# Golf Rival vs WHAT THE GOLF?

The clearest difference is review sentiment: WHAT THE GOLF? at 95% against Golf Rival's 38%. WHAT THE GOLF? also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). Golf Rival's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly) and chart position (#8 vs unranked). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Golf Rival sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. WHAT THE GOLF? asks for nothing beyond the download.

WHAT THE GOLF? holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 157K and 35K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Golf Rival's written reviews are positive against 95% of WHAT THE GOLF?'s.

Golf Rival ships an update every 9 days, WHAT THE GOLF? monthly. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Golf Rival | WHAT THE GOLF? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (157K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-rival-multiplayer-game/id1354796403/reviews) | **[4.9 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-the-golf/id1415190483/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157K** | 35K |
| Positive reviews | 37.7% of reviews | **94.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 405 MB | 295 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zynga Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/295913422) | [Team17 USA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631225043) |

## What reviewers say

### Golf Rival

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-rival-multiplayer-game/id1354796403)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Sports, #24 Top Grossing · Simulation, #63 Top Free · Sports, #189 Top Grossing · Games, #200 Top Free · Simulation (US App Store)

Compete in real-time PvP golf matches, showcasing your skills across diverse courses. Collect clubs and balls, master your swing, and climb leaderboards to become a golf champion. Experience dynamic course conditions and strategic club modifications.

**Highlights:** Real-time PvP golf matches, 600+ courses across 21+ themes, Club and ball collection, Course Conditions and Club Mods, 1v1 duels and tournaments, Daily challenges, Multiplayer golf mode

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PIGGY_BANK | $2.99 | one-time |
| Save Streak | $2.99 | one-time |
| BIG PILE OF DIAMONDS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Arena Big Deal | $4.99 | one-time |
| CHALLENGE PASS | $4.99 | one-time |
| FULL BAG OF DIAMONDS | $9.99 | one-time |
| Arena Super Deal | $9.99 | one-time |
| CLUB OFFER 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| FULL CHEST OF DIAMONDS | $19.99 | one-time |
| Arena Amazing Deal | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive game
- 👍 No ads
- 💡 Variety of game modes
- 👍 Progression without paying

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Unfair matchmaking against higher-level players
- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Inconsistent wind and ball physics
- 🔒 Difficulty upgrading preferred clubs
- 🔒 Putting is too easy

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent disconnections and sync issues
- Glitches with shot trajectories
- Disappearing in-app purchases

**Requested features**

- More diverse course selection
- Fairer matchmaking system
- Ability to replay unlocked levels
- Improved club upgrade system
- More challenging putting


### WHAT THE GOLF?

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-the-golf/id1415190483)

This physics-based parody game offers a hilarious and surprising take on golf, featuring absurd levels with cats, cars, and more. Explore a lab of wacky golf experiments and enjoy frequent new episodes and holiday updates.

**Highlights:** Physics-based gameplay, Surprising and absurd levels, Parodies of golf and other sports, Frequent new episodes, Holiday-themed updates, Humorous puns and references

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😂 Hilarious and creative
- 🎨 Unique and imaginative gameplay
- 🤩 Surprisingly fun for non-golf fans
- 👍 Great for all ages
- 🕹️ Lots of variety and references to other games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤯 Frustratingly difficult levels at times
- 🤔 Lack of replayability after completing the main campaign
- 🤖 Gyro/AR controls can be finicky

**Reported bugs**

- Save data loss after updates
- Levels not loading properly
- Controls reversing unexpectedly in certain modes

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Ability to replay favorite levels
- Save progress across devices
- More animal/pet characters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Golf Rival free?

Golf Rival is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is WHAT THE GOLF? free?

WHAT THE GOLF? is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Golf Rival or WHAT THE GOLF??

WHAT THE GOLF? is rated higher. Golf Rival averages 4.5 out of 5 from 157K ratings, while WHAT THE GOLF? averages 4.9 from 35K ratings.

### Do Golf Rival or WHAT THE GOLF? have ads?

Golf Rival shows ads; WHAT THE GOLF? does not.

### Which is updated more often, Golf Rival or WHAT THE GOLF??

Golf Rival ships an update every 9 days, and WHAT THE GOLF? monthly. Most recently, Golf Rival was updated on November 7, 2026 and WHAT THE GOLF? on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*