Story

From handheld devices to a social community

The history of Golf GameBook

  • The Beginning
    2006

    Our story starts with two friends and pro-golfers, Kalle Väinölä and Mikko Manerus, who partnered up and started developing an idea that uses technology to make golf more exciting and social.

  • The 1st Generation
    2007

    Mikko Rantanen joined the playing group as our first official employee and GameBook Ltd was founded. Simultaneously the hand held golf scoring device bearing the company’s name – the 1st generation Golf GameBook – was born.

  • Off to Market
    2008

    After a few years of development and manufacturing work we hit the market with the first GameBook devices piloted on 10 golf courses in South Carolina, USA.

  • The 2nd Generation
    2010

    Due to rapid development of smart phones, we evolved the game plan and Apple Design award winner Elias Pietilä joined the team to help develop the co-founders’ original idea into Golf GameBook app for iPhone and android.

  • Making Dreams Come True
    2013

    We started teaming up with global golf brands and our first big international campaign saw daylight with the goal of fulfilling our users’ golf dreams. We also decided to shift our focus entirely into the mobile business and ended the era of GameBook devices in favor of a golf digital scorecard app.

  • Challenging the Pros
    2015

    We hit the circuit in partnership with The European Tour and launched a fan game called Your Race to Dubai, which allowed everyday golfers to challenge the Tour stars in virtual match play. The concept turned out to be a success with over 200,000 challenges played during the first 6 months.

  • The 3rd Generation
    2016

    Celebrating the over 3.5 M golf rounds already played using Golf GameBook worldwide, we launched a brand new version of our golf app with improved social features allowing the GameBook experience to expand outside the golf course.

And the story continues

Have a look at our blog to stay updated on the latest topics in the digitalization of golf and the fascinating world of Golf GameBook. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.