7 Best Golf Apps for Competitive Golfers: Play Better Under Pressure

Competitive golf is nothing like a normal round. More pressure, tougher pins, and playing by the rules of golf.

Luckily, technology can help you out before, during, and after the round. Having the right tools can make all the difference in your performance.

Whether you’re a seasoned tournament player or striving to take your game to the next level, golf apps have become essential for gaining a competitive edge. This guide highlights the best golf apps for competitive golfers, covering everything from performance analysis to fitness and course management.

Best Golf Apps for Competitive Golfers

These apps aren’t just helpful—they’re game-changers, designed to help you make smarter decisions, practice more efficiently, and perform at your best when it matters most. After playing in more than 350 tournament days since 2017, here are my favorite apps for competitive golfers.

Let’s dive in and explore the tools that can take your game to the next level.

1. DECADE Golf - Best Overall App for Tournament Golf

If you’re a competitive golfer, DECADE Golf is the gold standard for strategy and course management. It’s no exaggeration to say this app is a game-changer and helped me become a plus handicap.

How? It offers a data-driven approach to decision-making that takes the guesswork out of your game. Whether you’re preparing for a tournament or just trying to shave strokes off your score, DECADE Golf helps you play smarter and more consistently.

Overview of DECADE Golf

Created by Scott Fawcett, DECADE Golf combines statistics, strategy, and psychology to teach you how to think your way around the course. It’s designed to help you make better decisions, minimize mistakes, and avoid costly blowup holes. By using the app, you’ll gain insights into where to aim, when to take risks, how to play practice rounds, and how to optimize every shot.

Some of the benefits include:

Data-Driven Decisions: Learn exactly where to aim on every hole to maximize your scoring potential.
Course Strategy: Understand how to manage risk and play the percentages like a pro.
Blowup Hole Prevention: Minimize the big mistakes that cost strokes in competitive play.
Statistical Feedback: Track performance over time to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Proven Results: Used by top amateurs, collegiate players, and even PGA Tour pros.
Yardage Books: Print out course

If you’re serious about improving your scoring and dominating tournaments, this app is for you. For more information, read my full DECADE Golf review.

If you’re ready to get started with DECADE Golf, use the code “WICKEDSMART” to save 20% on your membership. It’s wicked smart approved!

2. Mental Golf Type - Best Mental Game App

The mental side of golf is even more important in competition and Mental Golf Type is the best app for mastering your mindset. Based on personality-specific strategies, this app helps you understand your natural tendencies and develop a mental game tailored to your unique strengths.

Overview of Mental Golf Type

Created by John Weir, Mental Golf Type blends psychology and golf performance to help players manage stress, stay focused, and perform under pressure. The app assesses your personality type and provides customized strategies to help you overcome challenges and maintain peak performance.

Some of the benefits include:

Personalized Coaching: Strategies tailored to your natural personality and decision-making style so you can stay out of stress and get in the zone.
Learn How to Focus: Understand how to block out distractions and stay present in the moment so you can play your best golf.
Perform Under Pressure: Gain tools to perform your best in high-stakes situations like breathing.
Mental Toughness: Build resilience to bounce back from mistakes and handle adversity.
Universal Appeal: Beneficial for all skill levels, from beginners to elite competitors.

Competitive golfers know that mindset can be the difference between good and great. Mental Golf Type helps you unlock the mental edge to play your best golf.

For a deeper dive into how this app can transform your mental approach, read my full Mental Golf Type review. If you’re ready to get started, use the code “WICKEDSMART” to save 25% off your investment.

3. Tour Tempo - Best Practice App

My practice shifts during the week leading up to tournaments (and yours should too). Heading into competition, I focus less on technical swing changes and instead, focus on basics like tempo and setup.

Tour Tempo is the ultimate app for mastering your rhythm and timing. Used by pros and competitive golfers worldwide, this app helps you groove the perfect tempo by syncing your backswing and downswing to the proven 3:1 ratio (and 2:1 for short game practice).

Whether you’re on the range or practicing at home, Tour Tempo ensures your swing is efficient, powerful, and repeatable.

Groove Consistency: Develop a swing tempo that holds up under pressure and makes it easy to sequence your swing.
Helps All Areas of the Game: Works for your full swing, chipping, and even putting.
Proven Science: Based on data from the world’s best golfers to help you build a more reliable golf swing that holds up under pressure.

Tour Tempo is the ideal companion to help guide your practice sessions.

4. Arccos Golf - Easiest Stat Tracking App

Arccos is the gold standard for tracking stats as it tracks your data during the round (check out my list of the best golf stat tracking apps too). They are allowed in tournaments as long as you don’t use any of the features inside the app to judge things like wind or slope.

But if you use the sensors or grips, they are allowed in competition. This makes it easy to track your round using strokes gained data and analyze where you need to improve.

However, the system isn’t perfect, especially with putting. If you find yourself getting distracted by tracking or making sure the app is working properly, don’t worry about it. Focus more on playing golf vs. keeping your stats.

Prior to Arccos I manually track all my stats by writing them on my pin sheet then logging inside the DECADE golf portal. Learn more about DECADE Golf vs. Arccos Golf here.

5. NeuroPeak Pro - Best Breathing App

Breathing is an underrated aspect of playing better under pressure, and NeuroPeak Pro is the best app for mastering it. This app helps you regulate your breathing to improve focus, manage stress, and perform under pressure.

Designed for competitive athletes, NeuroPeak Pro ensures you stay calm and collected when it matters most. It’s used by top pros including Jordan Spieth, Keegan Bradley, Bryson DeChambeau, and many others.

Here’s why you should consider using it before tournament golf rounds:

Focus Enhancer: Train your mind to block out distractions and stay present.
Stress Reduction: Use breathing techniques to manage nerves in high-pressure situations.
Performance Boost: Improve your mental clarity and consistency during rounds.

With NeuroPeak Pro and the INTEL Belt, you can unlock the power of controlled breathing to sharpen your mental game and stay at your best in competition. I love doing a quick session before heading to the golf course as it primes my mind for success.

6. Golf Forever - Best Golf Warm Up App

If you want to show up at your next tournament feeling loose, strong, and ready to play your best, Golf Forever is the app you need. If it works for Scottie Scheffler and other PGA Tour pros, chances are it can help you too.

Whether you’re rolling out of bed for an early tee time or getting ready for a big competition, Golf Forever’s guided routines will have your body feeling primed to perform. You’ll love how easy it is to follow their warm-up routines, which target key areas like your hips, back, and shoulders—the spots that matter most for a fluid, powerful swing.

The best part? You can use it as part of your daily routine to build a more injury-resistant body for long-term success. Use the code “WICKEDSMART” to save 15% on your investment.

7. Rypstick Speed Trainer

If hitting it longer is on your radar, the Rypstick is hands down the best speed trainer to add to your routine. This tool is simple, effective, and delivers results fast.

By dedicating just 20 minutes a few times a week, you can increase your clubhead speed and start bombing drives past your competition. What makes the Rypstick so effective is its adjustability—it’s like having a full speed training system in one club.

Whether you’re a scratch golfer or just getting started, it’s easy to use and fits seamlessly into any practice routine. If you’re serious about gaining distance and making the game more fun, the Rypstick is a no-brainer. Use the code “WICKEDSMART” to save 10% on your investment.

How I Use These Golf Apps

Here’s my pre-round tournament golf routine:

Weeks Leading Up to Competition: Several weeks before I’ll use Tour Tempo, DECADE Golf app for putting, and Rypstick for speed training. This helps ensure my game is well-rounded and ready to go.
Pre-Pre Round: The night before events, I’ll do my homework to map out course strategy using DECADE Golf. This app helps me pick the right clubs/targets, so I have a game plan on each hole.
Pre-Round: Use Mental Golf Type and/or Neuropeak Pro to get my mindset right. If time allows, I’ll also do a quick warm up using Golf Forever.
Warm Up: A lot of times I’ll use the Tour Tempo app to get my timing right for short game or full swing.
Post Round: After the round, I’ll use Arccos Golf or DECADE Golf to assess my game, track my stats, and create a game plan for the next day.

Don’t sleep on technology, as it can help you play better golf.

Closing Thoughts

As a competitive golfer, having the right tools in your arsenal can make all the difference in your preparation, performance, and overall enjoyment of the game. I use all of these apps and know it helps my game a ton to show up ready and prepared.

Whether it’s improving your mental game with DECADE Golf and Mental Golf Type, fine-tuning your swing with Tour Tempo and Rypstick, or getting your body tournament-ready with Golf Forever and NeuroPeak Pro, these apps are designed to help you play smarter, hit longer, and perform your best when it matters most.

Don’t forget - DECADE Golf is the #1 app for competitive golfers. Join now and use the code WICKEDSMART to save 20% off your membership.