Garmin Approach S70 Smartwatch Update Fixes Critical Heart Rate Tracking and Golf Activity Bugs

Garmin has released System Software 25.11 for its flagship Approach S70 golf smartwatch, addressing several critical bugs that impacted core functionality for athletes and golfers. This marks the first significant update in four months since version 23.20 introduced device passcode security. Priced at $705.99 on Amazon Marketplace, the Approach S70 targets serious golfers with specialized features like virtual caddie recommendations and hazard views, making these stability improvements particularly valuable for its user base.

The update specifically resolves five key issues that disrupted user experience:

1. Heart Rate Monitoring Fix: Previously, if users manually disabled wrist-based heart rate tracking during a specific activity, the system failed to automatically reactivate it for subsequent sessions. This forced wearers to manually re-enable monitoring before every workout – a significant oversight for a device marketed to athletes. The 25.11 update ensures consistent heart rate tracking across all activities without user intervention.

2. Golf Round Stability: Multiple users reported the watch crashing when ending golf rounds, potentially losing valuable shot data and performance metrics mid-game. This instability undermined the S70's core purpose as a golf analytics tool.

3. Map Manager Reliability: Map updates intermittently failed to install despite successful downloads, leaving golfers without critical course changes. This was particularly problematic for players relying on accurate yardage calculations.

4. Strength Activity Customization: Users couldn't properly edit weight values during strength training sessions, limiting the watch's utility for cross-training.

5. UI Correction: A minor but persistent labeling error in the Sleep Mode settings menu has been corrected.

Compared to the previous 23.20 version – which primarily added security features – 25.11 focuses squarely on stabilizing existing functionality. While Garmin hasn't released official performance metrics, user forum reports indicate measurable improvements in activity tracking consistency, especially during multi-hour golf rounds where sensor reliability is critical. The update is available globally via the Garmin Golf mobile app or Garmin Express desktop software. For golfers investing in the S70's premium golf-specific features, this update significantly enhances real-world reliability without requiring hardware changes.

Garmin's update cadence (approximately quarterly for the S70 series) suggests ongoing optimization rather than feature expansion. Current owners should prioritize installing 25.11 immediately to resolve the heart rate and golf-stability issues, while prospective buyers can consider the improved software stability a value-add to the watch's already robust golf analytics suite. As course conditions evolve through the season, the map update fix alone could save golfers multiple strokes per round through accurate distance calculations.