I finally broke down and decided to use a golf app for my iPhone. I believe every golfer should be using GPS or a Rangefinder... PGA Tour players have their caddies but the general public was often left to discover yardage markers placed "strategically" throughout the golf course. If Tour players are getting precise yardages before each shot, don't you think it would benefit amateur golfers too?
I took the advice of some of my golf connections and decided to test out the Mobitee Golf App for the iPhone. One of the first thing I noticed was the price. At $24.99, it seemed a bit steep but with a 5-hole free trial, I figured I could take it for a spin before deciding if I was going to buy the app. I decided to give it a try at one of my favorite courses, Seven Oaks in Hamilton, NY.
The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to find the golf course. I clicked "Play Golf" and "Nearby Courses" and it was the first one to come up. For some reason, I wasn't expecting it be that easy but I'm happy it was. The above is from the first hole, where the Google Maps overhead gave an incredibly accurate detail of the hole. I'm happy to report it was accurate all day on every hole.
The Mobitee Golf App not only offers the overhead view (above), it offers a flyover, range finder scoring, help with club selection and more. I tested the range finder but didn't find much use for it since the Mobitee App was accurate with yardages all day. The flyover is a cool feature as is the scorecard. I'm too old fashioned to keep my score on my phone but I did test it for a few holes and it was easy to use.
What I Liked About The Mobitee Golf App
When I look back at the handful of rounds I played with the Mobitee Golf App a few things stand out:
- Accuracy: In every round I played the Mobitee was accurate...regardless of the golf course. Whether I was in the woods, in the fairway, or on the tee, I was comfortable with every yardage it provided. Trust in your caddie is important, the same applies here.
- Easy to Use: I opened the app, clicked play golf, selected a nearby course and was off the races. Every time the course loaded and when I was ready to move on the to the next hole, I simply clicked the arrow and the Mobitee app did the work. I don't have time to fiddle around with an app while I'm playing so this was important to me.
- Battery Life: I used the Mobitee App for five rounds and my phone lasted the full 18 holes every time. It even left me with enough juice to make calls on the ride home. I've found battery life to be a struggle with some apps. It wasn't a problem on my iPhone.
- 30,000+ Courses: I didn't count and I have not played them all but the Mobitee website claims to offer more than 30,000 courses around the world. I used the Mobitee in a variety of locations (Upstate NY, Westchester County, New Jersey) and regardless of where I was, it had the golf course I was playing. The course in New Jersey was private and I was still able to use it. I've also noticed on their Facebook page they have put out several messages regarding the addition of new courses.
Overall
With so many golf apps available and surely more on the way, I wondered if the $24.99 was a bit steep. When I told some people to try it, the first thing they commented on was the price. I suggested they compare it to that of a Golf GPS, and not an app from the app store since that was a more fair comparison. A one time payment of $24.99 is worth it and I'll be using my Mobitee for many rounds in the future.
Who: Mobitee Golf Assistant
What: A Mobile Caddie for Golfers
Why: Accurate yardage, didn't kill our iPhone battery, 30,000+ golf courses
Where: Visit The Mobitee Website
Cost: $24.99
* Editors Note: We did not mention the Mobitee Golf App is available for Andriod, Windows, Nokia, and Blackberry. We tested the app on the iPhone, which is why we referenced it in the content above. This note was added after the original article was published.
