Golf loves to tease you and then have reality crashing down. I was playing Augusta National at elite level with powerstroke. I got to the 18th hole five under, the best I ever played.
I took a deep breath and told myself play conservative and go for par. I hit a three wood to the center of the fairway so far so good. And then I started to break down. I was 209 yards to the hole with a 40 foot elevation. I seriously thought about using 5 wood flop and then thought it was too much club and I'd fly it over the green. So I used 6 wood straight and hit it into the bunker in front of the green. Still within range of par. The bunker was a downhill lie 50 feet to the hole with a 6 foot elevation. I knew I'd have to hit it harder than usual with a sand wedge. Which I did and hit the lip of the bunker and it bounced back. So I hit it harder while keeping conservative and it hit the lip again and bounced back. So this time I hit it twice as hard as usual and it went 8 feet past the hole. I made the 8 foot putt for double bogey.
Golf always has the last laugh.
Golf giveth and golf taketh away
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
That's pretty impressive for powerstroke elite! What version of Augusta did you use, and what conditions? Augusta National 2023 and challenging conditions?
Pete

Pete
-
- Posts: 35
- Joined: October 14th, 2019, 12:49 am
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
I played breezy conditions, hardness-moderate, speed-slow challenging, and pin position difficult. It was the 2009 version of Augusta. I'll have to download the new version and try it. I tried the faster green speeds but the frustration level was too much.
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
The difference between the 2009 version and the 2010 version of Augusta National is the pin positions on hole 11. (there are other minor differences, but that's the big change.) The 2010 version has the pins where they should be on #11. A well-executed shot onto the right side of the green will break left across the back and then come down to the front of the green. You probably do need to use faster green speeds to get a better feel for how fast Augusta greens are, though. The pro's always talk about how they had to get the ball below the pin, downhill side, in order to offset the fast speeds.
A Fc Fc tip for Augusta: any distance applies, but if you're, say, 36 feet away from the hole, and the BLi shows that every bit of that distance is downhill, mentally divide the distance in half and play for a 18 foot putt. If there is an elevation drop, take several feet off of that. If you were standing on the green IRL you would see how downhill it is. And any long downhill stretch at Augusta needs to be treated the same way.
Pete
A Fc Fc tip for Augusta: any distance applies, but if you're, say, 36 feet away from the hole, and the BLi shows that every bit of that distance is downhill, mentally divide the distance in half and play for a 18 foot putt. If there is an elevation drop, take several feet off of that. If you were standing on the green IRL you would see how downhill it is. And any long downhill stretch at Augusta needs to be treated the same way.
Pete
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
hi buddy, for me I play the 2023 version because the Tee of hole 04 is shorter and seems more realistic to me compared to what the game physics allows us to do. Generally speaking, I don't have a very long shot but I am quite precise despite the difficulty of the PowerStroke so I start the holes in forward tees on this course, it suits me well in terms of realism.
In addition, the fact that the fringes have been replaced by green texture adds a hyper realistic side, bravo to the designer for the idea.
I play in powerstroke, much more realistic than RTS or 3-click and I play in MED_CHAL MED_CHAL or SOF_CHAL FAST_CHAL and almost all the time breezy.
Choosing SOF_CHAL is better for the hole 16 which lacks slope in my opinion above the bottom flag.
Augusta 2023 is better than nothers courses, for me. No doubt about this.
Cheers, nico
In addition, the fact that the fringes have been replaced by green texture adds a hyper realistic side, bravo to the designer for the idea.
I play in powerstroke, much more realistic than RTS or 3-click and I play in MED_CHAL MED_CHAL or SOF_CHAL FAST_CHAL and almost all the time breezy.
Choosing SOF_CHAL is better for the hole 16 which lacks slope in my opinion above the bottom flag.
Augusta 2023 is better than nothers courses, for me. No doubt about this.
Cheers, nico
Competitive golf is mostly played on a 25 cm course, the space between your ears.
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
Nico, I have to admit that I'm envious of the scenery you live with day to day. I enjoy watching the European golf tournament that's played there each year just to see the surroundings.
Augusta National 2023 is an amazing re-creation of the course, and any speed you choose to use to play it is fine - especially when using Powerstroke. A tremor in my hand prevents me from using Powerstroke, and even with RTS it's quite a challenge. FWIW - I went to a practice round in 2016 and was awe-struck by feelings of deja-vu when walking through the course! To me, it's beyond amazing how accurate our courses are when compared to the real thing! You really do feel like you've physically been there before. I experienced the same feelings when visiting (and playing) Pinehurst #2 and Hilton Head, but it was very special at Augusta National. If you ever get the chance, go visit and play (IRL) one of the courses that's been re-created in Links. You'll be amazed!
Pete
Augusta National 2023 is an amazing re-creation of the course, and any speed you choose to use to play it is fine - especially when using Powerstroke. A tremor in my hand prevents me from using Powerstroke, and even with RTS it's quite a challenge. FWIW - I went to a practice round in 2016 and was awe-struck by feelings of deja-vu when walking through the course! To me, it's beyond amazing how accurate our courses are when compared to the real thing! You really do feel like you've physically been there before. I experienced the same feelings when visiting (and playing) Pinehurst #2 and Hilton Head, but it was very special at Augusta National. If you ever get the chance, go visit and play (IRL) one of the courses that's been re-created in Links. You'll be amazed!
Pete
Re: Golf giveth and golf taketh away
Hi Pete, and I’m sorry for what you’re going through. Indeed, I would love to attend a PGA Tour event at least once in my life.
If I ever had a tremor in my hand, I would be really sad not to be able to play Links anymore; this game is a big part of my life. When it rains and I can’t play outside, I sit in front of my PC and I really feel like I’m there. Anyway, I wish you a speedy recovery and a long life for Links.
Nico
If I ever had a tremor in my hand, I would be really sad not to be able to play Links anymore; this game is a big part of my life. When it rains and I can’t play outside, I sit in front of my PC and I really feel like I’m there. Anyway, I wish you a speedy recovery and a long life for Links.
Nico
Competitive golf is mostly played on a 25 cm course, the space between your ears.