Lifesaving support from Motocaddy App

Motocaddy, is upgrading its popular free-to-use GPS app to incorporate potential lifesaving features that indicate the location of on-course defibrillators and provide golfers with CPR instructions to administer to anyone suffering a cardiac arrest when playing golf.

Normally at GolfPunk we like to poke fun at the industry stuff that comes our way and take a generally irreverent view of the stuff that takes itself all rather seriously.  But, like leading charity Heart Research UK, we can only applaud Motocaddy for including an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) locator and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instructions to their App, something that could genuinely save lives.

So far more than 700 golf clubs around the UK and Ireland have registered the location of one or more defibrillators with a database compiled by Motocaddy that will depict their accessibility on the standalone app within seconds. The app is available in five different languages (English, French, German, Spanish & Swedish) with there are plans  to extend the AED / CPR function to additional countries over the coming months.

Since its introduction two years ago, the Motocadddy GPS app has been downloaded by more than 85,000 golfers and used for over one million rounds globally. Utilising the database of iGolf, the world’s foremost golf mapping company, the app features access to over 40,000 courses worldwide through its ‘Play Golf’ mode which includes an automatic local course search and requires no subscription fee.

“We are proud to introduce the first ever golf app to include lifesaving features,” said Motocaddy Director Tony Webb. “We’ve invested significant sums in this upgrade and are delighted to have the support of so many golf clubs, plus Heart Research UK, who see physical activities including golf as having such important benefits for health,” he added.

The app features a simple six-step guide on ‘How to Perform CPR’, which is easily accessible within the main menu and via a red heart logo on the app’s ‘Play Golf’ screen. In addition, should an AED be available at the course, the app’s ‘Play Golf’ screen will display an AED logo, which features emergency phone numbers to call for help. Instructions on how to access the AED will be shown, plus it will provide an indication of the golfer’s location on the course through the phone’s GPS.

“It is estimated that there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year and the overall survival rate is less than 1 in 10” said Helen Wilson, Head of Research at national charity Heart Research UK.

“Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent and performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival in some cases. We fully support the work being done by Motocaddy and we hope that the number of golf courses that offers access to at least one defibrillator increases,” she added.

Those clubs wishing to add its details to the database should email defibrillator@motocaddy.com.