The 7 best social and digital apps seen at the 2019 PGA Show
Hard goods and apparel receive the most attention on the PGA Merchandise Show floor, but they are far from the only products on display. The technology sector boasts its own gadgets and toys, including a fair share of mobile applications. Here are seven social and digital apps that caught our eye at the 2019 PGA Show.
Fourball App
Tired of playing golf solo, or perhaps you need one more to round out your foursome? Fourball is a network created to help get local golfers connected. Using the same interface seen on dating apps like Tinder, players can swipe left to play through or right to connect with people in your area! Once you swipe they will be notified immediately and respond. You can refine your search based on gender, age, handicap and distance to find the ideal partner for your round. And if you have a work or vacation on the horizon, you are able to search in advance.
6 Joe's Fantasy App
This might be for a niche market, but it's a market that will it sing its praises. The app essentially serves as a fantasy game for your club, league or outing. 6 Joe's lets you draft...well, your friends, each with a salary based on the handicap format you are playing, putting an extra side game on your match. Great for fundraisers or prize pools, allows for easy collection of registration fees, and has the capability to see living scoring.
BirdieEyes
Teeing it up at a course you've never seen? Birdie Eyes gives you a virtual tour of the prospective track, the ability to view the course including fairways, tee zones, green zones, bunkers and holes with the distances between them clearly displayed. Players can choose between conventional 2D or use augmented reality, and they can also plan their shots using Birdie Eyes by testing different trajectories.
iCaddy En Carte
iCaddy ‘En-Carte’ is designed specifically for mobile devices to serve as an alternate to existing in-cart GPS systems. Basically, to those who want the in-cart GPS but want to walk. The En-Carte has GPS maps, pro-tips, flyover videos, distance to the pin and much more.
Mirror Vision
Download this app and set your phone in a down-the-line position. Mirror Vision then sends a video of your swing to a tablet by your feet in real time. True, you may think this could simple be done with a Facetime call, the but Mirror Vision's real-time feedback analysis, video editing, slow-mo and remote recording add an extra layer of bells and whistles to your practice process.
PhiGolf
Rather than drop $40,000 on an in-home simulator, how about one on your phone? PhiGolf is a smart stick that serves as the golf club, capable of connecting to your phone or tablet. Golfers can not just use this for entertainment (there are several game modes, including 18 holes, match play, driving range or closest-to-the-pin), but the stick also provides data and analysis of your swing and stroke. All which can be yours for $249.
TDJ Golf
Are you a regular daily fantasy player, but want to get more hands-on in the action? TDJ Golf allows you to pick your lineup for each PGA Tour event, mirroring the formats seen at most major fantasy platforms. Where TDJ differs is that it also includes your score as well to the process, as you "play" the virtual course on the phone.