There normally comes a time when every golfer will start to take the game more seriously – whether they care to admit it or not. Golf is addictive and although when you start out you’re really just focused on trying to make contact with a little white ball and get it airborne, it doesn’t take long before you have bigger goals.
One sign that you’ve transitioned from casual golfer to a more serious and frequent player is when you invest in a golf GPS. Now that you’re striking the ball more cleanly and with greater consistency, you want to know exactly how far you have to the pin or the nearest hazard.
No matter what level you are playing at, or how accomplished a player you are, a golf GPS device is a ‘must have’. Not only can they help you to improve your course management and shoot lower scores, they can be used to track your performance and identify your strengths and weaknesses. It’s no exaggeration to say that a GPS such as Golfshot can act as both your caddie and your coach.
Most golfers know the benefits that come with owning a golf GPS device. However, with so many different types on the market, including golf GPS watches, golf laser rangefinders, and golf GPS handhelds, it can be difficult knowing which one is right for you.
It’s no surprise that golf GPS apps have also become so popular. Given that most of us carry our phones everywhere and we’re well-accustomed to glancing at them every few minutes, it makes sense that golfers have taken to downloading apps to get their yardages.
When it comes to the best golf GPS apps on the market, Golfshot, which is one of the most feature-packed out there, certainly enters the conversation. This is a product that tracked over 57 million shots in 2023 and played a combined 24 million hours of golf. It’s no ordinary GPS, although the beauty of Golfshot is that if you wish to trial the app first and see how your game progresses, there's a free version – a really good one.
Golfshot Versus Golfshot Pro
Let’s say you’re that golfer who’s just started playing. At this stage, you’re just getting used to how far you hit each club and the yardage markers on the course give you that approximate distance to the pin that you need.
Before long, however, as you game improves, you find yourself wanting more precise yardages – and maybe a few of those features your golfing partners keep going on about! It’s time to download Golfshot.
The free version of this app is by no means basic. As well as giving you yardages, you can track and record each shot and club that you use and build up an impressive list of statistics to help you to understand your own game better, so you have a clearer idea of what you might need to work on in order to improve.
With 3D hole and course flyover previews, strokeplay and Stableford scoring, and access to GolfNow tee times, it’s a fairly comprehensive app – just a little less so compared to Golfshot Pro.
Now we’re talking ‘next level’, with an array of powerful extra features: real-time distances to all key hazards/targets on each hole on over 40,000 courses; on-the-spot club recommendations based on game performance; dynamic 3D flyover previews of each hole with club recommendation overlays; and zoom in and pan targets for better course management.
In addition, you can even link your own GHIN Number and post scores right to your handicap index – plus you can make some tidy savings with Golfshot's partners, including GolfNow, GolfTEC and Cut Golf. Right now, for example, you could get $20 off your first GolfNow tee time when booking through Golfshot. As a Golfshot user, further tee time discounts are available, too, which means you can soon cover the cost of the subscription.
With a number of exciting new features on the way (keep your eye on the Golfshot website for updates), the $69.99/year subscription is worth every cent. After all, a new driver could cost you $600 and isn’t guaranteed to improve your game. The Golfshot app, however, gives you all the tools you need to make improvements on the range and on the course.
