PGA TOUR 2K21

[dbdynsty25]

Db and Wilk had tremendous rounds at Ayers! I played along with both of their ghost balls in tow during my round, and they were draining putts at the same frequency with which you normally do

It was definitely fluky. Back to my normal hellish putting in todays daily. It appears I just had a good week putting, now back to your regularly scheduled mid-pack finishes. LOL.

[Leadfoot5]

Joz, great scoring for this weekends tournament. I finished strong again, but the one bad round did me in.

[JOZ]

Thanks Lead. Looks like you lit it up for low round again though.

[Leadfoot5]

Thanks Lead. Looks like you lit it up for low round again though.

Too little too late.

[MERACE]

After finishing my rounds at our society tournament this weekend 24 strokes behind the leader, I’m asking for some tips from those players routinely finishing at the top of our society leaderboards.

I’m not expecting to win any of our society tournaments, but it would nice to know how I can at least be somewhat competitive.

It can be very discouraging seeing the leader(s)
so far ahead of me on the leaderboard. I would love to be able to decide which 5 players scores I want showing on the leaderboard in between holes.


-MERACE

[Leadfoot5]

After finishing my rounds at our society tournament this weekend 24 strokes behind the leader, I’m asking for some tips from those players routinely finishing at the top of our society leaderboards.

I played the heck out of the game the first couple of weeks after release, focusing on being able to score Par on the Pro setting. Since our society is Pro-Am, I'm finding it very easy to hit my drives in the fairway over 90% of the time. So sorta like swinging a baseball bat with a donut before heading to the plate to make the bat feel lighter, maybe spend some time working on your swing at the Pro setting, and you'll definitely see your timing rewarded on the Pro-Am setting.

Other than that, all I can say is learn how to react to the haptic feedback on pitch and chip shots. Being able to succeed on percentage shots is huge. You have to pull the stick back slowly and then push forward at just the right time. I think this just takes lots of practice though.

Finally, Joz is the one teaching the master class this season. His strength is consistency. He leaves very few openings to catch him, so my advice here is not to let up on any shot on any hole. Treat each one as important as the last.

[JOZ]

Driving is just practice and getting used to the timing just like all other full swing shots. I actually wish there was a little more penalty when you are a little off left or right from perfect.

Putting is my favorite part of the game this year when it was my least favorite last year. Again, it is just practice learning the timing of the haptic feedback. The game basically gives you the pace, you just have to read the greens left or right breaks. My biggest struggle here is still the 5-7 footers with significant break. I miss a few of those.

The one thing that I do that others may not is to always use a full swing if possible. Meaning I will change clubs and/or shot types to always use a full swing. The game likes to automatically pick pitch shots when you are inside a normal lob wedge distance which means you have to try and time the haptic feedback on your backswing.. I will change it to a lob or even splash shot if it gets me to a full swing. I will the play with the loft/spin to try and "fine tune" it if needed. I have also learned that sometimes the lie and percentage doesn't always stay true to different shot types around the green.

[MERACE]

Thanks guys for taking the time to give me your tips on how you play the game.

I’ve put in more practice time in this version of the game than the other 3 versions combined.

I’m struggling the most with getting consistent near perfect let alone perfect tempo. I’m routinely having to make 20-30+ foot putts.

I would prefer to play the game without the tempo on. Maybe we could try a tournament round on a harder difficulty setting (Pro or Master) with tempo off?


-MERACE

[MERACE]

"Just One More Thing" (Columbo ), I'm curious as to what controllers you guys are using?

The sticks in this year's version of the game are very sensitive in the swing and I'm wondering if I'm experiencing "drifting" with my Elite 2 controller (https://www.videogameschronicle.com/new ... ntrollers/)?

I do have to press down hard on the "A" button for it to register.


-MERACE

[J_Cauthen]

After finishing my rounds at our society tournament this weekend 24 strokes behind the leader, I’m asking for some tips from those players routinely finishing at the top of our society leaderboards.

I’m not expecting to win any of our society tournaments, but it would nice to know how I can at least be somewhat competitive.

It can be very discouraging seeing the leader(s)
so far ahead of me on the leaderboard. I would love to be able to decide which 5 players scores I want showing on the leaderboard in between holes.

You and I are pretty much on the same handicap level in this game Mark. I've been carrying the 295 yard carry Bridgestone driver because I'm not a whole lot less accurate with it than I am the Callaway Maverick. I'd rather be 310 yards off the tee and in the heavy rough than 285 yards off the tee and in the heavy rough. I'm only hitting 68% FIR's even with Pro-Am difficulty, so I'm probably not the person who should be offering driving advice. I miss left one hole, and right the next... I just have trouble maintaining the tempo.

I can say that on the PC version my FIRs is more like 85% because the 60 FPS feedback helps me regulate clubhead speed so much better. Jumping back to the XBox One X at 30 FPS, after playing a 60 FPS round on the PC isn't helping me any.

The only advice I can offer is some I can't seem to consistently follow myself... on all full shots, make sure that you stop the backswing well short of hitting the mechanical stop on the thumbstick. If I can somehow manage to avoid getting a 101% backswing, I know my chances of getting good tempo are better, and if it's not, the penalty seems to be less severe. I can only manage a 100% swing about 10 to 15% of the time, when trying, even on the practice range.

[Leadfoot5]

"Just One More Thing" (Columbo ), I'm curious as to what controllers you guys are using?

The sticks in this year's version of the game are very sensitive in the swing and I'm wondering if I'm experiencing "drifting" with my Elite 2 controller (https://www.videogameschronicle.com/new ... ntrollers/)?

I do have to press down hard on the "A" button for it to register.


-MERACE

I'm using an Elite, same one I've had for a couple years now...

[JOZ]

Shows how different we all play I don't even pay attention to the backswing. I basically have the same motion on all my full swing shots. Pretty sure I am 101% everytime. I think I may have 1-2 major (in the red) slice or hook a round.

I am using an armed forces Xbox one Controller. It is not an elite controller.

https://www.amazon.com/Xbox-Wireless-Co ... B07BKMRP86

[10spro]

Campbells’ run. Going to the 17th hole, I am a stroke away form the leader. Haven’t bogeyed at that point, feeling well going into the last two holes until that dreaded lonely island. I hooked my first stroke so the ball goes splash. No big deal.

Well, where they want me to lie the dropped ball becomes a huge deal. Deep into the rough. Tried a pitch shot, a normal shot, two, three tries. They all go into the water.

In between where my ball is lying and the island, there’s a huge tree that just traps the ball. I maximized all my shots to my frustration. Despite the bump in #17, I really enjoyed the course.

[Wilk5280]

Campbells’ run. Going to the 17th hole, I am a stroke away form the leader. Haven’t bogeyed at that point, feeling well going into the last two holes until that dreaded lonely island. I hooked my first stroke so the ball goes splash. No big deal.

Well, where they want me to lie the dropped ball becomes a huge deal. Deep into the rough. Tried a pitch shot, a normal shot, two, three tries. They all go into the water.

In between where my ball is lying and the island, there’s a huge tree that just traps the ball. I maximized all my shots to my frustration. Despite the bump in #17, I really enjoyed the course.

I didn't have a much trouble as you, but I was at -6 coming to 17th. Perfect tempo, perfect swing path... long and into the drink.

I had read this post prior to playing so I'm not going to lie... palms were a little sweaty as I addressed the ball lol.

[J_Cauthen]

I would prefer to play the game without the tempo on. Maybe we could try a tournament round on a harder difficulty setting (Pro or Master) with tempo off?

How about we try Wednesday's Daily (which will actually start tonight at 8:00 PM EDT) with Master Swing Difficulty, and swing tempo off, just as an experiement? FriendBOMBER has a great new course out now, Hackensack Golf Club; I'll set one up there with those settings, just to see how it goes... good idea!

Oh, you asked in your follow-up question which controller we were using. I'm using an Elite 2, most of the time. Occasionally I'll play my Society rounds on my living room setup and I'll use one of my stock XBox One controllers there. I slightly prefer the Elite 2,but not enough to go upstairs to the rec room and pair it up.

[Leadfoot5]

I would prefer to play the game without the tempo on. Maybe we could try a tournament round on a harder difficulty setting (Pro or Master) with tempo off?

How about we try Wednesday's Daily (which will actually start tonight at 8:00 PM EDT) with Master Swing Difficulty, and swing tempo off, just as an experiement? FriendBOMBER has a great new course out now, Hackensack Golf Club; I'll set one up there with those settings, just to see how it goes... good idea!

Oh, you asked in your follow-up question which controller we were using. I'm using an Elite 2, most of the time. Occasionally I'll play my Society rounds on my living room setup and I'll use one of my stock XBox One controllers there. I slightly prefer the Elite 2,but not enough to go upstairs to the rec room and pair it up.

Interesting, I'm down for trying it... but with tempo off, what does the difficulty do? Is it just about the swing plane?

[J_Cauthen]

Interesting, I'm down for trying it... but with tempo off, what does the difficulty do? Is it just about the swing plane?

I tried it in a round with Legend swing difficulty. It's got a tighter swing plane band and I also find it more difficult to manage the backswing distance on partial shots. There was a Society forming that was using Legend and swing tempo off and that's why I tried it to see if I was interested. It didn't quite float my boat at that time, as it felt like it was missing a dynamic that gives the game more character. I haven't tried it since the version 1.04 patch, nor the server side patch of last week.

[MERACE]

Thanks John for setting up Wednesday's tournament without the tempo setting on.

I've tried it too on Legends without tempo and it was still way above my skill level. Pro level would be more my pace but probably too easy and less satisfying for the more skilled players.

My prediction is that those players that are normally at the top of the leaderboard will still be there, but hopefully the stroke differences will be less extreme.


-MERACE

[Leadfoot5]

Felt like a BIG drop down in difficulty with today's experiment. Without having to worry about tempo it was literally impossible to make a bad shot if wind/lie/elevation was factored in correctly. Joz was already in with a -13 and my -10 could have been a -12 if it weren't for a couple of rushed putts. But if everyone finishes at -8 or above, maybe that's what we want?

[J_Cauthen]

Felt like a BIG drop down in difficulty with today's experiment.

LOL... you'd never know it by looking at my score... (-1) Turning the swing tempo off doesn't help my putting woes, one iota! I 4-putted the third hole, and followed that up with a 3-putt on the fourth. I wound up with a humiliating 5-putt green on I think the 14th hole, another 3-putt green on the back, and I stuck an approach on another hole to within 2 feet, and missed it. I was just so careless with the putter in this round and it was mostly due to running my birdie putt attempts well past the hole.

Without having to worry about tempo it was literally impossible to make a bad shot if wind/lie/elevation was factored in correctly. Joz was already in with a -13 and my -10 could have been a -12 if it weren't for a couple of rushed putts. But if everyone finishes at -8 or above, maybe that's what we want?

It made the game feel almost broken to me. I'm not so sure I wasn't a little lax with the putting because I'd gotten away with some sloppiness everywhere else. I had put the 265 yard carry TaylorMade driver in my bag for the previous tournament and should have subbed the 295 yard carry Bridgestone driver for it with the swing tempo off, so that was a strategic error on my part. I should have scored around -10 on this course. I had just done so on the PC version earlier in the day using Pro difficulty with the tempo enabled! Then again, the tempo management is so much easier on the PC at 60 FPS!

I miss the dynamic of trying to regulate tempo however. This experience felt a little flat to me. I couldn't play like this day in and day out.

[Leadfoot5]

I miss the dynamic of trying to regulate tempo however. This experience felt a little flat to me. I couldn't play like this day in and day out.

Concur. That said, this is the only regular on-line gaming "thing" I do, and I would miss it if it lost steam and stopped. So, I am all for finding the solution that draws more people in and keeps it going.

Would using handicaps be an option?

[Wilk5280]

I can't even count how many easy stinking putts I missed this round. Tee to green was not my problem at all with today's daily, but when it came to putting... my oh my lol

[J_Cauthen]

I can't even count how many easy stinking putts I missed this round. Tee to green was not my problem at all with today's daily, but when it came to putting... my oh my lol

I can relate, it was one of my worst putting performances in quite a while for this round. It wasn't because the greens were tricked up either; I just putted foolishly in this round!

[J_Cauthen]

I miss the dynamic of trying to regulate tempo however. This experience felt a little flat to me. I couldn't play like this day in and day out.

Concur. That said, this is the only regular on-line gaming "thing" I do, and I would miss it if it lost steam and stopped. So, I am all for finding the solution that draws more people in and keeps it going.

Would using handicaps be an option?

2K21 is one of four games that I play online now, but it gets 80% of my online gaming time at that. I'm able to play somewhat competitively now on the PC version in Pro difficulty. I shot a 62 at Hackensack Golf Club two days ago in Pro, with swing timing enabled, yet struggled to a 71 with swing timing off in master difficulty on the XBox One X. If the XBox One X could run the game at 60 FPS, I bet we'd all be able to play Pro difficulty and be as competitive as we are now in Pro-Am.

We can use handicaps, but I think they're so skewed in the way they're calculated that it wouldn't be taken very seriously. I'm not a fan of handicaps in real life, so I can't ever see myself adopting them in virtual golf.

[Danimal]

I haven't played because I can't stomach the frame rate drop on the Xbox vs the PC but I find if you struggle with putting then play some solo rounds with the putting line on. This is a good way to learn breaks by looking at the green and then your line. This significantly improved my putting in game.