Garmin Approach G10 Review

The Garmin Approach G10 has been retired. Check out our current recommendations for today's best golf rangefinders..

Our Garmin Approach G10 Review is based upon observing common threads of criticism and praise for specific aspects of its performance.

After considering feedback from dozens of users, we found about 87% of the comments we considered to be relevant were positive. That number would be much higher if we were counting general praise rather than specifically mentioned features.

First, we will list the features and below that you can see a summary of the pros and cons of the Garmin G10.

• Displays distances to the front, back and middle of the green, plus the green shape, all on the main screen.
• Includes distances to hazards and layups.
• Green View display shows the shape of the green and allows manual pin placements.
• Digital scorecard lets you easily keep track of your score and stats.
• Garmin Connect™ allows you to analyze your scores and stats online.
• Compact, lightweight clip-on device fits anywhere.
• Crisp, bright 1.3-inch square display.
• Screen orientation can be adjusted depending on how you will use it.
• Lithium-ion battery with up to 15 hours in full GPS mode.
• Odometer to track your steps.
• Rainproof with IPX7 water rating.
• Preloaded with more than 40,000 golf courses around the world.
• Free lifetime course updates.

• Accuracy – The accuracy of this unit was by far the most frequently mentioned positive comment. There was one neutral comment, but with GPS, we consider this an outstanding indicator of what you can expect from the most important job of any golf GPS.
• Size – Most users loved the size of this very small device. There were a few people who thought it would be easier to handle if it were a little bit larger and one user who was concerned that it might be very easy to lose. If you have large hands or if you are prone to losing things, those issues are both reasonable concerns. On the other hand, if you want to clip it on your belt or keep it in your pocket, the size is great. If you are thinking of clipping it to your visor, then we suggest getting a small unit that also has voice, so that you don’t have to take it on and off all the time.
• Value – A large number of users commented on what a good value the Garmin 10 was. A couple of users mentioned that the price would drop given the competition in this type of unit. We compared the prices to similar models and felt it was right in line.
• Ease of Use – Many users said the G10 was very easy to use. There were a few that suggested that there was a bit of a learning curve for using some of the advanced features. None of them seemed to think it was a deal-breaker.
• Auto Course Recognition – Most of the users who mentioned this featured thought it was quick to find golf courses. However, there were also several comments about it being a little slow. We know Garmin has a high-sensitivity receiver, but as with any GPS, the conditions can be a factor. Because of that and the fact that eventually the courses were found, we don’t suggest giving too much weight to that type of complaint.
• Battery Life – Across the board, users had nothing but wonderful things to say about the battery life.
• Hazard and Layup Information – Many users loved having distances to the front and back of hazards. Others said they did not use that feature, but what we thought was important was that there were no complaints about missing hazards.
• Display – Amazingly for a unit this small, there were no complaints about the screen readability or the number size. In fact, several users went out of their way to say that it was very easy to read with “the large numbers”.
• Shot Measuring – Quite a few users mentioned that they enjoyed this feature and used it frequently. We saw no complaints and make the assumption that this feature must be fairly easy to use based on the comments.
• Screen Orientation – Several users who wear the G10 on their belts loved that they could change the screen orientation so that it was easy to read without touching.
• Customer Service – A couple of users had received defective units, but in both cases, Garmin Customer Service took care of the problem quickly.

Overall we think the Garmin Approach G10 is an excellent choice if you are looking for a compact golf GPS. You can clip it on your belt, put it in your pocket, or some users even used velcro to attach it to the outside of their golf bags. Other users even clipped it to their glove! The competition in this size device is fierce, but this one is at the top of our list! However, if you are planning to clip it on your visor or hat, we still recommend using a device with Voice so you don’t have to keep pulling it off of your hat to see it.

Garmin Approach G10
Course Download Fees	No
Pre-loaded with Courses	Yes
Full Hole Views	Yes
Slope / Elevation	No
Battery Life	up to 15 hrs.
Battery	rechargeable Li-ion
Size (Width x Height x Depth)	2 in. x 1.5 in. x .7 in.
Measure Shot Distance	Yes
Screen Size	.9 inches
Resolution	high-res
Display Type	monochrome
Weight	1 oz.
Rainproof	Yes IPX7
Touch Screen	No
Touch Targeting	No
Manual Pin Positioning	Yes
Stat Tracker	Yes
Digital Scorecard	Yes
Computer Analysis Tools	Yes
Ground Verified	N/A
Alternate Targets	Yes
Green Rotates to your shot angle	Yes
USGA Compliant (local rule)	Yes
Notes	-
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User Manual for Garmin Approach G10