Quick Review: Shot Scope G6 GPS golf watch
Ideal for golfers seeking a straightforward, lightweight, button-operated GPS watch that provides clear yardages and hazard data without clutter. The core takeaway from on-course testing is that it offers reliable, quick-glance information and high-end performance at an accessible price point.
- Extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear during swings
- Daylight-readable screen displays clear front, middle, and back green distances at a glance
- Hazard distance information details reach and carry yardages on unfamiliar holes
- Simple button operation makes navigating settings on the course smooth and reliable
- Preloaded with over 36,000 courses with rapid satellite positioning setup
- Clasp fixing can occasionally pop loose during play
- Lacks the premium look and feel offered by other Shot Scope watches like the X5 or V5
Use my exclusive Shot Scope discount code ANDYSGOLF at checkout to save an extra 15% on your order.
Shot Scope is perhaps best known for its industry-leading performance tracking devices, but let’s be honest, not every golfer wants or needs to be able to track and analyse their golf game. Sometimes, you just want to stand on the tee, get a yardage, and hit the shot. If that sounds familiar, then the Shot Scope G6 should be right up your street.
Currently retailing at £179.99 (£152.99 with my discount code below), the G6 is essentially the simplified GPS version of the more expensive Shot Scope V5 and X5 models. It strips away the tracking tags and focuses entirely on providing fast, accurate GPS yardages, hazard information and useful hole maps. I’ve tested it several times now, and in this review, I’ll share my open and honest thoughts.
Use promo code ANDYSGOLF at checkout to get 15% off the Shot Scope G6 or all other products at the official Shot Scope store.
With this affiliate link, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Unboxing and Setting up
The G6 comes in a small and well-designed box, with the two straps supplied inside their own individual boxes. Inside the main box, you’ll find the G6 watch case, a clip-on charging cable and the instruction manual. One thing to note is that Shot Scope uses a unique proprietary charging cable rather than a standard USB-C. Despite being a little on the short side, it works perfectly fine, but you’ll want to make sure you don’t lose it, or you’ll need to buy another one to charge your device.
Weight, strap customisation, and wrist feel
In terms of looks, the G6 has a slightly more budget look and feel compared to the premium finish of the Shot Scope X5 or V5 models. It’s a functional, sporty design that, to a certain extent, prioritises function over looks. However, Shot Scope does make up for this by offering some great personalisation options. You get to choose two strap colours from a range of 12 options when you buy the watch, which is a nice way to allow you to match the watch with your personality or clothing—something that will definitely appeal to the more fashion-conscious golfer.
On the wrist, the G6 is incredibly lightweight, weighing just 42g. After a short while, it’s easy to forget you’re even wearing it, which is a particular plus point when swinging a golf club. The silicone strap is long, flexible, and has several fixing points, and it did a great job of not collecting dirt or sand during my testing, something that other golf watches I have tested in the past have struggled with.
On-course performance and course setup
The G6 is designed to be ready to use straight out of the box. Whilst I’d always recommend syncing with the Shot Scope mobile app before your first round to check for the latest firmware and course updates, this is not essential, as 36,000 course maps are pre-loaded onto the device. This is a real plus-point for golfers looking for a device they can just put on their wrist and play golf. It is worth mentioning, however, that a mobile device and the Shot Scope app will be required to perform firmware and course updates.
GPS lock speed and physical button navigation
The GPS connection on the G6 is impressively fast. When initiating a new round at the course, it immediately identified both the 9-hole and 18-hole layouts, and it was easy to select the tees I was playing and whether or not I wanted to enable the digital scorecard. Navigating the menus is handled by four physical buttons around the casing. Personally, I often prefer buttons over a touchscreen on golf watches, as not only are they responsive, but they still work perfectly when it starts to rain or when you’re wearing a golf glove, both of which are regularly applicable here in Scotland!
Daylight readability, hazard distances, and hole mapping
The screen is a daylight-readable colour display that is easy to read on the golf course, especially in bright sunlight.
In the golf mode, the G6 gives you:
- GPS distances: These are clear, accurate, and they update quickly as you walk towards the green
- Hazard Information: This menu shows distances to reach and carry hazards, along with icons showing the hazard type and position (left and right). If you’re playing a blind hole or a course you’re unfamiliar with, this really helps with course management.
- Full hole maps: These provide a colourful overview of the hole layout. Whilst not the most detailed maps I’ve ever seen, they are a new feature not found on the older G5 and are really helpful for blind tee shots. You can even move a marker to get the yardage to a specific layup point.
- Green view: A basic visual of the green shape where you can move the pin. Moving the pin with the buttons can be a bit tedious, and it’s perhaps more effort than it’s worth, but at least you can be more precise with your yardages if you want to, and seeing the shape of the green is helpful.
One slight frustration is the screen timeout. The watch returns to the main locked screen after only 5 seconds of inactivity. While this is likely done to save battery, I’d prefer the option to extend this to 10 seconds to make navigating the menus a bit less rushed. On a few occasions, having loaded the Hazard menu, I looked at the hole and by the time I looked back at the screen, it had returned to the main menu, which was a little frustrating.
It’s also worth mentioning that there is no option to adjust the brightness, and the backlight automatically switches off after 5 seconds. Again, great for saving battery life, but being able to adjust these would be nice. That said, brightness really isn’t an issue when using the watch outside, as the screen is plenty bright in all conditions.
Digital scorecard and last shot distance tracking
The G6 includes an optional digital scorecard that asks for your score at the end of each hole. It’s very easy to use and displays your score to par on the main screen.
However, there is a major caveat, and that is that the scorecard only exists on the watch during the round. Once you finish, the data is wiped and isn’t saved to the app. If you want a historical record of your scores and performance insights, it might be worth considering a shot-tracking device like the Shot Scope H4 Handheld or the Shot Scope V5 golf watch.
Finally, there is also a Last Shot feature, which is a brilliant way to see exactly how far you’ve hit that drive. This isn’t logged outside of the watch and is a manual process to initiate, but it’s a neat feature if you want to show off to your playing partners after hitting a bomb.
Pros and cons
Here’s a quick breakdown of what I think the Shot Scope G6 did well and where it could have done better.
What I like
- Easily lasts 2+ rounds on a single charge.
- Easy navigation and more reliable than touchscreens in the rain.
- At 42g, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing it.
- Very easy to set up and use straight out of the box, and it obtains GPS connection in seconds.
- Useful and accurate GPS information to essential points like F/M/B of green.
- Shows both reach and carry distances for hazards, layup points and has useful hole/green maps.
- 12 colourful strap options, five background screen colours.
- Can be used as a day-to-day watch, with a choice of five clock faces to choose from.
What could be better
- Scores are wiped post-round, with no history kept logged in the app.
- Auto-locks after 5 seconds, which can be annoying.
- Requires a specific Shot Scope charging cable.
- Moving the pin on the green map via buttons is a bit tedious.
- No ability to adjust brightness.
Final verdict: is the G6 worth buying?
If you aren’t fussed about performance statistics and just want a reliable, easy-to-use GPS watch with great mapping that you can use both on and off the golf course, the G6 is a really solid choice. It’s particularly well-suited for golfers who aren’t as comfortable with technology, given how simple it is to set up and how easy it is to use. It really does do the basics brilliantly.
Whilst the lack of score retention in the app is a missed opportunity in my opinion, the G6 is a solid, dependable golf watch that does what it was designed to do – help you play better golf without taking your attention away from the golf itself. As someone who often plays in the unpredictable Scottish weather, having a reliable, button-operated device that just works is a huge plus for me.
Better yet, Shot Scope offer a 2-year warranty as standard as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can buy and try, and return if it’s not for you.
Where to buy
If you’re interested in buying the Shot Scope G6, be sure to use my discount code and link below to save an extra 15%.
Use promo code ANDYSGOLF at checkout to get 15% off the Shot Scope G6 or all other products at the official Shot Scope store.
With this affiliate link, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
