How do you play as much golf as possible without actually playing golf? You could play crazy golf, it's usually cheaper than 9 holes and could improve your putting, but you never get to have a full swing with your golf club. Topgolf is alright for a Friday night, but it’s not quite the same as getting out there and playing a proper round, the time you spend here you may as well be on an actual golf course. And the driving range is good for practice and variety, but then again it’s nothing different. So to keep you filled with your golf fix, there’s a simple solution; golf games on your smartphone.

The best mobile golf games

There are a number of big players in the golf games arena, with Topgolf and EA offering the best in golf entertainment.

World Golf Tour by Topgolf

WGT is a fully immersive golf-playing experience, putting 3D online gaming in the palm of your hands. With over 15 million players worldwide, this game is perfect for golfers and non-golfers alike. With a simple swing meter system and pin-point shot trajectory aimer, this game allows you to hit shots more accurately than you could ever hope to on the real greens at your local course. It’s a hot contender for the best golf game around due to its stunning visual landscapes, catalogue of real-world courses and ease of play. We can spend hours on this game, and play more rounds than we could over a whole weekend in one evening. Your other half will loathe the day you discovered this game. Forget Candy Crush and try one of WGTs many modes now.

Plus points:

• Over 20 famous real-world golf courses such as St Andrews and Pebble Beach • Customisable virtual golf clubs from many top brands • Head-to-head online multi-player so you can play your friends • Real-time play-for-cash tournaments • Available on desktop, iOS & Android

Negatives:

• Requires at least 150 MB of space and an internet connection to play • Cannot play offline • Takes up a lot of space after downloading • Hard to progress without paying for in-app purchases

Download it here.

King of the course by EA

This next game comes from the original masters of golf games, and the guys who gave us the classic Tiger Woods PGA Tour series. EA bring us King of the Course Golf, a fast-paced golf challenge game. Like WGT, this game offers real-world course play at the likes of St Andrews, TPC Sawgrass and Pinehurst No. 2. Unlike WGT, this game has less of a real-feel to it, with less spectacular graphics and some slightly gimmicky features. We think this game provides an easier playing platform than WGT, as it’s less real to life, you can add spin after taking a shot to manipulate the bounce of the ball. It uses a swipe to swing play mechanism instead of the swing meter in WGT. Just try and hit a hole-in-one on the 8th or 11th at St Andrews on here and you’ll see what we mean. But if you like the idea of being the master of impossible destinies then this game could be for you. You can even skip the ball along the surface of the water on the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. There are a bunch of challenges involving trampolines, moving targets and baskets which are a bit of fun. And it’s as easy to get addicted to this game as the last.

Plus points:

• Real-world golf courses • Unique challenges • Guaranteed a hole-in-one or 50 • Easy to play • Available on tablet, iOS & Android

Negative points:

• Not life-like • Annoying ‘5 lives’ system that prohibits play for a set amount of time if you fail a challenge too many times

Click on this link to download it now.

Flick Golf by Full Fat

This game comes from Full Fat studios, the developers behind the flick game series. Flick Golf has been around since before the above two came along and stole the scene. But it does have some perks. Firstly, it’s pretty easy to pick-up and play. Secondly, it’s quite addictive as after only a few levels it becomes quite a challenge. Another great perk is that there’s no restriction on play, play for as long as you like. It’s a lot of fun, but can get a bit repetitive. So we think this game is perfect as a time-passer, but doesn’t have the legs for a long-haul flight.

Plus points:

• Easy to play • Free • No restrictions on play • Available on tablet, iOS & Android

Negative points:

• Can get repetitive • Fairly unrealistic

Click this link to download it now.