A few months ago, we told you about an interesting new golf app called GolfN. In its simplest form, it’s a free and pretty decent GPS app.
But nothing, dear reader, is ever in its simplest form.
What makes GolfN a little different is the fact that it rewards you for playing golf. You earn points every time you play and you can redeem those points in the GolfN app Pro Shop.
What makes GolfN even more different is that while you can earn points with the free version, you can earn more points faster if you buy a membership. The higher membership level (read: more expensive) you buy, the more points you earn.
I can hear you now through my computer screen, friends. This must be some sort of a scam, right? More money than brains. A fool and his money, yadda, yadda, yadda…
Welp, I have a nice new set of Miura KM-700 irons sitting in my office that suggest otherwise.
Do we have your attention now?
A quick GolfN refresher
There’s a lot going on in the GolfN app. As mentioned, you can use the free version for simple GPS, scorekeeping and stat-tracking (but no shot tracking) and earn reward points each time you use it. Word of warning: you won’t earn much.
You can accelerate your earnings by buying in at different membership levels. If you have an airline credit card that offers frequent flier miles and other perks depending on what level card you have, you get the idea.
The lowest-level paid membership is the White membership which runs $225 per year. That gives you 4.6 times the number of points each time you play compared to the free version. The next level is Silver at $450/year and is an 11x points multiplier. Gold is $1,799 for the year and a 54x multiplier.
If you really want to get crazy, go for the Diamond membership. It’s $8,099 per year and a 275x multiplier.
At that level, there’s some behind-the-scenes crypto-investor stuff going on that I don’t really understand. Since it’s well beyond my pay grade, however, I don’t really care.
Again, I can hear you through my ethernet cables. Why would someone be so dumb as to pay, oh, let’s say $1,799 a year to use a stinkin’ golf GPS app?
There’s only one reason and it’s a simple one:
The rewards are worth it to you.
Earning and spending points
I started using GolfN in mid-April with a Gold membership. Using the app is simple. You do the typical GPS stuff like picking the course, choosing the tees, etc. Then it asks you to “Spin for Clubs.” This is that crypto thing that goes on behind the scenes. You get three NFT clubs for the round which, with your membership tier, determines how many points you’ll earn.
I’ve played 27 rounds using GolfN, including five nine-hole rounds. Points earnings will vary, ranging from a low of 2,437 points for 18 holes to a high of 14,802 points (my NFTs were strong that day). Mostly, reward points ranged between 4,000 and 6,000. Nine-hole rounds averaged under 2,000 points.
You’ll also earn points by taking lessons, visiting retailers, hitting the driving range and even playing mini golf.
From the get-go, I had my eyes on those Miuras. Miura is one of the stars of the GolfN Pro Shop, along with Srixon/Cleveland, COBRA, Bettinardi, L.A.B. and, if you’re looking for beginner sets, the newly reborn Northwestern. You can also find accessories like Precision Pro rangefinders, Jones golf bags, Stewart electric trolleys, Hyperice self-care products, Oakley shades, True Linkswear shoes plus assorted apparel, even wine.
I am, by nature, a grinder. Put a goal in front of me and I’ll bust my ass to reach it, provided the payoff is right. The Miura KM-700 irons start at $400 per club so with that kind of carrot, I don’t need a stick. After a fitting at Club Champion in Portsmouth, N.H. (for which I also earned points), the set I wanted included the Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 105 shaft, the Iomic Sticky 2.3 grips in Blue Camo and custom Miura Blue ferrules. In that configuration, a 4-PW set retails for $3,136.
If you’re gonna dream, dream big
The GolfN app shows the Miura KM-700 irons for 96,000 points. I didn’t play any more golf than usual nor did I practice more than usual. I did, however, check in on the app every time I hit the range, took a lesson or visited a retail store. By the end of June (a little over two months), I had earned the 96,000 points I needed.
Placing the order was simple. The app gives you all the details and options you need although I did hit up the Miura website to get visuals. You simply enter the specifics for your order into the app’s Pro Shop including shaft, grip, loft and lie preferences. It’s all done through pull-down menus and selection buttons like any other online ordering system. Despite the upgraded shafts, grips and ferrules, the 96,000-point requirement didn’t change and I was able to customize the lie to meet my specs.
I placed the order on June 30. By the time my family celebrated Paul McCartney’s birthday (July 18 is an official holiday in the Barba household), my Miuras arrived in all their Japanese-forged glory. I’m not sure if I’m good enough to be playing blades but, as I said, I’m a grinder. It seems like it’ll be a good fall project.
What’s next on the hit list?
There are a bunch of ways to earn points besides actual playing. As mentioned, you can earn points by going to the driving range or taking a lesson. I’ve earned more than 1,000 points hitting the range, taking a couple of lessons at Golftec and going through the Miura fitting at Club Champion. You also earn extra points for posting pictures and leaving reviews.
There are a lot of moving parts to the GolfN app. If you’re not into regular interaction with an app, you might find it a little overwhelming. Of specific interest, however, is the Break-Even indicator on your profile page. It tells you how many points you’ve earned simply by playing golf and the relative dollar value of those points in the GolfN Pro Shop.
Another important note is that the cash prices shown in the GolfN Pro Shop don’t appear to be inflated at all. The COBRA and Srixon drivers all carry original MSRP pricing but don’t reflect the usual end-of-life discounts you see in retail. On the other hand, GolfN didn’t whack me for any extra points for the upgraded shafts, grips and ferrules on the Miuras.
Since ordering the Miuras, I’ve built my points stash back up to more than 40,000. Not quite sure what we’ll shop for next. It could be the Hyperice leg compression system or maybe a six-pack of Chosen Family Pinot Noir for the wife. Hey, another 48,000 points and I score myself a Finn Scooter.
Let the good times roll, people!
Is GolfN for you?
That’s a dandy question, one I can’t answer for you. To be honest, I wasn’t 100 percent certain GolfN wasn’t a scam until those Miuras showed up on my doorstep.
I’m skeptical by nature, but proof is proof.
That said, this kind of app isn’t for everyone. You have to be willing to work it. The app is busy and could be more intuitive but nothing in life is perfect. You do have to use the GPS and scorecard to secure your points but we can tell you it will work even if you’re using the Arccos GPS app for shot tracking at the same time.
The Silver and Gold annual memberships seem to be in the sweet spot for earning points. The only rationale I can give you for going that route would be if you play a lot of golf (If you think 27 rounds in four months qualifies as a lot, my wife would agree with you) and you have the cash to pay the freight. I suppose you could argue that if you have $1,799 to pay for a GolfN Gold membership, you have the cash for a set of Miuras. Perhaps, but all I know is I scored those Miuras at what amounts to a 43-percent discount.
And I’m still earning points.
Keep on grindin’, baby!
Exclusive offer for MyGolfSpy readers!
Use the code below to receive 25 percent off your first two months of Silver membership (a $25 value). The link will automatically take you to the Android Play Store or the IOS App Store.
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