The app
Front Nine keeps score for Play Nine, the golf card game, hole after hole. Tap each player’s eight cards and the app counts the pairs, the −5s and the bonuses, by the rulebook. It draws the first dealer, tells you who tees off, shows the game on your Lock Screen, settles a tie with a playoff hole and keeps your table’s all-time leaderboard.
No account, no ads, no data collected. The leaderboard and player profiles are part of Front Nine+, a one-time purchase.
FAQ
How does the app score a hole?
As the rulebook says: each card counts its value, from −5 to 12, except in these cases.
| A matched pair in a column (same value, top and bottom) | 0 |
| Two −5s in a column: they don’t cancel out | −10 |
| Two matched pairs of the same value, anywhere in the layout | bonus −10 |
| Three matched pairs of the same value | bonus −15 |
| Four matched pairs of the same value | bonus −20 |
| The four −5s, in two pairs | −30 |
The app won’t accept more copies of a card than the deck holds: eight of each value from 0 to 12, four −5s.
Can I type a total instead of the cards?
Yes: on the entry screen, tap “Type the total”. Tapping a card on the keypad brings you back to the cards.
Who deals?
As the rulebook says, everyone draws a card and the lowest deals; ties draw again. The app does the draw when you create the game (or tap “I’ll choose”). After that, the deal passes left every hole, and the player on the dealer’s left tees off first. The scorecard reminds you.
How many players?
From 2 to 6, as in the rules.
Who wins? And if there’s a tie?
After 9 holes, the lowest total wins. The rulebook says a tie may be settled with a sudden-death playoff: the app offers a playoff hole between the tied players only (it doesn’t change the totals), as many as needed, or a shared win.
I made a mistake
Tap “…” then “Correct a hole”: cards or totals can be fixed at any time, and the totals and the leaderboard are recalculated.
A player joins or leaves mid-game
Tap “…” then “Manage players”. The rules don’t cover this: a player who joins starts with the highest total at the table, so they get no head start. A player who leaves keeps their holes on the scorecard, but leaves the game’s standings.
Sharing a game
On a finished game, tap “…” then “Share game”: the other players scan the QR code with their iPhone camera, or you send them the link. With Front Nine, they add the game to their own games. The game travels inside the link itself: no account, no server, nothing stored online.
The game doesn’t show on my Lock Screen
Check Settings › Front Nine › Live Activities. The game shows while a game in progress is open in the app.
Where are my games saved?
Only on your iPhone. They don’t sync between devices, and deleting the app erases them. See the privacy policy.
What is Front Nine+?
A one-time purchase, no subscription, that unlocks the all-time leaderboard (wins, average, consistency, holes won and clubhouse titles) and a profile for every player (their rank, form, head-to-heads, best hole, best round and biggest win). Everything else in the app is free. The purchase is shared with your family (Family Sharing).
I got a new iPhone or reinstalled the app
Tap the trophy or Settings › Front Nine+, then “Restore Purchases”: the purchase comes back with your Apple Account, no need to pay again. Your games, however, are not transferred.
Using the app in French
The app follows your iPhone’s language. To change only this app’s language: Settings › Front Nine › Language.
Contact
A question, a bug, an idea? Write to mail@erwanguillou.me.