Golfers have a growing number of gadgets to pick from to help them improve their game, and new to the range is the Approach G30 from Garmin, a handheld accessory with built-in GPS that can help players weigh up courses and track their stats.
The small device features a 2.3-inch color screen that Garmin says is readable in bright sunlight, and thanks to the on-board GPS it can show yardage to the hole, the green and other course features. 40,000 courses come pre-loaded on the Approach G30 and players get a lifetime of map updates with their purchase.
As well as giving golfers an overview of upcoming holes, the Approach G30 also tracks scores for up to four players, and will log statistics such as fairways hit and putts per round if you really want to know how well (or how badly) you're doing.
Once you've built up a fair amount of data on your regular courses, you can go back and look at the holes that are particularly tricky for you and check your performance over time.
Garmin says its golfing gadget can be mounted pretty much anywhere, whether on a belt or a golf bag, and with features like call and message notifications you can safely leave your phone packed away while you enjoy your game. It's smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Approach G8 that Garmin already sells.
The device is compatible with Garmin's TruSwing analyzer too, so players who've bought that accessory can feed data back to the Approach G30 for extra analysis. It also works with the Connect mobile app for Android and iOS that can track data from all of Garmin's various smart devices.
While it may not turn you into the next Rory McIlroy, it might just give you the edge against your usual weekend opponents.
Garmin says you're going to get 15 hours of use between charges, so the device should stay alive until you reach the 19th hole, and it has a water rating of IPX7, which means it's capable of standing up to fairly heavy showers without a problem (just don't go swimming with it). The Approach G30 is available now for US$249.99.
Product page: Garmin