GolfStar

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For online competition, nothing beats a friendly game of golf. I've been playing GolfStar for about a month now, and I tell you, this game has everything. I've seen the ball spin and lip out of a hole, or run through it with too much speed. The physics in this game is unbelievable.

You earn GP (game points) which can be used to purchase costumes. Purchase costumes in the Locker or you can win one in the Lucky Box (I won a Legend Nobeus G7 series club from there). Costumes come with stats that boost driving distance, fatten up the impact gauge, and make the control zone (landing area) smaller. Learning how to read the breaks of the putting green is easy. The speed of the blips moving across the green will help you do that. I do it by feel and never use the putting guide (given as reward or purchased).

You use hearts in order to play Career Mode. Try to pass beginner, junior, amateur, semi-pro, and pro, in that order, so you'll have the basic fundamentals to compete against other players. Use power-up coupons to successfully boost your clubs, bags, and gloves to maximum potential. Try to save some of the power-up coupons for when you acquire Legend golf clubs, and bags.

Spend game points on upgrading your skills set (draw, fade, high, low, pitch, flap, backspin, rough, bunker shots). And use the Auto Set to let the computer optimize the stats for you.

When you run out of hearts to play Career Mode (a heart is generated every 10 minutes), go and compete online against other players around the world (it's free, no waiting for hearts). There's nothing like coming from behind with an eagle to clinch victory. Note: You don't have to buy anything in this game to enjoy it and be competitive. This game will run on the latest iPads or iPhones. I think they have it on android, also.

 

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Putting tip: Visualize how long it will take the ball to arrive at the hole, then adjust the target line depending on how fast the blips are traveling across the grid. You should have no trouble making putts once you get the feel for it.

Driving tip: Check the wind direction and elevation of the hole to keep the ball from sailing over or landing short of the green, and adjust accordingly (divide by three, then add or subtract yardage to length). I usually land the ball from 2-5 yards of the pin for an easy birdie. It is also very important to check on the lean of the slope (see bottom right of screen shot). If the lie angle of the ball has a slope reading of R6, then you have to set your target to the left (count 6 dots going left) to compensate. If you follow these simple tips, you will be able to beat most of the players out there.