When the iOS App store opened in 2008 – less than a month after Tiger’s dramatic U.S. Open playoff win at Torrey Pines – 500 applications were available for Apple Users to download. Today, they have their pick of about 2 million apps, while Android users have 2.8MM available through the Google Play store.

Consumer spending in mobile apps hit a record $64.9B during the first half of 2021 – a 25% YoY increase – based on preliminary data from app store intelligence firm Sensor Tower. While there’s no doubt the pandemic contributed to this growth, it’s clear that companies are investing more and more in apps. Most are a business in themselves, but they can also be a vital connector for those looking to enhance their brand value, improve the customer experience and drive sales.

Lest you think the golf industry isn’t along for the ride, take a look at not only the hundreds of golf-centric apps now available, but the way they’re being embraced. More than three quarters (78%) of Core golfers now indicate they have at least one golf-specific app on their phone, up from 37% a decade ago and 56% in 2018. These aren’t just the young person’s domain either, with almost two-thirds of Core golfers age 65-and-older using them today.

Among golfers who have golf apps, the average count is 3.5 (I can tell that you one golf nut here at NGF has more than 25!), and the use cases vary, from reserving tee times, tracking scores and round statistics, playing virtual golf, reading news about the game, or chasing improvement through instruction and swing analysis.