Homegrown heroes like Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were slammed by some fans for leaving the European Tour and taking big-money offers.

But whatever expletives you’ve uttered about them since then, there is no question of the presence they still carry in the game, and the value they bring to golf tournaments.

Value is the word mentioned in a question to Rory McIlroy when he was asked about LIV players returning to the PGA Tour, as it seems the game may be up for the once-resurgent rebel circuit.

Here is what McIlroy was asked at the BMW Championship in August:

Scottie Scheffler was asked about the possibility of LIV guys coming back and whether they bring value. In your opinion, are there guys, if it goes away, that should be allowed back?

His answer:

I’d argue: have they brought value to LIV?

This perspective isn’t quite accurate.

ALSO: Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?

Was Rory right to question the value of LIV Golfers?

As the summer heatwaves fade and burned-brown courses spring back to wet green, we enter a period when LIV rebels have always plied their trade and shared fairways with players they once shared most weeks.

In autumn, they’re mostly free to do what they like, as long as they have exemptions and invitations, and that has meant playing on the DP World Tour (DPWT), formerly the European Tour.

Both Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson have trekked to Scotland for the Alfred Dunhill in recent years, for example, as have Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. And despite the cynicism of this most turbulent period of LIV’s existence, LIV defectors draw crowds, and the events are all the better for it.

Interest comes from players who you care about, who have made you feel something in your time watching golf. In Europe, those times have often come from the Ryder Cup.

This is why the older heads who joined LIV, like Westwood, Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell still spark interest.

“I really don’t care what people think, to be perfectly honest. “It (invitation to play in the Dunhill) illustrates the fact that people like LIV players in their events. Promoters and sponsors, no matter which tour they’re on, they bring quality to tournaments,” said Westwood, speaking at LIV’s season finale in Indianapolis.

“I heard Rory’s comments. I thought Scottie (Scheffler) answered the question well, and Rory’s answer was just typical of Rory, really – it wasn’t well thought out. There are a lot of players on this tour (LIV Golf) who bring value to tournaments.”

It’s a sorry state where two of Europe’s greatest players are at odds with each other. One might argue Westwood’s move to LIV in 2022 began the spiky spiral; one might say McIlroy’s overly protective actions for the established tours are responsible, too.

Referring back to the Dunhill, we should rejoice that players Westwood and Poulter have entered this year.

McIlroy’s comments are tinged with disrespect towards those who shaped the DPWT – the very ladder McIlroy put his first steps on towards the PGA Tour and Grand Slam immortality.

Give me Lee Westwood over the vast majority of the PGA Tour any day

Westwood and Poulter forged their legendary careers on the DPWT, and although some goodwill might have been lost in verbal missteps and unpaid (then paid) fines, the tour and Europeans golf fans have plenty to thank them for, with the excitement they’ve brought over the years, especially at the Ryder Cup.

Westwood turned pro in 1993 and has won 25 times on the DPWT, which was named the European Tour for most of his tenure. Only McIlroy sits above him on the career money list, and only seven players, one of them being Tiger Woods, have more wins.

In the summer, players like Westwood are often asked if they will compete in Final Qualifying for The Open. That is because he is Lee Westwood, and he still has a lot to give to these tournaments.

Heck, Final Open Qualifying has basically become Sergio Garcia Day – another icon of European golf who brings people to the rope line.

In 2025 at The Open, Westwood played a stretch of nine holes at Royal Portrush in 29 shots. At 53, the Worksop man has shown incredible longevity by keeping fit, active and motivated to still play his best.

If he were on The Open Leaderboard, I’d be looking for his name well before the likes of Cameron Young, Russell Henley, and Sam Burns – all players in the world’s top 10 and part of a PGA Tour roster that McIlroy is never shy to sing the praises of.

They just don’t evoke the same interest and emotion.

When I see Westwood, I see Muirfield 2013, when it looked so much like he would win The Open. I see the 2010 Masters when he was destined for the Green Jacket. Of course, there was Turnberry in 2009, when an 18th-hole three-putt cost him a playoff for the Claret Jug with Tom Watson and Stewart Cink.

The same memories could be reeled off for Poulter, Garcia, and McDowell. Cynics might say they have been out of sight in the lucrative LIV wilderness, and out of mind, but in their hearts, surely, the memories these players have created are too great to forget.

Just because of pro golf’s spat in the last four years, just because of some cross-words, we cannot ignore what these stalwarts still bring to the game and the memories they evoke.

Now have your say

What do you make of this Lee Westwood-Rory McIlroy debate? Do Europe’s stalwarts inspire your interest more than PGA Tour stars? Tell us on Facebook!

NOW READ: Jon Rahm gave life to LIV Golf. His next move could kill it

NOW READ: LIV Golf, as we know it, is gone and never coming back. What on earth is next?

The post Rory was wrong. I’d rather watch Lee Westwood than almost any PGA Tour star appeared first on National Club Golfer.

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Golf is a sport famous for embracing new tech, and that’s just as true for smartwatches as it is for launch monitors and club sensors. The Apple Watch is a mini-computer on your wrist that can be a powerful little tool for golfers, offering real-time course data, shot tracking, performance insights and more – all without needing to dig your phone out of your pocket mid-round (or at least most of the time).

But with so many apps available, which ones are genuinely worth downloading? In this guide to the best Apple Watch golf apps, we’ll give you our recommendations for our five favourite apps so you can dive straight in and give them a try. Whether you’re a casual weekend hacker or a serious competitor, these apps can help you improve and refine your game.

Our 5 best golf apps for Apple Watch

1. Hole19

Hole19 is a great all-round golfing app and one of the most popular with golfers. It’s mainly a GPS and rangefinder app, but it offers plenty more, including the ability to record your scores and track your game stats.

Hole19 offers: 

• Accurate GPS yardages to front, middle, and back of greens for thousands of UK courses.
• Apple Watch integration that puts distances and hole layouts right on your wrist.
• Easy shot tracking and scoring without touching your phone.
• Performance stats such as fairways hit, greens in regulation, and putts per hole.
• A club recommendation tool that’s based on your historical performance.

The app features a large, regularly updated global course database, including many smaller, regional courses in the UK. So wherever you’re playing, you’ll likely benefit from accurate yardages and insights.

All of this is offered with a clean, easy-to-use interface that makes Hole19 simple to use and a solid all-round app best suited for intermediate golfers and up. 

2. Golfshot

If you’re serious about performance analysis, Golfshot is tough to beat. It’s one of the most comprehensive golf GPS apps available, and in the words of its makers, Golfshot is “The world’s most powerful and trusted on-course GPS, scoring, statistics, and auto shot tracking app”.

The app features:

• Detailed hole maps and live distances for a claimed 99% of courses worldwide.
• Automatic shot detection and GPS-based club tracking.
• Statistical analysis with charts and trends for putts, GIR, driving accuracy, and more.
• 3D flyovers so you can preview holes before playing them.
• Apple Watch complications that show distances and hazards at a glance.

The Golfshot app is designed to be easily viewed at a glance, with efficient displays, large text, and intuitive navigation. During a round, you can easily see information like layup distances, distance to hazards, and recommended targets based on your playing tendencies. It’s highly recommended for data-driven, tech-savvy golfers looking to sharpen their game.

3. Arccos Caddie

Arccos Caddie is a lot more than a smartwatch app. It’s a complete smart sensor system for golfers who want cutting-edge performance tracking and advanced insights.

While it can be used without sensors, Arccos performs best with its Bluetooth-enabled sensors that can be attached to your clubs to automatically record every shot, distance, and club used during a round. After five rounds of play, the app analyses your performance to provide real-time, optimal recommendations. This includes club selection recommendations and hole strategy tips, along with real-time advice on factors such as weather. It’s all aimed to help you lower your handicap.

Arccos Caddie offers a suite of features, including:

• Automatic shot tracking with Bluetooth sensors.
• AI-powered caddie insights on club selection and strategies based on historical data and course conditions.
• Advanced analytics for strokes gained, putting tendencies, approach shot patterns and more.
• Dynamic distances that adapt as your game evolves.
• Views of hole layouts and distances.

The app is a real-life digital caddie that’s best suited for serious golfers, especially those with a love of tech and gadgets.

4. SkyCaddie

SkyCaddie is a dedicated, high-precision GPS rangefinder app that offers excellent coverage of UK golf courses. It’s widely recognised as one of the most accurate GPS systems for golf, available on your wrist. 

SkyCaddie features:

• True ground-measured course maps, not satellite-estimated yardages.
• Precise hazard and green contour data.
• Custom targets and multiple layup options.
• High-resolution mapping, which is especially useful on courses with subtle elevations or complex greens.
• Simple and intuitive score recording.

The app itself is sleek and simple to use, and is designed to give you the most accurate yardages with minimal interaction. It’s ideal if you’re focused primarily on precision GPS measurements rather than tracking full statistics, and it really comes into its own on challenging courses where yardage accuracy matters the most.

5. GolfLogix

GolfLogix stands out for its excellent course visualisation, especially around the greens. Whilst many Apple Watch golf apps offer excellent distance tracking, GolfLogix adds a layer of green-reading intelligence that can genuinely help shave strokes off your game.

Whilst many features are available via your watch, including course distances and heat maps, you’ll need your phone in your hand to get the most out of the app – especially the impressive 3D visualisations. But we’ve still included GolfLogix in our best golf GPS apps for Apple Watch owners due to its truly outstanding features, including:

• 3D interactive GPS course maps, including 3D flyovers and 3D approach views for holes.
• Real-time, accurate distance tracking from your position to any point on the green, including slope-adjusted yardages.
• Heat maps displaying green contours and slopes.
• 3D putt lines visualisations.
• Shot tracking and performance statistics, with up to four-player scoring.

GolfLogix’s green maps and 3D visualisation options can be a huge help when it comes to better understanding slopes and approach angles, and can be particularly helpful if putting is a part of your game you’re focusing on strengthening. It’s a great app if you’re looking to improve your approach accuracy and putting strategy, beyond just measuring course distances.

Are golf apps really worth it?

Plenty of golf apps can be seriously effective, with a real impact on your game, helping with strategy, your swing, and making things like recording your scores that little bit quicker and smoother. Some Apple Watch golf apps can be expensive, so it’s a question of how much they can do for you at what price – you may find some of the pricier ones are still good value as they can provide plenty of insights that can help you work on your handicap.

Specialist golf insurance through Golf Care

Before you head out on the course to try your new app, you may want to consider getting specialist golf insurance. Specialist golf insurance through Golf Care can help financially protect you and your clubs in the event of an accident. Get a quick online quote today.

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