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GRRR.....

• xBEERx 17 Posts

  Fri, Jan 24 2014 8:48 AM

  Okay, after a few weeks of trying this so called realistic game, I'm at the point I'm ready to give up. I'm missing something here-seems the more I play the worse it gets. I have upgraded my equipment several times, and it seems that it is so inconsistent in game play that it doesn't matter. I have yet to hit the same shot twice with the same result during practice(I use mulligans and do it over several times so I can put it in my notebook)and it is even worse when I pay to enter a tournament-that is my biggest gripe: pay money for a tourney and it plays completely different(I've even gone so far as to set up practice rounds with the same conditions to maximize practice).  The meter is an area that just doesn't make sense to me-it is different from one swing to the next almost. There's been a few times that I literally had to sit and wonder what the L just happened. Realistic? I don't know... The game LOOKS better than it  plays to say the least: the graphics are okay, the pictures of the courses is nice, but I would rather have better/more consistent playability. What am I missing here? Sorry if I sound aggravated, but I am. It's not like I haven't tried, but I'm at my end here. I go from shooting a 66 to an 80!!! I've never had these issues in any other golf game I've played, and that list is extensive, but it's neither here nor there, just pointing out that this isn't my first golf game by any means. Any help or tip is appreciated(I have scoured through the forums for help), but please don't blast me-I'm just at the boiling point is all. I've even come up with new swear words due to this game! I almost feel better already....

• ScottHope 10,656 Posts

  Sat, Jan 25 2014 2:56 PM

  You sound like how I felt when I moved up to the Master tier. It was the worst experience I've had in this game an I can tell you I was that demoralised I almost gave up playing. The tees were so far away from the greens it felt like I had gone back to the very beginning and had to learn everything all over again. It is tough, but give yourself time to get used to it and things will (hopefully) come good again. Perseverence is the key word here, just stick at it and curse your way through every round if you have to. Good luck.

  EDIT: I see you've been at this less than a month, can take some people years to get the hang of this, and as I've said before, if you could master (pun not intended) it in a week, you'd be bored with it in two.

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Sat, Jan 25 2014 3:17 PM

  ScottHope:

  EDIT: I see you've been at this less than a month, can take some people years to get the hang of this, and as I've said before, if you could master (pun not intended) it in a week, you'd be bored with it in two.

  ^^^^^^THIS

  It does take a LOT to learn and if you do not have the patience to do so, try cartoon golf that a 2 year old can learn in five minutes.

  Also starters clubs are  inconsistent but they are free, cost you nothing and with practice you can still shoot below par with them. 

• xBEERx 17 Posts

  Sat, Jan 25 2014 5:34 PM

  I was a bit against the wall for a bit there, just had to vent a bit and I know I'm not the only one who has gone through it. It does seem that everything is different though, the ball just seems to react differently. Just going to keep at it.

• Soggyblogger 224 Posts

  Sat, Jan 25 2014 8:50 PM

  At the beginning of this game, things do change really fast. You are playing with different clubs, probably trying new courses, and balls, plus as you tier up the shots change, and the green speeds change. But it's fun, or why stay?

  When you stop improving day to day, and you get to a tier like Master or Tour Master the changes slow down, and you can settle in to refining your game. Personally, I wouldn't bother taking notes etc. when you are below TM or even until you are a Legend and have clubs you will stick with for a while because all those notes go out the window when you start using a better set of clubs or change balls even.

  At legend the game really slows down and by then you will have most of your clubs and ball chosen. Notes will come in handy then. There's lots to learn and refine, but the frustrations of having the ball do things which surprise you will seemingly never end.

• xBEERx 17 Posts

  Sun, Jan 26 2014 5:03 AM

  I've taken quite a few notes, but I was just coming to the realization that they are useless:that post makes perfect sense. Yes, it is fun or I guess I wouldn't still be here trying and crying. I guess it really got me that I was doing okay, but when I spent some money and moved up, I got worse! Wasn't expecting that.

• Wheels65 744 Posts

  Mon, Jan 27 2014 2:50 PM

  Your scores are very impressive, esp. considering how long you['ve been playing!
         This is a very 'realistic' game; they have thrown in (unknown & unexplained) variables in order to continually challenge players.  I'm not that good (nothing like some of the WHIZ KIDS in lower tiers shooting "Legend" scores) but I have learned a few things which are worthy of your consideration:
  
          1. Every course plays a little bit different(ly?).
          2. That said, each course plays the same - each time you play it.  I.E. St Andrews today will be (mostly) like St. Andrews tomorrow - but will be different from Royal St. George!!
          3. It seems that green speeds change (by just a bit) each day.  So if the game says "Very Fast" today and "Very Fast" tomorrow - the amount of power that you need to make the ball roll 6 feet into the cup, well, changes - daily - but not by a huge amount ( more like 1-3 %).  So pay attention on your first putt - if you hit it (for what you thought was a 6' putt and it only went 5.5'  - add a little more juice on the next putt & remember that you will have to add a little more juice on every other putt - for that course - all day).
           4. If higher level players are whining about the (fiction) fact that their shots are falling longer (or shorter) after an update - TAKE THIS TO THE BANK - they probably never bothered to "index" or "dial in" their clubs - I.E. they don't really know what to expect from their equipment.  If they did (see #3 above) , when game conditions change (daily??), they would adjust their play to add or subtract power/spin as needed!  To be a little more "direct", if your first 2 balls travel shorter than you should reasonably expect - consider  adding more power  ; - ()!!
            5. Just as bad as never really learning the equipment, some jump from one ball to another in an effort to find a combination to their liking, LMAO!!!  REALLY!!! You don't see PGA Pros doing this IRL - so why do it here?  Until you get a whole lot better (& me too), pick 1 ball, "map" (index) it to your clubs and play the darned thing. This way, at least you have a reasonable idea of how far the ball should be traveling on any given shot and are able to adjust to (daily?) changing conditions.

• xBEERx 17 Posts

  Mon, Jan 27 2014 6:38 PM

  Points well taken...taken to the bank! When I would upgrade either clubs or ball, I was half expecting for my scores to improve. Not right off of course, but after a short adjustment. That happened the first few times, but then it changed after I hit level 45 or so. I'm lucky now to break par! As posted, I'm sticking with the clubs/ball I have now and just going to keep playing! I just don't recall struggling so much with a few things, namely elevation and spin. Seems elevation has a more profound effect while spin has less. I should say, the ball sits better but the distance traveled is less and that makes a huge difference now with pin location. I'm hitting the edge of the rough/fringe and the ball rockets or it comes up short. Surprisingly, when I add a little bit it sails over! Either way, I'm just going to keep on swinging and try to figure it out.

• Wheels65 744 Posts

  Tue, Jan 28 2014 1:41 PM

  You're playing with the same R1 that carried me from Master to Legend (when I could buy the Sldr). You will be getting pretty good distance off of the Tees with your R1 so be looking to your irons & wedges next (i.e. work on them - learn them).

  If you are not familiar with  "Bilko's" aids, you should read the HUGH thread in this Forum , especially about the "Wind Calculator". It is a perfectly legal aid (that will help you with wind and elevation differences. 

  It does not calculate where to aim your shot to compensate for the wind. Previous posts, from top players, suggest the following:

                    1.  The flag stick (on every courses) is 7 feet tall

                    2.For most views, the box that contains the range and elevation info (above the green/blue triangle) - assume that the horizontal box dimension is 10 feet wide (unless that is OBVIOUSLY TOO MUCH) - {gotta employ your eye and common sense here} {If you want. pull out a ruler & measure the height of the flag stick - 7 feet tall see #1 above & use that instead of the 'box']

                    3. Calculate your offset:  - I use wind speed/10 X distance to the pin for "laydown" head/tail and pure crosswinds (as shown in "Bilko") &  for 45 degree head & tail winds take the preceding formula & multiply it by .707 (The factor for a 45degree offset).

                    4. Using #2 & 3 above - offset your aim point (into the wind) & hit - i.e. if you figure that the offset is 20 feet - this equals 2 "boxes' (into the wind) - put one corner of the 'box' on the flag - hold a sharp pencil point at the other corner of the box - move the whole box over, placing the edge that used to be against the flag over your pencil point. Move the pencil point over to the other edge of the 'box'. - that  point is 20 feet. Now move the aim point to your pencil point (= 20 feet) and wham away.

  May not be perfect, but this method is used by Tour Legends (i.e good enough for me)

   

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Tue, Jan 28 2014 7:32 PM

  There is no rule for flag stick height, but the USGA recommends the flag stick be no shorter than 7 feet, but most of them are indeed 7 feet tall.

  Since the hole has to be at least 4 inches deep, and the bottom 3 inches of the stick sit in an 3 inch lower receptacle a 7 foot flag stick is only about 6 feet and 5 inches above the surface of the green there at the hole.

  Golf courses subject to strong winds often use flag sticks shorter than 7 feet (St. Andrews?).

  Some hilly golf courses use flag sticks taller than 7 feet, so the flag can be seen on elevated greens. In fact you're more likely to see flag sticks taller than 7 feet, than you are of seeing flag sticks shorter than 7 feet.

  I seem to recall that in addition to using the wicker basket instead of a flag, the flag sticks at Merion are short?

  As far as allowing for wind on approach shots and using the ding (or close to ding), we can use the Chip/Pitch shot mode grid that displays on the green:

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/207460.aspx