Golf Apps - 2014

With the growing world of smart phones and tablets I decided to have a look at what is available for us golfers to use and enjoy. Here is a look at the latest  apps focusing on Instruction, Swing Recording and GPS.

Instruction

Gary Smith – Short Game

By iGolfApps, Price: £4.99, Platform: iPhone & Android - Being as your short game work is paramount to reducing your handicap, this app featuring Gary Smith is a must. With individual section for Bunkers, Chipping, Pitching this app contains excellent short and sharp videos with instructional explanations giving each of us something to work on during practice.

Rating 9/10 – For me a section on putting is the only area where this could be improved. Otherwise excellent value for money.  

Gary Smith – Long Game

By iGolfApps, Price: £4.99, Platform: iPhone & Android - The second Gary Smith app focuses on your long game. Similar to the short game app, it is broken down into sections containing instructional videos and tips for – Fundamentals, The Swing, Faults & Fixes, Practice and Warm up.
The app also features some case studies for High, Mid and Low handicappers so really does appeal to all golfers regardless of ability.

To finish there is also a superb section giving advice on the benefits of custom fitting when looking at a new purchase.

Rating 9.5/10 – Actually struggled to try and find an area to improve this app. Great all round videos and coaching

Tour Tempo

By Tour Tempo, Price: £14.99-£17.49 (Dependant on platform), Platform: iPhone & Android - This app can be used from beginners of the game right the way through to touring professionals. It is focusing on the tempo of your swing. It uses specific mathematical ratio regarding the elapsed time of the backswing and the elapsed time of the downswing. The Tour Tempo System is simple and easy to learn. All you do is react to three scientifically spaced musical notes. These musical notes alert you to start your takeaway, start your downswing, and then the third note lines you up with impact. It’s just that easy.

Rating 8/10 – It’s refreshing to see a different kind of golf app on the market. However the price may put some people off and is probably geared towards the more fanatic golfer.

Swing Recording

Ubersense

By Ubersense, Cost: Free, Platform: iPhone - When looking for a swing reader app there are lots out there. Not many will be able to offer what Ubersense can. Usability is great, as soon as its downloaded just start recording. Once you have recorded your swing you are able to easily trim you video to a suitable length.

Then that’s when the fun begins. Firstly you can watch your swing in 4 different speeds. 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:8 drawing lines and circles to highlight particular moments/movements during your swing.

The other great thing about this app is the ease to share your videos via Email, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox etc

You can watch videos of other amateurs and well as Pro’s and there is even a bunch of lessons thrown in too!

Rating 8/10 – Considering what this app enables you to do, and for free, just go and download it.

SwingPlane

By iGolfApps, Price: £2.49 iPhone, £2.99 iPad, Platform; iPhone & Android - What I like about this app is the option to select each individual frame after your swing has been recorded. The detail during the swing analysis really does make this app stand out. You can draw multiple ‘lines’ in different colours to highlight particular point during the swing. At the end of each line it will also tell you what angle they are at in relation to the ground.

You can also use a very smart timer feature to work on the tempo of the swing.

Rating 9/10 – Compared to free versions this app does go into a lot more depth making it excellent value for money for someone who is looking to improve their swing.

V1 Golf

By Interactive Frontiers, Price: £2.99, Platform: iPhone & Android

V1 Golf can offer what other swing recording apps can. What make this jump out to me was that it can be very handy for Pro’sThe ability to run 2 videos simultaneously next to each other is a very handy tool for pro’s – Weather it is to compare against the swing of a pro or to compare it a swing of a client from 6 months ago to view improvement.

Rating 8/10

GPS

Golfshot

Golfshot- By Shotzoom Software, Price Free (Lite)/£18.99 (Full), Platform: iPhone & Android

Great app for some free GPS. Upgraded version gives you full distances to Greens, Hazards ect with aerial view.

Can also aid you with club distances and plotting your way around a course selecting particular layup points.

Golfshot can also be used as a score tracking service allowing you to input all stats and share with your ‘Golfshot’ friends as well as sharing on social media.

Rating 6/10 – A great app, however for the £18.99-£20 (Dependent on platform) there may be better versions available.

FreeCaddie

FreeCaddie- By Mobile Software Design, Price; Free (Lite)/£2.56-£3.99 (Full), Platform: iPhone & AndroidThe Lite version gives you basic distances to Front, Back, Centre of a green and is perfect for a course you play regularly.The full version takes things on a level giving distances to doglegs, bunkers, water, greens and layup distances as well as aerial photos.

As with most app based GPS’s scoretracking is included so you can keep a track of your stats.

Rating 8/10 – Value for money is key with this app. Can do what other, more expensive apps, does just as well.

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