Vista Golf is an interesting cross between 2.5D graphics and the classic sports game of golf, and it is no wonder that it is consistently one of the top games on the App Store. While the game is addictive and great at quick doses of gameplay on-the-go, it never actually explains any of its systems.
There is no dedicated tutorial given at the start. Instead, Vista Golf immediately throws you into one of the three courses the game is offering for the week. This can lead to tons of fumbles and stumbles as you attempt to nail the control scheme and perfect your swings. That’s fine, though, as we’ve got you covered with five tips sure to get you on your way to landing that coveted hole-in-one.
Start With Infinite
Like we mentioned above, Vista Golf puts you on the first hole of the week’s easy course right when you start. This 18-hole course is but one of three-easy, medium, hard-courses that are there for the sole purpose of the online leaderboard. This is meant to be the crux of the competitive scene, so each course is relatively hard to jump into when you know nothing about the game.
That’s why it is best to go to the main menu and start with the Infinite game mode that is located in the bottom left corner. It has infinite courses for you to enjoy, but the real benefit is that it starts with very simple holes that gradually get harder as you go. Infinite is the quickest way to master all the controls before jumping into the competitive courses.
Don’t Overshoot
Swinging at the golf ball is made simple with its touch controls. You just pull back with your finger like you’re pulling back your golf club in the direction you want to swing, and a number will appear. This number is the power of your swing, and not necessarily the distance it will go.
It takes completing several holes to really get an idea of 20 power versus 50 power, so take the time to experiment a little with power so you can get an idea. Something important to note is that when you get close enough for the power arrow to actually touch the hole, you should swing about five to ten power less than whatever number that is. Like we said, it is power and not distance that is being measured, so touching the arrow to the hole will cause it to overshoot it.
Camera Control
A lot of times, a little math is the difference between a complete miss and landing the ball in the hole. Specifically because of the isometric camera angle, one of the best things you can do is move the camera around so that you have an accurate view of where the ball will go.
This is especially important on many of the courses that feature sharp turns you must get around. It is possible to adjust the camera so that you angle your shot just right and bounce the ball off the wall and around the sharp corner.
Cutting Corners
Speaking of corners, some of them will look different than others as you dive deeper into the more challenging holes. There are corners that have no wall bordering it and lifts upwards towards the surrounding water. Hitting the ball towards these corners will cause it to go over the course and into the water, wasting a swing.
In cases like these, you have two choices: angle your shot just right or take it slow. If you feel you are skilled enough to do it, you can simply angle your shot towards a wall and avoid these traps entirely. But if you aren’t that confident, it is better to use one or two swings to slowly work your way around it.
Highs and Lows
Though it can be hard to tell the difference at times, there are hills and valleys sprinkled throughout various holes you will encounter. You can tell the difference between the two based on whether it is dipping into the ground or has a slight incline upward. It is important to note at the beginning of the course which is which, so that you know how to handle them.
Hills will slow down your ball as it attempts to climb up it, so it is best to give swings slightly more power than normal. On the other hand, valleys will speed up your ball, so you need to give it less power than usual. For more confident players, it is possible to utilize the hills as a way to launch your ball from one section of the hole to a completely different one, avoiding whole parts and saving yourself swings.
