For the past few years, I’ve used the same app to track my golf stats. I was happy with the way it worked, it did everything I thought I wanted, and I had no intention of looking for a different option.

So when one of my friends recently proposed a new app I didn’t give it much thought.

But my friend persisted. Eventually, I changed to this new app (The Grint in case you’re curious) and I haven’t looked back since.

Why did I switch?

Network effects.

In many ways, The Grint can’t stack up against my old app. The GPS functionality is awkward and score tracking takes more effort on the course.

But The Grint brings in a social aspect that swings the bar in its favor. I get to see how I stack up against my friends, talk smack, and even watch their rounds live as they’re taking place.

It’s a simple example, and not particularly unique (any social media you could think of became popular because of similar reasons) but I think it’s an interesting case study.

Even in the connected world we live in, I didn’t think there was room for this type of improvement in the golf experience. Yet here it is, and I have no interest plan to go back to how I used to play.

It makes me wonder what other opportunities there are to apply network effects in everyday life.

-Brandon