get a tiny software tweak, the Approach S72 brings a genuinely compelling set of new physical tools to your wrist. Getting tangible, heavy-hitting upgrades like a built-in LED flashlight, wrist-free phone calling via a speaker and microphone, doubled storage space (64GB), and an ECG sensor makes this a much more substantial leap forward for golfers.
If those lifestyle additions and advanced swing insights sound useful to your routine, the S72 makes a very strong case for an upgrade.
Also Read: Garmin Prime Day 2026: Why Most Deals Disappointed (And What’s Worth Buying)
