Out of powers - now what?

[J-Mod]

I just thought of a good question for the forum. How often do you power up and take a swing when you have no powers left? You know, the impact zone is microscopic. But if you're good at hitting PI, you can easily sneak out an extra power shot this way. We've all tried it and nailed it from time to time. And we've all skulled out a bunch of times in the process, too.

The question is, now that you're an experienced golfer, do you still go for the power shot even when you have none left? I can honestly say that I never do this anymore. Even though my PI% has improved, I don't even attempt this shot. It's just not part of my bag of tricks. I tend to manage my powers very carefully, such that I save 1-2 for the last hole every time (maybe only 1 if I'm playing an expert, but 2 for sure with a novice).

How do you manage your powers? When your power counter hits zero, do you still go for it???

[Roughdawg4]

If I need it I go for it. I am usually confident I can hit perfect PI

[interyernan]

I very very rarely use a power shot from the tee unless it is really needed, my theory is if i am hitting pi it shouldn't matter what distance i have into the flag. I use my powers for inbetween club shots and thats pretty much it. I've had rounds where i've only used 1 or 2 powers.

[MasonR]

If powers are at 0 I'll still use them off the tee if I think it'll be a big enough difference.

Unless it meant the difference between being able to backspin my approach and not being able to, then I wouldn't think of using it on an approach shot in an actual tournament. And even then I'd weigh how important that spin would be (say from 170+ coming in to Crown 18...yeah, I'd want spin there).

I think too many people use them on approach shots to make setting power easier, not really worth it imo, considering that Control suffers and you could very easily just hit a 95% shot or even go two clubs up and hit a 90% shot.

To be honest though I can't remember the last time I ran out of powers. Barring Jurassic I pretty much always end up with two on the last hole.

All that said, I've done it before when it wasn't necessary, or even that advantageous. Best player I've ever seen at hitting PI in that situation was URRRDONE, but he was absolutely terrible at managing his powers, ha.

[the_smug_one]

I generally manage my powers so that I've got a few extra coming down the stretch. If you learn to consistently hit 90-95% shots, you'll really be doing your power boost tally a favor.

If I'm stuck in an old-school novice std/std rain style tour, then I probably will burn through my powers - at which point, odds are I'll start stealing them. You don't actually need PI to avoid something fatal, since the sliver of area that picks up rabbits / turtles when you have a 0 power boost balance really doesn't result in too bad a shot.

[the_smug_one]

So yeah, I probably should stop ignoring that little red "someone else posted" warning, considering I just paraphrased what Mace said.

[MasonR]

That warning is balls and you know it. I hate spending 3 minutes on a post and then getting that message to see some jerk beat me to the punch, so I just post it anyway.


There's also the option in those Novice tournaments to burn through all your powers on the front nine and then hang on for dear life on the back. One time I blew through 12 powers on the front 9 and saved my last two for the 18th. Which I eagled. For the win. Like a fox. ;)

[SuperPal-]

Generally my only rule is save two for the final Par 5 on 18, (which is the case on most courses.) I'm very wasteful though usually. I always approach with a 5I over a 4I if I can, and if there's sand in front I'll club down every time and power up.

If you know you don't really need to turtle or rabbit on the final Par 5, my advice is use your powers and take your chances with 0 left and just hit PI when you power up . I don't think it's nearly as hard as it looks, although the consequences will be there if you fail.

[The-Dreamcaster]

i do it fairly often when the situation arises. but i usually manage my power shots well enough to not end up in this situation. since 95% i hit PI or the smallest green/white circles. i'm fairly confident in making this shot.

[XxghettoxX]

i never really run out of power honestly i dont think there was one game where i had zero powerr....well except for one game at oceania i was going for 110yd putts and had to use power and still missed slightly...lol but i still hold the record in oob for longest putt unless cars beat me.....like he always does

[MasonR]

How do you know that you hold the record for longest putt? How far?

[the_smug_one]

110 yards sounds pretty far to me... :-X

[XxghettoxX]

90ft and did i say 110yd putts?i meant 110ft putt lmao sry

[OthersGirl]

Yep I've seen Jakerz (ghetto) make some pretty crazy putts. He likes to aim FARRRRR away from the pin and just go for the long putt. LOL

Was in a g1 tour with him once, oceania I think, and he nailed some 78 or so foot putt. It was madness. On that par5 with the FUGLY green. Don't ask me hole#s. I'm sure HE can tell u tho.

Just madness :P

[MasonR]

Ha well he said he missed that one, smug. ;)

90ft is definitely nice, but are we sure that's the longest? I've got one over 70 and one over 80, I would imagine someone has sunk like a 30m+ putt on Jurassic #9 or #5 though.

[OthersGirl]

Well -- guess we'd have to clarify ---- We're ONLY talking OOB/Minna, right? Not counting OT2? Cause if you count that, I think RD wins. (wasn't it him who putted that couple-hundred-feet ace down the cartpath?) LOL

NOT counting the sheer lunacy of THAT shot ---- what are the longest putts? <sighs> I'm way outta the running on THIS one. my longest is just under 50feet. :(

LOL

[XxghettoxX]

lol thanks for backing me up og and it was 90ft tyvm lool but yeah ot2 u can make easy 200yd putts lol but ur right mason but no1 has told me they beat it ....besides do u think ppl GO for them long putts like me?????

[J-Mod]

Was in a g1 tour with him once, oceania I think, and he nailed some 78 or so foot putt. It was madness. On that par5 with the FUGLY green. Don't ask me hole#s. I'm sure HE can tell u tho.


You're probably referring to Hole #7. That green is nice and wide and capable of producing some massive putts.

It looks like Hot Shots needs to add a mini-golf feature for just this type of thing. Can't say that I personally get any thrill out of attempting a 70-ft putt, but to each his own.

[MasonR]

Well -- guess we'd have to clarify ---- We're ONLY talking OOB/Minna, right? Not counting OT2? Cause if you count that, I think RD wins. (wasn't it him who putted that couple-hundred-feet ace down the cartpath?) LOL

LOL



That was in Training mode though...doesn't really count.


And for the record, ghetto, I think some people do go for long putts at times, I've done it a couple times as well for the hell of it.

[Roughdawg4]

Actually my putt was 110 yards not feet OG :) But yeah if we count OT2 I think I might have the longest.

[XxghettoxX]

yeah true but who makes em? when im in a tour and mess up dude i go every hole for the longest putt ....u try them sometimes on certain holes......besides still ud have to get it in an exact spot on oceania for it to go that far...and i dont think any greens are longer....unless u putt from the fairway like i do lol (ask og she knows and yells at me for it)

[the_smug_one]

I do believe Shihiko made that OT2 putt in the course of a round though. I remember seeing it in an old youtube video.

[Roughdawg4]

And mine wasnt? G0 tourney :)

[XxghettoxX]

mine was in a g1 tour and i got a bird for it lolz

[the_smug_one]

It's on the front page in the Video section. And it was in training mode dude.

True replays will show "video" flashing in the corner of the screen. Training mode replays simply flash "replay". Clint posted Shih's shot in the same thread, which was in the course of a round.

[MasonR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPp-07smKWU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotshotsgolf.com%2Fi ndex.php%2Ftopic%2C1970.0.html&feature=player_embe dded#

That is training mode.

[J-Mod]

....unless u putt from the fairway like i do lol (ask og she knows and yells at me for it)

Isn't there a YouTube video out there of somebody putting it in from a really deep bunker? If we're getting crazy with the putter, now that's pure insanity right there.

Speaking of crazy things to with your putter, anybody ever see the video of Jean Van de Velde replaying #18 at Carnoustie with only his putter? He was trying to prove that he could do better than triple bogey armed with just a putter. Haha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEr_Ea-36hE#

[MasonR]

You're right smug, there are definitely differences between Training Mode replays and recorded video, to prevent someone from passing a Training mode shot off as something real.

[Roughdawg4]

My bad smug. I will post the one I did later. I was with either Kid or Zero when I pulled it off because they thought i was cheating when the eagle wasnt flashing. :)

[OthersGirl]

Actually my putt was 110 yards not feet OG :) But yeah if we count OT2 I think I might have the longest.


I said a couple-hundred feet. So I should have said a few-hundred feet. My words were right though LOL I knew that it was like 200 or 300 feet down. okay so a bit over 300 feet :P :) whateva :) Was converting in my mind to NORMAL putting measurements :) FEET. <grin>

And yep, I remember. And yeah, training mode doesnt count bc can keep re-doing it ==== but let's face it --- an ace liek that from so far away? Even in training mode, that's pretty spectacular.

[MasonR]

Do you own OT2, OG? Sorry can't remember for the life of me. Anyway, if you do, give that shot a try it's easier than it looks, not much can go wrong with a putt. After watching RD's shot I tried it the next time I played the hole...fkn left it .5 ft short, ha.

[The-Dreamcaster]

i need to improve my best putt. the longest i sunk was 14.6m
although when i got a 2nd account i nailed a 17.6m. i have gone for 30m+ putt before Oceania and G-Rex and the closest i came was a lip.. 1 day..

although i did have a 22m backdoor fail against interyernan in a ladder match on G-Rex. That sucked. that video looks epic. putting round a hole. really tempted to do a OOB hole with a putter, but not decided which 1.