Garmin Approach G12 Golf Range Finder

Product Information

I’m accustomed to using devices that do this automatically so I will often forget to activate it manually, which can be frustrating. But having extensively tested the S12 recently I have gotten better at this and I did use the ‘last shot’ feature to good effect two or three times with the G12. Specifically when I missed the fairway and found trouble on the right (it’s always on the right with me). Twice it was trees and the third one was a ditch. I found my ball every time but only because I had activated ‘last shot’ on the tee as soon as I knew I’d found trouble. I know how far I usually carry a good drive so that narrows my search area down to around 10 yards. Without ‘last shot’ I’d have been searching a much bigger area. Garmin have upgraded most of their golf lines in the last couple of years. First the S60 was replaced with the S62, then a year later the S42 and S12 were launched as upgrades to the S40 and S10. At the same time, the G12 hand held GPS was named as the successor to the G10. While not being massively different, it does offer some significant improvements. Most notably it has a much better battery life and it can connect to the Garmin golf app via a bluetooth link to your smartphone.

The G12 can last up to 30 hours in golf GPS mode as opposed to the estimated 15 hour lifespan of the G10 battery. So if you’re looking for additional functionality beyond just what is offered on the GPS, you’ve got some options. As you look at the info for the hole, you can scroll down using the left buttons to get details on hazards and layups. This differs slightly from the S12 and other watches in the Approach range as usually ‘hazards and layups’ isa stand alone option in the menu, but on the G12 you could miss it if you aren't aware of how to find it. An extra feature of the G12 that I appreciate is the ability to measure a shot. From your starting location, press the OK button, scroll down to “Measure Shot” and select OK again. The distance updates as you walk and when you arrive at the ball’s new location, it will tell you how far it travelled from the point where you selected “Measure Shot.” The Garmin Approach G12 does so many things right that it is hard to know where to begin singing its praises.Garmin also reports that the Approach G12 is IPX7 water-rated. This means that it, “Withstands incidental exposure to water of up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes.” In short, don’t take this device swimming but don’t fear a little drizzle, either. Finally, the Approach G12 boasts an amazing battery life of up to 30 hours. This is nearly double the nearest competitor that I’m aware of. For players who leave their clubs in the car or just forget to charge their devices, this will be a life saver. One charge might get you through seven rounds or more!

By pairing the G12 with your smartphone you are also able to compete against other Garmin users and see your place on the leaderboard. This sounds a lot more impressive than it is, as any time I have ‘competed’ I have either finished first or second, depending on whether there was another Garmin user playing the course that week or if it was just me! Carly holds the ladies course record (68) at her home club Parkstone and her lowest competition round (seven-under-par 65) was carded in the pro-am of the Irish Ladies Open at Killeen Castle, playing alongside Solheim Cup superstar Anna Nordqvist. Although her current handicap index has crept up to 3.7 since Covid she has her sights firmly set on achieving that elusive scratch handicap and hopefully playing for her country when she’s 50. Considering the attached clip, many people will use this on clipped to their belt loop.. I had issues figuring out how to invert the display, so I could easily see distances just by looking down. Take the Garmin Approach G12 for example. It’s a simple, affordable, reliable GPS device that has what you really need to play better rounds. So in today’s review, we wanted to shed some light on this oft overlooked golf GPS device from Garmin.Yep. Absolutely. It works as advertised, and is exactly what you’d expect from a company like Garmin. One of the biggest differences between these two devices in terms of features is that the G10 has no smartphone compatibility. Over the years Carly has been fortunate to play some of the greatest courses in the world. Her view ‘from the ladies tee’ is invaluable. She ranks Sea Island, Georgia, USA, where she met her husband, world-renowned golf coach Dan Frost, among her favourite golf resorts. Their aptly-named eight-year-old son Hogan is already hitting the ball as far as Mum and will undoubtedly be a name to watch out for in the future.

The G12 isn't a watch and it isn't smart. It's all about golf, nothing else. Unlike GPS watches, this is a device you keep in your golf bag and it only comes out when you're playing. It's waterproof too so there's no need to worry about it when you're playing in a downpour. The key design difference between these two devices is that the G10 has a squared display while the G12’s display is rounded. The Garmin Approach G12 is a nice accessory that is affordable and automatically captures your gameplay. It is very light and small so it doesn't get in the way of your game at all, but still provides some key information as you walk the course. You can also have the display flipped upside down so that you can keep the G12 mounted on your belt and view the numbers without removing it. This is a thoughtful small touch that helps you stay focused on the game. I am not a very experienced golfer so I appreciate the virtual caddie functionality offered by other Garmin watches with golf support so this is one function I really missed while I was golfing with the G12. The virtual caddie feature will factor in wind speed and direction to then recommend a club based on the distance you typically swing with that club. The Approach G12 does not support the virtual caddie functionality. I also miss the pinpointer feature that shows you the direction of the pin when you are in a location where you cannot visually spot the pin.It gave accurate distances to the green that were right in line with what I got from my rangefinder. It’s not quite as feature heavy as the larger and more expensive Garmin G80– but it’s just as accurate.