How do I download a golf GPS app?

Many golf apps are available through your smartphone’s app store, such as Apple's App Store or Google Play. Other apps support dedicated e-commerce sites that can facilitate your purchase.

Do I need WiFi to use an app?

You won’t need WiFi to use the app while playing on the course. Once you download the app via WiFi, ensure you’ve also downloaded the map to the course or courses you play most frequently. Then, you’ll be able to use the app without an Internet connection using your phone’s GPS signal.

How can a GPS app help me?

Golf GPS apps provide course insights at a fraction of the price of working with a caddy. Knowing your precise location on the course, including the distance to the green and the hazards along the way, you can select the best club for the shot and better plan your strategy for the green.

Can a golf GPS app help all levels of players?

In short, yes, a GPS app can help all levels of players. Each player will want to select the app that best fits their current skill level. For example, beginners might lean toward apps that excel in shot monitoring features, while advanced players might invest in more accurate distance measuring. Players also have to weigh whether they prefer 3D visualization or traditional 2D views.

The 7 Best Golf GPS Apps of 2023 for Android and iPhone

Your smartphone can help you do much more than book a tee time or find directions to the course. You can use the GPS technology in your smartphone and one of these great apps to pinpoint your location on the course, get a bird’s eye view of each hole, and understand which club you’ll need for the best shot. Unlike laser rangefinders or GPS devices, a golf GPS app allows you to have all the data and knowledge necessary to thrive on the course without getting new gear.

The best golf GPS apps show you a map of each hole, marked with doglegs and hazards, as well as show your location and tell you the distance to the front, back, and middle of the green. Many apps have scorekeeping and statistical measures as well.

01 of 07

Best Overall: Golfshot

What We Like

Provides real-time distances
3D display options
Gives "on-the-spot'' club recommendations

What We Don't Like

Extra for pro features

The Golfshot app is easily one of the best golf apps out there, whether you’re a casual links lover or a serious golfer. The app—available for Android, Apple, Apple Watch, and Android Wear—has free and Pro features.

The free version features GPS and your input to track each shot you hit on the course and which club you were using—great data for personal improvement. It also lets you see the distance to the center of the green, keep the score of up to four players, review stats, and check golf news.

Golfshot Pro requires a membership but lets you do a lot more. The app will give you real-time distances to the center of the green, the back edge, the front, and all hazards on more than 40,000 courses. The app acts as a seasoned caddie, giving you “on-the-spot” club recommendations based on your lie. You can zoom in on the full-color, birds-eye-view map of the course with Pro or adjust your view for a full 3D display of the hole. Additionally, the Pro apps have games, leaderboards, and many other features. Pro can be paired with other membership services from Shotzoom that help with golf instruction.

Price at time of publish: Free

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

02 of 07

Best Free: Hole19

What We Like

Great scorecard function
Link to your social media
Satellite image of the course

What We Don't Like

Could use more tracking functions

Available for Apple and Android mobile devices, including watches, Hole19 provides a high-quality golf GPS app for free. There is a wide range of golf GPS apps that are free or at least partially free, and Hole19 is no exception with a premium stat-tracking function, but what sets this app apart from the rest is the excellent user interface and intuitive, stylish design.

With this free app, you can view your distance to the front, center, and back of the green on many courses. You also get a bird’s eye satellite image of the course—not a cartoonish rendering—that lets you see hazards, doglegs, and anything else the course may be hiding. Hole19 also has an excellent scorecard function that looks professional and fun and is more at home on a professional sports app than a free golf one. You can book times and tie your game into social media with ease as well. It’s simply fun, free, and can help your game.

Price at time of publish: Free

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

03 of 07

Best for Greens: GolfLogix

What We Like

Shows optimal aim point
3D view of course
Club tracking

What We Don't Like

Need membership to access other features

Most of the best golf GPS apps focus on helping you get onto the green. However, GolfLogix takes it one step further. This hugely popular golf app has added a feature that lets golfers see the green as they would in a video game or during a broadcast of the Masters, with a 3D, topographical, and in-depth map of each green.

The GolfLogix app is among the most downloaded ever and features more than 8,000 golf courses. Available through the Apple or Google Play stores, this app has many of the fairway features of other GPS apps. The Putt Breaks feature is what sets this app apart. It allows you to click the location of your ball on the smartphone screen and drag the box to wherever you want to hit it on the green. This will show you a close-up and accurate map of the green, made with laser scanners by GolfLogix. The zoom-able 3D map is complete with arrows indicating the location and direction of all the contours of the green. Putt Breaks comes as a free trial and can help you seriously improve your short game. This app gives you data about golf courses you didn't even know existed.

Price at time of publish: Free

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

04 of 07

Best with Trackers: Blast Golf Swing Analyzer

What We Like

Provides accurate metrics and insights
Entirely hands-free
Lightweight

What We Don't Like

Pricey

While most golf GPS apps use the phone as the proxy for the ball's location, finding your location and tracking the shots based on the phone, external devices can also be used for improved accuracy. The Blast Golf Swing Analyzer uses individual sensors on each club to help you understand exactly how well you're hitting.

The Blast Analyzer uses a sensor that attaches to the end of any golf club. The sensor uses GPS technology to track your golf balls and measure data so you can analyze your performance and gather insight on weaknesses. The entire system is hands-free once you set it up—it simply delivers the recorded data to your device in real-time. You'll be able to look at slow-motion playback videos of your swing to see a variety of metrics, including total stroke time, swing speed, attack angle, tempo, and more. Sensors are lightweight, small, and fit on various club sizes.

This app also features a training center where you can learn what each metric means and get tips and drills from PGA and Tour professionals. You can share videos of your metrics with your social networks and send them to your trainer for further evaluation.

Price at time of publish: $180

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

Continue to 5 of 7 below.

05 of 07

Best for Swing Analysis: Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor

What We Like

Real-time video feedback
Accurate swing metrics
Can be used indoors and outdoors

What We Don't Like

Only links with iOS and can't be used in wet conditions

The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is a great GPS app. It allows golfers to analyze their shot shape, review their launch angle, and understand the ball's location. This app also tracks the averages of each club in your bag and gives professional-grade accuracy on all their swing metrics. It comes with a launch stand that connects to your smartphone to store all your data and video playbacks effortlessly. However, the manufacturer notes that this product only syncs with iOS devices and can only be used in dry weather conditions.

Price at time of publish: $500

OS Compatibility: iOS only

06 of 07

Best for Handicapping: TheGrint

What We Like

Live leaderboard
Helps identify strengths and weaknesses

What We Don't Like

Need membership to access other features

TheGrint is a fun and easy-to-use golf GPS app that keeps tracking your handicap simple. Built into the app is a free Golf Handicap Tracker that provides valid handicaps for USGA-registered golf clubs. This means you can quickly find your or your friends' handicaps and set a concrete goal for yourselves.

TheGrint has many other helpful golf features. You can keep score easily within the app through its simple interface or use the "scorecard picture service" to turn that paper and pencil scorecard into a digital record. You can even compare your live scores to others using the app via a live leaderboard feature. The app can track complex stats from iron accuracy to average GIR percentage.

Of course, this golf app also features a GPS component, allowing golfers to see their location on a bird's-eye view, displaying satellite photos of every hole, and letting you know the distance to hazards and the front, back, and center of the green. The app features tens of thousands of courses and can add new ones upon request in just two days.

Price at time of publish: Free

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

07 of 07

Best Budget: Shot Tracer

What We Like

Automatic shot tracing
Doesn't require internet
Can set location points

What We Don't Like

Not many unique features
Tracer doesn't always work

There is a gap between the premium app subscriptions and the free options that Shot Tracer fills. The Shot Tracer app only costs a few dollars but offers a suite of helpful features. The app, available for Apple and Android phones, delivers all critical golf GPS capabilities. It lets users take videos of their shots and then creates a trailing effect so that you can review it for any weaknesses. The app also traces your shots on a 3D map on over 30,000 courses and records your score on their customizable scorecards. If you need help with your putting, Shot Tracer can create a strobe motion effect of actual ball rolls and makes your ball clearly visible on the ball flights. This app works with data or internet connections.

Price at time of publish: $6

OS Compatibility: iOS and Android

What to Look for in Golf GPS Apps

Accuracy

Just like a handheld GPS device or range finder, a GPS app should accurately locate your location on the course and provide distance to the green's front, back, and middle. The app should also detect any hazards standing between you and the hole.

Added Features

These days, the best apps go beyond pinpointing golfers' locations. Top-tier apps can also track shot distance, keep track of players' scores, and measure key statistics. Make sure your app has these capabilities if you're the type of golfer who would benefit from these extra features.

Price

Because you're paying for a smartphone app instead of new gear, like a designated rangefinder or GPS device, you're already ahead when it comes to dropping dough on your golf game. Expect to pay monthly service fees, including frequent updates or in-app purchases for the latest course maps.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I download a golf GPS app?

Many golf apps are available through your smartphone’s app store, such as Apple's App Store or Google Play. Other apps support dedicated e-commerce sites that can facilitate your purchase.
Do I need WiFi to use an app?

You won’t need WiFi to use the app while playing on the course. Once you download the app via WiFi, ensure you’ve also downloaded the map to the course or courses you play most frequently. Then, you’ll be able to use the app without an Internet connection using your phone’s GPS signal.
How can a GPS app help me?

Golf GPS apps provide course insights at a fraction of the price of working with a caddy. Knowing your precise location on the course, including the distance to the green and the hazards along the way, you can select the best club for the shot and better plan your strategy for the green.
Can a golf GPS app help all levels of players?

In short, yes, a GPS app can help all levels of players. Each player will want to select the app that best fits their current skill level. For example, beginners might lean toward apps that excel in shot monitoring features, while advanced players might invest in more accurate distance measuring. Players also have to weigh whether they prefer 3D visualization or traditional 2D views.

Why Trust TripSavvy

Sam Hayes is a news and lifestyle writer based out of Massachusetts, covering everything from bicycle tours to home improvement tools since 2009. Besides TripSavvy, Hayes has written for The Spruce, VeryWell, The Daily Collegian, and more. He writes everything golf-related for TripSavvy.

The 7 Best Golf GPS Apps of 2023 for Android and iPhone