Try a golf app to get the most from your game

BY

Kerry Keith
The Friday Flyer Columnist

Enjoy a whole new golf experience that will improve your game and master the course with many applications available to you on your smartphone.

• Golfshot GPS: This app offers aerial views of each hole that lets you preview each tee with over 500,000 greens, including the golf course right here in Canyon Lake. It provides distance to the center of the green, ability to zoom in on detailed satellite imagery of each course, easy-to-use scorecard for you and your group, provides statistics of your game, greens in regulation (GIR), and putt per hole. This app requires GPS and is free.
• Golf GPS & Scorecard by Swing: This app not only can help you find ranges close to you, it tracks scores and shows you hole data like wind speed, elevation change, “plays like” distance, and club recommendations. It’s one of the only trackers that offers the ability to work with every course in the world.

High contrast buttons make it easy to see in direct sunlight and a simple scorecard lets you easily add your friends to your round and set up your game. Plus it’s the only app with Pebble Watch integration. This app requires GPS and is free.

• The ZeppTM Golf Swing Analyzer: This app works by attaching the ZeppTM sensor to any golf glove using their mount. It will replay your swing on your smartphone in 360-degrees angels to help identify your strengths and weaknesses and offers helpful tips to improve your swing dynamics. The never-ending quest to perfect that swing gets a little easier when you throw a smartphone and mobile technology into the mix. The app is free. The Analyzer is $129.99 to $149.99.
• Swingbot: This app focuses more on coaching than just providing feedback and tips. It offers a fast and easy PGA Master Professional golf lesson by simply uploading a video of your swing to your smartphone. It’s the perfect tool for fine tuning the mechanical aspects of your game, with combining image analysis and instructor commentary.

One of the most unique features is that you can sync and pair several devices in order to capture your swing from multiple angles. It also offers the ability to buy lessons via in-app purchase from coaches on how to improve your game. The cost is $3.99.

• V1 Golf: This is also a swing analysis tool, but comes loaded with access to the swings of over 50 professional PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players. You record your swing right in the app; once submitted, it gets analyzed by a V1 instructor so you get real feedback on how to improve your game. It also saves your swings so you can go back and compare whenever you’d like. The cost is $7.99.
• The Grint: This is a score tracking app that allows you to keep score for you and your group, and gives the option of competing against other app users’ scores in real time. With live leaderboards updating constantly, you’ll never again be faced with the challenge of not having someone to play with. It offers a few in-depth features that may make it a better option for some golfers. In-app purchases include features such as a range-finding feature, scorecard transcription, pin distances and more. This app is free.
• Caddio: Allows you to share and receive knowledge of your local golf course with like-minded golfers. When it comes to getting the best advice on courses, tips from someone who knows it well is invaluable. It’s a crowd-sourced golfing app that lets you view and share information on courses.

If you’re trying out a course for the first time, see what other golfers have to say about certain holes and greens. If you find a water hazard or sand trap other golfers should steer clear of, you can share that info as well. This app is free.

• iPING Putter: Putting accounts for a large percentage of score in a round of golf. This app will help you become a more consistent putter by analyzing your stroke type, impact angel and tempo. The next time your golf game is riding on a putt on the 18th hole, make sure you find the bottom of the cup using the lessons learned on this app.

With the use of an apparatus known as the Ping Cradle, your smartphone attaches directly to your putter to calculate and track your putting handicap. Within seconds of hitting a few putts, the app will give you immediate feedback to help improve your consistency. The app is free; Ping Cradle cost is $14.95 to $29.99.

• Golf Rules (Quick Reference 2012-2015). One of the only things harder than keeping track of all those swings is keeping track of all those rules. This app promises answers to your rule questions in a matter of seconds and provides resolutions to any on-course disputes; and an interactive tool called a Relief Finder tells you if you really deserve that free drop. This digital reference helps you get a handle on the rules, including any recent changes. The cost is $9.99.