As much as my friends and I talk about getting a golf trip in or even just a group of us together to play locally, the idea rarely makes it out of the group chat. It can be chaotic trying to organise availability, dates, and tee times through the likes of WhatsApp, making it feel like more effort organising the game than playing the golf itself. That was until I tried and tested the ParUp Golf App.
I was invited down to The Leatherhead Club in Surrey to test the app, learn all about its features, and have a game of golf to see if it could be considered one of the best golf apps on the market. After downloading the app from the App store (which is free) and joining a group on the app that I had been invited to in advance of attending the day, I flicked through.
I could quickly identify that it had been designed by golfers who understood how frustrating organising a game can be. The app is available to download on both iPhone and Android, so there's absolutely no excuse for anyone in the group to say they can't get involved
The main page after joining the group in the app showed me everything I needed to know about the day ahead, including the green fee, tee times, the day's format, and add-ons such as food included.
The ParUp app has over 39,000 courses worldwide pre-downloaded, so the chances are, you won’t have any struggles to find your local course. While the pre-game app experience is good and very helpful, it’s on the golf course where the ParUp app shone. The digital scorecard is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. I found the app's responsiveness to be instant, with no lag when switching between leaderboards and individual scoring.
While on the day we only had a fourball, the live leaderboard feature would be perfect for golfing groups with multiple tee times, giving it that feeling of a mini tour event, always knowing exactly where you stand coming down the stretch on the back nine. One of the only things I found to be missing was a GPS function - something that some golfers rely on, particularly when playing golf courses for the first time. But as a rangefinder user, it didn't bother me too much.
Alongside the live leaderboard on the app, you can see which holes are nearest the pin and longest drive thanks to the bullseye and bicep icons next to the respective holes. This just added to the anticipation and banter throughout the round.
If you were skilled enough (or lucky enough) to win one of the two side-challenges, you simply click the icon and that stays next to your name for the rest of the day - the ultimate bragging rights in the bar afterwards.
The live scoring can be used in both strokeplay, matchplay, and stableford formats, so you’re not limited in choices when organising your games. You’re also able to use the multi-round scoring function, so if you’re on a golf trip or running multiple events throughout the year, the ParUp can keep track of all your past results and a season-long leaderboard. It even features an auto-handicap feature, which automatically adjusts your handicap throughout the series, keeping things fair for everyone.
I found the app to be really easy to use and is one I’ll be putting to use on a few golf trips I have planned over the next year or so. The future of the app also sounds interesting with the possibility of in-game betting, allowing you and your friends to put your money where your mouth is, whether that be on the whole round or even just on the longest drive.
It certainly takes the headache out of the logistics when organizing a golf trip or weekend game, and puts the emphasis back on the golf and the fun that should come with that.
