The Open vs Shot Pattern
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Open
Experience live coverage of golf's original Championship, including feature groups, range sessions, and unique par-3 channel footage. Stay updated with real-time scores, tee times, news, and highlights. Access year-round content like films, documentaries, coaching videos, and podcasts.
- Live championship coverage
- Feature group coverage
- Live at the Range
- Up-to-date scoring and tee times
- Live blog
- News, video highlights, and features
- Films, documentaries, and podcasts
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Download the enhanced Open App to enjoy unrivalled coverage from Royal Birkdale. Whether you’ll be part of the captivated crowd or watching every shot from afar, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the features that are just a tap away: • Free live streams, including Featured Groups • A new interactive Open fantasy game • Our most in-depth course guide to date • A leaderboard that you can add to your lock screen • See live ball positions and routes to the hole for every player • Daily weather updates • Stats Centre
Shot Pattern
Visualize your actual shot dispersion on any golf hole before you swing. This app helps you choose smarter targets, avoid hazards, and improve your scores by showing where your ball is likely to land based on your club and target. It also offers predictive analytics and detailed shot tracking for performance improvement.
- Personal shot dispersion overlay on hole imagery
- Strokes gained predictor for club/target choices
- Shot tracking and detailed strokes gained stats
- 40,000+ courses with GPS and green maps
- Launch monitor data integration
- USGA/R&A compliant
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The Golf GPS App That Helps You Turn Your Shot Data Into Lower Scores: • Attack Smarter with Personalized Targets • Improve Faster with Advanced Stats & Analytics Shot Pattern overlays your personal shot dispersion onto satellite imagery of every hole, so you can pick smarter targets, avoid trouble, and shoot lower scores. Trusted by players on PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA, and college teams worldwide. 4.8 stars from thousands of golfers. YOUR SHOT PATTERN ON EVERY HOLE Most golf GPS apps stop at giving you a number to the green. Shot Pattern goes further. It takes your actual shot data and shows you where your ball is likely to land based on your club and target selection. See your tee shot arc and approach shot circle overlaid right on the satellite image of the hole you’re standing on. Take the guesswork out of where to aim. STROKES GAINED PREDICTOR Compare different club and target combinations to see the expected strokes gained outcome for each option. Should you hit driver or lay up with an iron? How aggressive should you aim at a tucked pin? The Predictor runs the math using your personal dispersion so you can make confident decisions instead of guessing. SHOT TRACKING & STROKES GAINED STATS Track every shot with GPS precision. Get shot by shot strokes gained breakdowns for driving, approach, short game, and putting. Filter by distance, lie, club, or round. Advanced analytics including Drives in Play, Big Misses, and Big 5 Score Killers help you find the patterns that are costing you strokes. 40,000+ COURSES WITH GPS & GREEN MAPS Satellite imagery on every hole. Measure landing areas. Course preview tools to plan your strategy before the round. Elevation data. Green maps to read breaks and plan approaches. USGA and R&A compliant for tournament and handicap play. CONNECT YOUR DATA Upload launch monitor data to build your dispersion profile faster. Share your stats with your coach. Multiple tracking modes including live GPS on course, Apple Watch, or post round manual entry. WHAT GOLFERS ARE SAYING “You won’t need any other golf app” “Fantastic Shot Tracking and Course Management” “The uploading of launch monitor data is fantastic” “Switched from Decade” Start your free trial today. Terms of Use: https://shotpattern.app/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://shotpattern.app/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shot Pattern at 68% against The Open's 28%. Shot Pattern also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and chart position (#98 vs unranked). The Open's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Shot Pattern sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. The Open asks for nothing beyond the download.
Shot Pattern holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.9K and 2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of The Open's written reviews are positive against 68% of Shot Pattern's.
The Open ships an update every 4 days, Shot Pattern every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Open | Shot Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (4.9K ratings) | 4.8 (2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | 68.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4.9K — better | 2K |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #98 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 79 MB | 104 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The R&A | Undaunted Athlete LLC |
Customer experience
The Open
Shot Pattern
User reviews
The Open
From 4.9K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Excellent coverage and commentary
- 🚀 Fantastic app for following the Open
- 💡 Great radio coverage
- 👍 Brilliant app with lots of great features
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🐛 Connection issues and video not working
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and poor layout
- 🐛 Requires sign-up/login to access features
- 🐛 Missing key features like shot tracking
Shot Pattern
From 2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent course preview and strategy planning
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Ability to import launch monitor data
- 🚀 Constant app improvements and new features
- 👍 Helpful for course management and lowering scores
Room to improve
- 🐛 Issues with GPS tracking and shot entry during rounds
- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Bugs causing loss of shot data
- 🤔 Manual shot entry too time-consuming for some users
- 🤔 Lack of on-course shot tracking
Bugs and requests
The Open
Reported bugs
4 issues- Leaderboard scores not updating properly
- Favorites list keeps getting reset
- Login/sign-up process not working
- App crashing on launch or during use
Requested features
5 requests- Player bios and stats
- Ability to sort leaderboard
- Live shot tracking
- Improved video streaming quality
- Easier navigation and UI
Shot Pattern
Reported bugs
4 issues- GPS not accurately showing hole orientation
- Course boundaries not saving properly
- Subscription issues and difficulty cancelling
- Lack of UK golf course support
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to toggle between carry and total distances
- Option to see optimal target lines
- Scorecard view with strokes gained data
- Personal bests tracking
- Web/desktop version of the app
In-app purchases
The Open
No in-app purchases
Shot Pattern
- One Month Subscription7 Days trial$11.991 Month
- One Month Subscription7 Days trial$14.991 Month
- One Month Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Month
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- Six Month Subscription7 Days trial$74.996 Months
- One Year Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$99.001 Year
- One Year Subscription1 Month trial$99.001 Year
- Green Maps Add On - Single Course$4.99
Questions
Is The Open free?
Is Shot Pattern free?
Which has better reviews, The Open or Shot Pattern?
Do The Open or Shot Pattern have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Open or Shot Pattern?
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