Talented Australian 26-year old pro golfer Jack Munro, who has been swinging golf clubs since age 2, is Anantara Vacation Club’s Brand Ambassador and will be delighting our readers with exclusive golf advice and anecdotes in his monthly feature: Jack Munro’s Golf Clinic.
Top golfing apps picked by our golf pro
Golf might be a classic game but the growing popularity today of teeing off on a smooth green means the sport has gone high-tech, with golfing apps aplenty. Here, Aussie golf pro and Anantara Brand Ambassador, Jack Munro, picks some of the top free-to-download golfing apps out there for all you keen golfers to try.
Digital course navigation
GPS makes navigating your way around a course much easier and helps you know how far you can hit each of your clubs too. If you don’t have a rangefinder or a handheld GPS, you can download a GPS app on your phone. A great GPS app for golfing in my opinion is Golfshot with 40,000 courses ready to play, as well as GPS aerial view and list view. Another is Swing by Swing, where you can find any golf course in the world with each hole having been mapped by a locally-based golfer. There are scorecards, pictures and the app also features the weather!
Swing by Swing app
Golfing stats don’t lie
If you are serious about your golf and looking to take that next step beyond novice then you need to work out which area of your game really needs improving. This is especially important if you’re going to take some lessons from a pro as this information can help them design a customised programme for you. A good golf statistics app I’ve come across is GRGS Get Real Golf Stats, an interactive app which records every shot to analyse your game as if you were on a professional tour. You can also share and compare statistics too. This app breaks down many parts of your game and is very easy to use.
GRGS Get Real Golf Stats
Learn from the pros
Do you want all the news and updates from the professional golfing world and live tournament scores as they happen around the globe? Then I would recommend downloading two apps, Golf Channel and PGA Tour. They have great articles which are updated often and it’s really like having your own digital golf magazine which you can read anytime, anywhere. There are also interviews with players, equipment information and professional tips.
Play by the rules
One other app I have on my phone is the Rules of Golf from the R & A. Even at a professional level I notice that there are often gaps in some players’ knowledge of the rules. This app makes any golfing problem or question easy to solve in literally a few seconds, with all the information about the rules at your fingertips, so there is no confusion or issues with play being held up.
Rules of Golf from the R & A
Practice your swing
So what about an app to improve your swing? Honestly, although there are many swing apps available my advice would be to stay clear. Let a professional coach you and learn through real-life practice. It’s so easy to overanalyse your golf game and you want apps to support play not turn your golfing experience into an exercise in theory and digital downloads.
In other words, golfing apps should enhance your game, so go download and get out on the green and enjoy play!
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