Lastly, the G12 has slightly better screen resolution than it’s predecessor with 175 x 175 pixel display. The Garmin Approach G12 tells me that it’s 105 to the center of the green on the thirteenth at Washtenaw Golf Club. 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 Approach G12 is a great compliment to the Garmin ecosystem as well. This device is compatible with their CT10 club sensors. It also pairs with the Garmin Golf smartphone app. For another, the S12 has outstanding battery life. It can last up to 10 weeks in golf GPS mode. The S12 also features a silicone watch band but unlike the G12, it is not compatible with the Garmin Golf app.

The Garmin Approach G12 would be a great device for any golfer looking to be more competitive at pretty much any course. It provides in depth course information like your distance from key course hazards and layups. A useful feature of the G12 that I find invaluable in any Garmin device I’ve used is the ‘last shot’ function. On some devices this is done automatically and as soon as you hit a shot and start walking the device will measure how many yards you have travelled until you reach your ball. On the S12 and G12 however you need to activate this feature manually. You can set up the G12 with the screen upside down. That way, if it’s clipped to your belt, the numbers can be easily read without taking it off. That feature also allows you to choose whether the up/down buttons are on the left or right.If you don’t like the idea of wearing a watch while you play, the G12 provides a nice alternative for you as well. It comes with a clip and a lanyard so you can use it in a wide variety of ways without disrupting your stroke. 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. 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. The Garmin Approach G12 comes with the device, a proprietary charging cable, and a user manual. As someone who’s slightly old school, I appreciate the inclusion of a proper paper manual. One of the biggest differences between these two devices in terms of features is that the G10 has no smartphone compatibility.

So if you’re looking for additional functionality beyond just what is offered on the GPS, you’ve got some options. Whether or not you choose the G12, remember that any golf GPS device you buy should be able to improve your performance on a wide variety of courses.The Approach G12 really has all the information you should need to accurately play most courses. I can, however, envision being on an unfamiliar and difficult course where you might want an aerial image of a fairway that some much more expensive golf GPS units offer.

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. 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.While the device automatically moves from hole to hole, you can go into the menu to select a particular one. I’ve found this useful on those rounds where, for various reasons, I’ve had to skip a hole, or have started on a hole other than the first or tenth. The Green View feature gives you each green’s true shape from wherever you are on the course, and it allows you to drag-and-drop the pin for greater accuracy.