Best Apple Watch golf app for automatic shot tracking, without sensors (2026)
You already own an Apple Watch. Here is which golf apps can track your shots with it, which need clip-on sensors or a dedicated golf watch, and what each setup costs over three years.
Key takeaways
- You don't need clip-on club sensors or a second watch for automatic shot tracking. AutoStrike, Golfshot and 18Birdies all detect shots with an Apple Watch.
- Among these apps, AutoStrike Pro is the cheapest way to get it, at $24.99 a year. Golfshot Pro is $79.99 and 18Birdies Premium is $99.99.
- Arccos's Apple Watch shot detection needs clubs with sensors. The sensor kit is $249.99 including year one, then the membership is $199.99 a year.
- Garmin's AutoShot runs on Garmin's own golf watches. The Garmin Golf app is listed as iPhone-only, so it doesn't run on Apple Watch.
Three ways golf apps track your shots automatically
"Automatic shot tracking" means different things depending on the hardware:
- Apple Watch and phone apps. The app detects your shots from your wrist and the GPS position of your iPhone and watch. AutoStrike, Golfshot Pro and 18Birdies Smart Tracking work this way. Golfshot says its version "uses machine learning to teach your Apple Watch what a golf swing looks like" [1].
- Club sensors. Arccos screws a small sensor into the grip of each club, so it knows exactly which club you hit. That's the main advantage of sensors.
- Dedicated golf watches. Garmin's Approach watches such as the S44 list "Garmin AutoShot" as a built-in feature [2].
Hole19 takes a fourth approach. Its Auto Shot Detection is part of the Intelligence tier, uses your phone's movement, and suggests shots for you to confirm. Hole19 says it "never saves a shot automatically" [3].
Apple Watch shot tracking compared: what you need and what it costs
Costs below are US prices as of October 28, 2026. They don't include the iPhone or Apple Watch you already own.
| Option | What you need | Runs on Apple Watch | Year 1 | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutoStrike Pro | iPhone (iOS 18+) and Apple Watch (watchOS 10+) | Yes, including auto shot tracking | $24.99 | $74.97 |
| Golfshot Pro | iPhone and Apple Watch | Yes. Auto shot tracking is a Pro feature [1] | $79.99 [4] | $239.97 |
| 18Birdies Premium | iPhone and Apple Watch | Yes. Smart Tracking is a Premium feature [5] | $99.99 [6] | $299.97 |
| Hole19 Intelligence | iPhone | Watch distances are free and scoring is Premium [7]. Auto detection is phone-based and needs your confirmation [3] | $99.99 [8] | $299.97 |
| Arccos Smart Sensors | iPhone and 16 club sensors | Yes, but watch shot detection requires clubs with sensors [9] | $249.99 kit with year 1 [10] | $649.97 ($199.99/yr after year 1) [11] |
| Garmin Approach S44 | Garmin golf watch and the Garmin Golf iPhone app | No. Garmin Golf is listed "Only for iPhone" [12] | $299.99 watch [2] | $299.99, plus an optional $99.99/yr membership [13] |
Three-year totals assume today's prices continue and you stay on the yearly plan. Arccos also sells Arccos Air, which needs no sensors and no phone, for $349.99 including the first year [14].
Auto shot tracking with the Apple Watch you already own
No tags, no sensors, no second watch. AutoStrike Pro is $24.99 a year.
Download free on the App StoreFree to download · free to try for your first few rounds · then AutoStrike Pro for $24.99 a year or $2.99 a month
AutoStrike vs Arccos
Arccos is the most established name in automatic shot tracking. It's the Official Game Tracker of the PGA TOUR and offers strokes-gained analytics and AI strategy features [10]. Because every club carries its own sensor, Arccos knows which club you hit without any input from you. If that club-by-club data is what you're after, sensors are hard to beat.
The trade-off is cost and setup. The Smart Sensors kit is $249.99, which includes 15 club sensors, a putter sensor and the first year of membership [10]. After that, the membership is $199.99 a year [11]. Arccos's own help center says Apple Watch shot detection requires clubs with sensors [9].
AutoStrike needs no hardware beyond the iPhone and Apple Watch you already have, and costs $24.99 a year.
AutoStrike vs Garmin Golf
Garmin makes excellent dedicated golf watches. The Approach S12 costs $199.99 with up to 30 hours of GPS battery [15]. The Approach S44 costs $299.99, has up to 15 hours of GPS battery and includes Garmin AutoShot [2]. AutoShot does not appear in the S12's published feature list. If you want a watch that's only for golf, with long battery life, Garmin is a strong choice.
If you already wear an Apple Watch, a Garmin means buying and charging a second watch, because the Garmin Golf app is listed as iPhone-only [12]. Some Garmin Golf features, such as PlaysLike Distance and green contours, need the $99.99-a-year membership [12] [13]. AutoStrike includes plays-like elevation in Pro at $24.99 a year.
AutoStrike vs Golfshot and 18Birdies on Apple Watch
Golfshot and 18Birdies both have mature Apple Watch apps with free GPS. Golfshot describes itself as "the original Apple Watch golf GPS since 2015" [16], and 18Birdies includes core Apple Watch features in its free tier [17].
In both apps, automatic shot tracking is a paid feature. In Golfshot it's part of Pro at $79.99 a year [1] [4]. In 18Birdies, Smart Tracking and its automatic shot detection are Premium features at $99.99 a year, and free members can still track shots manually [5] [6]. AutoStrike puts automatic shot tracking in a $24.99 plan. See the full golf app price comparison for the other tiers.
What AutoStrike does on your Apple Watch
- Auto shot tracking: every shot is recorded from your Apple Watch, with no tags and no sensors.
- Distances to the front, center and back of the green, with hazards, layups and doglegs.
- Plays-like elevation and club suggestions.
- Scoring on your wrist, so your phone can stay in the bag.
- Live multiplayer leaderboards and a handicap index calculated on World Handicap System rules.
AutoStrike needs iOS 18 or later on iPhone and watchOS 10 or later on Apple Watch [18]. Switching from another app? You can bring your old scores with you.
Which should you choose?
- You already own an Apple Watch and want automatic shot tracking for the lowest price: AutoStrike Pro at $24.99 a year.
- You want club-by-club data and strokes-gained analytics, and don't mind the hardware and membership cost: Arccos.
- You want a watch that's only for golf, with long battery life: a Garmin Approach.
- You're happy with your current app but tired of the price: compare what each golf app costs.
Frequently asked questions
Can Apple Watch track golf shots automatically without sensors?
Yes. Several apps detect shots with an Apple Watch and no club sensors, including AutoStrike (Pro, $24.99 a year), Golfshot (Pro, $79.99 a year) and 18Birdies (Smart Tracking in Premium, $99.99 a year), at US prices as of October 2026. Arccos is different: its Apple Watch shot detection requires clubs with sensors.
Does Arccos work with Apple Watch?
Yes, the Arccos app supports Apple Watch, but Arccos says watch shot detection requires clubs with sensors. The Smart Sensors kit is $249.99 including the first year of membership, and the membership is $199.99 a year after that, as of October 2026.
Does Garmin Golf work on Apple Watch?
The Garmin Golf app is listed as iPhone-only on the App Store. Garmin AutoShot, its automatic shot detection, is a feature of Garmin golf watches such as the Approach S44.
What do I need to use AutoStrike on Apple Watch?
An iPhone with iOS 18 or later and an Apple Watch with watchOS 10 or later. AutoStrike is free to download and free to try for your first few rounds. AutoStrike Pro is $24.99 a year or $2.99 a month.
What is the cheapest way to get automatic golf shot tracking on Apple Watch?
Of the options compared here, AutoStrike Pro is the cheapest, at $24.99 a year with no extra hardware. Golfshot Pro is $79.99 a year and 18Birdies Premium is $99.99 a year, as of October 2026.
Stop overpaying. Start playing.
Auto shot tracking on Apple Watch, GPS yardages with plays-like elevation, live multiplayer, handicap and stats. AutoStrike Pro is $24.99 a year.
Download free on the App StoreFree to download · free to try for your first few rounds · then AutoStrike Pro for $24.99 a year or $2.99 a month
Sources
Prices are US App Store or official US prices in USD, as of October 28, 2026. Prices change and can vary by region, promotion and platform, so check the current price before you subscribe.
- Golfshot Auto Shot Tracking (golfshot.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Garmin Approach S44 (garmin.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- How Auto Shot Detection works, Intelligence (Hole19 Help Center), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Golfshot Free vs Pro (golfshot.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Smart Tracking with Apple Watch (18Birdies Help Center), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- 18Birdies Premium plans and pricing (18birdies.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Using Hole19 on Apple Watch with Premium (Hole19 Help Center), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Hole19 on the US App Store, In-App Purchases, accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Apple Watch shot detection (Arccos Support), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Arccos Smart Sensors (arccosgolf.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- What is Arccos Membership? (Arccos Support), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Garmin Golf on the US App Store, accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Garmin Golf membership (garmin.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Arccos Air (arccosgolf.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Garmin Approach S12 (garmin.com), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- Golfshot on the US App Store, In-App Purchases, accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- What's included with 18Birdies Premium (18Birdies Help Center), accessed Oct 28, 2026.
- AutoStrike Golf on the US App Store, In-App Purchases, accessed Oct 28, 2026.
Disclosure: this guide is published by AutoStrike Golf, the maker of one of the apps compared. We have tried to keep it fair: every competitor price and feature above links to the company's own website, help center or App Store listing. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it. 18Birdies, Golfshot, Hole19, SwingU, Arccos, Garmin and Apple Watch are trademarks of their respective owners.
