GolfBuddy aim W12 Watch Review

REVIEW: GolfBuddy aim W12

By: Liam Moore | Thu 15 Jun 2023

Knowing your distances is a crucial part of the game of golf and dismissing this important feature will keep your scores high.

It’s valuable to know how far you hit each club - also known as gapping - which enables the technology to work wonders.

There are plenty of options on the market but the two most common products are rangefinders and GPS watches.

Since the turn of the century, these devices have grown significantly in popularity and you’ll likely see them used all over the course.

GolfBuddy sent us the aim W12 Watch to review and the seamless blend of modern technology and accessibility really impressed us.

What is The GolfBuddy aim W12?

The new aim W12 is an advanced golf GPS smartwatch that offers features to help ease your struggles out on the course.

Green Undulation is a big feature and its introduction will allow golfers to preview the green from the fairway and understand its undulations.

The colours specify the high point (red) and low points (blue) of the putting surface so you can decide what part of the green should be targeted for an easier putt at birdie.

It also comes equipped with a 10-hour battery life in Golf Mode, which approximately lasts two rounds of golf.

The readings are slope adjusted and it provides yardages for front, centre and the back of the green - meaning you have an array of options dependent on what flag position is in play for the day.

Furthermore, the aim W12 specifies carry distances to hazards, which was traditionally reserved for rangefinders and manually selecting your target.

Some additional bonuses include tracking the distance of your shots, a daily step and calories tracker and there are over 10 languages available.

Review

After trialling numerous GPS apps, I finally converted to a rangefinder one year after playing and it was the best decision I made.

I have used GPS watches previously, but I always liked the freedom you have with rangefinders and being able to capture the exact distance to the pin.

However, there is no denying that the aim W12 is a classy bit of kit that actually improved my course management.

Considering we are entering the summer season, playing to the front edge of the green is a wise decision with firm bounces and endless rolls.

Having pinpoint information for the front, centre and the back of the green was exceptionally useful, and I utilised all three readings throughout two rounds of golf.

The scorecard feature is another handy tool and whilst I will remain with the traditional scorecard and pencil, I can see how alluring this inclusion would be for some golfers.

Although we spoke about it previously, the step and calorie trackers are wonderful. For those who like to track all fitness activities, this is a feature you will be very pleased with.

Perhaps the biggest benefit is having the watch constantly on you and not fumbling around for a distance device - which saves more time than you would believe.

GolfBuddy AIM12

aim W12 v Laser ATOM Pocket Rangefinder

Having thoroughly tested both products, the conclusion is that GolfBuddy is a brand that you can trust to deliver first-class accessories.

Both the aim W12 and the Laser ATOM Rangefinder are fantastic devices that can truly help lower scores and subsequently increase enjoyment.

However, the Laser ATOM Rangefinder has arguably been the greatest product to make a permanent stay in my bag. You can see by full review here

Due to its small size, it can easily fit in your pocket during the round, which improves accessibility ten-fold; by storing the rangefinder in your pocket, you have easy access which helps improve pace of play.

Moreover, it is enjoyable to scope out flags or other hazards and whilst the smartwatch can offer something similar, I really enjoy the manual use of the rangefinder.

Having noted that, the aim W12 watch will certainly feature frequently and for those extra challenging days, I believe it will be more useful than the rangefinder.

Being able to track your score, calculating steps and calories burned and the alluring feature of three green distance readings will be so helpful for many amateur golfers.

If you’re interested in either products - which you absolutely should be - you can visit GolfBuddy’s website that offers the full listings of the brand.