Best golf rangefinder for smartphone?

[gopherguts]

Lots of great info guys. Thanks.

For the last 5 years or so I've been using a rangefinder. Right now I've got a Bushnell Z6. Works great and I prefer it to a GPS EXCEPT for things I cannot see such as, a bunker in the driving area just off the fairway, water crossing the fairway at XXX yards, etc.

So, on STRANGE courses it would be most helpful to know these yardages to specific targets.

But I'm a bit confused about using "data". I typically do NOT use ANY data as I have no use for accessing the internet unless I'm home. And then, of course, I have a computer to do it. Further I intend to use one of these apps in Thailand when I go in November and I'm not sure what kind of quality internet wi-fi I would have via my phone even if I DID purchase data.

I notice there are apps that "download" the course to your phone but IF you use the "zoom" feature, then it has to access the internet and therefore use data.

I also stumbled on one of the apps "sold(?)" via Google Play that indicates the app is NOT PERMITTED to download the course as that is against Google's TOS. So one turns on the unit, USE DATA/INTERNET to locate the course, and the course is (I suppose) [u]temporarily[/u] downloaded for use - and next time you play the same course you have to do it again.

So do all/any of the apps show a map of the hole and the distance to targets such as hazards, end of fairway, etc on a "small" map of the hole ? So there's no need to"zoom in" ?

If it doesn't show a small map of the hole, what [u]does[/u] a particular app show ? Does it at least list yardages to hazards, end of fairway, and such ? Or does it list yardage to front, middle and back only ?

TIA

[chas521]

I have Golfshot Classic on my Android phone as a back up to my Garmin G5 - just in case. It lets me download courses from all over the world. However, I only have Long Island, NY courses on it because that's all I usually play. I used WiFi to download those courses so there was no charge. There is an aerial view that I'm pretty sure doesn't use data because you already downloaded it. But, as you say, zooming in does use data. There's also a yardage choice [I think it's called] that only shows the numbers to certain objects and thus no data is used since it's only using the internal GPS chip. Bad thing is it was $30 - if you can still find it.


FYI, you might want to do Google search for golfshot classic apk. Piece of advice, just do a anti-virus check on it before you install it to your Android phone.

[High Plains Driver]

When playing a new/unfamiliar course, I use the free GolfLogix app on my iPhone in addition to my V3 laser.

[golferguywhcc]

I prefer Hole 19. To me it is the simplest and you can find yardages to everything on that hole. Most others charge you but this one is completely free. It also has most small courses and you can request for them to map one of they haven't already

[BlackDiamondPar5]

[quote name='gopherguts' timestamp='1441942065' post='12297564']
Lots of great info guys. Thanks.

For the last 5 years or so I've been using a rangefinder. Right now I've got a Bushnell Z6. Works great and I prefer it to a GPS EXCEPT for things I cannot see such as, a bunker in the driving area just off the fairway, water crossing the fairway at XXX yards, etc.

So, on STRANGE courses it would be most helpful to know these yardages to specific targets.

But I'm a bit confused about using "data". I typically do NOT use ANY data as I have no use for accessing the internet unless I'm home. And then, of course, I have a computer to do it. Further I intend to use one of these apps in Thailand when I go in November and I'm not sure what kind of quality internet wi-fi I would have via my phone even if I DID purchase data.

I notice there are apps that "download" the course to your phone but IF you use the "zoom" feature, then it has to access the internet and therefore use data.

I also stumbled on one of the apps "sold(?)" via Google Play that indicates the app is NOT PERMITTED to download the course as that is against Google's TOS. So one turns on the unit, USE DATA/INTERNET to locate the course, and the course is (I suppose) [u]temporarily[/u] downloaded for use - and next time you play the same course you have to do it again.

So do all/any of the apps show a map of the hole and the distance to targets such as hazards, end of fairway, etc on a "small" map of the hole ? So there's no need to"zoom in" ?

If it doesn't show a small map of the hole, what [u]does[/u] a particular app show ? Does it at least list yardages to hazards, end of fairway, and such ? Or does it list yardage to front, middle and back only ?

TIA
[/quote]

GolfLogix for Android shows hole view without using data, but there is a BIG CAVEAT. You must start the app and select the starting hole while connected to the Internet, such as while on wifi at the hotel. Then you must leave it running while traveling to the course.

[SwooshLT]

Swing by swing.....no course to download, keeps detailed stats and gives wind speed/elevation for a small fee.....

[presidio]

gopherguts, if you have a GSM phone, AT&T or T-Mobile in the states, you can buy a SIM card in Thailand with data included. It will be cheap but probably won't have unlimited data.

[jtothep21]

I like using GOLFPAD GPS, great overview of yardages, as well as keeps track of scores and stats that you can go back and look at how many putts you took per round or your average scoring on par 3's 4's etc.

[FairwaysToHeaven]

reviving this thread as I'm planning to test a few apps out to go with my gps watch. Below is what i'd like in an app. Any of these stick out as the best or am i missing any new apps that do everything

 

1. cost - would like a free or one time low cost fee. reoccurring monthly or yearly subscriptions i dislike for the main reason that its easy to forget to cancel when the next best thing comes along. end up not using yet continuing to pay a fee.

 

2. gps - i have a watch that does front back center and also distances to hazards. i want to be able to look at hole layout to know distance to doglegs or to carry a hole that curves around water and determine how much water to take on. also for blind shots to see hole layout. faster is better. tired of pulling phone and seeing 185 to carry and then 8 seconds later after phone is back in pocket it updates to 198. too late.

 

3. handicap - i don't need an official handicap but want to be able to keep score and have the app track my handicap based on course ratings and slopes. would also like to factor in 9 hole rounds if possible.

 

4. stats - seems most apps do the basics: fairways hit, greens, putts, etc. I really want to be little more specific in determining which side of fairway i miss, which section of green i miss, distance of putt made, etc. any app that gets more specific the better. round stats and historical stats a plus. anything that allows me to compare stats from different rounds or rounds played between specific dates. would be fun to compare stats from first half of season to last half.

 

 

any app do it all? seems that each has their pros and cons.

 

currently using golfshot but want to see if there is something better.

 

possible apps: golfshot, swingbyswing, grint, hole 19....

[robdalky]

reviving this thread as I'm planning to test a few apps out to go with my gps watch. Below is what i'd like in an app. Any of these stick out as the best or am i missing any new apps that do everything

 

1. cost - would like a free or one time low cost fee. reoccurring monthly or yearly subscriptions i dislike for the main reason that its easy to forget to cancel when the next best thing comes along. end up not using yet continuing to pay a fee.

 

2. gps - i have a watch that does front back center and also distances to hazards. i want to be able to look at hole layout to know distance to doglegs or to carry a hole that curves around water and determine how much water to take on. also for blind shots to see hole layout. faster is better. tired of pulling phone and seeing 185 to carry and then 8 seconds later after phone is back in pocket it updates to 198. too late.

 

3. handicap - i don't need an official handicap but want to be able to keep score and have the app track my handicap based on course ratings and slopes. would also like to factor in 9 hole rounds if possible.

 

4. stats - seems most apps do the basics: fairways hit, greens, putts, etc. I really want to be little more specific in determining which side of fairway i miss, which section of green i miss, distance of putt made, etc. any app that gets more specific the better. round stats and historical stats a plus. anything that allows me to compare stats from different rounds or rounds played between specific dates. would be fun to compare stats from first half of season to last half.

 

 

any app do it all? seems that each has their pros and cons.

 

currently using golfshot but want to see if there is something better.

 

possible apps: golfshot, swingbyswing, grint, hole 19....

 

1. Golfshot pro is a subscription service but you can go month-by-month so it won't auto-renew, but I think you'll be prompted to re-sign up after each expiring month. 1 yr memberships are a bit cheaper.

 

2. Golfshot works well for this. Rare lag in yardages unless you are way off the current hole.

 

3. Golfshot will auto-prompt you to upload your ESC score to your GHIN after each round.

 

4. As for stats golfshot does all of that.

 

I use golfshot and have toyed with the idea of rangefinders and GPS watches etc but can't break free for now. If a really reliable GPS watch with good auto shot tracking came out I would make the leap, or possibly a more accurate less hassle tiny-sensor iteration of something like arccos.. until then I'll probably be sticking with GS.

[Noodler]

For me the absolutely critical element for any Golf GPS app that runs on a mobile phone is being able to actually read the screen in sunlight. I have found that ANY of the apps that use satellite aerial imagery are almost impossible to see in the sun. That's why I've been investigating apps that use high quality artist renderings. So far I've only found a few that use this type of imagery; SkyCaddie Mobile, GolfLogix, BirdieApp. If anyone is aware of others (I have an Android phone) it would be great to find those additional apps.

[skmcclure]

Is golf logix ok for just gps

 

I use it for GPS, it was quite slow on my iPhone 4 but after upgrading to iPhone 5, it works well. Plus you can easily keep score, see your rounds and statistics, etc.

[kevina001]

I recently switched from Hole 19 to mScorecard. You can go and map out courses online, it keeps good stats and a handicap index, and it's all free. You can go to the website to get even more detailed stats than what is on the app too. My new favorite.

[CigarDad]

I have a BlackBerry but am eventually going to switch to an Andriod phone. I use nRangegolf http://www.nrange.com/

 

As a BlackBerry user, especially a OS7 user, the choices for a GPS program were very limited.

 

For free you can have access to 3 golf courses. For $29 (lifetime of phone) unlimited courses. $85 for lifetime (transfer to any future phone)

 

Distance to front, center, and back of the green based on your current position. See the shape of the green based on your current position.

Bottom of the screen shows a map centered on the area between 200 and 300 yards from the tee box to help plan drive aims. Tap anywhere on the screen to get the precise distance to that hazard or landing area.

Click again to use the entire screen for the map to plan shots on particularly long holes.

 

You can download the maps for the course you are going to play before hand over Wi-Fi.

 

Has scorecard feature (I never used).