Frequently asked questions
Here you can find answers to common questions about NicerGolfJournal, its supported features, and the handling of your data.
FAQ
The following answers give you a compact overview of the most important functions, platforms, and use cases of NicerGolfJournal.
Does the app require a subscription?
No. NicerGolfJournal is a one-time purchase — you pay once and use the app permanently, with no subscription required for your golf data.
Do I need an account?
No. NicerGolfJournal does not require an account or registration. Your golf data is not collected or sent to any server. It stays exclusively on your devices and in your own iCloud. When you load a course from nicergolfjournal.ch in the app, the app only fetches the course list and the selected file and sends none of your data.
What is NicerGolfJournal?
NicerGolfJournal is an app for recording players, courses, rounds, and golf-related statistics on Mac and iPhone.
Who is the app for?
The app is intended for golfers who want to record their rounds, course data, and statistical development in a structured and useful way over time.
What is the Analysis view?
Since version 1.2, the Analysis view brings overview, statistics categories, trends and group comparison together in one place. A fixed filter bar lets you filter by player or group, period, course, layout, round type and handicap range, and switch between single and comparison mode. On iPhone, "Analysis" is the first tab.
Which platform does the app run on?
NicerGolfJournal is currently designed for macOS and iOS. The iOS version runs on iPhone. An iPad version is planned for the future.
Can I only record my own rounds?
No. You can also manage multiple players and record shared rounds with later comparisons.
Does the app support 9-hole and 18-hole rounds?
Yes. The app is designed for different round types and takes the underlying course and layout data into account.
Can I represent complex golf courses with multiple layouts?
Yes. NicerGolfJournal supports structured course data with hole sets, layouts, tee sets, and ratings. This makes it possible to represent more complex golf facilities in a clear and consistent way.
What do I do if my golf course has been rebuilt?
It depends on what changed. If the course was only re-rated, the course rating and slope change while the holes stay the same — simply update the ratings on the course. Your existing rounds are unaffected, because every round stores the rating that applied when you played it. If the par or stroke index of individual holes changed, record the rebuilt course as a new course and leave the old one in place: your old rounds then keep the complete old course definition and are not recalculated. If you give the new course the same name, old and new rounds stay together in the course breakdown; with a different name they are reported separately. Since version 1.4 you can retire the old course: it disappears from the course selection, and its rounds are kept. If you later import a newer course file, the app adds to the active course.
The app warns that stroke indexes are incomplete. What does that mean?
The stroke indexes of a layout have to run from 1 up to the number of holes, so 1 to 18 for an 18-hole round. Playing a 9-hole course twice and entering 1 to 9 for both loops leaves every index duplicated and half of them missing. Handicap strokes are then distributed incorrectly, and net and Stableford come out too favourable. The usual solution is the one most scorecards show: odd indexes on the first loop, 1, 3, 5 and so on, even indexes on the second. The warning does not block anything, you can still save the layout; it tells you which indexes are duplicated and which are missing.
Can I import or export course data?
Yes. Course data can be exported and imported using a JSON-based format. Simultaneous import of multiple courses is possible by packing multiple JSON files into a ZIP file. Since version 1.5 you no longer need a file for the courses on nicergolfjournal.ch: in the course list choose Import and then Search Online, and load the course right into the app.
There is a newer version of a course I already have. How do I get the changes?
Pick the course in the app under Search Online and tap Compare, or import the new course file again. The app recognises the course by its name and adds whatever is still missing, such as an extra tee or a new nine-hole course. It does not change existing holes, tees or ratings, so your recorded rounds stay exactly as they are. If the result reads "Nothing to Add", your course already has everything the version on the website offers. If the par or stroke index of a hole has changed, the answer about rebuilt courses above still applies.
May I use the course data from nicergolfjournal.ch elsewhere?
Yes. The course data is published under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. You may use, copy and share it freely, also commercially, as long as you credit "Course data © NicerGolfJournal community, ODbL" and share derived databases under the same licence. You do not need an account to download, only to upload your own data.
Can course data be shared with other users?
Yes. The exchange platform on this website is intended for that purpose.
What kind of statistics can I evaluate?
Analysis evaluates your rounds over time – with key metrics such as strokes per hole, GIR, FIR, putts and score differential, plus the Scoring, Driving, Short game, Putting and Holes categories. Breakdowns per course and layout, trends and a group comparison make your strengths and potential visible. The complete statistics can be exported as a PDF.
Is the app suitable for player groups?
Yes. A player can belong to several groups, and each group becomes a comparison lens: in comparison mode the players of a group sit side by side, with the best value per metric highlighted.
Can a player be in multiple groups?
Yes. Since version 1.2 a player can belong to several groups at the same time. You assign players either from the player or from the group, and jump straight from a group into the comparison.
Is an iPhone or iPad version already available?
The current focus is on macOS and iPhone. A future iOS version for iPad is planned.
Can I back up my data?
Yes. NicerGolfJournal supports import and export functions so that data can be backed up and restored when needed.
What is the calculated handicap index?
Besides your entered handicap index, the analysis also shows a calculated value derived from the rounds you have recorded in NicerGolfJournal. This lets you see at a glance whether your current handicap matches your actual playing form.
Where do the handicap class benchmark values come from?
From publicly published data by Shot Scope, Arccos and other sources that record millions of real rounds with tracking devices. The app interpolates the values to the centre of your handicap class and shows a corridor where the sources measure differently. The dataset ships inside the app, nothing is downloaded, and no data leaves your device for the comparison. Details are in the manual chapter on the Analysis view.
Why does the Adjusted Gross Score differ from the gross score?
The Adjusted Gross Score is the gross score adjusted for handicap purposes under the World Handicap System: each hole is capped at net double bogey, and picked-up holes also count as net double bogey. This keeps outlier holes from feeding fully into the handicap calculation. The app shows the Adjusted Gross Score in a round’s totals view, next to the actual gross score.
Which languages does the app support?
NicerGolfJournal is available in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. The app follows the language setting of your device.
Can I export my statistics?
Yes. The statistics view can be exported as a PDF, as a file on the Mac and via the share sheet on the iPhone.
Is there a dark mode?
Yes. NicerGolfJournal offers a full dark mode with specially tuned colors. Since version 1.2.4 you decide in the settings whether the app stays light, stays dark, or follows the system default of iOS and macOS as before. The choice applies on iPhone and Mac and takes effect immediately.
How fast can I record a round?
Very quickly: strokes and putts come pre-filled with sensible values. On Mac you adjust them with the − and + buttons, on iPhone you set them per hole via an input wheel – strokes are pre-set to net par, and the same wheel also lets you mark a hole as „not played“ or „picked up“. GIR is calculated automatically.
Can I show distances in yards instead of metres?
Yes. In the settings you can switch the length unit between metres and yards; the change takes effect immediately across all views.
What are the system requirements?
NicerGolfJournal runs on iOS 26.0 and macOS 26.0 or later. Since version 1.2.4 the minimum requirement is lower than before, so the app runs on more devices. One licence covers both iPhone and Mac.
