As a nomad golfer I was looking forward to using the new Garmin Approach G5 golf GPS. As much as I love playing courses I've not ventured to before, I'm a big fan of having my yardage worked out for me. Arriving at Penha Longa, Portugal, on a championship course that is hosting this week's Estoril Open, I was certainly in need of my GPS.
The touch-screen technology enabled me to really play my own game. Penha Longa has more than its fair share of water hazards and bunkers and is certainly one of those tracks that requires careful planning. So, being able to adjust the screen in an instant to ascertain exact yardages was the biggest plus point for me.
The Garmin Approach G5 is a robust unit and even in the heaviest of rain, there's no need to worry about causing it damage. With a sturdier bag clip than most other units, the ergonomics are spot on leaving it a question of how well it performed in terms of accuracy and ease of use.
In short, the Garmin Approach G5 ticks all the boxes here as well. After a few holes I was happily recording my own stats and calculating yardages to exact parts of the fairways. The drag-and-drop touch-screen was helping me shift the pin position, leaving me in no doubt as to what iron to take. There are 1,200 UK courses already loaded and although it's not the largest database, updates are free and more courses are being uploaded all the time.
See also: Golf GPS reviews
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