Golf apps have improved a lot over the past few years and now are starting to rival some of the golf GPS units on the market. There are lots to pick from and some should be avoided at all costs because they’re so far off in terms of accuracy that it’s not worth it.
Here are the top golf apps for Android & iPhone:
- 18Birdies.
- SwingU Golf GPS.
- GolfShot.
- USGA rules of golf.
- Zepp swing analyzer.
- Golf Pad.
- GolfLogix.
Those are my current favorites. All of them are available for both Android & iPhone and all of them are free. Some have an upgraded option with more features that’s actually pretty cheap. Continue reading to find out more about each of them.
If you’d like to enter into our golf giveaway all you have to do is subscribe to our YouTube channel, like the video and comment “giveaway”.
#7: USGA Rules App
This is the best app if you need to find out all the rule changes on the course.
You probably have that one buddy who acts like they’re on tour and have to follow every single rule out there and this can get you prepped.
It’s pretty good because it’s easy to navigate to pretty much any rule and it also comes with video explanations.
It’s free on both IOS and Android.
Pros
- It’s incredibly easy to pull out your phone and check a rule.
- It’s easy to understand for everyone.
- It has video and text explanations.
Cons
- Some of the rules have to be opened in a web browser and won’t work if you don’t have an internet connection.
#6: Zepp Golf
This is a pretty cool app if you’re looking to record your swing and get some feedback on how to make it better.
The free app can record your swing, make videos, has a scorecard, and has the Smart Coach Training System.
If you have an Apple Watch you can get real-time swing metrics and track your swing on the course and range.
Pros
- You can draw the ball flight line on your videos.
- The video recording works much better than the normal phone camera.
- The training system is pretty helpful in it.
Cons
- You have to pay for a watch or the sensors to get all of the swing tracking features.
- It doesn’t come with the GPS feature.
Here’s a video review of the app & sensors (the app is free with limited features):
#5: Golf Pad
This is another great golf app that tracks your shots, can be used as a scorecard, and will give you the distance to anywhere on the course.
My favorite feature is that it’ll track your club distances and recommend which club to hit (hit a soft approach wedge shot, for example).
You can also review your round after to see where each of your shots went.
Pros
- It’ll keep track of putts, fairways in regulation, and other stats.
- You can watch your progress over time and see how you’re improving.
Cons
- They only have the club selection feature on the Apple Watch.
- The yardage for tracking your shots is off by about 6-7 yards on average.
Here’s a video review of the app with a watch (which you don’t need):
#4: GolfLogix
If you struggle with the greens then this app could be the solution for you.
I prefer other apps for the GPS part but this one will actually show you the best place to hit the ball on the green and then how the green will break and where to aim.
You can try it for free on your next 2 rounds then it’s around $10 per month or you can just watch the video ads to access the features.
Pros
- It has info on over 35,000 courses around the world (check their site).
- It’ll show you elevation changes on the green and where to aim.
Cons
- Most of the features are paid or you have to watch a bunch of video ads.
- The GPS isn’t as good and user-friendly as some of the others.
Here’s a video review of the app:
#3: Golfshot
This is one of my favorite golf apps because it’s both user-friendly and offers a lot of info.
The free option will give you the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green and lets you input info to keep track of your shots.
The paid option is pretty reasonable ($39/yr) and will give you the distance to all targets and will give you club recommendations based on where you’re at.
Pros
- It has all of the basic features you’d be looking for with the free plan.
- The app is clean and pretty easy to use.
- The paid option has a lot of tracking features and info.
Cons
- It can sometimes glitch and crash or sometimes the yardages were pretty far off.
- You have to pay to access most of the good features.
Here’s a video review of the app:
#2: SwingU Golf GPS
This is probably my favorite paid golf app but it also comes in a free version as well that gives the basic info you’d need.
The free app will give you the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green as well as other hazards and has a scorecard.
The paid version is $4 per month and will show you the real-time wind speed, elevation, plays like, and club recommendations.
Pros
- It’s super simple to set up and use.
- The yardages were closer and more consistent than most of the others.
- It has every course I go to.
Cons
- It can sometimes have trouble locating me (that’s the case with most though).
- The interface of the app can be a little bit clunky at times but it’s manageable.
Here’s a video review of the app:
#1: 18birdies
This is currently my favorite free app because I think it’s built the best (not the easiest) and seems to be the most consistent when it comes to accuracy.
The free version will give you distances to any point on the course, you can book tee-times through the app, and track greens/fairways in regulation.
The paid version ($5/month) will give you advanced GPS info like elevation and will track your clubs and tell you what club to hit.
Pros
- You can track your shots based on distance and shape with the free option.
- The free option has video training.
- Every course I normally go to was on it.
Cons
- You have to input a lot of things where some of the golf watches do it automatically.
- You have to navigate through a lot of fluff on the free version (join the premium, share this, take a tour, etc).
Here’s a video review of the app:
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
Looking to get some new golf gear? Click here to check out our recommended gear page to see the stuff we’re recommending and the cheapest place to get them.
