World Golf Tour: Tips to help you on the real-world courses
Click, click, drop it in the hole
World Golf Tour is maybe the only golf game to use 3D photorealistic georeferencing in what has become a signature aspect of the game. That's how it gets its HD look. It's essentially like playing golf within images of courses. Speaking of which, WGT is also one of the few games to include real-world courses.
Some of the courses include juggernauts like Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Bandon Dunes, and Merion. Most courses allow you to play a select amount of holes. So, that could be either the front nine or back nine, while others let you play three random holes.
The gameplay has the classic 3-click swing approach which has been popular in golf games for decades. And although these style of control is very familiar, there are still some strategic elements to keep in mind. This, especially since you're playing on real courses, including challenging ones like Kiawah Island and Bethpage Black.
Get used to the 3-click
Just because it's a recognizable concept, doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to master in WGT. Plus, if you're totally new to 3-click golf or golf games period, then it's good to get used to the controls. The cool thing is that all you need to do is press one button a few times. This is good if you want a more casual mobile gaming experience.
With this gameplay method, it's all about timing. Getting the power right on tee shots is the easy part, but making sure you're accurate will be a tad trickier. If you're too early or too late on the third click, then you'll hit your shot way right or left.
You don't need to be perfect on the last click, but if you can get the cursor near the sweet spot on the meter, then you'll be gravy. Practice on three-hole mini-games or get in a practice round and work on the three-click method. Hit some shots, get a feel for it, and you'll be set.
Read the slopes of the green
The greens in WGT can be pesky, especially since they clone the ones of the famous real-world courses. Make sure to read the greens by taking a look at the grid that covers them. If you've played golf games before, then you know what I'm talking about, but if not, then I'll explain.
The grid that is shown on the green will little beads on them. These beads will move in a certain direction based on the slope of the green. If the beads are heading right, then that means you'll need to aim your putt more towards the left and the same if it's the other way.
Keep an eye on the speed of the beads too. If they're moving fast, then that means you have to move much more to the opposite direction of the beads. Another thing is to look at the color of the grid. If it's red on a certain part of the slope, then that means it's an uphill putt. Blue means it's downhill and green means it's flat.
Use putt preview when necessary
Putting is likely the trickiest area of WGT but luckily, there is an aid that can help you out on the course. Putt previews can be utilized to help you read the greens. This a great tool that helps to make putting easier in the game. However, it will not hold your hand necessarily.
It would still be wise to read the slope of the green before using this feature. It will help make the preview more accurate. If you want, you can use the preview from the jump and you'll just have to remember which angle it was going for you to adjust your aim.
If you can read the grid, and try and put yourself in the best position you can, your preview should be right on point or close to it. The only thing you need to make sure of is having the right amount of power on your putting stroke. If you get that down, then the ball will drop right in the cup.
Club up or use spin
For approach shots, it's a good idea to see where your shot could end up when using a certain club. There are many instances where you need to club up or club down. For example, if you're using a 5-iron and it shows that the landing zone is going to be well past the green, then you should probably use a smaller club like a 6-iron instead.
If you're in a spot where clubbing up or down won't help you, then, try to use spin on your golf ball. To do this, just click on the ball on the lower left part of your screen. This will open up a small window with a red dot on the middle of the ball.
Move the dot down to provide more spin. Lifting it up will dish out less spin. By using backspin, this will allow the ball to slow down or roll backwards when it lands. So, if you know that you might overshoot your ball, then it should remain safely on the green if you use the right amount of spin.
Mini-tip: Just for fun, go check out the TopGolf online mode if you get the chance. It's fun, and can also be a good way to practice your accuracy too. This mode, of course, is the virtual version of the popular golf driving ranges.
