Give yourself an edge this golf season with the new Garmin Approach Z80, announced earlier today. The Approach Z80 is Garmin’s latest rangefinder. It can measure your distance to the flag from up to 350 yards and adds graphical overlays to the course you are standing on. These virtual markers allow players to view the shape of each green and also take note of distances to hazards.
Over the years, Garmin has shipped many products to aide golfers. Garmin currently showcases 15 products aimed at players of the sport. You’ll find watches, fitness devices, GPS devices, and more in Garmin’s golfing lineup.
Over the years each product has become a bit more sophisticated. For example, the Approach S1 watch released in 2010 contained course data for 14,000 courses compared to the Z80 that contains support for 41,000 locations worldwide. It is unclear if new courses can be added to the Approach Z80.
The accuracy of the new rangefinder is ahead of existing rangefinders on the market. For instance, the best-selling rangefinders found on Amazon typically boast accuracy within 1 yard, while Garmin claims the Approach Z80 is accurate within 10-inches. That is over three-times more accurate.
“We are excited to add a laser range finder to our extensive golf product lineup designed for golfers wanting to improve their game,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “We have engineered the Approach Z80 to be the most precise and accurate laser range finder on the market today, combined with our leading GPS technology and expansive, worldwide full vector golf map, it takes the guesswork out of your game.”
It appears that three-times the accuracy comes at triple the cost. Pricing for off-brand rangefinders on Amazon are typically close to $200 while the Approach Z80 clocks in at $599.99. It is important to take note that the rangefinders found on Amazon do not compete with the new 2-D overlays implemented by Garmin that provide on-the-fly details about courses and greens.
To garner a bit more attention, Garmin has announced the Approach Z80 in conjunction with Haggin Oaks Golf Expo taking place in Sacramento, CA this weekend. There is no doubt there will be plenty of buzz throughout the event.
Garmin has released a couple of ads showcasing features. Take a look and decide for yourself if this is a product you may be interested in. If so, head over to their site and request to be notified when the Approach Z80 is available for preorder.
The Approach Z80 will be available in 5-8 weeks with an expected MSRP of $599.99.
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