A class above: The Garmin MARQ Golfer Review

The GPS Watch market is oversaturated at the budget and mid-price end, but is there a unique space for the discerning high-end shopper? Garmin thinks there is with their 2nd gen MARQ watch

Exploring watches is always an entertaining prospect, whether you’re looking for the best in Golf GPS or a new lifestyle timepiece. With the MARQ luxury series though, Garmin is laying claim to both markets, creating a model that can more than compete with the most precise sports-orientated smartwatches while looking comfortable for the dinners or gala after your round.

Built from the ground up for the golfer who demands their smartwatch fit into every aspect of their life, the MARQ offers customization in its functionality and access to a full spectrum of complimentary pursuits for its user. But it’s not just substance the watch offers.

Style is the obvious second aspect of this kind of watch and the Grade 5 titanium finish, or full fused carbon fiber alternative now available, allows you to match your fashion to the high-grade wearable technology.

I love the titanium finish that Garmin has produced. It works so well with the strap while also being the right blend between noteworthy with its dark green metallic bezel, a design that reminds me of Omega’s Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster releases, but also subtle enough to work equally well at the beach as it does with more formal attire.

For this review, however, I’ve been exploring the upgraded finish; made from a single block of fused carbon fiber, the functionality remains the same as before but with the added touch of an all-black look, the swirls of the fiber layers visible across the entire design, and an added cost as well.

So does the MARQ watch justify its proposition for both function and form?

Design Technology

As this is ultimately meant to be more than just a timepiece it seems fitting we start with the tech. Like many of Garmin’s latest designs, the MARQ features an intuitive blend of touchscreen and buttons. The touchscreen is large enough to make it easy to select the option you want without accidentally tapping something else, but not so large that it impacts my wrist movement in my swing.

The buttons act as easy-to-use ‘main’ selections. The upper right is ‘select’ and brings up the activity list with the lower right acting as the ‘back’ button. The three on the left are for moving up and down if you don’t want to scroll on the touchscreen, and for turning off the screen if you don’t want to display the face at that time.

Scrolling down from the main screen, the MARQ offers me some interesting insights into myself including the more obvious, like local weather and my heartbeat (I’m a steady 65 BPM for my last 7-day average), as well as extras that I didn’t know I wanted.

I’ve been paying attention to my body battery meter, which is impressively accurate to my actual feeling, and the sleep coach suggests a better schedule for the best personal performance. The nap counter has also helped me feel more balanced with my energy, although this has been slightly to my boss’ chagrin when I request a rest just after lunch!

The Stocks pricing has also amused me to look at although this is likely relevant to the person looking to spend this much on a smartwatch.

Aside from these features, you can also customize your notifications and activity tracking preferences, as well as the watch face design on the app. This is very familiar from my time with the Garmin Approach S70 but it’s still just as simple to understand as that model was to me.

On the course

As the most costly Golf watch that Garmin offers, the MARQ has every tool you’d expect for the course.

The basic display shows you both the current distances as well as ‘PlaysLike’ which will take into account the weather and area mapping for things like slope. This is a simple feature but one that really makes you feel like you’ve got a caddie out on the course with you. This element can also be linked to the Approach Z30 Laser if you want to dial in with laser precision.

Along with this, you have Virtual Caddie, which will recommend clubs for you based off of your scorecards once you’ve played five rounds; Greenview, for a closer overview of the green with custom flag placement (again automatic if you pair it with the Z30 laser); Shot Measure, for keeping track of your yardages; and various wind, sunlight, and distance-walked measurements.

I generally like to rely on myself for yardages and positioning but it’s great to have it there to back me up if I’m ever in doubt on the course. Like the rest of the design, the golf is super easy to navigate through the menus, and you won’t be slowing down anyone else’s round while selecting the option you need.

The Looks

There’s no denying this is both a smartwatch and a smart watch. Opening the box is an experience in and of itself due to the multiple layers of quality packaging, certainly helping to justify the spend. You feel privileged to be opening the box, with its metal container and soft foam inner display, all in a sleek black finish that matches the carbon finish.

I’ve spoken about the Titanium model, but the Carbon Fiber is just as special.

There’s a very subtle use of British Racing Green accenting but otherwise, this is a complete carbon construction. Comparing the two models, I think the Fused Carbon is going to appeal more to the active lifestyle golfer.

They’re both great, but the Carbon gives off a more dynamic feeling. Maybe that’s just because it makes me think of a Formula One car, but I associate the carbon with a ‘faster’ feeling – I have more desire to go and do something that gets my heart rate up instead of sitting in a lounge with a suit and tie like I would want to with the Titanium.

Think of this as the difference between James Bond and Jason Bourne.

The MARQ also comes with two strap options. There’s a black rubber within the casing if you want it but the watch comes with a leather model as standard. It’s good quality leather, easy to shape to any wrist, and hasn’t seen any discoloration despite being put through its paces for the last month.

The leather strap, again, has some dark green stitching to match the face and bezel and it makes for a beautiful complete package.

The Conclusion

I do believe this is, overall, a good investment as a watch. There’s always a question hung over anything for the premium price market of whether it justifies the spend.

I don’t think that’s a fair judgment. If you’re questioning the price point this is probably not the item for you. Yes, you could buy the same functionality from Garmin’s Approach S70 for a fifth of the price, but this is billed as a GPS watch for golfers with cash to spare and shouldn’t be looked at under any kind of budget perspective.

As a GPS and lifestyle unit, the MARQ does its job perfectly – I’ve had zero connectivity issues, every activity loads quickly, and the data is accurate to any standard demanded.

As a timepiece, this lives up to its purpose. It looks stunning on my wrist, boasting several positive comments from colleagues and friends, and there are still times when I catch myself just admiring the swirling patterns of Carbon Fiber.

I miss having this on my wrist when I do need to charge the battery (it takes an hour to fully charge, and you’ll get 16 days of life from it as a smartwatch, 10 hours in GPS mode) and I don’t think there’s going to be anything else replacing this for a long time to come.

RRP: £1999.99, $2300.00 Titanium / £2699.99, $3100.00 Carbon Edition

Finishes: Grade 5 Titanium / Fused Carbon Fiber

Strap: Leather or FKM Rubber

Display: 1.2" Diameter, domed sapphire crystal AMOLED

Waterproof: Yes, 10 ATM

Battery: Smartwatch: Up to 16 Days / GPS: Up to 75 Hours / All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 Hours

Charger: USB-C Magnetic

Memory: 32GB