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Puttluck - iPhone 4 app gives golfers the rub of the green

7th April 2011 Print
Puttluck app

Drive for show, putt for dough! Practice your putting wherever you are and compete with the best with the new Puttluck app for the iPhone4.

Get your putting stroke ready for Puttluck, an innovative new app with Wii-style real putting stroke controls; it’s the most accurate and addictive golf app yet for the iPhone4.

Replicating the feel of the golf course to get players putting like a pro, Puttluck uses an advanced physics engine and the iPhone's built-in gyroscope to give you a realistic golfing experience.It has been in development by PGA professional golfer Steve McGuinness and app developer Tecmark for more than a year and is backed by leading golf accessories supplier Black Widow.

The app is available to download from 7th April, the first day of The Masters Golf Tournament, with real competitions, real prizes and a real Global Leader-board.

Puttluck allows players to swing the phone like a putter, making it one of the first of its kind on the market. According to its makers: “Ridiculous trousers are optional.”

A range of game modes are available, including a tournament mode featuring three difficulty levels across nine holes, playing real greens from the world’s best courses.

Puttluck also includes a fun arcade mode as well as a live competition, which runs through the website. There are also video fly-throughs ahead of each hole played.

To tee off…
Players begin by holding the phone at eye level to get a view of the green and aim their putter by the touch screen controls. A grid button provides an accurate view of the green’s contours. Next, players hold the phone like a putter, hold the Black Widow putter button, swinging the phone from right to left to take the shot - and hopefully sinking the putt.

Steve McGuinness says: “I had the idea when I started downloading apps myself. I was keen to see what other golf apps were out there. When I looked into it I realised there was nothing available that had an interactive or Wii-style feel like Puttluck does, so I decided to develop one."

“We have taken a lot of time to ensure the gameplay is as realistic as possible, helping gamers to judge the greens and slopes and develop their putting stroke.

“As a golf pro, I love teaching people of all ages and abilities. The great thing about the app is that it should appeal to advanced users as well as those who are new to the sport or people who fancy their chances in the Puttluck competitions, to win £500 worth of Black Widow goodies.”

Black Widow is supplying the prizes for a series of Puttluck competitions, which will run at the same time as the Major Golf Tournaments. The winner will be the player with the lowest score on the live scoreboard on the close of play on the Sunday, becoming the Puttluck Champion. For more details, visit puttluck.co.uk.

Puttluck is initially available on Apple’s App Store at [£0.59]. Work is already underway on versions for Android and other smartphones.

More Photos - Click to Enlarge

Puttluck app Steve McGuiness - Puttluck