“Every golf fan in the world will be spending this weekend with guys named Tiger, Bubba and Rory. Not all of them will be in the gallery at Augusta, but those who download the official Masters Tournament iPad app will feel like they are there,” Chris Maxcer writes for MacNewsWorld. “The app puts fans on the greens for birds-eye views and ground level action, delivered with live video, stunning photos and real-time news and stats. Other major sporting events apps wish they could perform under pressure like this one.”
“To bring not only the action but the feeling of being there to fans around the world, Augusta National Inc. has produced a spare and glorious app for the iPad,” Maxcer writes. “There are plenty of stats, including a leader board that lets you filter and search the field of players. The whole point of the app, however, seems less about bringing you the latest news and more about bringing you closer to the course. You not only get a spot in the gallery, but a spot at 18 holes and beyond.”
Maxcer writes, “There are six basic navigation areas of the app — a main Masters Now section, Live video feeds, the Leaderboard, Course, Pairings, and a News Center. That’s it. There is no clutter at Augusta, and there is none in the app. The result is heavy on visualization and a smooth, easy-to-understand experience. The video feed section is the best part of the app, because it lets you flick between several live feeds of action on the course. It notes which players are currently available to watch, and each feed has announcers narrating for you. If you’re a fan, this lets you flick and choose who to follow.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: With The Masters always stingy with live television coverage (The Masters has always limited coverage and limited commercial interruptions), especially for rounds one and two on Thursday and Friday, this app is indispensable for golf fans (for example, live coverage within The Masters app today starts at 10:45am and runs until 7:30pm Eastern).
Here’s a prime example of where apps on Apple TV would change the game. Imagine if you could download apps like this on your Apple TV (or even if they just popped up for the week of The Masters and then disappeared until next year)? Tell your Apple TV that you like to watch golf (or whatever) and it would automatically gather apps like The Masters, The U.S. Open, The Open Championship, etc. and have them right there ready for you to use! Anyway, we digress…
More info about and download link for The Masters app via Apple’s iTunes App Store here.