David Sears, a Halifax-based geologist, has created PartnR, an app that helps golfers connect with playing partners, organize rounds, track scores, explore Canadian courses, and build a digital golf passport.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Sears, who recently returned to Halifax after working as an independent contractor in the oil and gas industry in Calgary, created the app himself with the help of AI.

“The developing work wasn’t hard using AI,” he told Entrevestor. “The AI explained what program to use and I started from there. The AI gave me some code. I copied and pasted it, and ran hundreds of tests…

“I drove my wife mad actually. It was all I was doing after work and on weekends over the summer. The experience of knowing how to do this – even if this idea doesn’t work – has given me the confidence to think I can develop my own ideas and help others with theirs.”

Following a soft launch, Sears is currently seeking to expand the app’s users and gather feedback before holding a hard launch next golfing season.

Over the winter, he will be expanding PartnR to golf simulators. He said the same issues arise for finding playing partners for golf simulators during the colder months.

The app, now available on the Canadian App Store, also includes more than 2,000 Canadian golf-course profiles; 439 collectible course passport stamps; GPS and weather features; rankings, achievements and player statistics. Sears said there are many golfing apps but they tend not to focus on finding partners. Most also charge paid subscriptions to access a lot of the information. He intends to keep his app free to use.

“I have lot of subscriptions myself and I didn’t want to ask users to pay another 70 to 80 bucks a year.”

The app will also be community driven. For example, users will have the option of sharing their saved course information.

Sears hasn’t yet figured out how to create a revenue stream but he’s keen to gain users across Canada.

“My goal is for everyone in Canada to always be able to find a golfing partner.  It’s the same problem across the country.”

And he’s progressing in his knowledge as a developer. He has already created a Halifax-themed Snakes and Ladders game for his sons, ages six and four.

“My boys are obsessed with it,” he said.