Garmin Approach S12 review

The Garmin Approach S12 is the newest GPS golf watch for beginners from the company. It aims to improve on the Garmin Approach S10 that came before it by making the battery last longer, increasing the screen resolution, and more. Even though the Garmin Approach S12 might not have a screen as good as the Apple Watch 6 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, it is a powerful Garmin option with a low price.

This golf-specific watch might not be able to send alerts to your phone, but it does work with CT10 golf sensors, which makes it a very powerful device that can be used with other devices. The Garmin Approach S12 has a battery life of 30 hours, which is a huge improvement from the S10, which only lasted 10 hours. The resolution of the 1.3-inch screen has also been improved, and it is made so that it can be read even in bright sunlight.

Garmin Approach S12 specifications

Garmin Approach S12 review: Design

The Garmin Approach S12 is a golf GPS watch that looks great, especially for how cheap it is. Yes, it’s not as high-end as the most expensive devices, but it still feels well-made and has quick-release straps so you can change the way it looks. We’re not sure why you’d want that without smartphone connectivity, unless you wear this watch all the time.

The case of the watch is 43.7 mm by 43.7 mm by 11.5 mm, and it has a silicone band. The strap fits wrists that are between 125 mm and 202 mm around. The watch is water-resistant up to five metres, so you won’t have to worry if it rains or you accidentally drop it in a water feature. And since it only weighs 34g, you won’t have to worry about it making you slow down as you swim back to the grass. You can buy this smartwatch from its official website.

Garmin Approach S12 review: Tracking and features

The Garmin Approach S12 can be set up and used in a very short amount of time. Enter the course and tap the big red button on the side to start a round. This will give you a list of possible courses you could be on after a quick GPS acquisition. Even on a completely new course, we mean “fast” in seconds, not minutes, when we say it. If they don’t overlap, the course you are taking will be at the top of the list.

Even if you don’t have a touchscreen, the menus are easy to move through even if you only have buttons. This is because Garmin has spent years improving its devices, which has led to a simple screen that only shows the information you need when you need it.

Garmin Approach S12 review: Performance

Even though the S62 is Garmin’s best golf watch and our pick for the best GPS golf watch, it takes me a few minutes to tell it that I’m playing at Beacon Park. The S42 is just like it. So you can imagine how surprised we were when it took the S12 about 20 seconds to find it. Not only was it not a fluke, but every time we used the S12, it quickly told me which course we were on.

So that’s a good beginning. The next step is the same as with every other Garmin watch I’ve used. You choose whether or not you want to keep score, and then you choose which tee you’ll play from. Then it shows how far away the first hole is. You can see how far away the front, middle, and back of the green are, as well as a small picture of the green itself.b

Garmin Approach S12 review: Battery life

A full 18 hours of use rarely affects the battery, and the Approach S12 is often still ready to use a week later. Garmin says that a GPS battery will last for 30 hours, which makes sense. The battery life is by far the best we’ve seen on a golf watch, and because the screen uses so little power when it’s in your golf bag between rounds, the battery barely goes down.

Final Words

The S12 is good for golfers who don’t want to spend a few hundred pounds on a watch and don’t mind having something simple. It is accurate, reliable, and easy to use, and if you only use it for golf, it has a nice look. It’s a bit too simple for me because it doesn’t have all the features we need in a golf watch.

FAQs

How accurate is Garmin Approach S12?

The S12 automatically updates as you play, so it always knows where you are on the course and gives you very accurate distances. In this way, it works just as well as the best golf watches from Garmin, like the MARQ golfer and the Garmin Approach S62. The layout is simple. 

Does Garmin S12 keep time?

After you press OK, go to Settings > System > Time. Sets the device to show the time as either 12 or 24 hours. You can set the time by hand or have it set automatically based on your paired phone or GPS location. You can manually sync the time when you move to a different time zone or when DST changes.

Does Garmin S12 track shots?

The S12 can also measure your shots and switch to the hazard screen so you can see how far bunkers, water hazards, and other obstacles are from you. Compatible with CT-10 tracking sensors, which are sold separately, for easy shot tracking and analysis after the round.