Game Changers
Best Golf Apps for Avid Golfers
By Kris Hart, PGA
Published on
If you are an avid golfer like me, finding golf apps that can help your game or entertain you while not distracting you on the course or drain your battery can be a challenge. Personally, if I am playing a competitive stroke play round, I like to leave my phone in the car to avoid calls and other distractions which can hurt my game. There are so many golf apps on the market these days but wanted to highlight a few of the best apps for avid golfers and the app features which I like most.
- Golfshot – Course Flyover Feature – Being one of the most comprehensive GPS apps on the market, Golfshot provides some pretty impressive course flyover maps which can help golfers to see the hole, and to also view any penalty areas or bunkers that can affect your shots. If I'm mapping out a new course for a competitive round of golf, this app gives me a better insight on the course since most golf course websites may just have some small pictures of the holes without good features.
- USGA Rules of Golf – Rules picture feature – The Rules of Golf changed dramatically in 2019. Since most people do not carry a copy of the rule book in their golf bag, this app can help you if you are in a competitive round on the course and there is a rules dispute. Any avid golfer should have the USGA Rules of Golf App.
- PGA Tour – Favorite Player Feature – As a golf fan, the PGA Tour app is awesome to follow the action live each week on tour. I enjoy their favorite player star feature where you can mark your favorite players and their scores show up on top of the leaderboard. This feature is especially helpful if you have a fantasy golf team.
- The Grint – Handicap Tracking – If you are an avid golfer who does not keep your handicap with GHIN through your state golf association, The Grint has a great handicapping feature so you can track your scores and your handicap. If you have a GHIN handicap, GolfShot mentioned above could be a good option since they have an integration with GHIN.
- World Golf Tour – Real courses feature – If you are an avid golfer looking for a little fun and entertainment, the World Golf Tour app is pretty cool. I’m not a big gamer and did not like the app when I first downloaded it since it takes time to “unlock” courses and clubs, but once you play it for a bit it is fun. I really like that you can play courses like Bandon Dunes, Kiawah, and Merion since I have never seen those courses in person and find it interesting to see the holes.
- 18Birdies – Social feature – If you are traveling to a new city or want to find new golf friends in your area, 18Birdies has awesome social features so you can meet golfers in your area and better connect with other players. This app really helps golfers better engage and improve the golf experience.