Gadgety, part two

As I mentioned, the previous round I played I used an iPhone app called Fore! to record my score and to upload my round to oobgolf.com. In short, I liked Fore! because:

• It has a large easy to use interface, big buttons and numbers.
• You can score as you play, recording each stroke as you play it.

I didn't like:

• That it's really pricey
• That putts when recorded aren't automatically added to your stroke total, repetitive entries.

Well, today, I used another app called GolfCard. In contrast to Fore!, with it's large easy to use interface, GoldCard's interface is, surprise, a scorecard. While familiar, there are a couple of concerns, the scorecard is relatively small and hitting the right box for the right hole is a bit of a challenge. Once you hit the right box, you get a pop up that allows you to enter your score as an eagle, birdie, par, bogie, etc. GolfCard has already downloaded the course's scorecard so you can see the par and distances for each hole.

Here's where it gets annoying. This pop up also has a "more" button that allows you to record all sorts of neat stuff: club off tee, fairways hit/missed, putts, GIR and sand shots. Quite a bit more than Fore!, though Fore! covers all the "main" stats. However, once you enter your score, the pop up disappears. Which means you have to hit that little box again to bring the pop up back to select the "more" menu to enter all theat goodies.

Though, you can make the scorecard larger. It doesn't really get large enough. Moreover, the whole scorecard interface would be better viewed in landscape, but the only view is portrait. Go figure.

There is still much to like, once you awkwardly enter all the info, your virtual scorecard looks like one you've marked up with a pencil: little numbers and dots under your score and in the corners like it would look if you did it all manually. Not only can you upload to oobgolf, but you can also email your scorecard to your buddies for bragging rights I guess.

If you can get over the fidgety interface and views, GolfCard tracks much more for a whole lot less dinero. It is definitely a score at the next tee box app; not as convenient as Fore! which can score on the fly. Neither app is perfect, but both do make the process of recording, tracking and analysing your game much easier.

If I had to pick, Fore!'s simply too high priced. It's easier to use interface simply isn't worth the extra bucks. GolfCard also tracks a more comprehensive set of stats, but, honestly, Fore! tracks the key numbers. So unless you have really fat figures, go with GoldCard.

-- Posted From My iPhone