Tap “Play a round” on the start screen
When you open the app, you land on the start screen. Tap “Play a round”.
If a round is already running, it says “Back to your round” — one tap and you are back at your hole.
Select your course
Tap “Select course”. Course selection shows you:
- Near you — courses in the area, sorted by distance (the app needs your location for this).
- Recently played — your last courses.
- Search — by name or city, worldwide.
Tap your course.
Set up the round
After you pick the course, “Start round” opens with the settings:
- Tees — your tee box. The app remembers your choice for each course.
- Holes — 18 holes, front 9 or back 9.
- Tracking — “Every shot” or “Score only”; plus “Live on course” or “Enter later at home”.
- Watch — “Playing with a watch” if you use an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch (Pro).
- Tournament — tournament mode hides whatever the Rules of Golf do not allow in competition.
Tap “Apply”.
Tap “Start round”
Back on the round screen, the button is now gold: “Start round”. One tap and the round begins on hole 1 (hole 10 for the back 9).
The first time, the app asks whether it may use your location and — if a watch is connected — your watch. Then it asks for your handicap; you can also continue without one.
From now on you see live distances to the green and to hazards. With Pro, the app shows the wind and its effect on your shot, and your watch detects your shots.
Plan your round (optional)
Before you play, try “Plan round”: you see every hole on the satellite image with fairway, water, bunkers and green, and drag your planned shots into place — with distances.
During the round, the “Birdiebook” switch shows your plan on the hole map.