Playing a round of golf on OptiShot is just like playing a real round of golf on an actual golf course.

• The Game Mode screen
• Menu Items
• The Scorecard
• Mulligans
• Drop Ball feature
• Pick Up Ball
• Saving Games
• Penalties

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THE GAME MODE SCREEN

 

In the OptiShot World section we looked at the Course View and the component parts of the screen. The only changes for Game Mode are, in the upper right corner we will see the Players Box which lists the players for this game.

One thing to note is that the players are color coded: white, yellow, lavender and red. These colors will show for each player's ball in the Overhead Map and will be the color of that player's Shot Tracers.

The Player Box shows the player's current score. During any player's shot, these numbers will change and show each player's score on the current hole. Also displayed is the number of shots the players have taken on this hole. Morgan has completed the hole, therefore the Shots Field is empty.

The current player's name will appear at the top of the screen and, as each player shoots, OptiShot will display the next player to shoot.

 

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MENU ITEMS

 

 

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THE SCORECARD

 

As each hole is completed, the Scorecard will appear briefly on the screen. You can view the Scorecard at any time during the game by selecting Scorecard from the menu or hitting the S key on your keyboard.

It displays each player, their score for each hole, their scores for the front 9 and the back 9 and overall score. The scores for each hole are color coded to indicate Par, Bogey, Birdie and Eagle.

 

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MULLIGANS

 

If mulligans were selected during Game Setup they may be taken by either by selecting Mulligan from the Menu or clicking the M key on your keyboard. If you did not choose to allow mulligans the menu item will be disabled and the keystroke will not work.

Any player can take any number of mulligans. The number of Mulligans taken by each player is displayed in parentheses in the Player Box found in the upper right portion of the screen. For example, SteveB (3), indicates that this player has taken 3 mulligans.

A mulligan can be taken right up to the point that the next player shoots.

Note: If, during Game Setup, you set OptiShot to automatically complete putts, you will not be able to take a mulligan on a shot that activates these and completes the hole.

 

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DROP BALL FEATURE

 

There may be a time during play where you find yourself in a unplayable position. You can use the Drop Ball feature to move your ball into a playable position. To do this, select Drop Ball from the menu. The Drop Ball tool will appear on the screen.

To move the ball, click on the four arrows surrounding the Drop Box. OptiShot will move the ball in that direction and indicate the type of terrain at that location. Once you happy with the location, click the word Drop in the center of the Drop Ball tool.

Note: Taking a Drop Ball will assess a one-stroke penalty. In some circumstance, OptiShot will determine that your ball is unplayable, will move it to a playable position and assess a 1 stroke penalty. See the Penalties section for details.

 

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PICK UP BALL

 

At any point a player can concede the hole. To do so, select Pick Up Ball from the menu or click the P key on the keyboard. Because this cannot be undone, you will be asked to confirm that this is what you want to do.

Note: Selecting Pick Up Ball will assess a penalty of 5 strokes plus the par for the hole!

 

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SAVING GAMES

 

OptiShot allows you to save a partially completed game and resume it at a later date.

SAVING A GAME

To Save a game, click on Save Game on the menu. The Save Game window will pop up.

By default it will name the game for you using the name of the course and the current hole. However, you can change the name if you wish.

This game will now appear in the Saved Games list you can access from the Main Menu (see below for instructions on how to resume a Saved Game).

If you choose to leave a game by clicking Menu and then Main Menu, you will be asked if you want to Save the game.

If you click Yes you will be taken to the Save Game window above. If you click No the game will not be saved. If you click Cancel you will be returned to the game.

If you have already saved the game and then leave you will not receive this message unless you have completed one or more holes after saving. You can save as many partially completed games as you wish.

RESUME A SAVED GAME

To resume a Saved Game, go to Saved Games in the Main Menu window. This will bring up a list of all your Saved Games.

Select the game you wish to resume from the list and click Play. You will be taken to the Tee of the next hole with all players and scores intact.

Note: If you complete one of more holes in this Saved Game, you need to save it again to include the newly finished holes.

 

RESUME AN UNSAVED GAME

If you were partway through a game when you exited but you did not save the game, the next time you start to Play, OptiShot will ask you if you want to Resume this Unsaved Game. You can click Yes and resume that game where you left off.

If you click Yes OptiShot will resume this game where it was left. If you click No you will proceed with the regular Game Setup process.

Note: The details of this unsaved game will remain until either you play it and save it, or you play another partial game. OptiShot will only keep track of your last partial unsaved game.

You may find that you have Saved Games that you either have completed or for some other reason no longer need. You can delete Saved Games by selecting them in the list and clicking the Delete button.

 

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PENALTIES

 

There are various penalties in OptiShot