Looking for a decent iPhone GPS app

[LAslicer]

> @Im_A_Savage said:

> > @SnowPlow said:

> > They need to use higher quality GIS data, most of these apps rely on Google imagery which can be off. Accurate imagery is out there( very accurate) , but it comes at a price.

>

> What devices use the highly accurate imagery?

 

Unfortunately, all of the free apps are going to be this way and have the possibility to be off at times. Ground mapping is the most accurate, but you won't find that for free.

[Mfp3]

I use Golfshot, free version, decent accuracy in terms of yardage.

[colinhlau]

Been using Golfshot for a few years now. The overall layout of the app seem to suit my needs. There are free and paid versions.

[SnowPlow]

> @LAslicer said:

> > @Im_A_Savage said:

> > > @SnowPlow said:

> > > They need to use higher quality GIS data, most of these apps rely on Google imagery which can be off. Accurate imagery is out there( very accurate) , but it comes at a price.

> >

> > What devices use the highly accurate imagery?

>

> Unfortunately, all of the free apps are going to be this way and have the possibility to be off at times. Ground mapping is the most accurate, but you won't find that for free.

 

The only GPS companies that I know of that use ground data are Strackaline, GolfLogix, Skycaddie and Sonocaddie. The last one is no longer ( did they go broke?). That's why most apps on any course on any hole, throw up the exact same google picture...the others tend not to.

[Sanfran328]

I’ve used Golfshot Plus for several years after trying several other apps. It was the best for me, and at that time you could make a one time purchase for about $25. It’s easy to use and I’ve always found it to be accurate when comparing to my Leupold laser. It’s particularly helpful for yardages to bunkers or water hazards, which can be hard to read with the laser. Scorekeeping is very easy, and I haven’t used a scorecard in years.

 

My only complaint is the time it takes for the GPS to provide an accurate reading, which I think is a problem for most phone apps. When you get to your ball and open your phone, the app displays yardages immediately. But those will usually change by a few yards after about 10 seconds. I’ve learned to open my phone while I’m approaching my ball if I want to use the app for yardages.

 

I’m wondering if the apps that use ground mapping would be faster?

[LAslicer]

> I’m wondering if the apps that use ground mapping would be faster?

I don't think they will be. The map shouldn't have any affect on how fast the the yardages update, that is on the hardware. The maps are just more consistently accurate when ground mapped. A dedicated handheld GPS will give you instant yardage since they are made for that purpose. A phone just isn't made for golf so you will have a few quirks you may have to get used to if you are not trying to spend money on a dedicated golf gps device.

 

[torbill]

No reason for ground mapping to be faster. Once mapped everything is just bits in a file. It’s about the device hardware, the app and how the app and hardware work together.

 

As I said in an earlier post, I use FunGolf GPS on the latest Apple watch. It is virtually instantaneous on the watch and I am assuming that it is just as fast on the phone. I have a Bushnell laser and the Fungolf distances are very good but not always perfect. After trying out The Grint, Golfshot, Hole 19 and another one that I cannot remember I settled on FunGolf GPS, and it wasn’t even close. But... I was looking for something that worked great with the Apple Watch, not a phone, and none of the ones that I tried were anything but buggy and troublesome on the watch.

[gleung]

Golfshot, integrates with Apple watch too, so it's really handy

[leeux]

I currently use the subscription version of Golfshot. I have tried 18 Birdies before and although the yardage is not bad, it does not integrate so well with the Apple Watch and and also does not track calories etc. at the same time, which Golfshot does, as the app itself integrates with Apple's activity. If one has a nice promo code for Golfshot Plus: Golf GPS let me know, in Germany the app costs around 60 US$ which I think is really expensive. How much is it in the States?

[torbill]

> @gleung said:

> Golfshot, integrates with Apple watch too, so it's really handy

 

Yes, it does. And I tried it, and it was terrible. Distances didn’t settle in a timely manner. It was unusable for me. But that was the better part of a year ago and I have to believe that there have been updates. Have you been using it recently with an Apple watch?

 

Similarly, I tried The Grint with the Apple watch, and with it the distance often never settled. I actually contacted their technical support and they told me point blank that the watch version wasn’t usable, that they were working to get it right. Why they released a product that wasn’t usable at release it beyond me. i moved on. Presumably they have it working well now...?

 

FunGolf OTOH is like it was made for the watch (I’m sure it wasn’t, but it seems that way). It is instant in its readout of distances, it is quite accurate versus my Bushnell (not perfect), the top down display of the hole is beautiful and shows all hazards, you can get yardages to any point on the hole. Tag Hauer took it over, and I don’t know the cost, but I think that it is more expensive than when I bought my subscription.

 

 

[jmgledhill]

I've been using Golf Pad on android for the same use case. I've never used any of the score keeping stuff, etc. but the hole maps work well. You can touch the map to get a distance from the tee or help with blind shots on par 5s.

[gleung]

> @torbill said:

> > @gleung said:

> > Golfshot, integrates with Apple watch too, so it's really handy

>

> Yes, it does. And I tried it, and it was terrible. Distances didn’t settle in a timely manner. It was unusable for me. But that was the better part of a year ago and I have to believe that there have been updates. Have you been using it recently with an Apple watch?

>

> Similarly, I tried The Grint with the Apple watch, and with it the distance often never settled. I actually contacted their technical support and they told me point blank that the watch version wasn’t usable, that they were working to get it right. Why they released a product that wasn’t usable at release it beyond me. i moved on. Presumably they have it working well now...?

>

> FunGolf OTOH is like it was made for the watch (I’m sure it wasn’t, but it seems that way). It is instant in its readout of distances, it is quite accurate versus my Bushnell (not perfect), the top down display of the hole is beautiful and shows all hazards, you can get yardages to any point on the hole. Tag Hauer took it over, and I don’t know the cost, but I think that it is more expensive than when I bought my subscription.

>

>

 

I'm using it with the series 4 Apple Watch (with latest software update, etc.), and it works great. When it first came out, it never worked, but it's pretty good these days.