Wii Sports/Golf

Golf, at first, is difficult to grasp. It is also difficult to keep score. The game has a grand total of 9 holes; 3 for each difficulty level. There are 3 difficulty levels; Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert modes. You have 4 clubs to use.

Learning to play Golf
First, look at the map in the right hand corner. This shows the direction the ball will travel. You can change this direction with the Left and Right directional buttons. You can change your club by pressing the Up or Down button.

Now, to hit the ball. Hold the remote sideways, like a golf club, but so the buttons are facing away from you. Hold, and keep this held. Raise your control like a golf club, and then strike the ball. The power indicator shows how hard you have hit the ball. If it goes red, and bends to a direction, it will overshoot, and go that way. Careful and sensible use of force results in less power. Wind is shown the top left, showing power and direction. There is no easy way to judge how much by, but counterbalance using power and direction. With practice, it becomes second nature.

Next, when you are near a hole, press. This should show you the slope of the land. Take this into consideration, and counterbalance accordingly. Keep trying if you fail, and don't worry about the score. Soon, with luck, you'll be potting shots with ease. Experiment, and learn from your mistakes, and you'll master golf.

Scoring
Each course has a par count. This is the expected number of strokes it takes for to get the ball in the hole with basic shots. If it takes more strokes than the par shows, the overage will be added to your score. One over par is called a bogey, two is double bogey, three is triple bogey, and after that it goes into +4, +5, etc. If you take less strokes than the par shows, then they will subtract that many strokes from your total. One shot under is called a Birdie; two is called an Eagle. Three is called a double eagle, or an albatross. The lower your score, the better. You can only take par+10 strokes until you're forced to give up and give you a score of +10.

If you hit the ball into a water hazard, a one-stroke penalty is added. If the ball goes out of bounds, the ball is replaced at the stroke starting point, and you are charged for the stroke you took plus a penalty stroke, for a net cost of two strokes for no gain.

Pars for each course
The pars for each of the nine courses is listed below:
 * Beginner
 * Hole 1: 4 strokes
 * Hole 2: 3 strokes
 * Hole 3: 5 strokes
 * Intermediate
 * Hole 4: 3 strokes
 * Hole 5: 5 strokes
 * Hole 6: 4 strokes
 * Expert
 * Hole 7: 4 strokes
 * Hole 8: 3 strokes
 * Hole 9: 5 strokes

Layout for each course
Each course was taken out of the NES game Golf, only now they are in 3-D. There are different fields of the course. Some can hamper your progress, as it is easier to go over your power gauge if you're in the rough or stuck in the bunker. To go further without messing up, stay away from these places.

The green is where the hole is. The game will automatically put your club as the "putter." There is only one spot on each course and that is where the hole is. It is always soft here. Always aim for this spot, regardless!

Bonuses
Sometimes if you're very far away, but then you hit the ball very close to the hole, the audience will gasp in amazement. You can only hear their expressions but it does add some excitement to the game.

You might be able to get the power meter near the top without going over. If you do this, you will hear the announcer say "Nice Shot!" If you hit the flag with the ball before the ball goes in the hole, you will get the "Chip-in" message but not much else.

Skill Points
Getting a Pro in Golf doesn't give you additional rewards like some of the other games, but you might be able to get some very valuable bragging rights from your friends!

Golf is only one of the two sports where you can affect your Skill Point level in multiplayer. (the other being Wii Sports/Bowling.) So, even if you're showing people your mad skills, they can still rise and drop!