The best golf apps for iPhone and Android: 8 best in 2023

With over 31,000 courses worldwide included in its database, Golph is one of the most accessible apps – they want to make it easy for anyone to golf. What does that mean, exactly? The app takes most of the legwork off the players, allowing you to see stats like distance to the hole, scores, wind and club suggestions, and much more. It’s intuitive and intelligent, so you can focus on your game. It allows you to see your location on the course, as well, with GPS integrated seamlessly with Apple Maps. GPS accuracy is phenomenal, allowing you to see the distance to bunkers, pins, holes, and other elements at any time. Even if you’re on another fairway, you can see information for other holes – including how far you are.

One of the most interesting features is the clubhouse, where users can chat with one another on or off the course. Plus, the exclusive “Golph Channels” add yet another layer of community features similar to forums, and acting as social hubs. Anyone can join a channel and engage with members, with options for new golfers, seasoned players, swinging and club tips, or anything you’d want to talk about that’s golf-related. With the community features, the player support, and the scorecard it makes Golph an indispensable app for players of all skill levels. The app is free to download on iOS (App Store), meanwhile, the GPS feature is $3 per month, but it’s by far one of the cheapest options out there today. All the clubhouse and social features are free to use, with no subscription required.

If you’re a member of a golf association, then you probably keep a pretty close eye on your handicap. If your association uses GHIN services, then the GHIN app is a must-download. It keeps track of all of your stats that inform your handicap, including your scores, number of putts, and accuracy, but also offers a number of other handy features as well. You can access course maps and GPS, keep track of group scores, and look up the stats for individual golfers as well. There’s a one-time upgrade cost for enhanced GPS for $50, but nothing else in the app needs to be paid for, making this a real bargain. Keep in mind you can only use this if your association uses GHIN, though.

Alright, so this won’t help you with your swing or keep track of your scorecard, but if you want to stay abreast of the rest of the world of golf, then the official USGA app is the way to go. The USGA app keeps track of the latest news and action from every 2023 USGA championship, including the U.S. Open and amateur championships. Create customized leaderboards, watch live tournaments, keep your e-tickets, and stay updated with the latest tee times.

This free app is a solid GPS rangefinder with thousands of golf courses in its database. It will help you with distances to the green on every hole and highlight obstacles to avoid with satellite imagery. It also works as a digital scorecard and keeps track of your handicap. If you want extras like wind speed and club recommendations, you can subscribe for $10/month, with the Premium subscription starting at $14/month.

There’s also support for the Apple Watch, allowing you to check distances, pars, and scores on your wrist. SwingU Versus, an integrated strokes gained analysis system available to Premium subscribers only, tracks and analyzes every facet of your game. The app also makes tour-level stats available to Premium subscribers. It’s also now easier to see your rounds and handicap in a single view in the Performance Tab. You can now enter scores with the Versus scorecard, while an added graph displays your average distance to the hole for every approach shot for a single round.

The 19th hole is usually a bar you retire to after a round of golf, but in this case, it’s a handy free app packed with useful features. There is a solid GPS rangefinder, digital scorecard, performance statistics tracking, and the option to check out tee times, find discounts, and book a round on many courses. With a nice, clean interface, the ability to chart your progress, and a lively community, this is a golf app that’s worth checking out. It also supports the Apple Watch, and you can subscribe to unlock more features.

It features a shot tracker for premium pro members, so you can now track individual shots throughout your round to gain advanced club statistics. Golf news is now included in the app, while a new home screen serves as a front page for the latest headlines from the Tour and content from the best instructors. The Handicap Calculator helps you calculate and receive a more accurate handicap that enables competition with all skill levels.

If you just want a relatively no-frills digital scorecard that calculates scores, handicaps, and stats for up to five players, then this app will suit you. It offers satellite images and GPS to help you calculate distances, and it supports side games, but mainly it’s about tracking your strokes. You can also use it to analyze stats or rounds and share them with friends. It supports the new World Handicap System, gross scores in the stats, the ability to view full-round stats in the premium version, a modified Stableford side game, a Pars side game, and the ability to import rounds recorded by friends to your own account. Slope and course ratings are also displayed when selecting tees.