# USGA vs Carlowden

The clearest difference is ratings volume: USGA at 22K against Carlowden's 6. USGA also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Carlowden's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for USGA against 4.7 for Carlowden. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: USGA has 22K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

USGA ships an update every 3 weeks, Carlowden every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USGA | Carlowden |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usga/id1612139159/reviews)** | [4.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carlowden/id6738641185/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 36.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 218 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United States Golf Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/319204553) | [Chronogolf, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199573035) |

## What reviewers say

### USGA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usga/id1612139159)

Stream live golf coverage of featured groups and track real-time scores for all USGA championships. Follow your favorite players with personalized updates and access on-site tools for attendees, including mobile ticketing and course maps.

**Highlights:** Free live streaming of featured groups, Real-time scoring and statistics, Personalized player tracking with AI recaps, Mobile ticketing and on-site tools, Full-screen vertical story highlights, Latest tee times and push notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive user interface
- 🚀 Smooth live streaming
- 📊 Detailed course and player information
- 💡 Useful features like shot tracing and maps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Constant update prompts with no actual updates available
- 🔋 High battery drain during live streaming
- 📱 Readability issues on smaller screens
- 🚫 Lack of Chromecast support

**Reported bugs**

- Glitches with adding/removing favorite players
- Inability to navigate back in the app
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Auto-refresh function for leaderboards and scoring
- Ability to customize favorite players
- More comprehensive live coverage and video highlights


### Carlowden

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carlowden/id6738641185)

Enhance your golf experience at Carlowden Country Club. Book tee times, track your handicap, and manage your game with electronic scorecards and house account statements. Stay updated with push notifications for events and enjoy golf in Carthage, New York.

**Highlights:** Book tee times, Manage your game, Electronic scorecards, House account statements, Push notifications, Track handicap

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USGA free?

USGA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Carlowden free?

Carlowden is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, USGA or Carlowden?

USGA is rated higher. USGA averages 4.7 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Carlowden averages 4.7 from 6 ratings.

### Do USGA or Carlowden have ads?

Neither USGA nor Carlowden shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USGA or Carlowden?

USGA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Carlowden every 3 months. Most recently, USGA was updated on October 21, 2026 and Carlowden on October 15, 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.*