Garmin Approach Z30 rangefinder review — pinpoint precision

With more than 30 years of golf experience under my belt, I’ve had plenty of time to consider the pros and cons of choosing a golf watch vs. a laser rangefinder — like the Garmin Approach Z30 — as my go-to gadget on the course.

Though many golfers use both these days, my take has been that a great golf watch is the better choice, considering ease of use, pace of play and actionable information. The Garmin Approach Z30 hasn't totally changed my stance; it has proven to be the ultimate course companion, especially when paired with one of the best Garmin watches.

I’m currently wearing the Garmin Approach S70 on my wrist, and while it can provide detailed information about any given round, the Approach Z30 takes things to the next level by bringing the green and hazards I’d see on my watch screen to my field of vision — complete with a clear OLED display and helpful overlays.

In my full Garmin Approach Z30 review below, I’ll go more in-depth on the reasons why I consider it one of the best rangefinders while noting some of the caveats to keep in mind before making the investment.

Garmin Approach Z30 rangefinder review: The ups

It's portable and easy-to-use

The Garmin Approach Z30 impressed me right out of the box. It comes with a smart clip-on case that makes storage with my golf bag a breeze. The device is battery-powered, and a standard CR2 is included with the unit.

Some newer rangefinder models are switching to a plug-in charging style, but I appreciate not having to charge it after every round and just leaving it in my golf bag. I have played a few dozen rounds using it and have yet to change the battery, and I don’t expect to for up to a year per Garmin’s claims.

Meanwhile, the Garmin Approach Z30 design is sleek and lightweight, weighing only 7.4 ounces. The control buttons are very user-friendly, making it easy to use while still holding steady. Garmin also made the unit IPX7 waterproof, a nice touch for those rainy golf days when I switch to my best golf gloves for wet weather.

Comfortable viewfinder with organized UI

Looking into the viewfinder is very comfortable, with the clear OLED display being easy to see without needing to squint to find just the right viewing position. Not only that, the red backlit display is easy on the eyes. What’s more, the Approach Z30 uses 6x magnification with great clarity up to 400 yards or 366 meters to the flag.

The layout of the on-screen information is smartly organized. In addition to the measurement to the flagstick, you’ll see a reading to the front and back of the green on the line from your ball to and through the green.

I found this incredibly helpful, as opposed to just a generic reading of the whole green, knowing precisely how much carry distance is needed on my line to clear a hazard. The display also shows the slope to the pin and provides a “PlaysLike” distance to your target, up or downhill.

The feature is not allowed in tournament play, so Garmin smartly placed the mode button on top of the unit that needs to be held for 3 seconds, preventing accidentally activating it during a competition.

Works well with other Garmin devices

Garmin has been listening to previous generations of users. It continues to make the setting up process more seamless, especially when you already have other golf products linked to your Garmin Golf account.

To be clear, there are non-Approach models that have golf tracking features: the Z30 is compatible with Approach, Enduro, Epix (Gen 2), fenix and MARQ lines of watches.

After syncing the Z30 with my app, I was amazed at the abundance of new information I have on the course and the ease with which it can be retrieved. I was even impressed with the limited lag time that was needed to populate the fields on both the watch and phone, never waiting much more than a second.

I learned quickly that the Z30, a compatible watch, and app together provide insights that are valuable to beginners and experienced golfers alike.

Accurate, fast readings

Let me walk you through an average hole in any given round and how the triple threat of rangefinder, smartphone and golf watch will make it easier to navigate both quickly and accurately.

On the tee box of a par 4 or 5, I checked my app or watch to see the layout of the hole and note doglegs or hazards. I then used my rangefinder to see how far a bunker or tree might be, and the app created an arc telling me what other hazards might be at that distance.

After the drive, my watch told me how far I hit the ball and the distance to the green — front, middle and back. Next, I shot the pin with the Z30, with the display telling me the real distance to the flag and adjusting that number if needed to account for slope. It gives me the amount of yards or meters to both the front and back of the green in the same line as the flag, too.

This information is passed to both the watch and app, giving me an overview of precisely where the flag is on the green. It also included an arced line that will cross through both the left and right sides of the green, so I could see if I were to hit a wayward shot, if it would carry long or short of a hazard.

Once you locate the pin on the green, that point will stay on both your phone and watch until the hole is done. This speeds things up if you play another shot or give a playing partner a distance reading.

I can also save time by shooting the flag from my cart on a par 3, then have that exact distance to the target stay on my watch while walking to the tee box without re-shooting it.

The Find My feature is useful

Along with time-saving, this rangefinder also addresses one of my biggest knocks of laser rangefinders up to the modern day — how often they're lost. Ask any pro shop attendant to show you how many devices are in their lost and found bin, and you might assume losing yours is a fait accompli. To prevent that being your rangefinder’s fate as well, Garmin has introduced two key features:

First, the Z30 has a built-in magnet that holds quite strongly on a golf cart arm. However, because the rangefinder is also Bluetooth-enabled, I can use the Find My Garmin feature in the app to track it down if it gets misplaced. It will only give you the last location it was used, but that is a good starting point to retrieving it.

Garmin Approach Z30 rangefinder review: The downs

Sometimes takes a few tries to identify flag

Although the laser readings seemed very accurate compared to other measuring devices, getting it to locate either the flagstick or hazard did not always happen on the first try. I already stated that the laser distance is rated 400 yards/366 meters — I confirmed this myself but with some difficulty.

Similarly, while the vibration mode is a great feature to confirm when you get the laser locked on the pin, I struggled to get this to perform regularly at first. That said, I keep getting better at it as I continue to use it. It helps when your golf course uses newer laser-friendly flagsticks, of course.

Expensive as a standalone unit

As a standalone unit, meaning using the Garmin Approach Z30 without my golf watch or the Garmin Golf app, I wasn’t as impressed considering how much this rangefinder costs.

Over the years, I have tested with several models at different price points and found that there are ones that can do a lot of the same basic features for half the price, if not less. I’d just like to reiterate that it’s when paired with the Garmin Golf ecosystem that the Approach Z30 really shines.

Should you buy the Garmin Approach Z30?

In recent years, I’d mostly given up using laser rangefinders, favoring the accuracy and ease of use of modern golf watches. But the Garmin Approach Z30 proved to me that there’s still a place for a laser rangefinder in my bag.

In fact, it’s something I now genuinely look forward to using when I head out to a round. Again, it’s best when you’ve already bought into the Garmin Golf ecosystem, whether with a Garmin golf watch or club sensors synced with the app.

If you’re looking for a standalone rangefinder that doesn’t sync with any other golf gadgets, you might be better off with something like the Callaway Golf Golf 300 Pro for about half the price.

But for motivated beginners and seasoned players alike, the Approach Z30 is a great investment if you plan to take advantage of all the features it has in store.