Garmin Approach Z30 Laser Rangefinder Review

on August 8, 2024

50 Words or Less

The Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder offers accurate slope-adjusted distances, plus front and back distances from the pin via a new feature called Range Relay when synchronized with compatible Garmin devices.

Introduction

It’s happened again. Garmin has evoked the WOW factor with the Approach Z30. This phenomena began for me with the Approach Z80 and reappeared with the Approach Z82 [full review HERE]. Both laser rangefinders incorporated full GPS graphics as part of the display. And last year I was introduced to the feature-rich Approach S70 golf smartwatch [full review HERE] that had me saying, “Wow, that’s cool” over and over. The new Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder gave me the WOWs with its Range Relay feature that integrates ranged distances with Garmin compatible smartwatches and the Garmin smartphone app. Intrigued? Just wait until I fully explain it.

Setup & Ease of Use

For a high tech device, I appreciated the simplicity of using the Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder right out of the box. All I had to do was install the included CR2 battery, and I was off and running. Depressing the raised button closest to my eye woke the unit up, while holding it down displayed distances. If I steadied on a single target like the flag, the Z30 gave me a brief confirming vibration. Simple and intuitive like most laser rangefinders.

The Approach Z30 also includes slope-adjusted distances, a feature Garmin calls PlaysLike. Turning slope on or off is as simple as pressing the MODE button. A blue light on the side of the unit in the TOUR window indicates slope is off and suitable for tournament play. Holding down the MODE button takes you to setup where you can toggle between yards (default) and meters, or change brightness – neither, which I changed.

To fully engage the Approach Z30 features I paired the unit with the Garmin App on my phone and my S70 Garmin smartwatch. I’m not super tech savvy, yet both pairings were fairly easy to perform. The Garmin Z30 website includes detailed manuals, and, what I found most useful, a great Getting Started video. I did have to update the software on my watch for pairing, but that was also simple. Let’s get into that magic.

Accuracy & Performance

At the golf course I engaged my S70 smartwatch and started a round. When I shot my first flag with the Z30 not only did the basic PlaysLike yardage appear under the crosshairs, but to the left was the pin position and relative distance to the front and back of the green. In the above example graphic from the Garmin site, the straight line distance is 145 yards that’s playing down to 142 yards. The pin is up front, 6 yards off the front with 17 yards behind it. Very cool integration.

On hole 10 I grabbed some photos of my watch. Where typically the center of the green distance would be displayed, I now had the actual pin data, 134 yards, which matched what I shot with the Z30.

Switching to the Green View (I love the contour details) that same 134 yards is displayed.

The photo above captures part of the genius of the Range Relay feature. I had walked 40 yards closer to the green, but I did not shoot the distance with the Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder. The S70 already knew where the hole was. Let that sink in. The GPS of the Garmin smartwatch added the pin location to its calculations – GPS and laser data working together.

I checked the accuracy of the distances – both actual and slope adjusted – with my Nikon COOLSHOT PROII STABILIZED [full review HERE] and found the yardages within a yard almost every time. The Nikon displays yardages to the tenth of a yard which may explain some of the minor discrepancies. Checking front and back yardages against sprinkler heads there was often a yard or two difference – and I’d put my money on the S70 GPS data. I also appreciated the concurrence of the pin data displayed in the Z30 against the pin sheets.

Any concerns I had with lag time between the Approach Z30 and my Garmin smartwatch or phone app were unwarranted. The Range Relay data populated in about 1 second. The ranged distances were basically instantaneous – as I expected from a high quality device with “Garmin” on its side. I was pleased to find Garmin included a magnet on the Z30. I haven’t used the laser rangefinder enough to evaluate battery life, but its advertised as up to a year of play.

Value

Evaluating the value of the Garmin Approach Z30, which retails for $399.99 HERE, has been the most challenging of all the reviews I’ve written. Alone, as only a laser rangefinder, the Z30 price is in line with other high quality, slope inclusive units like the Bushnell V6 Shift [full review HERE]. But as frequent readers of Plugged In Golf know, there’s also a myriad of respectable laser rangefinders with slope at notably lower prices these days.

It’s the unique ability to sync the Z30 with other Garmin compatible devices that tips the value scale towards Garmin. But your opinion will likely depend on whether you are already a Garmin user. The Garmin Golf app is free, but to unlock many of the more desirable features of the app (and other Garmin devices) you’ll need an active Garmin Golf membership, which is $9.99/month or $99 annually. The more intriguing consideration will be for owners of a compatible Garmin smartwatch or handheld who are already invested in the technology.

Another feature of the Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder could be the deal maker- Find My Garmin. If you’ve ever lost a rangefinder or have a tendency to leave your rangefinder in carts, being able to track its location could save a lot of future heartache and expenditures.

Conclusion

For the golfer who already enjoys the seemingly endless features of a Garmin smartwatch like the S70 and is in the market for a new laser, the Garmin Approach Z30 laser rangefinder is a great choice. The Range Relay syncing is truly cool and will make any tech geek, well, geek out. And most importantly, the combined GPS and ranged data offers golfers pertinent information to make intelligent decisions. As for the Z30 unit proper, the ergonomic shape fit my medium size hand nicely, construction felt solid, and I like the strong magnet. I’ll close with this opening headline on the Garmin website for the Approach Z30: “Add range to your game.”

Buy the Garmin Approach Z30 Laser Rangefinder HERE

Matt Meeker

Senior Writer at Plugged In Golf

Matt - aka 'Meeks' - lives in the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina with his wife who allows his golf obsession to stretch the limits of normalcy.