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- It's best to start the game as a novice because although you won't be able to
- improve your handicap or save any profiles the lack of wind and the fixed
- swingometer means that you're able to concentrate on the basics - course
- strategy and power. Strategy means summing up the dangers and choosing the safe
- route down the fairway which can be far from easy with some of the tortuous
- holes included in the game. When it comes to short pitching you need to learn
- from experience how much power to apply to get the distance you need. Otherwise
- you face fifty-foor putts to the equally tortuous greens.
- An old golfing adage says that the pros drive for show and putt for dough and
- to a large extent it's true. It's possible to waste a ridiculous number of shots
- on the greens so putting practise is essential. The most important thing to
- remember is that the halfway mark on the putting meter always represents the
- optimum power for a flat green whatever the distance of the putt. All you have
- to do is hit harder if the putt is uphill or less hard if it's downhill - you
- can check the slope by clicking the right mouse button to see the path to the
- hole from side on. The other thing to worry about is the borrow - use the 'grid'
- icon to see whether this is left-to-right (or right-to-left) and compensate by
- playing to the left (or right). When you start saving your profile and average
- of 1.5 putts per green is good but lower putting averages are possible - 1.0
- is perfect.
-
- THE 5 HARDEST HOLES:
- ===================
- 1 - Ballybrook - Hole 18 (Par 5) 'Birchwood Corner':
- ---------------------------------------------------
- This is one of the hardest par five on any of the six courses so don't worry if
- it takes you some time to make par.
-
- First shot:
- The fairway makes a dog-leg so use the far right tee position to straighten out
- the angle. Don't be afraid to drive over the wood but make sure you tee up on
- the top position to gain enough height. Follow this advice and you should be in
- a good position far enough down the fairway to be tempted by the green for your
- second shot.
-
- Second shot:
- If you have anything other than a perfect lie be content with a short pitch to
- near the edge of the brook. From a good or fluffy lie you will be able to use a
- three wood to play to the right of the bunkers guarding the green. Be sure to
- pitch accurately onto the green because it's large and has very difficult
- contours.
-
- 2 - St Augustine - Hole 9 (par 3) 'Devil's Green':
- -------------------------------------------------
- Fourtunately unless you're a scratch player you'll be playing off the front
- tee which is a good 30 yards forward and gives you a clearer view of the green.
- Make sure you don't underclub and flirt with the brook and target the right side
- of the green because the steep slopes funnel the ball to the left. Don't worry
- if you end up off the back but try to pitch accurately otherwise you'll be
- three-putting.
-
- 3 - Buckland Heath - Hole 16 (par 4) 'Devil's Putt':
- ---------------------------------------------------
- The fast sloping left-to-right green dictates the strategy for this hole. Target
- the right-hand edge of the fairway beyond the bunker so that you're able to play
- onto the green. Aim directly at the flag and use a slightly under-powered
- pitching wedge - you should end up pinhigh but slightly beneath the cip for an
- easy birdie putt.
-
- 4 - Fenham Valley - Hole 18 (par 5) 'Jacob's Lake':
- --------------------------------------------------
-
- First shot:
- The big lake looks threatening but keep your cool and raise your tee and it's
- easy to clear. You should pitch over to the left-hand side of the fairway to
- give a good view of the green.
-
- Second shot:
- For the brave a three wood over the trees and risking the bunkers is possible
- but the green is very small. Always check the green before your shot to see
- if the flag is on the closer tier or the lower back tier. It's best to play a
- long iron short of the bunkers and then pitch accurately to the pin.
-
- 5 - Mountsummer Pont - Hole (par 5) 'Old Lumpy':
- -----------------------------------------------
-
- First shot:
- This is the links course and the fairways tend to be very bumpy. This fairway
- kicks balls to the left so aim for the extreme right hand edge and hit a driver
- with some overswing to make good distance. Hopefully you're left a second shot
- from the centre of the fairway - if you end up too far to the left then you have
- an awful approach over tall trees and a deep pot bunker.
-
- Second shot:
- Anywhere on this course you should watch out for sloping lines which make your
- stance more awkward and mean you can't hit the ball so hard. Always check the
- power curve on the swingometer first. Here you're likely to be on an upslope
- so take more club - a three wood perhaps - and aim for the right-hand edge of
- the green.
- *EOF*
-