While Sony’s PSP handheld console has been around for many a month already, nothing good or noteworthy has actually made itself available on that platform in terms of GPS functionality. Thankfully, Sony has done something about this situation by announcing its virtual golf caddy application that will definitely drive golf-crazy Japan wild with delirium. Known as ‘Minna No Golf Jo,’ or ‘Everybody’s Golf Course,’ this software will be able to keep track of your exact location on the golf course via GPS, while giving fairly accurate distance readings to the pin as well as different hazards that are strewn all across 31 golf courses located within the Chiba area, east of Tokyo. For those who love golf but do not live within that vicinity, fret not. There are plans to include courses from the rest of Japan in future iterations.

The virtual caddy software will retail for ¥9,980 for a bundle (software and GPS receiver included), while picking up just the software alone will cost ¥5,980.

Will this actually spur sales of the PSP in months and years to come? I think the answer would be in the affirmative. In fact, the past few weeks have seen PSP sales maintain a healthy number ever since Monster Hunter Portable 2nd was released there, and the release of this GPS-assisted software ought to add more to that number. As to whether it will see a localized version in Europe or North America, that remains to be seen. Perhaps TomTom could do something about that situation and turn things around for the PSP elsewhere in the world…

Source: Digital World Tokyo

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