A new app powered by Buddy Media is for the Sports Illustrated Golf Group. It’s called SI GOLFNation. The application is a way for golfers to track their own progress and connect with each other. SI GOLFNation is also designed as a way for the Sports Illustrated Gold Group, which includes Golf Magazine, GOLF.com and SI Golf Plus, to connect with golfers as well.

The application itself asks you to first enter your golf course of choice, as well as the number of rounds you play per year. From there, you’ll be redirected to a landing page, which displays your home course information, a golf gallery, updates from friends that also have the SI GOLFNation app, and news from the multiple SI golf publications that are part of the app as well. This landing page is also where you’ll be able to track your golf games, see your progress and run basic analytics. You can add courses to track in addition to your home course.

Beyond this landing page, there’s a great deal of social networking that you can do within the SI GOLFNation app. Create groups, check out the leaderboards, upload photos to the galleries, and check out media that other golfers have uploaded. You can seek out golf buddies based on your location, and set up game dates. There is also a course finder, which offers search tools for finding the best course for your needs. This comes in handy when you’re vacationing or would like to find a golf course in a different area.

In addition to the course finder search tools, there are also search options for deals and discounts, run through GOLF.com. Combine this with the news updates and other content provided by the multiple SI golf publications taking part in this app and it’s clear that this application is a very direct way in which Sports Illustrated is looking to interact with its core demographic.

The application itself is rather robust and seems to be quite useful in its feature offerings. The most useful aspect of the SI GOLFNation app, however, may be its cross-platform approach. Access the app on Facebook, through Facebook Connect on GOLF.com, and the iPhone (coming soon). The iPhone app, which will also be created through Facebook Connect, will be great for golfers on the go, as they can enter their golf game data and analyze it right after the game.