The Apple Watch Series 2 didn't quite hack it for golfers... and now the Series 3 watch is out, but is it up to scratch?
The Apple Watch Series 3 still isn’t quite perfect for golfers – but it’s getting close
While the Apple Watch Series 2 made some great strides towards crafting a smartwatch geared towards golfers, it still wasn’t quite there in terms of including everything a golfer might want.
The Apple Watch Series 3, which of course plays nice with the company’s iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, bolsters the features of last year’s models, building upon its new GPS sensor. With the new model, the Apple Watch Series 3 now includes a barometric altimeter, meaning it can track relative elevation.
This means that the activity tracking now keep tabs on the more hilly fairways you traverse during 18 holes. This will come into its own away from the golf course, too, with the altimeter being able to record the elevation of your more gruelling hilly runs and cycles. This extra exercise intensity will no doubt help your performance on the course.
You’ll be able to keep a better eye on your overall health thanks to an improved Heart Rate app, too. This will show you your resting and recovery heart rate, which are excellent indicators of your overall cardiovascular health. Your ticker is also being monitored for heart rhythm and unusual spikes when you’re not exercising, which could be vital in early detection of more serious health conditions.
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The big hardware addition is the optional LTE cellular connection. This means the Apple Watch Series 3 can have its own cellular data connection, meaning you can use it to make and receive calls or send messages without needing your iPhone. Using an e-SIM it’ll even use the same phone number as your iPhone, meaning you can leave your handset back in the clubroom and traverse the course a little less encumbered.
The one disappointment is with the updates to the Workout app in its new watchOS 4 operating system. While lots of new sports and activities have been added, such as skiing, bowling and function strength training, golfing isn’t supported by the default Workout app.
Never fear, however, there are plenty of excellent third-party apps available on the App Store that are worth installing on your Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Series 3 starts at £329 for the GPS model and £399 for the GPS + Cellular option.
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