Time Inc.'s Sports Illustrated Group launched Golf.com Course Finder, a beta version of a subscription-free, downloadable mobile application that delivers personalized golf course content to mobile phones.

The Golf.com Course Finder provides golf enthusiasts a search application for golf course information based on search criteria such as name, location, course type, course amenities and number of holes.

"Golf.com Course Finder enables golf enthusiasts quickly and easily search for golf course information wherever they are, or plan to be," said John Paris, director of mobile products at Time Inc., New York. "The application can be used to simply find the nearest golf course or to search a range of courses based on criteria such as location, amenities, ratings, price or course type."

The application was developed by Action Engine Corp.'s Mobile Application Platform and helps users make their golf experiences easier to manage.

Search results include a description of the course, information on course type, price, amenities, contact information for the course and course ratings.

Consumers can use their mobile phone to compare course types, ratings, amenities and fees to select the best golf course for their needs.

Additionally, the Golf.com Course Finder application is integrated with features of the phone. Once the course contact information is displayed, a user can click on the phone number to call the course and arrange tee times or add the course to the phone's Contacts file.

"[We are targeting] anyone who plays golf, from the occasional player to the avid golf enthusiast," Mr. Paris said. "This is the perfect application for the businessman on the go. On a business trip? Have a few hours free? Just type in your location, find a course and go play a round."

There is a personalization aspect as well. Golfers can set up and save preferences for faster, more relevant searches. Golfers can even store the last five searches they conduct for quick reference and easy reuse.

"[This product] is very unique, especially in the way the application features are integrated with the phone features," Mr. Paris said. "Once course contact information is displayed a user can click on the phone number to call the course and arrange tee times, or add the course to the phone's contacts file with just one touch."

The application is free for download for consumers, as it is ad-subsidized. It is available today, supporting 28 phones.

Windows Mobile is the exclusive launch advertiser for the new service.

"People are addicted to their phones," said Anne Baker, vice president of marketing. "It is rare that I travel these days without seeing people pulling out their cell phones before the plane even arrives at the gate.

"Having the ability to deliver content in a user-friendly way to these devices is critically important for our customers, like Golf.com," she said. "Mobile advertising is becoming the best way to offer great content, like golf course information, to consumers without making them pay yet another subscription fee."