Best Golf Apps For iPhone
Golf has moved on so much in recent years and the technology we see in equipment, clothing and shoes has translated into the apps we can now get to accompany our golf. Not long ago, best golf rangefinders of best golf watches were a luxury item. Nowadays you can get course yardages straight to your smartphone for free.
GPS apps have become incredibly popular over the last ten years and there are lots of them on the App Store. We've selected a handful of our favorites below, some free and some paid for and all we know are accurate and genuinely helpful out on course. We've also included some of our favorite golf games available on the iOS devices as well as some great utility apps such as the PGA Tour app and the official England Golf app for those living in the UK.
Check out our comprehensive list below and if we've missed any out that you think are worth mentioning, get in touch with Golf Monthly on Twitter or Facebook.
Apple once again leads the phone world with its top-tier iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Building on last year's Pro Max, this model features improved cameras, a larger battery and a long-await 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Apple still equips it with a might chipset too, and the latest version of iOS so you can enjoy all of the App Store's many apps to their fullest. That means the best golf apps for iPhone are at their very best on this phone. Check out some other deals on iPhones below...
Best Golf Apps For iPhone
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Price: Free
Golf’s first Artificial Intelligence platform, the Arccos Caddie app syncs with Arccos Caddie sensors to automatically track your shots while delivering Smart Distance club averages and game insights. The system also includes an A.I. powered GPS rangefinder and caddie advice for any hole on earth to help golfers of all skill levels make smarter decisions, improve faster and shoot lower scores.
You'll need a set of Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors to use this app, but once they are paired up you should quickly see how much A. I. and data can help you work on your golf game and see where you can improve.
Price: Free
You've tried lessons, podcasts, books, YouTube, and self-teaching. It's now time to work on the most important factor that has more impact than any swing mechanic. Your mind. Learn how your mind and the ability to control it leads to more consistent golf as used by major winning PGA Tour players from the man who coaches them, Karl Morris.
With practical lessons and by filling out a personal golf journal, the app aims to help the mental side of your game immediately Start your 14-day free trial with the app and begin your journey to a better mind for golf.
Price: Free
VPAR is the go-to app for live scoring, GPS for 30,000 courses, stat tracking and challenges. The app allows you to set up live leaderboards and tournaments with your friends, a brilliant feature that can enhance your weekly roll-up or society and, in this day and age, is a great solution from having to handle and swap a scorecard.
It also allows you to track your stats like driving accuracy, greens in regulation and putts to help you gauge what part of your game needs improving. This is the must app for any day out with a group of friends. We liked it so much we also added it to our list of the best golf GPS apps too.
Price: Free
Established in 1911, Golf Monthly is the UK's leading multi-platform golf media brand and with our app you can stay up to date with all of our content whether it be from our prestigious magazine or our ever-expanding online presence.
Gear and course reviews, interviews with the worlds best, and instruction tips from professionals and coaches alike, our app gives access to it all. You can also buy our latest issues in digital versions along with issues from our archive.
Price: Free
This app provides England Golf members and iGolf subscribers access to their full WHS profile, friends' activity and relevant golfing notifications.
MyEG features the ability to monitor and view your handicap index, see scores counting towards your Handicap Index, follow your friends with peer review of golfing score history and receive notifications such as handicap updates, friends' activity and general updates and offers from England Golf.
Price: $7
The app that allows you to track your ball flight just like you see on the TV. The company say it’s the the ‘fastest growing sports app in 20 countries around the world’, and Greg Norman recently became an investor.
Features include a fully automatic tracker on your ball, swing comparison and a new distance pop-up feature. It provides total distance information once the ball has landed, and tracer reaches the landing spot.
Price: Free
All your scores in one place and a great all-round addition to your golfing gadgets. This looks after score keeping, yardages, stats and checking out courses in advance and it will cost you nothing.
The furthest most of us get after a round is to make a note of how many putts we take - now it’s all there in front of us to know where the real good and bad bits of our game are.
Price: Free
One of the most popular golf games on iPhone, Golf Clash has nearly 2 million reviews of its live, multiplayer golf game. Tee off on beautiful courses against players around the world, as you compete in tournaments, 1v1 golf games and challenge your Facebook friends!
Upgrade your clubs and unlock tours as you master your golfing skills, in the quest to be the Golf Clash champion. It's easy to learn but difficult to master.
Price: Free
This can only be used with Toptracer-enabled driving ranges which, if you haven’t experienced before, make practicing so much more enjoyable.
Here you get ball-tracking technology, tackle a variety of courses and give your game a thorough work-out without it feeling like hard work. With this app you can take your stats to another level by tracking your shot history by club and see how your scores compare to other leaderboards.
Price: Free
The official PGA Tour app, provides schedules, live leaderboard, video highlights from tournaments and player stats. If you're unfamiliar with a certain course, the app offers a course profile with images of each given hole.
You can swipe through the round and select any individual hole from the course. Finally, you can keep a tab on your favorite player by accessing their scorecard from any of the rounds.
Price: Free
If you do have a Shotscope device this app is a great accompaniment as it allows you to upload your performance data using your phone and view your stats wherever you are.
Simply download the app, login, connect and upload your performance data. You don't need your phone to track your game, just play uninterrupted and enjoy your data in the palm of your hand after you're finished.
Price: Free
With V1 you can capture, compare and improve your golf swing! You can record and analyze your swing by comparing it side-by side with a model professional swing. You can also use to app to send your swing to a PGA professional.
In return, they will send you a swing too and provide analysis on ways you can improve. It also includes drawing tools, playback option and game improvement drills.
Price: Free
Motocaddy’s free GPS app has over 40,000 courses loaded in and gives precise GPS yardages to the front, middle and back of the greens. It has an extensive list of features which includes overhead course maps which includes yardages and shot measurements. Golfers can also use a Shot Planning option that enables you to see distances to any target. The local course search allows players to select their chosen course and move between holes with real ease.
The latest version has been redesigned and now includes a host of visual and user enhancements, lifesaving AED & CPR features (available in the UK & Ireland only), plus statistical tracking to help golfers gain insight into their game.
Price: Free
The official R&A app provides an official interpretation of the Rules of Golf from the game’s ruling body. It offers clear answers to many practical problems you can encounter while out on the course and videos of familiar situations that you find yourselves in.
This is free and is one of the best golf apps for iPhone because it includes everything from what happens when two balls are lost in a lateral water hazard or if your opponent has played your ball by mistake. Whatever mess you get yourself in this app should at least be able to get you going again. And when you’re not out on the course you can enjoy the quiz – it’s now available in more than 10 languages.
Price: Free
Join almost million other golfers using Golf GameBook to keep track of your scores and to improve your game. Collect statistics, analyze your game, arrange tournaments and follow your friends on course. With GPS maps you can plan & measure your shots.
Golf’s GameBook provides a digital scorecard which makes live scoring enjoyable and sociable. It does all the maths for you and collects your personal golfing stats. Another feature of the app is that you can share your memorable moments from the course with your own golfing community. It has an international user base in over 100 countries.
How we test golf apps
When it comes to product testing, our reviews and buyers' guides are built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team. Product reviews on golf applications are carried out by all members of the Golf Monthly team. All of our writers are able to efficiently test the vast majority of the biggest product releases while conveying the pros and cons of each item eloquently. Getting into specifics, we test golf applications outdoors on premium golf courses with premium devices to get a thorough understanding on what features each application offers.
Ultimately, we aim to be as insightful and honest as possible in our reviews, so it is important to acknowledge that no manufacturer can buy a good review. This is because our team tells it how it is. To learn more about our testing methodology, see our guide on how Golf Monthly tests products.
What to consider when downloading a golf app
Golf apps come in all different types, so it can be hard to figure out which app you need to help you improve your performance on the course. We've set out a few things to consider when downloading a golf app.
1. Price
A lot of golf apps can cost money and some even operate via a subscription payments system. Some don't come cheap either, so it's always wise to check on the price of the application you're downloading and whether the features it can provide you are of sound quality.
2. Pairing with hardware
You may often want to link a certain app up to a piece of hardwear you have, like a launch monitor or a GPS Watch. It's always wise to check the compatibility of that device to the application you're downloading before you go ahead and download the app. Its also important to make sure that you know what hardware you need to buy before you download an app to use it correctly.
3. Data and battery usage
Some apps can chew through a lot of your data and battery life on the course. That can often be a pain if you need to use your phone after your round or don't always have a lot of data to play with. For that reason, it's good to check with each app how much data and battery life they use before you download them.
4. Course coverage
If you're looking for an app that will provide you with GPS views of the course and hole you are playing, then make sure to check how many golf courses that app covers and whether it covers golf courses in your country. While some apps profess to give GPS locations on thousands of courses around the world, they can sometimes miss a few out. So be sure to check the coverage of the GPS on the app and its reliability.
For more information on golf GPS technology and equipment, take a look at our guides on the best golf watches, best golf launch monitors, and best golf GPS apps.
FAQs
Do professional golfers use golf apps?
Yes, many use them in practice to help them analyze their swing, the distance they are hitting the golf ball and generally how they can improve their game. They tend to use them alongside hardwear like golf launch monitors and gps apps to provide them with precise game-improvement data about their game.
Are you allowed to use your phone during a round of golf?
Yes! The PGA Tour of America recently brought in new laws that allow players to use their mobile phones during their rounds.
Can I calculate my handicap using a golf app?
There are a variety of applications that you can use to calculate your handicap with. For a more reliable handicap reading though, it's best to consult a club professional who can calculate it for you.
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