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Games and Getting Started

ImagePLAYING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The first thing to realize about the almostGOLF ball is that it flies pretty much the same distance as your average Frisbee. And any game you can play with a Frisbee, you can play with our ball. This opens up all kinds of course and competitive possibilities.

ONE TO TWO CLUB PLAY: Though our ball can handle any club in your bag, the fastest, most convenient and most fun way to play around the neighborhood is with just one or two clubs.  I am a big fan of two clubs under a 7 iron. The ball will go plenty far and also fit most off-course environments nicely. It also forces you to become a craftsman with those clubs, hitting lob shots, long balls, cut shots, fades and approach shots…and that’s what golf is all about.    

ImageHOW TO GET THE MOST FUN OUT OF PLAYING: The almostGOLF ball is designed not for golf course distance, but for pin point accuracy. As a result, your emphasis shifts from distance to shot making and ball placement. What this means is that when you design your course or go out and play, you don’t need to create long holes to make them harder. You can make them difficult by where you have to land the ball to reach the pin. See our course design section for more.

PLAYER NOTE: Off-Course etiquette: It’s important to note that we are very aware that we are creating a whole new sport and a whole new way to experience the great game of golf in and around the world we all live in. What comes with that is a certain amount of course etiquette specific to this new sport.

RULE #1: Never hit off-course with a white ball. This is something that children need to learn very early on, as they begin to learn the game. We’ve learned that when people see that you or your children are hitting a yellow, blue or orange ball and not a white ball, they feel a whole lot safer and open to letting you ‘play through. Also, once a child is trained to stay away from the white balls in the backyard, you significantly reduce the possibility of broken windows. Though we sell white balls, they are primarily used for on-course teaching programs.   

RULE #2: Always almostShag   to eliminate neighborhood divot damage. People don’t like to see their park, schoolyard or neighborhood dug up.

MATCH PLAY: Just like traditional golf, match play is where you compete head to head with your opponent to win the hole. The competition does not count lowest score. As a result there is a great deal of strategy as to where to hit to stay safe and how to push your opponent so they have to go for low percentage shots to try and win the hole. But unlike traveling target golf, you only win when you hole out by hitting the object you are going for. Also note that you can play this game by creating the course as you go, or playing a course you’ve designed and are familiar with. This gives you ‘home court advantage’ that can prove to be a huge advantage against better, but less familiar players to your course.
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HUMAN PINBALL: If you want to do a fun event or fundraiser on a playing field, that both golfers and non-golfers are going to like, Human Pinball is the game for you. It’s also a great spectator game as well. All you need are two hitting areas at one end of the end zone on a playing field and anywhere from 5-15 ‘catchers’ to be put on the course. Creating your ‘pinball machine’ is easy and a lot of fun. You want to create areas where your catchers must stand in. They can be circles, squares, rectangles or any shape. They can be separated or intersect, depending on how competitive you want to make your course. The further away or smaller their circle/square is, the higher the point value. Your ‘machine’ can be designed any way you want.
 
ImageOFFICIAL RULES: Note: This is the very beginning of this ‘sport’ so more rules will be coming.

1. Each Player hitting gets five shots per round to score.
2. Depending on the number of players, the top 10-30 players with the highest score move on to the next round.
3. If a ‘pinballer’ (catcher) catches the ball, the player hitting gets double points.
4. If the pinballer drops the ball inside their space, the player gets the designated point value.
5. If the player drops the ball outside their space, the player gets no points.
6. Pinballers may reach/lung outside their space, but their feet must stay inside their designated space. If either foot leaves 7. their space, the catch is voided.
9. If you have intersecting catching/scoring areas, you get the points of the player who either catches the ball or scrambles for possession.

TWO MAN PINBALL: This is played where there are two players hitting at one time and each player is from opposite teams. In the ‘Machine’ each player’s team occupies an equal number of opposing spaces/boxes/sections of the Machine.

TWO TEAM PINBALL: All the above rules apply

Blocking: Generally team Pinball Machines have spaces that are closer to each other than single player version. As a result, opposing players are allowed to ‘block’ opposing players catch.

ImagePinball Machine design: You can design your machine any way you would like. Spaces can be next to each other. To raise the competitive level and create spectator friendly competition, several spaces can be ‘two team’ sections. These are usually high score spaces because opponents can ‘post up’, ‘block’ to get the shot. Generally any Rugby legal behavior is allowed accept pushing. You are not allowed to push your opponent out of the circle with your hand. You are allowed to ‘hip nudge’ and ‘post up’ your opponent out of the box at key times.


Image If a pinballer steps outside or is ‘nudged’ out of the box, they may step back in before they touch the ball. 
 

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