Golf FAQ(Atari 2600)
version 1.0.0
copyright 2001 by Andrew Schultz schultza@earthlink.net

This FAQ is part of my efforts to preserve old games. Please do not 
reproduce for profit without my permission. However, a specific request 
addressing me by name(not Email) will probably get a favorable response.

****AD SPACE****

Check out my small Atari page at:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/games/atari.htm

Graphic directions for golf are at:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762/games/golf-atari-2600.gif

Home page:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762

================================

INTRODUCTION

  SCORING

GENERAL TIPS

  POSITIONING

  WIND-UP AND POWER

HOLES 1-9

THE PUTTING GREEN

VERSIONS/CREDITS

================================

INTRODUCTION

  Atari Golf is a surprisingly addictive game.  Despite there being only 
nine holes, there's still a good deal of challenge.  This FAQ covers 
only the easy difficulty of the game but hopefully will teach you about 
the angles you need to know.  You must avoid bunkers, water hazards and 
trees as you frequently navigate curving fairways before you get to the 
green, where you can pretty much one-putt everything.

  My best(lowest) score is 34, although there is a lot left to chance.  
You must also be ready to avoid traps and to know when you can drive the 
ball at a certain angle and when you can't.  Other things like avoiding 
bunkers are also important for a low score.  With a little practice you 
should be able to get below 50 but hopefully this FAQ will help you get 
40 or below.

  Oh yes--there's no chance for a hole-in-one, sadly.

  SCORING

Hole  |Par   |Total
------+------+------
1     |3     |3
2     |5     |8
3     |4     |12
4     |4     |16
5     |4     |20
6     |5     |25
7     |4     |29
8     |3     |32
9     |4     |36

GENERAL TIPS

  Try for one below par on the five-stroke holes.  Some of the four-
stroke holes are good for that, too, although the par-3 eight seems 
harsh.  I haven't figured it out.  The key to a good hole is a good 
first swing, which will always be described.  There seems to be a slight 
random element;  there seem to be two spots a ball can travel to.

  Putting is very much like being on the fairway;  the same backswing 
gives the same distance.  However, I believe it is possible to drain a 
putt from anywhere on the green on the easy difficulty, since the hole 
is rather large and sucks in anything that goes by it, unless it's going 
too fast.

  Remember to pull far away if you are about to hit the ball the wrong 
way.  You're not penalized for that, and it's amusing to watch your guy 
flail a bit.

  You need at least a quarter revolution to hit a ball out of the 
bunker.

  If you hit a border, you must hit the ball perpendicular to it or you 
will have wasted a stroke.

  POSITIONING

  There are twenty-four different positions you and your golfer can take 
with respect to the ball.  There are the eight general cardinal 
directions(up/down, left/right and combinations) as well as two separate 
directions between the eight cardinal ones.  I may refer to the 
direction as an hour time;  the golf club's direction from the golfer 
will be considered like an hour hand, so for instance, 3:00 would mean 
the club is to the right.
  Once you line up to hit a ball, it will go ninety degrees 
counterclockwise, or three hours earlier, to where you hit it.  The 
toughest thing to remember is clockwise/counterclockwise, and don't 
hesitate to pull your golfer away if you get the two confused--otherwise 
a ball will wind up going exactly the wrong way.

Below, the + indicates where the golfer's arm is.

12:00  12:30  01:00  01:30  02:00  02:30  03:00  03:30

  *     *       *
  *     *      *         *
  *    *       *        *       *
  *    *      *        *       *      **         +**
  +    +      +      +*     +**    +**    +****     **


04:00  04:30  05:00  05:30  06:00  06:30  07:00  07:30

              +*     +*     +*      *+      *+
               *      *      *      *       *
       +*       *     *      *      *      *        *+
+**      *      *      *     *     *       *       *
   *      *      *     *     *     *      *       *
    *      *     *     *     *     *      *      *


08:00  08:30  09:00  09:30  10:00  10:30  11:00  11:30

                                          *      *
                                   *       *     *
  **+                       *       *      *      *
 *       **+         **      *       *      *     *
*      **     ****+    **+    **+     *+    +     +

  WIND-UP AND POWER

  You can wind up until you are 45 degrees counter-clockwise of where 
you were

HOLES 1-9

  LEDGER OF MAPS

  *
  | = tree
  X = boundary of playing field
  ? = out of bounds
  T = tee
  H = hole
  g = green
  . = fairway

    ****HOLE 1****

  You really can only try for par here.  Your first shot should be at 
11:30, at full strength.  The next shot should be at 10:00.  Pull it 
back only to 7:00, and you should be on the green.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X........*...........????????????????..........T.........X
X......*****.............................................X
X........|...............................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X............................*...........................X
X..........................*****.........................X
X............................|...........................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X..."""".............????????????????....................X
X....""""""..........????????????????....................X
X????..""""".........????????????????................????X
X????..."""..........????????????????................????X
X????................????????????????................????X
X????......gggg......????????????????................????X
X????.....gggggg.....????????????????................????X
X????.....gggHgg.....????????????????................????X
X????......gggg......????????????????................????X
X????................????????????????................????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 2****

  This is a good opportunity to get a birdie.  If you're very lucky you 
can maybe get an eagle, but I haven't.

  The first shot should be at 9:00, at full strength.  It should hit the 
boundary.  Then you can go to 6:00.  From there you may need to go for 
4:00 or 4:30.  The ball should hit the green then.

  An alternate way to do this would be to hit the ball at 8:30, a bit 
less than full strength.  Then you can hit the ball at 12:00 and be a 
bit closer to the hole.  If you can get a 4:00 shot, the ball will 
travel far enough to hit the green.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X........T...????????????????????????????????....gggg....X
X............????????????????????????????????...gggggg...X
X............????????????????????????????????...gggHgg...X
X............????????????????????????????????....gggg....X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????..""""..............X
X....................????????????????...""""""...........X
X....................????????????????....."""""..........X
X....................????????????????......"""...........X
X....................????????????????....................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X..............................*.........................X
X............................*****.......................X
X????..........................|.....................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????...................................*............????X
X????????????.........................*****..????????????X
X????????????...........................|....????????????X
X????????????...........................|....????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 3****

  This one is nasty.  Where the ball lands(randomly) may trip you up, 
but I've found that full strength at 3:30 and then full strength at 6 
gets you within view of the green.  Then take an 8:30 shot back to 4:30.  
You really do not want to hit the border below the tree, but if you do, 
just hit the ball to the right.  Until you're comfortable you may want 
to take a stroke that might under-shoot the hole or you'll land in a 
nasty bunker.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????........................*.......????????????X
X????????????......................*****.....????????????X
X????????????........................|.......????????????X
X????................................|...............????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X....................????????????????....................X
X......~~~~..........????????????????....................X
X.....~~~~~~.........????????????????....................X
X.....~~~~~~.........????????????????....................X
X......~~~~..........????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????..........gggg......X
X....................????????????????.........gggggg.....X
X....................????????????????.........gggHgg.....X
X....................????????????????..........gggg......X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????..........""""......X
X......T.....????????????????????????????????...""""""...X
X............????????????????????????????????....."""""..X
X............????????????????????????????????......"""...X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 4****

  Here's a great chance for a birdie.  Hit the ball full strength at 
1:30.  You should then hit the ball at 11:30--back to 7:00 if the ball 
is very near the tree, but 6:30 or 6:00 otherwise.  This is the only 
hole where I've gotten an eagle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????....................*...........................????X
X????..................*****.........................????X
X????....................|...........................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X........................................................X
X.....gggg...............................................X
X....gggggg..............................................X
X....gggHgg..............................................X
X.....gggg...............................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X.........................~~~~...........................X
X........................~~~~~~..........................X
X........................~~~~~~..........................X
X.........................~~~~...........................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X.............*..........................................X
X...........*****........................................X
X.............|......????????????????.........T..........X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 5****

  Another good chance for a birdie.  Hit the ball at 10:30 and then if 
you are directly east of the bunker hit it at 1:00(back to 9:00) or if 
you are a bit further up hit it at 12:30(again back to 9:00.)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????........""""....................................????X
X????........."""""".................................????X
X????...........""""".........................T......????X
X????............""".................................????X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X................""""....................................X
X................."""""".................................X
X..................."""""................................X
X....................""".................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........gggg............................................X
X.......gggggg...........................................X
X.......gggHgg...........................................X
X........gggg............................................X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????..........."""".................................????X
X????????????....""""""......................????????????X
X????????????......""""".....................????????????X
X????????????......."""......................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 6****

  And yet another great chance for a birdie!  This may be the simplest 
in the game.  Just hit the ball full-strength at 7:30.  It should roll 
below the second tree, so whack it from 6:00.  You'll need to go back to 
10:00 when you hit the ball at 3:00.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????........gggg........X
X.......T............????????????????.......gggggg.......X
X....................????????????????.......gggHgg.......X
X....................????????????????........gggg........X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X........................................................X
X......................*.................................X
X....................*****...............................X
X......................|.................................X
X......................|.................................X
X........................................................X
X..............................*.........................X
X............................*****.......................X
X..............................|.........................X
X..............................|.........................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????...........................................*....????X
X????.........................................*****..????X
X????...........................................|....????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 7****

  You'll need to hope for par on the last three holes.  Fortunately the 
approach to this one is workmanlike.  Two full-strength shots, at 10:00 
and 12:30, get you to where you must make a measured shot.  Shooting at 
2:30 pulling back to 7:30 should do the trick.

(bottom 4 rows cut off, unused)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X....gggg....????????????????????????????????.......T....X
X...gggggg...????????????????????????????????............X
X...gggHgg...????????????????????????????????............X
X....gggg....????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X....................????????????????....................X
X............."".....????????????????....................X
X............"""""...????????????????....................X
X..............."""""????????????????....................X
X????..........."""""................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????................................................????X
X????............................~~~~................????X
X????...........................~~~~~~...............????X
X????...........................~~~~~~...............????X
X????............................~~~~................????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 8****

  Shooting at 4:30 should just push the ball past the bend in the 
boundary.  Then shoot at 7:00, bringing the ball back to 4:00.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????......*.........................????????????X
X????????????....*****.......................????????????X
X????????????......|.........................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X????????????................................????????????X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X...................................................*....X
X.................................................*****..X
X...................................................|....X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????.......gggg.........X
X....................????????????????......gggggg........X
X....................????????????????......gggHgg........X
X....................????????????????.......gggg.........X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????....................X
X....................????????????????........""""........X
X.........T..........????????????????........."""""".....X
X....................????????????????..........."""""....X
X....................????????????????............""".....X
X....................????????????????....................X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    ****HOLE 9****

  Ouch!  Here's the trickiest of the par-fours.  There are a few ways to 
hit a boundary or tree or even bunker.  If you do hit a boundary on your 
first stroke, just take a vertical shot to put you in the middle of the 
H's horizontal bar.  Your first shot should be at 1:00, back to 9:00.  
This should leave you short of the boundary and below the tree to the 
left.  If you're not, take a shot at 11:30, but if you are, take it at 
12:00.  Either way, go full strength.  Then a 2:30 shot back to 10:00 
should get you on the green--go for 10:30 if you took the previous shot 
at 11:30.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X....gggg....????????????????????????????????............X
X...gggggg...????????????????????????????????............X
X...gggHgg...????????????????????????????????............X
X....gggg....????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X....................????????????????....................X
X................*...????????????????....................X
X..............*****.????????????????....................X
X................|...????????????????....................X
X................|.......................................X
X........................................................X
X........................................................X
X."".....................................................X
X"""""...................................................X
X..."""""................................................X
X..."""""................................................X
X........................................................X
X............*.......????????????????....................X
X..........*****.....????????????????....................X
X............|.......????????????????....................X
X............|.......????????????????....................X
X............????????????????????????????????.......T....X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
X............????????????????????????????????............X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


THE PUTTING GREEN

  I shrunk this down to half-size, because the picture is still accurate 
that way.  You've got a fairly big hole to aim at, and you can hit it 
from pretty much anywhere.  If the ball touches the edge, it rolls in, 
unless you hit it too hard.  A rule of thumb here is that the ball 
travels as fast/far as it does on the fairways.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X??????????........??????????X
X??????????........??????????X
X??????................??????X
X??????................??????X
X??........................??X
X??........................??X
X??........................??X
X??............?...........??X
X??........................??X
X??........................??X
X??????................??????X
X??????................??????X
X??????????........??????????X
X??????????........??????????X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

End of FAQ proper

================================

VERSIONS/CREDITS

VERSIONS:
1.0.0 submitted complete draft to GameFAQs.com 9/3/2001

CREDITS:
Greg Chance's History of Home Video Games page which provided me with 
the manual info(I only got the cart off eBay)