FAQ - Guide for Swing Away Golf

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"Bring your attitude first, your golf game second!"

SWING AWAY GOLF
FAQ in progress by Darrell Wong (DKW 001)

Contents
i. Stuff for CJayC
ii. Update history
iii. Introduction
1. Overview
2. The Golfers
3. Equipment
4. Events
5. Course rundowns
6. Wagering in Normal Game
7. Codes


i. Stuff for CjayC
------------------
Date completed: 5/3/03
Version: 1.0
E-mail: [email protected]


ii. Update history
------------------
1.0 - It begins!


iii. Introduction
-----------------
[Don't have one yet...I just had so much information about this game burning a
hole in my hard drive that I had to send it in as is.  Don't worry, I'll have
this done eventually.]


==============
|1. Overview |
==============
At the start of the hole, you'll be at the tee box with the 1 wood (driver),
unless it's a par 3, in which case your caddy will select what she/he thinks is
an appropriate club.  Your initial direction will be straight down the middle
of the fairway.  You can change direction by moving right or left and your club
with L1 or R1.  You'll see a line extending from the club; this "swing line" is
an approximation of the flight the ball will make (without taking into account
the wind, the height of the terrain, etc.).  If you want to scope out where
your ball will land, which is almost always a good idea, you can do so with the
analog sticks (make sure you're using a controller which has them!).  The right
stick moves your perspective, which the left changes the angle of the view. 
You can return to ground level at any time by pressing triangle.  The circle
button brings up a topographic grid of the immediate area, a boon for your
short game.

L2 and R2 change your stance, allowing you to put draw (leftward curve) or fade
(rightward curve) on the ball.  Up and down allow you to aim higher or lower on
the ball.  High shots impart topsin, resulting in a lower trajectory and more
roll; backspin does the opposite.  All these adjustments, known as
"shotmaking", take a certain amount distance off the shot, so it's important to
compensate on the swing.  The most common uses of shotmaking are getting past
hazards and making the ball stop on the green.  Picking a new club erases all
your shotmaking adjustments.

When you're ready to make your shot, press X to bring up the swing meter. 
Press X to begin the shot, a second time to set the distance, and a third to
determine accuracy.  Press triangle to remove the swing meter and go back to
setting up the shot or to cancel the swing if its started.  Note that you can
cancel at *any time* prior to actually making the shot.

If you hit the distance setting at exactly 100%, you'll hear a ring and see
some sparks.  Anything above that is overswing.  A little overswing will have a
negligible effect on distance, but half or more will really add some distance
to the shot.  The downside is that it speeds up the bar considerably.  To get a
clean shot, you need to time the final press with the bar in the "meet" area. 
On the drive (and only the drive), doing this will also cause a ring and
sparks.  If the bar's to the left, it results in a slice; stopping on the right
results in a hook.  The severity is determined by how off you were.  In
addition to inaccuracy, hooks and slices take quite a bit of distance off the
ball, so avoid them whenever possible.  And no matter what, don't ever let the
ball go all the way to the bottom, or it's an automatic monster hook.

Press square to do a chip shot; the distance meter will turn red and display a
50 regardless of what club you're using.  You can chip with any club, although
a wedge works the best.  It's *much* easier to get a precise shot with a chip
than a regular shot, making them ideal for when you're close to the hole and
have plenty of room to run.  Chips are subject to overswing, although the
effect isn't that much.  Shotmaking adjustments to chips are generally
ineffective.

At the start of your next shot, the process begins again.  Your caddy will
select an appropriate club for the remaining distance.  If it's more than what
you're capable of hitting, it'll be the 3 wood by default.  You cannot use the
driver for anything but the tee shot.  When your remaining distance is less
than about 100 yards (a full swing with your shortest club), the swing line is
replaced by a dashed line which indicates direction only.

Once you're on the green, all you have to do is aim and set the distance.  All
putts are straight and not subject to hook and slice.  Up or down resets your
position.  Triangle switches the view to behind the hole (very useful for long
putts).  Square changes the putter setting between 30, 60, and 120.  If you
putt from off the green (which is a good idea in many situations), it's handled
the same, except that you don't automatically get a topography grid and the
back view isn't available.  Also, the flagstick remains in the cup, making it a
little harder to hole out.

Your golfer's attributes go a long way toward determining the kind of shots
you'll be able to make.  The Distance attribute, obviously, determines the
maximum distance of your shots.  At 0, you can hit a beginner driver 210 yards.
 Each point you put into Distance increases this by 1.4 yards, up to a maximum
of 350 for the full 100 points.  However, the more Distance you have, the
faster the swing bar moves.  Accuracy slows down the swing bar and lessens the
severity of mishits, but also decreases your overall distance (albeit
considerably less than 1.4 yards).  You should always maintain a good balance
between Distance and Accuracy, never letting one get too far ahead of the
other.  Control is your shotmaking ability, how far you can make the ball curve
and how fast you can make it spin.  Recovery dictates the precision of your
bunker and sand shots.  If you're prone to mis-hits, it's an absolute must.  In
general, while you don't have to make your golfer perfectly balanced (although
that's perfectly acceptable), you don't want any one attribute to get far
higher or lower than the rest.  Pinpoint accuracy isn't much use if you
consistently need a wood to reach the green; perfect recovery isn't doesn't
help you stay out of trouble in the first place.  The only exception is
starting out with high Control, and even then only if you want a real
challenge.

Call up the options menu by pushing select.  Save Shot allows you to save the
last shot made to memory; wait until the next shot comes up before doing so. 
Unplayable returns the ball to the point where you made the last shot and adds
a penalty stroke; use this only if you have an absolutely impossible lie.  Give
up automatically ends the hole and gives you the worst score possible, +10. 
The only time this is useful is if you fail to make bogey in a point
tournament, since anything worse than a bogey results in the same score.  Quit
ends the game and gives you the option of saving it.  You can save any type of
game *except* survival.  When you restart the game, you'll be on the tee
regardless of whether or not you made any shots before quitting.

General tips -
* Don't ever rush your shot, even if your opponent's all but begging you to. 
There's no end to the bad things that can happen with an errant shot.  Be
accurate, not fast.

* Be careful if the wind is strong.  Even an 11 mph wind will affect your shot
a lot.  Also remember that the longer the ball stays in the air, the more the
wind affects it; adjust your aim accordingly.

* Avoid out of bounds no matter what.  Play conservatively if there's even the
slightest chance of going over.

* Learn when and how to lay up.  In particular, if you need an accurate
approach to a high or low green, leave more than 100 yards so you keep the
swing line.


==================
| 2. The golfers |
==================
Seven golfers, which I refer to as the "basic seven", are available from the
onset.  The hidden three, Sam, Meg, and Steven, are selectable after you play
their events (or with a code; see the "Codes" section below).  Each has a
number of events which he/she can't enter; these are indicated by white squares
in the Trophy Room screen.  Generally, "personal" events...those with an
important story element for the person you're playing as...are unplayable. 
Additionally, since the Survival events are segregrated by gender, each golfer
can only enter one of them.

My descriptions for the computer-controlled players are only general
tendencies.  Some do better or worse depending on the event, course, opponent,
etc.  (Julie always seems to play Kelly tough for some reason.)

The golfers and caddies speak only if the Narration option is on.  Furthermore,
only computer-controlled golfers will make comments between holes and at the
end of the tournament.

  RYAN
  Default type: Balanced
  Unplayable events: Pine Tree Open, Miracle Cup
  Personality: Completely straightforward and even-keeled, if not outright
bland.  Never shows much excitement no matter how he's doing.  Fair amount of
competitive drive, but not passionate about winning; "I won't lose to you
again!" comments practically an afterthought.  For some reason, he calls every
failure to win "close" regardless even if he was completely blown out.
  CPU player: A par-o-matic.  Almost never misses a fairway or makes bogey, but
rarely makes birdie either (and NEVER eagle).  Misses a lot of easy putts. 
Typically shoots +2 to -2.

  RACHEL
  Default type: Balanced
  Unplayable event: Angel Cup
  Personality: Confident, strong-willed, and short-tempered.  Always thinks she
can win even when she's losing badly.  Hates to lose, gets very agitated when
she's trailing.  Calls herself the "Queen of the Fairways" and always has high
expectations for herself.
  CPU player: A solid competitor who's good for at least a few birides every
round.  Long and accurate off the tee; better-than-average short game and
putting.  Can be prone to bad shots and bogeys, but generally does better than
Ryan.  +1 to -3 is typical.  Tends to falter in the tougher tournaments.

  BILLY
  Default type: Good recovery
  Unplayable events: Jackpot Cup, Pine Tree Classic
  Personality: Cocky and completely self-confident; impossible to rattle. 
Makes all kinds of dumb excuses whenever he's behind.  A real ladies' man;
never misses the chance to hit on a cutie.  Loves to fight and gamble almost as
much as golf and takes great pride in "never losing".
  CPU player: Gets into trouble a lot, but usually adept at getting out of it
as well.  So-so short game and putting.  Makes a spectacular play from time to
time, like a chip-in from the sand, but not enough to compensate for his
mistakes.  Scores are comparable to Ryan's.

  JULIE
  Default type: Good recovery
  Unplayable event: Angel Tournament
  Personality: Southerner.  Exudes femininity and always tries to look as
womanly as possible.  Gets irritable when she falls back.  Weak-willed and
rattles very easily; all but demands that her opponents go easy on her.
  CPU player: On the streaky side; can chip in for birdie one hole and miss an
up and down for bogey the next.  Average in most aspects.  Likes to take risks;
often can't make them pay off.  Scores are comparable to Ryan's.

  JOE
  Default type: Power hitter
  Unplayable events: Black Sunday Open Match, Gold Rush Match
  Personality: A pathetic, irresponsible whiner.  Makes wild accusations about
"cheating" every time he falls behind.  Will whine, beg, and even steal to get
what he wants.  As fervent a gambler as Billy, although he only rarely wins. 
Has the weird habit of ending almost every sentence with "right".
  CPU player opponent: Plenty of muscle, but not much else.  Rarely makes more
than half of the greens in regulation.  Misjudges nearly all his first putts;
more than two one-putts in a round is a rarity for him.  Decent recovery
hitter.  Usually shoots between +3 and -1; improves a little in the big events.

  JAMES
  Default type: Power hitter
  Unplayable event: Gread Old Course Cup
  Personality: Egotistical, thin-skinned, and disdainful.  Thinks he's the best
golfer in the world no matter how his round actually goes.  Whenever anyone's
well ahead of him, he only admits that he's "found someone who can challenge
him", never even considering the possibility that anyone can beat him (even
after it happens).  Will loudly berate an opponent for making a bad shot or
even taking a while to make a shot.
  CPU player: Streaky.  Can string together two or three birdies in a row and
follow up with an equal number of bogeys.  Strong drives and a good short game,
but his putting is as unpredicatble as Joe's.  TERRIBLE recovery hitting; can
take a lot of shots just to get out of trouble.  Needs the "mercy rule" more
than anyone else.  Can shoot anywhere from +5 (or worse) to -4 depending on how
"on" his game is.  Takes a beating in the big events.

  KELLY
  Default type: Accurate hitter
  Unplayable event: Pacific Open
  Personality: Quiet, calm, demure, and polite almost to the point of
obsequiousness.  Never brags, taunts, or swaggers.  Looks up to other players
for inspiration.  Extremely emotional and breaks down into tears more than
anyone else.  Feels that she "has" to win for whatever reason.  Limited
reaction to just about everything (except holes-in-one and albatrosses).
  CPU player: Can be good or bad depending on the event.  Usually (but not
always) highly accurate with all her shots and rarely has to make a recovery. 
Scores range widely, from +3 to as good as -5.

  SAM
  Default type: Accurate hitter
  Unplayable events: Same as Ryan
  Personality: Ornery, mellow old coot.  Full of strange wisdom, most of it of
at best limited practical use.  Sees himself as the mentor to everyone else and
is always eager to take a rising star under his wing.  Doesn't appear to have
much passion for the game, although he's around all the way to the Master
Emporium.  Good-natured and doesn't mind losing at all.
  CPU player: Generally good all around, but not immune to blunders.  More
consistent than most of the other golfers.  Usually shoots between -1 and -3;
if he's a little lucky that day, -4 is not impossible.  Barring a horrible
error, he never shoots above par.

  MEG
  [To be completed.]

  STEVEN
  Default type: Power hitter
  Unplayable events: Same as Ryan
  Personality: Silent, steel-nerved assassin.  Hardly talks at all on the
course.  Reactions, whether to good or bad results, are slow and muted.  Proud
champion who can back up his boasts.  Loves a good challenge.
  CPU player: Long off the tee, rarely misses a fairway, and a superb putter. 
Can easily string six or more birdies in a row.  A very difficult opponent.

Caddies -
  Jessica: Soft-spoken woman with weird British accent.  Spells everything out
in excruciating detail.
  Molly: Mindless babbling moron.  Astonishingly ill-informed and CONSTANTLY
asks stupid questions ("Doesn't that make the ball hard to hit?" "Wouldn't this
hole be easier if it was shorter?" "What happens if you miss that putt?")
  Courtney: High-spirited go getter who loves to see big shots and all but begs
for them.
  Carol: Bland, monotonal, spells things out even more than Jessica.
  Peter: Perky boy type.  Uses unusual terminology and often sounds like he has
trouble putting his thoughts into words.
  Mike: High-strung martial arts motivator type.  A little more demanding than
the others.  Really bad Japanese accent.


================
| 3. Equipment |
================
Equipment is rated in five categories, hook/slice ("H/S" on the screen), meet,
distance, direction, and trajectory.  Hook/slice is the degree to which an
errant shot hooks or slices.  The higher the rating, the more "forgiving" the
club or ball is.  Meet affects both the size of the meet area and how fast the
bar moves.  Distance is just that, the maximum distance you can get out of the
club or ball.  Direction and trajectory determine your shotmaking capability. 
Direction affects how much draw or fade you can put on the ball, while
trajectory affects how much topspin or backspin you can produce (both also
subject to your control rating, of course).

Each the golfers has equipment not available in the golf shop, winnable in
Normal Game.  Sometimes beating them in a Story Game event will earn you this
special equipment.  (You can never get Super Lady's equipment this way.)

Prizes (a.k.a. "other items"), which can also be won in both modes, have no
gameplay value...they're just that, special prizes for you to collect.

HS - Hook/Slice   Me - Meet  Ds - Distance   Dr - Direction  Tr - Trajectory
Items marked with an asterisk can be obtained only by winning certain Story
Game events.

DRIVERS          HS Me Ds Dr Tr      WOODS           HS Me Ds Dr Tr
Beginner         4  4  2  4  2       Beginner        4  4  2  4  2
Standard         3  3  3  3  3       Standard        3  3  3  3  3
All Around       3  3  3  4  3       All Around      3  3  3  4  3
Long             3  2  4  3  4       Hard Hitter     1  2  5  3  3
Extra Long       2  2  4  4  3       Super Lady's    3  3  4  4  4
Hard Hitter*     1  2  5  3  3       Classic         3  2  3  5  3
Super Lady's     3  2  4  4  4
Classic          3  1  3  5  3       WEDGES          HS Me Ds Dr Tr
                                     Beginner        4  4  2  4  2
IRONS            HS Me Ds Dr Tr      Standard        3  3  3  3  3
Beginner         4  4  2  4  2       All Around      3  2  3  4  3
Standard         3  3  3  3  3       High Spin       3  2  3  2  5
All Around       3  2  3  4  3       Easy Bunker*    4  3  2  3  4
Hard Hitter      1  2  5  3  3       Super Lady's    3  2  4  4  4
Super Lady's     3  2  4  4  4       Classic         3  1  3  5  3
Classic          3  1  3  5  3
                                     SHOES           Me Dr
UTILITY CLUBS    HS Me Ds Dr Tr      Beginner         4  2
Mid-range*       3  4  3  3  4       Standard         4  3
Wood Type        3  2  4  4  4       All Around       3  3
                                     Air Cushion*     3  4
BALLS            HS Me Ds Dr Tr      Super Lady's     2  4
Beginner         3  4  2  3  3       Classic          4  3
Standard         4  3  3  2  3
All Around       2  3  3  4  2       GLOVES          Me Dr
Double Core      3  2  4  2  3       Beginner         3  3
Triple Core*     2  2  4  2  4       Standard         3  4
High Spin*       3  3  3  3  3       Super Lady's     3  3
Super Lady's     2  4  4  4  4       Classic          4  3
Classic          2  2  3  5  3

PUTTERS (Hook/Slice only)
Pin 3, Mallet 4, L Type 4, Generic 4, Super Lady's 2, Classic 2.

BAGS (no stats)
Beginner, Standard, Light, Super Lady's, Classic.

Equipment notes -
* Beginner equipment is good to start with, but at some point you'll want to
switch to something with better distance.  Standard is fine for most players;
if you're accurate enough, all around is a good choice.  The beginner iron is
ideal for closest to the pin contests.
* Hard hitter clubs have the most distance but terrible accuracy, and they're
extremely unforgiving of mis-hits.  I don't recommend them unless absolutely
necessary (e.g. a short hitter in a long drive contest).
* Super Lady's and Classic equipment can only be obtained by wagering items in
Normal Mode.  Most of it is superior to regular equipment, so if you can win
them, definitely do so.
* Picking the right ball can be difficult.  Your best bets, if you don't have
the Super Lady's, are All Around or Double Core.  Classic is also fine if you
need plenty of directional ability.
* The best shoes are standard, classic, and air cushion.  You won't get the
latter for some time (the 6th World Tour tournament, to be exact), so go with
standard if you want that little extra direction.
* Bags don't affect your game, only your popularity.  You'll win both the
standard and light ones over the course of Story Mode anyway, so there's never
any need to buy either.


=============
| 4. Events |
=============
There are a total of 40 "official" events in Story Game which award a trophy to
the winner.  The first row has amateur events (all except for Freshman's Cup)
and the tournament pro events are in the final row; all others are professional
events.

MP - match play             PT - point tournament      LDC - long drive contest
SDM - sudden death match    S - survival    CTPC - closest to the pin contest

1-1 Public Amateur Competition           1-5 Amateur Match (MP)
1-2 Int. Amateur Competition             1-6 Mid-Amateur Competition
1-3 The Pro Test                         1-7 Amateur Open
1-4 Beginner's Competition               1-8 Freshman's Cup (PT)

2-1 Sam's Long Drive Contest (LDC)       2-5 Miracle Cup
2-2 International Junior Cup (SDM)       2-6 Pine Tree Classic (PT)
2-3 Tournament Pro Test                  2-7 Jackpot Cup
2-4 Pine Tree Open (PT)                  2-8 Angel Tournament

3-1 Black Sunday Open Match (MP)         3-5 Pacific Open
3-2 Gold Rush Match (MP)                 3-6 Queen Classic Cup
3-3 Angel Cup                            3-7 Kingdom Open
3-4 Great Old Course Cup                 3-8 Monthly Tournament

4-1 Ootori Golf Tournament (CTPC)        4-5 Princess Survival (S)
4-2 Meg's Long Drive Contest (LDC)       4-6 Year-end Super Heroes (LDC)
4-3 Sudden Death Match (SDM)             4-7 Super Heroes (LDC)
4-4 Survival Open (S)                    4-8 ???

5-1 World Tour Golf 1st Match            5-5 World Tour Golf 5th Match
5-2 World Tour Golf 2nd Match            5-6 World Tour Golf 6th Match
5-3 World Tour Golf 3rd Match            5-7 Master Emporium
5-4 World Tour Golf 4th Match            5-8 Oldman's Open

Non-trophy events: Practice, stroke play with an old man, all skins games,
match play events not listed, all 2-ball foursome and best ball events.

Required events, in the order you'll play them -
1. Public Amateur Competition         6. Meg's Long Drive Contest
2. Int. Amateur Competition           7. International Junior Cup
3. The Pro Test                       8. Stroke play with an old man
4. Freshman's Cup                     9. Tournament Pro Test
5. 3-way skins game                   10. World Tour Golf matches

* You meet new golfers in 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8.  The last of the basic seven
(either James or Kelly) shows up in a match play event sometime after 8.
* 5 pits you against Joe and either Ryan or Rachel.  If Joe wins the least
amount of money, it's a win for you regardless of whether you or Ryan/Rachel
has the most money.  If you're playing as Joe, you square off agaisnt both R's,
with Ryan being the man to beat.
* 8 is a head-to-head stroke play game against Sam which takes place on one of
three special courses (see Course Rundowns for details).
* There is no trophy for 5 or 8.

Additional event notes -
  Beginner's Competition and Amateur Open: You play alone.
  Mid-Amateur Competition: This event uses a special course; you play alone.
  Public Amateur Competition and International Amateur Competition: You must
win both to qualify for The Pro Test.
  The Pro Test: Although you meet another golfer, you play this one alone.  You
need to shoot -1 or better to become a professional.  (The golfer you meet will
always shoot -1; no one else will do better than even par.)
  Miracle Cup: In addition to the player you're paired up with (Ryan), Steven
is in this tournament.  He always shoots -10, the best score.  Playing this
event does not make Steven selectable.
  Jackpot Cup: This event uses a special course.
  Angel Cup: An unnoteworthy event except that it's worth a whopping $12,000,
second only to the Master Emporium.
  Tournament Pro Test: Unlike the previous Pro Test, you must finish with the
best score to pass.  If you win, you can start playing Tournament Pro events at
the start of the next calendar year.
  Survival Open and Princess Survival: To win the event, you must complete at
least 18 holes.  It doesn't matter how many "EX" holes you complete.  The holes
are actual Create Course holes...i.e., completley random...and you cannot save
in the middle of your game.
  Super Heroes and Year-end Super Heroes: You must be #1 in the popularity
rankings to qualify for this.  The year-end event is held every December; the
other can show up any time.
  Master Emporium: You must have at least 30 World Tour points, the equivalent
of three wins, to qualify.  If you do, this event will be available in
December.
  Oldman's Open: [to be done]

Specific event tips:
  Regular match play, skins, 2-ball foursome, and best ball events: If you're
striving to build the best golfer possible (and who isn't?), it's a good idea
to pick these as soon as they appear.  Unlike the "real" events, they might not
be around again if you skip them the first time.
  All point tournaments: Point scoring was designed to reward aggressive play,
so don't hold anything back.  In particular, if you have any kind of gamble,
especially one which can net you an eagle, you should go for it.
  All long drive contests: Your opponent will have a default yardage of 286. 
Since they never use overswing, if you can match that number, you should win
easily.  The exception is the desert contest, which takes place at hole      
with its infamous stone arch.  You'll almost certainly have to check up, if not
switch to the 3 wood.  Make sure you hit it at least 286 yards, though.
  Mid-amateur Competition, Jackpot Cup, and Stroke play with an old man: These
take place on special courses, which, due to the extremely bizarre terrain, are
incredibly challenging.  See "Course tips" below for more.
  Ootori Golf Tournament: Hard.  The CPU golfers are *very* good at putting it
close to the cup, and with five shots, your chances of beating any one of them
are low.  They tend to have trouble on the Classic and Seaside holes, however,
so if you can wait until it moves there, you should be able to win.  Even so,
make sure you save your game beforehand.
  International Junior Cup: Your opponent is at the top of his game (or her
game, in the case of Kelly).  You will need to make *at least* three straight
birdies to have any shot of winning.  Don't be ashamed to save after each tie!
  Survival events: Indescribably painful.  Trust me, the best way to win is to
cheat.  (See the Codes section for how to do it.)


======================
| 5. Course rundowns |
======================
There are six regular courses, three special courses, and the "all star" Master
Emporium course, which takes three holes from each regular course.

FOREST
This is an easy course.  The fairways are wide, the greens are very level with
almost no undulations, recoveries from anywhere are easy, and hazards are
sparse.  As you might expect, trees are the biggest danger.

  1: Completely straightforward.  An easy birdie.
  2: Favor the left side of the fairway so you don't have to worry about the
tree next to the green.  It's a big fairway, so don't be afraid to aim wide.
  3: Straightforward; just shoot right at the cup.
  4: If you're long enough to get it past the hill, put a strong draw on it so
it lands on the left of the fairway.  That takes the troublesome trees out of
play and gives you a good second shot for an eagle chance.  If you don't have
the length, just put it as far left as possible and get the second shot close
enough for a chip-and-putt birdie.
  5: Aside from the huge pine tree about halfway down the fairway, this one's
straightforward.  If the wind's blowing right, use a gentle draw.
  6: Going for the green on the second shot is a major gamble.  If you're
short, you're in the water; if you're long, you have a difficult downhill pitch
from the rough.  Don't even consider it unless you can comfortably reach the
green with no higher than a 4-iron.  Otherwise, hit it as far down the fairway
as possible (the ball tends to roll toward the water on that part of the
course, so allow plenty of room), then chip it close.
  7: The narrowness of the green and steep slope in front make it a challenge
to hit.  Your best bet is to target the area just in front of the green, give
the ball one or two degrees of backspin, than hit a full-power shot.  If you
miss, it's best to miss long; it's easier to get a chip-in going down than up.
  8: Decision time!  The right fairway is easier to hit, but the left gives you
a better line to the green.  If you go left, get it as far down the fairway as
you can without overshooting into the rough, and make sure it lands in the
middle so the trees don't mess up your second shot.  If you go right, use a
draw to keep it on a fairway and give the trees a *little* room.  The greenside
bunker will be in play for your second shot, so aim for the back and give it
plenty of backspin.  This is definitely the toughest hole on the course, so
don't be disappointed with par.
  9: Straightforward.  Lay up a bit or go down a club if you have to.
  10: A short, simple par 5, and the easiest to eagle.  There's a slope in
front of the green, but it's not steep enough to cause any real trouble. 
Running shots work great for reaching in two.
  11: There's no avoiding the lake, so aim for the back of the green and be
generous with the backspin.  It's a big green, so don't worry about being a
little long.  Again, there's nothing wrong with par.
  12: As with hole 2, avoid the right side of the fairway with those
troublesome trees.  For the second shot, disregard whatever number the
elevation indicator gives you and use the same shot you'd use for level ground,
if not a little stronger.  The green slopes very steeply away from you, so a
soft approach will always end up well short.
  13: Your best bet is hitting it straight down the right side of the fairway. 
Shots anywhere else almost invariably drift right or skip down the center, and
then that nasty little greenside bunker enters the picture.  If you have 40
yards or less left, you can then chip to the green; hit at least 15% harder
than usual because of the extreme uphill slope.  Otherwise, use a regular
backspin shot and try to keep it on the green.
  14: Despite the undulating terrain and irregular fairway borders, this hole
is pretty straightforward.  Hit to the middle of the fairway no matter what.
  15: This is the "super dogleg", as I like to call it.  Use as much draw as
you're capable of and get it as far down as possible.  There's a good chance
that the ball will get an uneven lie, so always check the direction arrow
before lining up your approach shot.
  16: When setting up your tee shot, check the area thoroughly and make sure
your drive won't hit any smaller trees on the way down.  You will almost
certainly need backspin for your approach.
  17: Straightforward.  There's enough fairway in front of the green that you
should be able to run it up.
  18: Both the lake and the tree guarding the latter part of the fairway are
trouble.  If you're accurate enough, you can land it close to the lake and have
a clear second shot.  Alternatively, drive the bar far enough and you can hit
under the tree without worries.  Failing that, a topspin shot is a good way to
stay clear.  If none of these is an option, you'll just have to go completely
around it and play for par.

RESORT
A little tougher than the Forest course, mainly because of all the bunkers, but
still easy to post good scores on.

  1: Straighforward.  Hitting the elevated green with a running shot is
difficult; it's better to stick it with a backspin shot.
  2: There's a bunker protecting the right of the green, and the slope of the
fairway's going to send your drive left anyway, so hit it left.  Nothing
special about the second shot; just get it close.
  3: Get it as far down the fairway as you can no matter what, fading around
the trees if need be.  Because the green is elevated and protected by water, do
whatever it takes to avoid leaving it short.
  4: Unless you're sure you can clear the bunker, go right.  There's plenty of
fairway to hit even with the space taken by the bunker.
  5: The trees on the left turn a mildly challenging long par 3 into a tough
one.  As always, draw if you're facing a rightward wind.
  6: Straighforward; favor the left side for an easier chip to the green.
  7: Golfers that are long *and* precise will score big here.  The drive is
easy; just get it as far down as possible.  For the second shot, you have to
hit to the left or right of the long bunker; use the pin placement and wind to
decide.  The green slopes very steeply toward you, so use a strong approach.
  8: Aim for the center of the green no matter where the hole is.  It's
completely flat, so you have an easy birdie putt no matter where it lands. 
Miss the green, and you have a *very* difficult up and down.
  9: Don't be too daring with your drive; keep it in the middle of the fairway
and make sure you don't hit any trees.  In fact, if you're a powerful hitter,
it's a good idea to lay up so you can approach the extremely high green with a
full power shot.  Anywhere from 110-150 yards left is good.
  10: A fairly short par 5.  Because of the rough in front of the green, you'll
have to bounce the ball up instead of running it up if you want to go for it in
two.  It's a good gamble because even if you don't make it, it's pretty easy to
get up and down from the short rough.
  11: Give the water PLENTY of room, especially if the wind is blowing left. 
There's a steep slope dropping into the water that goes quite a distance up the
fairway, and if you're even a *little* off, you're taking a splash.  If you
have the length, drive directly to the green.
  12: Drive over the big crossing bunker if you have the length; otherwise,
just get it close.
  13: The green is a considerable distance below the tee box, so be
conservative with your shot.  Go a club down, two if you have a strong
tailwind.
  14: Unless you have godlike control, landing your drive on any part of the
twisty, razor-thin fairway after the dogleg is impossible, so play it safe and
hit it to the end of the dogleg.  *Or*...if you have a monster drive and cool
nerves...go for the green.  Even if it ends up in the rough (which it probably
will), it's an easy enough recovery.
  15: Not only are the many bunkers a threat, but a too-long drive will force
you to hit a very difficult approach shot.  Your best bet is to go far left and
leave at least 100 yards.
  16: Just another tough par 3.
  17: Straightforward.  All you need to do is keep it right, which is easy.
  18: The easiest par 5.  Fade around the trees to be in good position for the
second shot.

LAKE
Not all that hard, but the undulating ground and sharp doglegs on many of the
holes will flummox beginners.  Accurate shooting and reading the terrain well
are essential for top scores.

  1: The fairway first slopes upward on the left, then on the right.  Hit to
whichever low point you can reach to keep your approach straight.
  2: Despite the rolling terrain, this one's pretty simple.  The green is
absolutely wild, so try to stick the approach close.
  3: A difficult par 3.  Take special care to avoid the greenside bunker.
  4: Favor the middle of the fairway.  You have to hit far enough left to avoid
that big tree, but not too far or else it'll take a long trip downhill.
  5: If you're long *and* have a good tailwind, you might be able to drive the
second fairway.  Otherwise, hit a layup to the end of the first fairway (favor
the left side because of the slope), hit a strong second shot to the second
fairway, and pitch to the high green.
  6: Your best bet is to hit to the arched "backboard" close to the green.  The
steep slope will catch the ball and keep it on the fairway, and from there you
have a pretty easy pitch to the green.  You can even go for the green if your
recovery shooting is at least decent.
  7: Nothing of note except two easy-to-hit-around bunkers.
  8: The infamous waterfall hole.  The green is extremely narrow and easy to
miss.  You need a backspin shot to even have a chance at it.
  9: Unless you have absolutely laserlike accuracy, going for the green through
the trees is much too risky to be worth it.  Instead, hit to the end of the
dogleg and pitch to the green.
  10: Just about anyone will be able to drive the second island.  The green is
surrounded by water, so, as with the 6th hole on Forest, don't ever go for it
if you need anything more than a 4-iron.  It's an easy birdie if you play it
safe; don't take the gamble unless it's a really good one.
  11: Other than the trees at the bend of the gentle dogleg, this one's simple.
 Of course, favor the left of the fairway.
  12: Cutting the dogleg is *very* dangerous due to the bunkers and rough.  If
you decide to go for it, aim as close to the hole as possible and use backspin
liberally.
  13: A par 3 with the green pretty much level with the tee.  Easy.
  14: Another decision, but this one's easy.  Aim for the right fairway if at
all possible, as the approach is MUCH easier than from the left.  If you have
to go left, keep the ball well away from the water.
  15: Favor the left of the fairway so you don't end up on a troublesome slope.
 The green isn't too uneven, so use a normal approach.
  16:
  17:
  18:

DESERT
The ubiquitous irregular fairways, obstructions, and tough pin placements
require plenty of shotmaking ability.  This is also one of the longer courses,
so distance off the tee is also a must.

 1: You'd be astonished at how easy it is to hit that tiny little bunker in the
middle of the fairway.  Aim carefully!  A topspin shot works best for the
approach to the huge uphill green.
 2:
 3:
 4:
 5:
 6:
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 8:
 9:
 10:
 11:
 12:
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 14:
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 16:
 17:
 18:

CLASSIC
In my opinion, the toughest regular course.  The wind is absolutely howling no
matter what, many drives are blind and/or hard to hit the fairway with, there's
next to no flat land, and danger is everywhere.  No matter how good you are,
you won't be relaxing for even a moment.

  1: Straightforward.  Avoid the greenside bunker and you're in the clear.
  2: Another uphill par 3.  Hit firmly.
  3: Don't even THINK of going for the second fairway unless you're ABSOLUTELY
SURE you can clear the bunker!  If it ends up in ANY part of the bunker, you
are *screwed*, Jack (you may even have to declare an unplayable lie).  Both
fairways slope toward the deadly bunker, so watch out!
  4: Avoid the rocks with your drive; these can *really* mess you up,
especially if you're stymied against one.  Aim around the dangerous greenside
pot bunkers with your approach.
  5: Avoiding the creek is easy.  Avoiding the big pot bunker right in front of
the green isn't.  Go up a club (and use backspin) if you must.  Try not to land
in the bunker behind the green, either.
  6: As with the other doglegs, lay up if you have to, go for it if it's a good
shot.  It's actually advisable to go for it if you have the length, as you
don't have to worry about all the bushes scattered on the fairway.  Take great
pains to avoid these; guaranteed bogey or worse if you find one.
  7: Nothing of note except the colossal bunker guarding the green.  The green
is uphill, so don't be afraid to swing hard.
  8: Hit a full-power drive and adjust for the wind a little more than usual
because of the extended air time.  If you can reach with the second, don't
bother laying up (it'll probably just end up in the rough or sand); instead,
aim for the slope in front of the green.  Even if you don't make it, it'll land
close, and it's a simple chip from there.
  9: Avoid the bushes with the first shot and the huge C-shaped bunker with the
second.  4 is a good score anytime.
  10: Stay well clear of both trenches.  If you have the length to drive the
green, don't do it unless you're confident you can land it within 60 feet of
the pin.  The 120-foot putter settting is *very* difficult to control the
length of and can easily result in a 3-putt.
  11: If you can drive it over the canal, make sure you don't hit it too far. 
Why?  Because all the ridges on that part of the fairway except the first are
vertical walls, and you'll get stymied big time if you end up against one. 
(The first small hill, while steep, is okay.) If you're not that accurate, lay
up to the canal.  Birdies are more important than "manhood".
  12: Decision time again!  The fairway to the left of the canal is safer, but
harder to hit a good second shot from.  The right is riskier, but also has a
clearer shot to the green.  As with all the other "gambling" shots, take the
right only if you're sure it won't end up in a very bad place (in this case,
the canal).  Be especially careful if the wind is to the left!  With a good
enough drive, it is possible to make the green in two.
  13: A downhill par 3 which you should be well able to handle by now.
  14: No matter what, don't be too long with your drive; 300 yards at the most.
 Put it in the thick bushes and there'll be absolute hell to pay.  The green
has another infamous pot bunker behind it, so be conservative with the
approach.
  15: A surprisingly straightforward hole for this late on the course.
  16: Par 3 with a row of bunkers.  You know what to do here.
  17: Avoiding the little pond is no sweat.  For the approach, check the pin
placement and be sure to put the ball where you actually have a clear line at
the green.  Favor the back of the green if you have to.  If you mess up and
actually have to putt over fairway, or even rough, it's still possible; you
just have to hit a *lot* harder than usual.
  18: If you made it this far, this hole should be a piece of cake.  Just be
careful hitting around those bushes.

SEASIDE
A very long, very challenging course that loves to really punish errant shots. 
Beware especially the huge bunkers and gale-force winds.  The wind here always
blows in roughly the same direction, which I've noted.

  1: [slight tail/right] The thing you really have to watch out for here is the
vertical ridge about 370 yards out.  If you have a strong tailwind, chances are
likely your ball will end up stymied.  Lay up, with a 3-wood if need be, in
this case.  Otherwise, just do your best to get a good drive.  Don't worry if
your shot drifts right; the slope will catch it.
  2: [slight tail/right] The big danger here is the pair of trees guarding the
dogleg.  If your tee shot is too long, you'll have a tough time putting your
second shot on the fairway *or* green.  Aim carefully.  There's a ridge here
too, but it goes down instead of up, so don't worry about it.
  3: [tail/right] The ball will spend a lot of time in the air, so aim VERY
well to the left, into the ocean if need be.  Also go down *at least* a club so
you don't have to add backspin and give the wind more time to mess up your
shot.  You *must* stay out of the huge bunker on the right or it'll be a huge
battle just to save par.  Even overcompensating and missing the green to the
left is preferable to finding the bunker.
  4: [head/left] Aim at least at the right edge of the fairway.  The "fish
bunker", like all the other big bunkers, is nothing but trouble, so aim well
away from it for your approach.
  5: [right] A headache-inducing hole.  Experience is the only thing that will
help you here.  Definitely consider laying up to the front of the fairway if
you're not up to it.
  6: [head/left] Unless you have ferocious power, you're not hitting it past
the C-shaped bunker.  It's best to hit a full-power shot with the swing line at
least on the end of the bunker, maybe a little past; the ball will drop cleanly
onto the fairway in the middle.  If you want to play it safe, you can avoid it
completely on the right, but this gives you a tougher second shot.  Swing hard
to make the green due to its elevation and the wind.
  7: [left] Precise shots are required from tee to green.  First off, lay up
far enough from the big boulder separating the fairways so you can actually
clear it.  300 yards is good; 320 only if you're a real pro.  Get your second
shot as far left as possible; take the light rough if you have to.  If you've
taken out the greenside bunker, you can chip to the green for a birdie chance. 
If not, you'll just have to go for it with a pitch.  Don't overshoot the green
or it's an almost guaranteed bogey.
  8: [left] Big bunker in front, big bunker in back, paper-thin green...they
don't get much harder than this.  Just do your best.
  9: [slight tail/left] The fairway narrows, but you shouldn't need to lay up
here.  A good birdie chance.
  10: [head] Because of the headwind, only the most powerful hitters have any
chance of reaching the bottom fairway off the tee.  It's better to hit to the
end of the first fairway (easy), then aim for the back of the green.  Swing
hard for the approach due to the wind.
  11: [tail/right] Take your best aim and fire away.  If you're a little off,
the fairway slope will save you.  Take your time lining up the approach.
  12: [slight head/right] The wind and trees make the tee shot dicey.  Use as
much draw as possible and aim well into the trees; the wind will, with any
luck, drop the ball right in the fairway.  Treat the "seahorse bunker" like all
the other huge bunkers.
  13: [slight head/left] A surprisingly easy par 5.  Aim a little off the
fairway to put the ball in good position, then go for it from wherever you are.
 It's definitely possible to get an eagle here.
  14: [right] Yet another difficult par 3.
  15: [slight head/right] Aim to the left of the two tall trees close to the
fairway.  Don't worry about hitting them; the wind will prevent that.
  16: [left] One more time for good measure.  Par is good anytime.
  17: [head] Go straight across the water if you have any sense.  You'll be
facing a strong headwind, but you should still have the distance to get across.
 From there, it's just a routine uphill pitch.  If you *don't* have the
distance...well, you're in trouble.  Pray to make par.
  18: [head/slight right] As with Resort #14, you have two options: 1) play it
safe, or 2) go for the green.  Check your driver distance and make your choice.


==============================
| 6. Wagering in Normal Game |
==============================
[To be completed]

============
| 7. Codes |
============
[To be completed]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

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