Golfers now have fewer excuses when they miss a vital putt, thanks to he efforts of a player turned techno-entrepreneur. Steve McGuinness has devised a new application or app specifically for the iPhone 4, which can help measure the length of a putt as well as being a fully fledged video game with a live competition facility.

The gyroscope technology in the iPhone 4 produces the same kinetic movement registration as the Wii handsets. The handset recognises the movement and features an accelerometer to replicate the putting motion required in putting.

Mr McGuinness, 29, said: “I can’t say 100 per cent that it will improve your putting but anything that can help is useful.”

The app, Puttluck, will also allow users to “play” in live tournaments, such as the Open, virtually for prizes.

Mr McGuiness, 29, from Worminghall, near Thame, attended Wheatley Park High School and started playing golf at the age of 16, inspired by his grandfather William Baxter.

He joined Studley Wood golf club in Horton-cum-Studley and was eventually given the opportunity to train as a professional to achieve the Professional Golfers’ Association qualification.

He gave up his amateur status and studied for the three-year course. At the age of 21 he qualified and became a fully-fledged PGA member and competed around the world in countries such as South Africa before becoming a full-time coach at AB Golf in Long Crendon, near Thame.

Mr McGuinness added: “I bought an iPhone about two years ago and started downloading apps. Then I wondered if there was a way of harnessing the technology into a golf game.

“I asked around and eventually got in touch with a company called Tecmark. Their management expressed an interest in investing in it, and I also received sponsorship from Black Widow, which makes golfing equipment.”

After a year of research and development, the result is Puttluck which costs 59p to download from the Apple App Store and, since going live last month, more than 1,000 people have bought it.

It has not made Mr McGuinness his fortune yet, and he is still coaching full-time but the signs are good and he has more ideas up his sleeve.

He added: “The app is already proving hugely popular and we’re aiming it at golfers initially, but the great thing about the app is it will hopefully encourage non-golfers to play and get into the sport too.

“Many people have iPhones now so it made sense for us to develop the app, based on a sport that is close to my heart.”

n Contact: Search for Puttluck in the Apple iPhone App Store. Web: www.puttluck.co.uk