Apple Watch battery for 18 holes: what drains it and how to make it last
An Apple Watch can usually last a full round, but GPS and workout tracking drain it fastest. A golf GPS app tracks your location for four hours or more, and a workout session keeps the heart rate sensor busy. A scorecard-only app that never uses location is light by comparison. Low Power Mode stretches the battery further.
| What runs during your round | Battery cost |
|---|---|
| GPS location (golf GPS apps, outdoor route tracking) | High: runs continuously |
| A workout session (live heart rate, calories) | Higher than scoring alone |
| Always On Display and screen brightness | Adds up over four or more hours |
| Cellular and Wi-Fi connections | Apple’s Low Power Mode limits them to save power |
| Opening an app and tapping to score | Low |
Will an 18-hole round drain your Apple Watch?
It depends on what’s running. A round takes four hours or more, and the biggest drains are GPS location and workout tracking, which run the whole time. A scorecard app that never uses location, with workout tracking off, uses little battery. Apple publishes battery figures for each model, and they vary with use.
Apple’s battery page lists tested battery life for each Apple Watch model, including outdoor workouts with GPS, and notes that results vary with use, settings, and signal. Your battery’s age matters too: on the watch, open Settings, then Battery, to check its health.
What uses the most battery during a round of golf?
Location tracking and workout sessions use the most. Golf GPS apps check your position constantly to show yardages, and a workout keeps the heart rate sensor measuring. Always On Display, a bright screen, and cellular connections add more. Tapping in your score is a small cost by comparison.
What that means in practice:
- GPS apps: the convenience of yardages on your wrist costs the most battery.
- Workout sessions: useful for heart rate and calories, but they keep sensors active for the whole round.
- Screen: Always On Display keeps the screen lit between glances.
- Background apps: apps can refresh in the background even when you’re not using them.
How does Low Power Mode help on the golf course?
Low Power Mode turns off features you don’t need while scoring: Always On Display, background heart rate and blood oxygen measurements, and heart rate notifications. It also limits some cellular and Wi-Fi connections. To turn it on, press the side button, tap the battery percentage, then tap Low Power Mode, per Apple’s guide.
From Apple’s guide to extending battery life:
- Press the side button to open Control Center.
- Tap the battery percentage, then tap Low Power Mode.
- Tap Turn On, or Turn On For to choose how long. A few hours covers a round.
Apple also notes that other notifications may be delayed and emergency alerts may not arrive in Low Power Mode, so decide whether that’s right for you. Your watch will offer to turn it on when the battery drops to 10 percent or lower.
How do you set up Golf Caddie for the longest battery life?
Golf Caddie never uses location, so the main choice is its Apple Health setting. Its Workout Tracking setting (on your iPhone) has three options: Off, Save Summary, and Full Session. Save Summary logs the round as a Golf workout when you end it, with no battery impact. Full Session runs a live Watch workout and uses the most battery.
| Workout Tracking setting | What it does | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Scoring only | Lowest |
| Save Summary | Saves the round to Apple Health as a Golf workout when you tap End Round | No battery impact (per the app) |
| Full Session | Runs a workout on the Watch during the round: heart rate, calories, and steps | Most impact (per the app) |
Two more options if you’re worried about battery: score on your iPhone instead (the iPhone scorecard is free), or, with Pro, add strokes from the iPhone Lock Screen without unlocking. Your Watch and iPhone stay in sync either way.
Should you use a GPS app or a scorecard app on your watch?
Use a GPS app if you rely on yardages to pick clubs; expect to manage battery more closely. Use a scorecard-only app if you mainly want an accurate score and a battery that lasts. Many golfers combine a scorecard app with course markers or a rangefinder for distances. Both approaches are reasonable; it’s a trade-off.
We cover that trade-off in detail in Apple Watch golf scorecard without GPS. Scoring on the Apple Watch is part of Golf Caddie Pro, a one-time $2.99 (US price) after a 14-day free trial, with no subscription; see what’s free and what’s Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Does Golf Caddie use GPS on my Apple Watch?
No. Golf Caddie never asks for your location, on the iPhone or the Watch. You enter strokes, putts, and penalties yourself, so there’s no GPS running in the background.
What happens to my score if my Apple Watch dies mid-round?
Your iPhone and Apple Watch score the same round and sync as you play, so the holes you’ve already scored are on your iPhone. Keep scoring there, or from the Lock Screen if you have Pro.
Should I turn on Golf Caddie's Health Full Session?
Only if you want live heart rate and calories on the Watch during the round. The app’s own setting notes it has the most impact on battery life. Save Summary still logs the round as a Golf workout when you end it, with no battery impact.
Does Low Power Mode stop me keeping score?
Apple’s guide lists what Low Power Mode turns off: Always On Display, background heart rate and blood oxygen measurements, heart rate notifications, and some cellular and Wi-Fi connections. Opening an app and tapping to score isn’t on that list.