Golfshot and TheGrint compared for GPS distances, hazard maps and handicap indexes, with Hole19 and 18Birdies covered for the free tier.
You stand over an approach shot and guess 150 metres; the phone says 137 to the centre of the green, and the club in your hand changes along with the score you write down. iPhone GPS now delivers those numbers on most courses without a subscription, and the same round produces a digital scorecard and stats showing exactly where the shots leak away. Choice comes down to what you want beyond the distance: detailed hazard mapping and hole strategy, a defensible handicap index, or just the cleanest free distances available. The 2 apps in this guide take the two serious approaches; the FAQs also weigh Hole19 and 18Birdies, plus what phone GPS can and cannot do against a laser.
Golfshot is the veteran pick for aerial course maps with distances to individual hazards, not just the green, plus hole-by-hole strategy planning.
Golfshot has been in this category long enough to have mapped a huge number of courses, and its standout feature is specificity: the aerial views give distances to particular bunkers, water carries and lay-up points rather than a single number to the flag. Handicap tracking is included and the app encourages planning each hole strategically instead of reacting from the tee. The free version is deliberately limited, the Plus subscription is relatively expensive compared with rivals, and visually the interface looks dated next to Hole19.
TheGrint focuses on the handicap: it derives a World Handicap System index from verified scorecards between players, with GPS and stats on top.
For many golfers the handicap matters more than any map, and TheGrint builds its whole product around it. After rounds are entered — and verified peer-to-peer by other players — the app calculates an index using the World Handicap System formula, giving a credible number for games among friends, and it layers GPS distances and detailed game statistics on top. Two caveats matter: the community in Spain is still small, and an official competition handicap continues to come from your national federation rather than any app. The interface also trails the category's polished leaders.
Pros
Index calculated under the World Handicap System
Peer verification between players
GPS and detailed statistics included
Cons
Small community of users in Spain
Not an official federation handicap
Interface feels behind competitors
Download price only. In-app purchases and subscriptions may cost extra.
Questions & answers
Can I use my phone during a round of golf?
Distance-measuring devices are allowed under the Rules of Golf, and for several years that has included competition play unless a Local Rule says otherwise. Elevation and wind data are different — those cannot be used in competition unless specifically authorised. Social rounds pose no problem at all; in a tournament, check the Local Rules before relying on an app.
What is the best free golf app?
Hole19, because its free plan covers what you actually use every round: GPS distances to the front, centre and back of the green across tens of thousands of courses, plus a digital scorecard. Advanced statistics and detailed hazard maps are paid features in nearly every app in the category, including the two reviewed here.
Is phone GPS as accurate as a laser rangefinder?
No. Phone GPS is accurate to within a few metres and measures to preset course points; a laser targets the actual flag at under a metre. For most amateurs that gap is negligible compared with the spread in their own ball striking. Past a certain handicap or competitive level, a laser earns its place, but the phone is the better starting tool.
Do these apps issue an official handicap?
No. An official handicap is issued by your national golf association from cards returned at rated courses. TheGrint and similar apps calculate an index using the same World Handicap System formula, which is genuinely useful for tracking your level and organising games with friends, but it is not valid for affiliated competition.
More related apps
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