SolidChamp
11-28-2008, 11:01 PM
Hey all! I registered for the Hot Shots Golf community just now for this very reason.
I'm playing through the challenge mode, and I'm at the Gold series of cards, and I'm supposed to do 18 holes at El Andes for my first head card. It's for a rare item, the cabaret hat.
This course is sending me packing with my tail in between my legs. I am getting owned on this course. I think my approach to each and every hole is just way off, even when I take my sweet time in working out a strategy...I always mess up. I've gotten the 7 body and accessory cards for this gold series, and I'm even qualified for the VS match against Lee...but I haven't even acquired my first head card because of this stunningly difficult 18 holes at El Andes!!!
Anyone have some strategies for me to follow for this beast? A hole-by-hole strategy would really help me here, I think.
Cheers,
SolidChamp
MasonR
11-29-2008, 12:10 AM
The problem with El Andes is avoiding the big number. A few extra pars due to playing safely will be less detrimental than a big fat 9.
I'd suggest using an Intermediate character, less chance of that uber shank showing up.
I'll just give a few driving tips as well a few other notes, a complete strategy would take too long. More or less play to the safe parts of the green and give yourself a putt at birdie. Putting is very easy in this game so there's not much need to make that "PI or die" shot at a brutal pin position. Putting is all on you.
Disclaimer - I don't need people coming here and telling me how to play aggressively on this course. I know how to do it, that's not the purpose of this post.
Keep in mind that you'll want to use Super backspin on your drives to keep them from running away from you. Always try to keep your approach shots BELOW the hole. Uphill putts are gold, even a downhill 10 ft putt can be hell. When playing severe sidewinds, don't use SBS unless you really need it, it can do all kinds of nasty things to your ball.
This is for El Andes REGULAR Tee. If you're playing from the back tee it'll change a few things (like left and right, as well as some distances I make note of), the idea will be the same though.
#1 - Take the lower route off the tee. It won't change your approach distance by that much and as long as you make that 270y carry over the bigger bunker, you'll be all set with a short iron second. The green plays about a half a club to 3/4 club uphill.
#2 - Play a shot that will get over the front collar, but be careful about going long. If the hole is playing severely downwind you might consider erring just on the short side. Be very careful with the right hand pin and a left to right wind, that's OB city if you miss PI.
#3 - Don't bother with driver here. Take your 260 club and hit it down the left side, you'll have an approach between 250 and 225 left. You may consider laying up even with this distance left, if you miss PI and get too far below the hole you might roll OB. If you go for it just be safe and right about in that back bunker, the ap is uphill so it won't reach it, you'll have a nice putt for eag here. Just don't accidentally rabbit your ap, that's OB written all over it.
#4 - Don't try to rabbit/turtle over that big bunker. Aim your tee shot about 280 down the right hand side. Aim right side of that piece of fairway, even in the rough, it'll come down into the fairway, if you're too strong off the tee you might roll down to 360 in the rough, consider laying up if this happens. Play your shot to the middle of this green. Long is OB and short is in one of those nasty bunkers. Play for middle of the green, not the pin here. Green is flat enough to make a long putt.
#5 - If you got a driver with 290 or more on it, play to the big part of the fairway that's 60y or so left of the green. Don't go for the green unless you have a high trajectory, and even then you'll need PI. If you see a back pin don't even dream of shooting at it. If you're going to lay up short of that 290 mark, just make sure to lay up, trying to hit that small piece of fairway at 270 is NOT laying up, it's taking a bigger risk for less reward (ie, stupid shot). If you lay back all the way consider the right side, and then drawing your app around that temple looking thing. If your second shot is blocked out, play to the side or short of the green and hope to make par.
#6 - Make sure to put an extra 10y on your tee shot, this green is uphill and those front bunkers are nasty. Middle of the green, par option birdie.
#7 - Aim at that . If you're severely downwind you can run out into the OB, so be careful, don't play too long but try to get to the tree or a little further. Favor the left side of the fairway, but us backspin or sbs or you're flirting with that bunker. If you hit that bunker, chop out sideways. Approach shot calls for about a club more in distance because of the uphill.
#8 - Make a decision on the tee box. Either lay up very far left and play this hole in three shots (or ap from 250+), or take the risk at about 290 off the tee. Too far is OB city, don't even look at the green off the tee. This hole can produce BIG numbers, might want to think about three shots into the green. Bogey isn't terrible here.
#9 - Hit your tee shot abuot 270 off the tee over to the second patch of fairway. Be very careful on your 2nd shot, either lay up short or hit something that will just clear that front grass bunker. Play to the front of the green, remember you're hitting downhill so you'll get some free yards.
#10 - Just like #1, hit your tee shot into the fat part of the fairway. Wedge approach calls for no real advice here.
#11 - Lay up here can be more dangerous than hitting driver. Blast one down that little corner (no rabbit/turtles please), you'll have a sw or pw into the green
#12 - It's downhill, but make sure you play your shot to at least get over that severe downslope on the front of the green, or you might roll backwards into OB. If it's downwind, hit PI or
#13 - Go left off the tee, hit FULL power driver and you'll have an easy wedge in, approaching from the right side is closer to the green, but more likely you might have an obstacle between you and the pin.
#14 - Go down the left side, either lay up short of that bunker, or hit your tee shot over it. If you go over it, favor the left side of the fairway, or you could roll all the way down right into OB. Be VERY careful on your approach, long is OB and dead, play to the front of the green to the left of the huge bunker.
#15 - Aim to the 290 or so portion of the fairway, keep your tee shot right (maybe even aim in the rough). You'll need at least one more full club to reach the green, but watch the upslope you're on, the ball will carry a little further than normal.
#16 - Hit something about 255 over those bunkers, any further and you'll risk rolling into the crap. especially on this green, keep the ball below the hole. Can't really screw up a sw ap though.
#17 - Play your tee shot about 180 and aim at the middle of the green, don't mind the ridiculously huge traps here...unless you're unlucky enough to find yourself in one. Nothign wrong with par here. With a back left pin you can play a SBS shot off that back ridge.
#18 - Bash your tee shot as hard as you can, try to get over the cart path to that small circle of fairway. If you hit the rough off the tee you'll still be within 9 iron distance at the most. If you get a flyer warning then lay up, as a flier will go OB. If not, just play for your 100% distance to go no further than pin high, anything short will roll down onto the green.
Hope this help. Goodluck and happy golfing.
;D
MasonR
11-29-2008, 12:09 PM
Thanks, I hope it helped him out. ???
Buckeye23
11-29-2008, 03:08 PM
After u complete it, it will give u a new event, no matter the score..
MasonR
11-30-2008, 12:59 PM
He wants to win the Rare Item for winning the event.