Garmin Approach G12 GPS Golf Handheld Review


garmin approach g12 review

There are always two camps of golfers that use smart technology on the course: watches or handhelds. Both types of devices can provide many hours in GPS mode as well as green view feature readings from the front, middle, and back of the course.

The Approach G12 (see on Amazon) also features up to 42,000 courses from around the world, which comes in handy if you travel a lot. Since this model has a lot in common with the previous Approach G10, this review will examine what’s new and different.

Garmin Approach G12 clip on golf gps

The Garmin Approach G12 (see on Amazon) is a full-featured GPS golf device in a clip-on form. It’s slim and very lightweight and features preloaded courses, precise distances, hazards, and many of the other features found in Garmin golf devices. It’s designed to clip to your belt or bag, or anywhere you want.

All the details and key features of this new model are reviewed for your convenience. This article will analyze what’s new and let your know what has been improved upon based on past models.

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Garmin Approach G12 Pros:

  • Compact pocket-sized design: easy-to-use and to clip anywhere
  • High-resolution, 1.3 inches, sunlight-readable display with graphical user interface
  • Precise distances to the front, back, and middle of the green, hazards, layups, and doglegs
  • Green View displays the green layout from the angle of approach with manual pin placements for exact distances to the flagstick
  • Digital scorecard for easy scoring during your round
  • Stat tracking measures shot distances and the number of fairway/screenshots or putts
  • Upload and share stats online with Garmin Connect
  • Over 42,000 preloaded international courses with free lifetime updates
  • 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode
  • Rugged, lightweight, and water-resistant (50m)
  • Competition ready

Garmin Approach G12 Cons:

  • Not many differences to stand apart from the Approach G10
  • A bit long for pockets
Review of the garmin approach g12 clip on golf gps

Garmin Approach G12 Key Features

The Garmin Approach G12 is a convenient golf GPS that easily clips onto your belt, bag, or pocket. It’s Garmin’s upgrade to the older Approach G10 model, and the new upgrade provides some convenient new features that fit with the upgrades seen in the Approach S12 watch line. The Approach G12 comes preloaded with more than 42,000 international golf courses and gives precise distances to the front, back, and middle of the green as well as hazards, green view, pin placements, and more.

The Approach G12 doesn’t have all of the advanced sport features found in the Garmin Enduro watch, for example, but it’s still a useful device to have with you on the fairway. The Approach G12 will display yardage to the front, back, and middle of the greens on its 1.3-inch sunlight-readable, high-resolution screen. It will also give you a preview of the green layout and displays the shape of the green with manual pin placements.

The Approach G12 offers golfers the data they need at a great value. It’s totally versatile with a clip-on design, so it gives golfers an advantage on the course, no matter where in the world they play. There is still a lot of advantage to be had with using a handheld; you can measure individual shot distances and calculate yardage for shots played anywhere on the course as simple as pulling the device out of your pocket.

The digital scorecard will help you keep track of your score throughout your round, and will provide distances to layups and doglegs so you can plan the perfect approach; the enhanced stats will help you keep track fairway. Garmin Approach G12 boasts a compact design; with a high sensitivity GPS that provides golfers with information like yardage, hazards, and more in a convenient form factor with a built-in clip. It’s lightweight and has a water rating of 50 meters.

Approach G12 will give you up to 30 hours in GPS mode of battery life, so you will not have to worry about charging the device during a full day of golfing. Approach G12 also has a built-on odometer, if you like to keep track of the distance you have covered during a round. When you’ve finished a round you can upload your round via USB to Garmin Connect to view fairways hit, greens in regulation, shot distance, and the number of putts.

Track your progress over time by viewing all your stats including longest shots, average score, and putts. With Approach G12 you can also view hole-by-hole details and understand trends and tendencies on your favorite courses.

The new Approach G12 expands on the convenience found in Approach G10 with a slightly lighter and longer device composition that provides stellar display resolution even in direct sunlight.

Why You Should Buy the Garmin Approach G12

Sleek and lightweight, easy-to-read, and sunlight compatible, this new Garmin Golf GPS device combines cutting-edge design and technology with the reliability and ease of use Garmin is known for. You can find the best way to navigate each shot with exact yardages to the front, back, and middle of the green and positions of the hazards and doglegs on a hole.

The big numbers mode feature increases the type size, making it easier to read yardage numbers to the front, back, and middle of the green. The Approach G12 provides terrific reliability and ease of use and is a durable, yet sleek device that fits easily into your pocket. The Approach G12 is budget-priced when comparing its many features to stand-alone or laser rangefinders.

If you feel that this device is not worth the investment when compared to previous Garmin golf devices, Garmin offers a standard limited warranty on all of its devices and all Garmin products are considered to be under warranty for any defects in materials or workmanship for a term of at least 1-year from its date of purchase.

In summary, the Approach G12 is not completely different from the Approach G10, but if you are looking for a handheld that is a bit more lightweight and easier to read in direct sunlight, the Approach G12 is worth the investment.

You May Also Be Interested In Approach S20

Handhelds are not always convenient when on the course, therefore, a GPS golf watch may be more convenient if you do a lot of golf. The Garmin Approach S20 (see on Amazon) is a great alternative if you still want as big of a display as possible in the form of a wristwatch.

The Garmin Approach S20has all the best features you would expect to find in a golf GPS watch. On the golf course you’ll be able to see precise distances to the front, back, and middle of the green, as well as hazards. After a round, you can analyze the location and distance of every shot via the Garmin Connect smartphone app.

Approach S20 records this data with the convenient AutoShot round analyzer feature. When paired with your phone you can receive smart notifications for calls, texts, emails, and other alerts via Bluetooth, a feature not always compatible with handheld GPS devices.

Final Thoughts

Golf GPS handhelds are sometimes easier to use than the sensitive touchscreen features found in a watch. The Garmin Approach G12 uses advanced technology and enhanced image display via a touchscreen with ease of reading in sunlight for both user convenience on the course as well as useful performance tracking capabilities to refer to via the app.

It’s certainly a device worth considering based on this new feature set alone. The battery is long-lasting, and you will not have to worry about frequent charging as much as what was seen in the older handheld models.

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