The best golf games for iPhone fall into realistic tour games such as WGT Golf and PGA TOUR Golf Shootout, head-to-head games like Golf Clash, and mini golf putting games. All ten are free to download and have in-app purchases. Only Mini Golf 1000 says it can be played offline.
Golf on an iPhone works better than it has any right to. A swipe for the swing, a drag to line up the putt, and you can finish a hole while the kettle boils.
I read each game's App Store listing and noted the developer, download size, age rating, whether it has in-app purchases and what it says about needing the internet. They're in no set order, so use the notes to match a game to how you like to play.
The big surprise was how many of these are online-first. Three listings say outright that you need an internet connection, and only one mentions offline play at all.
Download sizes and age ratings for each golf app
| Game | Developer | App Store size | Age rating | In-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf Clash - Golfing Simulator | EA Swiss Sarl | 342.3 MB | 13+ | Yes | Says it requires an Internet connection |
| Golf Battle | Miniclip SA | 231.7 MB | 9+ | Yes | Says it needs an internet connection to play |
| Ultimate Golf! 3D Real Courses | HypGames, Inc. | 504.9 MB | 9+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| WGT Golf: Realistic Golf Game | World Golf Tour, Inc | 417.9 MB | 13+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| PGA TOUR Golf Shootout | Concrete Software, Inc. | 363.9 MB | 9+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| Golf King - World Tour | Rising Wings, Inc. | 263.2 MB | 4+ | Yes | Says you need an internet connection to play |
| Pixel Pro Golf | Pixamo Pty Ltd | 140.4 MB | 4+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| Golf Dreams | Golf Dreams AB | 499.7 MB | 4+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| Mini Golf Stars: Arena Battle! | Game Masons, LLC | 233.2 MB | 4+ | Yes | No offline claim on the listing |
| Mini Golf 1000: Putt-Putt Star | WASABI APPLICATIONS K.K. | 146.6 MB | 4+ | Yes | 'Normal stages can be played offline in single-player mode' |
From the tee box to the putting green
Golf Clash - Golfing Simulator
EA's head-to-head golf game, where you take on rivals one on one or practise solo. Its listing warns that some in-game items are random, and it's rated 13+.
Golf Battle
Miniclip's multiplayer mini golf has easy controls and matches against real players, or up to 6 Facebook friends at once. Expect it to be loud and silly rather than realistic.
Ultimate Golf! 3D Real Courses
A real-time multiplayer game with live tournaments, head-to-head duels and a battle mode where lots of players race to the pin at once. Its listing name-checks Pebble Beach. It's the biggest download here.
WGT Golf: Realistic Golf Game
World Golf Tour's realistic game lets you play famous courses such as St Andrews and Pebble Beach, solo or against players around the world. You can also join a country club and enter tournaments.
PGA TOUR Golf Shootout
Concrete Software puts you on TPC courses from the PGA TOUR, with a single-player path, a Versus mode against real opponents and daily challenges.
Golf King - World Tour
From the makers of Mini Golf King, this is real-time online golf against rivals, with characters to customise and clubs to upgrade. It's rated 4+.
Pixel Pro Golf
An arcade golf game that pairs realistic physics with calm, zen-like play and pixel-art courses. You can play single player, in global tournaments or over iMessage.
Golf Dreams
A golf simulation built on real physics and its own control style, with tournaments, a weekly league and clubs to win and upgrade as your career grows.
Mini Golf Stars: Arena Battle!
A putt-putt game with smooth touch controls for reading the greens, where a clean putt gets you stars. It suits players who'd rather putt than drive.
Mini Golf 1000: Putt-Putt Star
WASABI's game is all about putting: the fewer putts you take on each course, the more stars you collect. It's one of the lighter downloads on the list.
Full rounds, quick duels or putt-putt?
If you want something close to a real round, look at WGT Golf, PGA TOUR Golf Shootout, Golf Dreams and Ultimate Golf. They lean on real courses, physics and tournaments, and they reward patience.
Golf Clash, Golf King and Golf Battle are built around quick matches against other people. Pixel Pro Golf sits in the middle as a relaxed arcade game, while Mini Golf Stars and Mini Golf 1000 are pure putting, which is perfect if you only have a few minutes.
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Why so many golf apps need a signal
Most of these games are built around live opponents, so they're online by design. Golf Clash, Golf Battle and Golf King say on their listings that you need a connection to play.
Mini Golf 1000 is the clear exception, because its listing says normal stages can be played offline in single-player mode. Pixel Pro Golf mentions a single-player experience too, but its listing doesn't say whether that works without the internet, so check before a flight.
Storage on a crowded iPhone
Ultimate Golf! 3D Real Courses is the biggest download here at 504.9 MB, with Golf Dreams close behind at 499.7 MB. Pixel Pro Golf at 140.4 MB and Mini Golf 1000 at 146.6 MB are the lightest, which helps if your phone's already full of photos.
Age ratings for the family phone
Golf Clash and WGT Golf are rated 13+. Golf Battle, Ultimate Golf and PGA TOUR Golf Shootout are 9+. The other five are rated 4+, which makes them easier to share with younger players.
Every one of the ten has in-app purchases. If a child uses your iPhone, set in-app purchases to need approval in Screen Time before you hand it over.
Golf with friends, on and off the screen
Golf Battle's listing mentions playing several Facebook friends at once, and Pixel Pro Golf can be played over iMessage. If you'd rather sit in the same room, here are 2 player Switch games for couples and siblings, and for a bigger group, try board games for 2 to 4 players.
And on the walk round a real course, a quick guessing game of questions fills the gap between holes better than checking your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Are these iPhone golf games free?
Yes, all ten are free to download from the App Store, and every one has in-app purchases.
Which golf game can I play offline on iPhone?
Mini Golf 1000: Putt-Putt Star says its normal stages can be played offline in single-player mode.
Which iPhone golf games feel the most realistic?
WGT Golf, PGA TOUR Golf Shootout and Golf Dreams lean towards real courses and physics.
Which golf games suit younger players?
Five are rated 4+: Golf King, Pixel Pro Golf, Golf Dreams, Mini Golf Stars and Mini Golf 1000. Golf King needs an internet connection, though.
Can I play golf against friends on iPhone?
Yes. Golf Battle lets you play Facebook friends, and Pixel Pro Golf can be played over iMessage.
Which golf game takes the least space?
Pixel Pro Golf is the smallest here at 140.4 MB.
