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Hole19 App

Hole19 App

Interview With Robert Stewart, Director of Business Development

By Brian Weis


What is the Hole19 App? Why should golfers should download it?
Think of Hole19 as a sleek and smart caddie. Hole19 shows you the overhead map of each hole, gives you instantaneous distances to any target, keeps your score and stats, and more.

Hole19 is a must for modern golfers: it gives you the tools you need to hit your best shots. Not only that, but it's there for you on demand, in one tap. Hole19 translates to better shots and better pace of play, which is why everyone who tries it has an amazing on-course experience.

What separates Hole19 from other golf apps?
Hole19 is unlike any other existing product in its design. It's clean and easy to use. Our reviews on the App Stores reflect that.

Second, it's a brand that upholds a quality that golfers expect, while being distinctly modern. Hole19 first and foremost knows how to build amazing software, and software that golfers want. Our users love us because they're on a ride with us as we constantly get better.

And third, it's 100% free. No one else can say that.

How many courses do you have mapped? How do I know you have the courses where I play?
We have over 33,000 courses mapped and available globally. We've mapped each and every one in-house to assure accuracy. We want our users to be confident they can rely on Hole19 every time they play golf.

Within the app, after logging in, one can see the courses available nearby simply by tapping 'Start Round' on the Hole19 home screen.

Online, one can see available courses at http://www.hole19golf.com/#/courses.

How can Hole19 assist golfers playing on new courses?
Hole19 is a huge help if you're playing a course you've never played before.

Does the fairway narrow at the dogleg? Can I reach the fairway bunker on the right? What should I hit to lay up to 100 yards?

Dozens of questions like these arise every round, especially on a course with which you are unfamiliar. Hole19 empowers you with specific answers in an instant. By giving you these answers, Hole19 promotes a better strategy, smart shots, and confidence in your decisions.

Where do you see technology going in the golf space?
We're really excited about the wearables, namely smartwatches. People have been tossing these buzzwords around for a few years now, but we're really optimistic about the Apple Watch, which looks to be releasing in April. Apple has basically blown the doors open on multiple tech product categories in the last decade, and we expect to see the same phenomenon with the watches.

If these products sell well, golf is an excellent use case, which is why we've invested in building for the watch platforms. Over the next 2 months, we're launching Hole19 for Android Wear, Samsung Gear, and Apple Watch. Hole19 will of course be free for those platforms as well.

Who else, in terms of brands and players in the golf industry, do you admire or feel is doing great things?
We really like what GoPro is doing. They are world class from a branding perspective, and we admire the adventurous ethos the brand has come to represent. They've done a great job of just building demand for video capture on the golf course. A couple years ago, it wasn't immediately obvious that one would want a GoPro for the course, but their in-house and user-generated videos have been very effective at marketing its many fun uses in the golf environment.

Another is Under Armour. They are aggressive as a business, which fits perfectly with their brand. A great example of that is their aggressive pursuit of sponsorship deals- they almost stole Kevin Durant from Nike. And we're big fans of Jordan Spieth, so we love that contract. From a product perspective, UA has a modern look and feel- they're a great complement to the established brand pillars in golf. Lastly, across sports, they've made it very clear they want to transcend apparel and be on the cutting edge of software technology, which we obviously appreciate.

Vice Golf is a third example. They only recently started making a big push in the USA, but people need to hear about them, and I'm sure they will. Their primary offering is high quality golf balls. The kicker is their distribution- it's all online though their website, which allows them to sell at dramatic discounts relative to market standards. By innovating in distribution, they've made best-in-class golf balls available for the normal price of a dozen used balls recovered from local golf course ponds. Plus, their deign and attention to detail is off the charts. They come highly recommended.

How can golfers download it?
Golfers can download Hole19 for free on Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store.


Revised: 02/24/2015 - Article Viewed 30,526 Times


About: Brian Weis


Brian Weis Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.



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Contact Brian Weis:

GolfTrips.com - Publisher and Golf Traveler
262-255-7600

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