1st June 1989
The 4th Dimension is on to a winner here with the best golf simulation I've ever seen on the Electron. Holed Out is packed with features: Two superbly designed 3D 18-hole courses and all the hazards you would expect to find on the real thing, like trees, rough, bunkers and water.
The easier course, Cone Links, is quite a challenge and after mastering it, you might just be ready for the second, Pine Isles, which is quite a different ball game altogether.
You can indulge in either strokeplay or matchplay. The idea with the former is to finish all 18 holes in the least number of strokes, while in matchplay the winner is the player who wins most holes.
Up to four players can take part with each selecting one of four skill levels from beginner to professional. The one selected dictates whether the physical hazards or wind strength and direction influence your play.
For instance, as a beginner only the water will affect your shot, whereas as a professional you could be playing from a bad lie in deep rough into a strong headwind.
For all shots up to the green you view is from behind the golfer you control. On the right side of the screen is an information panel displaying details relevant to the hole. You select a club using the Z and X keys from a range of three woods, nine irons, a pitching wedge and a putter.
Next you set the direction to hit the ball by moving a cursor left and right across the course. Here you must also take into account the wind - represented by a circle with a line coming out of it which points in the direction the wind is blowing, while its length represents the wind strength.
When the shot direction is determined you set its power using a meter. As you press RETURN, a sliding bar advances from zero towards 100 per cent and hitting it again sets the percentage of power and causes your nicely animated golfer to jump into action and take a swing at the ball. Using Z or X instead of RETURN when the meter is advancing will put either a hook or a slice on the ball.
When the ball is hit, its shadow travels along the ground giving an impression of distance. The way it bounces and comes to a stop when it hits the ground is very realistic.
Sometimes the hole you are playing has a path running alongside it and if you are skilful enough you can play the stroke so that the ball bounces on the path, making it travel further.
A ball that lands in water is declared lost and you lose two strokes. Landing in a bunker produces two possible outcomes: It is either plugged or you have a good lie. The latter is still a difficult shot, but a plugged ball is sunk into the sand and is much harder to play.
When you reach the green the screen is redrawn and you view the action from above. The indicator in the panel now represents the slope of the green instead of the wind. The line drawn points downhill and its length shows the steepness of the slope.
Again when you have set the direction of your shot, adjust the power and watch the golfer swing into action. There is good realism here with the ball bouncing up off the edge of the cup if you hit it too hard or running round it if you're a little off centre.
After each hole, the score card is shown displaying everyone's progress. During strokeplay it shows each player's skill level, the number of shots and his score related to par. In matchplay the score is replaced by the number of holes by which a player is winning.
There is a lot more to this game than just whacking the ball down the fairway. Each hole is a puzzle in its own right. You have to plan your shots carefully and take the utmost care in selecting the right club and power.
There are precise maps in the well documented instruction booklet to help you plan your strokes. There's also a very useful quick reference guide to the distances - in the air and along the round - that the ball will travel when using the various clubs.
The graphics are cleverly done using dithered colours to produce pastel shades on a four colour screen. Sound is restricted to the swing of the club and striking the ball plus a few minor noises such as a splash when your ball takes a dive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this simulation. If you're a golfing fan wanting to keep your hand in - buy it. If you're not, still buy it - it will keep you entertained for hours and hours. This is a test of skill not to be missed.
* * * Second Opinion (By Janice Murray) * * *There have been many golf simulations for the Electron in the past, but none match up to this brilliant game from The 4th Dimension. The 3D perspective graphics are stunning and the gameplay is interesting and varied.
It doesn't matter whether you're a golf fan or not, you'll still enjoy this challenging and skilful computer version.
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