# The Open vs Shot Pattern

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 (#115 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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Open | Shot Pattern |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (4.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-open/id658257516/reviews) | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-pattern-golf-gps/id6447127454/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.9K** | 2K |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | **68.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#115** |
| Size | 79 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.5** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The R&A](https://appshunter.io/developer/378489775) | [Undaunted Athlete LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116731366) |

## What reviewers say

### The Open

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-open/id658257516)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent coverage and commentary
- 🚀 Fantastic app for following the Open
- 💡 Great radio coverage
- 👍 Brilliant app with lots of great features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Player bios and stats
- Ability to sort leaderboard
- Live shot tracking
- Improved video streaming quality
- Easier navigation and UI


### Shot Pattern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-pattern-golf-gps/id6447127454)

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Grossing · Sports (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Month Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| One Month Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| One Month Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Six Month Subscription | $74.99 | per 6 months |
| One Year Subscription | $99.00 | per year |
| One Year Subscription | $99.00 | per year |
| Green Maps Add On - Single Course | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- GPS not accurately showing hole orientation
- Course boundaries not saving properly
- Subscription issues and difficulty cancelling
- Lack of UK golf course support

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Open free?

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

### Is Shot Pattern free?

Shot Pattern is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Open or Shot Pattern?

Shot Pattern is rated higher. The Open averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.9K ratings, while Shot Pattern averages 4.8 from 2K ratings.

### Do The Open or Shot Pattern have ads?

Neither The Open nor Shot Pattern shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Open or Shot Pattern?

The Open ships an update every 4 days, and Shot Pattern every 3 days. Most recently, The Open was updated on September 28, 2026 and Shot Pattern on September 29, 2026.

---

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