The Apple Watch is one of the most popular wearable tech devices in the world. One of the best ways to use your Apple Watch out on course is through the use of a great golf app. Whether it's automatic shot tracking or to give you GPS yardages, there are loads of ways to use your Apple Watch to its fullest on the golf course and, in this handy guide, we've explained how golfers can get the most out of their Apple watch.
You can also check out our guide on the best golf apps for iPhones if you don't have an Apple Watch, which also features some of the best golf games you can enjoy. Alternatively, if you're after even more reliable yardages out on course, check out our guide on the best golf rangefinders or best golf GPS devices and best golf watches.
Best Golf Apps For Apple Watch
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The Apple Watch Series 9 has the most powerful chip in an Apple Watch ever, with the large, visible screen making it a delight to use when on, or away, from the golf course. Having honed its expertise in touch-screen phones over decades, it features the same flawless display, vibrant colors and fantastic brightness and is a market-leader in this category.
Golf-wise, there are plenty of apps to download that offer automatic shot-tracking or GPS yardages, and loads of ways to use your Apple Watch to its fullest on the golf course. (See how it did in our Garmin vs Apple Watch golf test too by the way).
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. You'll need a set of Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors to use this app but, once they are paired up, it will make an excellent addition to your game as you look to save shots on the course.
In regards to using this app on your Apple Watch, it is a breeze as the watch will automatically detect each shot. It will then also display a front, middle and back yardage to the green ahead, as well as suggest which club you should hit for your next shot.
Price: Free
Hole 19 allows you to store your scores in one place and is a great all-round addition to your golfing gadgets. Not only does this look after score keeping, yardages and stats, but you can check out courses in advance with it costing you nothing.
Not only is it simple to work on your iPhone, but also simple to use on your Apple Watch, as Hole 19 provides clear and accurate yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as allowing you to score and measure how far each of your shots go.
Price: Free
The TAG Heuer Golf App is an impressive bit of kit that tracks your rounds and offers you the chance to get a 3D flyover of the thousands of courses available. Importantly, it’s easy to use and you can get yardages to the green and any trouble on the hole.
Along with real-time club recommendations, there is also the ability to get definitive feedback on your shot distances so, when you crunch a drive, you can quickly work out exactly how far you’ve just hit it. Like other golf apps, there is the option to upgrade to premium, which allows you to enjoy on-device scoring and keep the scores of four of your golfing pals.
Price: $99.99
The Golfshot app now features a one-off purchase price to use all its features. Golfshot brings to you Auto Shot Tracking with Apple Watch. The app automatically tracks every shot you take, providing a more seamless experience complete with flyover review of each hole.
Get the most comprehensive and powerful set of GPS features to play your best golf while managing your game all in one place. Enjoy real-time distances to the green, hazards and targets on over 40,000 courses worldwide, along with rich scoring and shot tracking, detailed statistics, entire course flyover previews and club recommendations.
How we test golf apps
When it comes to product testing, our procedure is rigorous and built upon 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.
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 its 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.
Pairing with hardware
You may often want to link a certain app up to a piece of hardware 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. It's also important to make sure that you know what hardware you need to buy before you download an app to use it correctly.
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.
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 budget golf rangefinders, best golf launch monitors, and best Garmin golf watches.
FAQs
Are golf apps worth it?
Depending on the app you're downloading, they can be seriously worth it and can help players with strategy, distances and recording scores. Sometimes apps can be expensive though, so only use them if they meet your needs as a golfer.
Can you record your score on a golf smartwatch?
Yes! Most smartwatches with golf apps installed will record your score and calculate it relative to your handicap. They can also show you stock yardages of your clubs, map out each shot you've played, and help you figure out how far away from the green you are.
Is it annoying to wear a smart watch and play golf?
Some golfers can find having things like smart watches attached to their wrists while they play a little annoying. But for many, playing with a smartwatch is not annoying at all, in fact, the benefits these watches can offer can really help a player boost their performance on the course.
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