just found this...and sometimes it does matter even on the approach shot especially if you are going 1st. if you are on Pinehurst for example you may have to play safe and avoid going at the pin so that your ball doesn't release or roll back off the green.
If you are second you can get a decent read on green speed just by watching how the ball releases on the green and then play accordingly.
and not being able to attack a pin on a one hole match can make all the difference because literally anything can happen in a tie breaker even if you hit a great shot inside 1 foot, I have seen and heard others talk about the opponent still winning even when you are dealing with shots from the rough over 30 yards out with moderate winds. those are not shots you expect to be beaten and it happens more times than I would like to admit.
I would like to see the high stakes rooms possibly include more holes. Shouldn't you get "your coins" worth by playing a few more holes? I am not sure how many people actually pay for coins but WGT's rate for buying 2.5 million coins is $99.50 and this is the bargain price. 1 million will cost you $49.75. So if you play in the 500K room, you are getting 3 holes for something between $19.90 and $24.87.
Now, I am not paying that...I have worked to build up my coin bankroll over time but come on...I can play a real world golf course for these prices and all I get is 3 measly virtual holes? I already pointed out WGT values the 2.5 million coins at $100 value but they still don't offer anything of substantial value for those coins that you can replenish (balls) in the game with coins. Why not offer a way to exchange coins for credits which can then be used to purchase balls...
of course you can "buy upgraded" sponsor apparel but I have already noticed the absurd yardage gains seem to turn the game into a carnival act... why should I keep buying upgraded gear when I can already hit driver 3 iron into a 600 plus yard par 5 and have an eagle putt. Granted there was some luck in that but the hole is designed over 600 yards to be a 3 shot hole to introduce strategy and consistent shot making into the game...Why do I now need to upgrade my driver even more so I can hit driver 4 iron?
Come on...the sponsor apparel is turning this game into a joke...imagine the scores the top elite players would shoot if I can pull off shots like this.
Oh, my other high stakes option is to spend 250,000 coins for a whopping 1 hole value. That doesn't sound like such a great deal or take the luck factor out of the game ... if I get outplayed, so be it-- the person deserves the coins, but anywhere from 250,000 to 2.5 million coins shouldn't be based on one lucky swing or outcome. If WGT wants to use up more ball hits, then play an additional hole and keep playing a playoff hole until a winner emerges...isn't that what they do in real world golf?
Some won't like that idea because they want "easy" wins...they want to play fast and rack up as many TW games as they can sometimes even against their own club members but I believe WGT has tried to rectify that bug.
I realize they are trying to grow the game and appeal to more people, but there are just some aspects that seem to making it more of a joke than a test of acquired or developed skill. Just feels gimmicky to me...
sorry if I got too far sidetracked from the green speed topic, one thing led to another..