GPS Apps Popular Among Amateur Golfers

Golf is a very challenging sport. Although it doesn’t come with the same energy as, say, basketball, football or hockey, men and women spend decades improving their game. This explains the popularity of golf apps. Some GPS device manufacturers, such as Garmin, offer wearable GPS technology dedicated to providing golf statistics and improving your game. However, the more popular option are golf apps which can be downloaded on a smartphone and use the built-in GPS technology of the phone.  

Amateur golfers have been downloading these apps left and right, but you won’t find any in a professional golf tournament, other than in the hands of spectators. This is because GPS apps aren’t allowed in pro tournaments. Pros use their caddies for statistics and advice. “I’m a player who believes in the dialogue I have with my caddie, to confer and ultimately provide reinforcement to commit and trust each shot,” wrote pro golfer Zach Johnson in an interview with FORBES. “Damon and I have become so comfortable over nine years and developed routines that I wouldn’t want to lose that.” However, when Johnson doesn’t have his caddie by his side, he uses GolfLogix, which was recently the top rated free sports app in Apple’s App Store.

Since 2003, the PGA Tour provides pro golfers’ advanced statistics through a program called ShotLink. Johnson, like many pros, waits to review his statistics until the end of the year. “Otherwise, it can be too much to understand and utilize and turn into a negative if we can’t distill it into something we can use to improve,” he explains. Still, for amateurs, the stakes are not as high and immediate feedback can be very useful. Amateur golfers don’t have a caddie with years of experience to lean on, but they might just have the next best thing. In fact, in some ways, the golf apps can give amateurs an edge over pros.

GPS Apps Popular Among Amateur Golfers