Whether you’re competing against friends or in a contest against strangers, you’ll come across situations where your only concern during a round of Golden Tee is playing smart. This section contains several tips I use when I’m in smart-play mode.
Here’s another tip submitted by Baxter:
Another thing I do is try to play the course the same way each time. Obviously I’ll have to adjust depending on what tee box or green is in use on that particular hole, but there are a lot of holes that will play the same way regardless of tee/green/pin location. Just be consistent. There is no need to get crazy on a hole that doesn’t require it. Keep it simple. If you find a way that works for you, make a mental note of it and try it again next round. With enough play, you’ll begin to learn what shots work well for you and what doesn’t. If you pay attention, you’ll find yourself hitting to the same area on identical setups.
The course will be different almost every time, but learning the safe/smart places to play your tee shots, you can then worry more about making the shot from the fairway than about the water or any other obstacle.
See this post in the “Putting” section of Golden Tee tips to learn how to avoid anything more than a 2-putt by lagging close to the hole.
Sometimes you’re in between clubs during a round of Golden Tee and have to decide whether to crank past its limits or let off on one that flies farther. The safe play is to take the extra club and don’t hit all of it. A good tip is to err on the side of too much club rather than not enough, especially if there’s trouble in front!
Aiming at the flag in Golden Tee is fun, but when the flag is in a tough location, it’s often best to aim for the middle of the green. The obvious tip here is that chipping in is much harder than putting in, so a ball in the middle of the green gives you a better chance at birdie than a closer chip from the rough.
On reachable par 4s in Golden Tee, sometimes it’s best to lay up, put your chip in the middle of the green, and putt it in for birdie. Don’t flirt with hazards by the green on a par 4 if you don’t need to go for it. Similarly, don’t take unnecessary chances hitting your 2nd shot into a par 5 green. Sometimes the hazards surrounding a green make the small chance at reward not worth the big risk!
If you don’t get big benefit from cranking a drive, play it safe. Avoid the hazards in Golden Tee that can come from hitting the ball too far or off track. The tip here is that in most cases you’ll be able to reach the green on your next shot just fine from a safer landing area, so the smart play is to keep your ball in play!
It’s must easier to predict the path of the ball in Golden Tee when you just crank the trackball forward. Pulling the ball back when you don’t really need to can cause the ball to take an undesirable route, getting you in trouble. The tip for smart play is to avoid the backswing if it can help keep you safe!