Clap Hanz Golf: The three skills to master
Be one with the course, young golfer
Clap Hanz Golf is the first true golf game to hit the ever-growing Apple Arcade games list. The name might sound quite familiar if you ever played on PlayStation. It's the iconic Everybody's Golf (Hot Shots Golf in the US) game, brought to mobile for the first time.
It features the series' signature vibrant, colourful cartoonish graphics. it also has skills, abilities, and powerful drives off the tee like in the console games. And of course, the wacky cast of characters too, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
But, each course in the award-nominated game is big and bold like they have been in the past. They also feature aesthetics of real-world courses too. What are the most important skills to help you tackle these courses? Short answer: all of them. However, here are a few to keep in mind.
Hitting Recovery Shots
This is important in real golf but is also critical in a game like Clap Hanz Golf. Golf courses will have certain conditions, altering how you could strategize your approach. This includes having deep rough. The rough, of course, is where the tall grass lies on the golf course and you'll want to avoid it.
However, if you find yourself in it, getting yourself out of it can have an effect on the hole you play. If you can't hit a good shot, then that'll likely take a stroke off of your score. But, a great recovery shot can at least put you in a comfortable enough position to score well.
Hitting from the rough is all about power essentially. You really want to wind up and smack the ball hard. Just pay attention to how deep the rough is. If it's short to media height, then you want to go for a more moderate swing. But, if you have the tall, deep rough, then try to knock it out of the park. Also, keep your characters in mind as well. Some of the characters are great at hitting out of the deep stuff.
Putting
There is probably no skill more important in golf than putting. It's the skill that allows you to score. This includes in Clap Hanz Golf. Sure, you need to get the ball to the green first, but if you're an elite putter, it can shave a shot or two off of your score.
Also read:
- How to connect Apple Arcade to your TV
- Best Apple Arcade games
- How to play Apple Arcade games with a controller
Mastering your putting abilities can be very helpful as, even if your previous shots weren't great, your putting can sort of stop the bleeding. There's no Putt Preview feature like in the Tiger Woods or The Golf Club video games. It relies on you just reading the grid.
Fortunately, putting has always been more forgiving in the Everybody's Golf games, even without the luxury of a putt preview. Just follow the beads on the grid and see which direction they're going in. Also, pay attention to their speed. If they're moving quickly to the right let's say; then you need to aim much further to the left. If the beads are moving slower then you'll just need to move a nudge to the left.
Reading The Wind
As with many golf games, there is a wind feature that can affect the flight of your ball off the tee or during approach shots. What's been interesting over the years is how strong the winds are in each game. In some, the wind doesn't affect trajectory as much unless the wind is really strong.
In others, even winds of 6mph can really steer your ball a bit. It's kind of similar to that in Clap Hanz Golf so you'll need to keep this in mind. This isn't something you'll need to worry about all of the time, but it's definitely good to watch out for.
In the worst case, if you end up in the rough, just show off of your recovery skills and wack that ball out. But, it can stink when you miss the green because of the winds. It's just a reminder there is arguably no sport that has the environment attack you like the way it does in golf.
