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. 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. As you can see, the Approach G12 is tiny. It’s barely 2″ tall and less than 1/2″ wide, even with the belt clip. There are four buttons around the edge, and each one’s function is clearly labeled. The size is a mixed bag. It’s barely noticeable on your hip, which is great. The downside is that those with larger hands may find the buttons tough to operate. The buttons are solid and have a good, clear press, but getting your fingers situated on the device can be a challenge.

Top of the line golf GPS units have become truly amazing with high definition screens and loads of course info. However, with all those features comes a steep price. For golfers aiming to save money for green fees and golf balls, Garmin offers the Approach G12, an affordable golf GPS that doesn’t skimp on the important features that will help you score better. 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 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.The G12 is fairly simple to use and it doesn't take much time to get the hang of it. It has a clip to enable you to fasten it to your clothing, golf bag, hat etc and there are a number of useful features, all of which are golf related. There is no step counter or pulse monitor like you will find on the pricier Garmin offerings such as the S62 watch for example, which has a number of smart watch features that make it suitable to wear off the course.

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. Since those humble beginnings, our endeavour has blossomed into a robust and trusted online retailer, representing the leading brands in the golf industry. We take immense pride in being your go-to destination for all things golf! If you’re in the market for this type of device? It’s accurate, easy to use, and does exactly what you’d expect it to do. The G12 can last up to 30 hours in golf GPS mode as opposed to the estimated 15 hour lifespan of the G10 battery. All of this data can be automatically sent via Bluetooth to the Garmin Golf App on your phone. There, you can review your scores and stats (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit). The app also will keep a handicap for you (unofficial).

The Garmin Approach G12 tells me that it’s 105 to the center of the green on the thirteenth at Washtenaw Golf Club. The Garmin Approach G12 comes with a good amount of golf features – not enough to overwhelm the player but still enough to improve your game. These features include a handy digital scorecard, green view which shows you the shape of the green, and manual pin positioning.