The Garmin Approach G5 is the first GPS that Garmin has made for golfers under its own brand name. Garmin has made golf GPS units for other golf brands before like GolfLogix.

The Garmin Approach G5 is one tough unit. It is built to take the abuse that use on the course gives and keep on going. Surprise rain shower – no problem. It is waterproof so you don’t have to run for the cart to protect it.

Its touch screen menu is easy to use. Most golfers say they never have to read the instructions. Besides, who wants to read instructions? Let’s just play.

Perhaps the greatest feature of the Approach G5 is the unlimited, free golf course maps that are downloadable from Garmin (U. S. only at this time). Many less expensive golf GPS charge an annual membership fee and a per course download charge. Garmin does not.

Garmin now has over 10,000 courses on its free download database. I checked and the L. E. Ramey course in my home town is a newly added course on the Garmin site.

The Garmin Approach G5’s high sensitivity, WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) receiver provides accuracy within 3 meters or less. This accurately locates you on the course so you can tap on the touch screen and the GPS will tell you the distance from your location to the location of your tap. Some other GPS have specific targets on the display. To the Approach G5, any spot on the course is a target.

The Garmin Approach G5 allows you to reposition the pin on the green to match the position of the day so you will get accurate distance to the current pin placement. Just enter the “Green View” menu option, touch the pin on the display and drag it to the current location. You immediately get the accurate distance to the new location.

This GPS also serves as a scorekeeper for your foursome. When you get home, you can download the scores to your PC using the USB interface.

For more information about the Garmin Approach G5, read the resource information at the end of this article.

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