Universal Rule for Board Games - Players Decide Ambiguity: If players ever arrive at a situation not covered in the rulebook, and the rules offer no definitive answer, then players should feel free to decide what happens.

Course Information

Q: Is there a cheat sheet somewhere showing the official HMG courses and which real courses inspired them?

A: See the table at the bottom of this page.

Decider Die

Q: Is the same decider die roll used throughout a single hole for a golfer if it’s needed more than once?

A: No. Once the decider die is “used,” it must be re-rolled if it’s needed again. It might need to be rolled multiple times during a single hole depending on the sequence of quality checks. 

Q: On the tee shot, I had to answer if the •CHAMPION golfer is CHAMPION, and the decider die was a •, so he was a CHAMPION for that shot. Later, an irons shot asked the same question. Do I have to re-roll the decider die, or can I assume the golfer still has the CHAMPION quality for the entire hole?

A: You have to re-roll the decider die. Similar to the FAQ above, once the decider die is "used" it must be re-rolled if it's needed again. In this scenario, the golfer is facing a different shot, and must re-roll on their semi quality. Passing one check successfully doesn't exempt the golfer from a check of the same semi-quality later in the same hole.

Q: When there's an “OR” quality choice (e.g PUNY or GILDED) for a golfer and you have semi-quality for both, do you roll the decider die for the each quality? What about a course result that checks DAUNTING hole “OR” SCATTER golfer, when the hole is semi-daunting and the golfer is semi-scatter?

A: Occasionally, a check will call for multiple qualities, and once in awhile a golfer will have more than one of them. If they are both SEMI qualities, ONE decider die roll is sufficient for both qualities--don’t roll twice.  In the case where it’s an OR for the golfer and course, then you check separately.

Chip Usage

Q: How does a golfer earn BLUE chips?

A: BLUE chips are earned through: 1) Tourney Day Perks (before the final round of a tournament begins), 2) Any "Gallery Cheers" or "WOW!" result, 3) making any CLUTCH or DB DIFFICULT putt, or 4) demonstrating patience by accepting a PAR score on a white die "6" attacking opportunity. 

Q: How does a golfer earn RED chips?

A: RED chips are earned through: 1) Tourney Day Issues (before the final round of a tournament begins), 2) Any "Gallery Groans" or "OH NO!" result, or 3) missing any CLUTCH or GIMME putt.

Q: Can a golfer use two blue chips to improve a putt by two levels?

A: Yes, as long as they haven't already spent any chips that hole. Remember, a golfer can only spend up to 2 chips each hole.

Q: Suppose a golfer begins the hole with one blue chip. Then he gains a second one during the hole, say during a WOW shot or similar. Can he then use the ORIGINAL blue chip during a putt on the same hole? 

A: Yes, the rules also state that a golfer who earns a blue chip on a hole can use it later on the same hole to improve putting chance (subject to the restriction that he can spend up to two chips per hole). 

Q: Golfer spends a blue chip to take control of the hole. Then proceeds to screw up his tee shot and the gallery groans, does he get the red chip? 

A: No. Once you spend a chip, you can no longer earn a chip of any kind on that hole.

Q: The rules say that RED chips can't be spent the same hole on which they are earned. What if I earn a RED chip on the 18th hole?

A: This is the exception to the stated rule. Since all RED chips must be spent before the end of the round to avoid a "meltdown" (see page xii of the rules) you may spend a RED chip earned on the 18th hole while finishing the same hole.

Q: When putting with a •RUST or •GOLD golfer, can I first roll the decider die to determine the golfers putting quality before deciding to use a chip?  

A: No. The chip usage decision must come before any rolls. For example, if player is •RUST he can choose to:

1. Putt as a •RUST (1-2 success)

2. Roll a Decider Die as part of the putting process turning the golfer into RUST (1) or NEUTRAL (1-3)

3. Spend a Blue chip and putt as a •GOLD (1-4)

4. Spend a Blue chip and putt as a •GOLD and Roll a Decider Die as part of the putting process turning the golfer into NEUTRAL (1-3) or GOLD (1-5) depending on the decider die result.

Q: When must I decide to spend a blue chip (or two) to take control of a •DAUNTING hole?

A: When you want to attempt to take control of a •DAUNTING hole, you MUST spend one blue chip for the attempt. If the decider die is “blank”, you are in luck, the hole is neutral and you now control it. If it's a “bullet” then you must spend a second blue chip to take control of the hole. If you don't have the second blue chip, you lose the blue chip that you spent on the attempt and do not control the hole.

Q: If a player spends a blue chip to reduce a putt from difficult to moderate, and then misses - is the next putt a moderate or easy?

A: Easy. The next putt is always one level easier from the *modified* difficulty level.

Q: If a player is faced with a DB Difficult putt on a hole with the triangle symbol, is the putt made harder?

A: No, in this case, the putt stays DB Difficult. The triangle cannot made a DB Difficult putt harder than it already is.

Q: If a player is faced with a DB Difficult putt on a hole with the triangle symbol, can they use a blue chip to make the putt Difficult? Or does the triangle prevent that?

A: The triangle cannot make the putt more difficult than it already is, so yes, the blue chip can be spent to make the putt easier in this scenario.

Q: Can you help me understand chip usage strategies?

A: Yes, see this great article from Keith.

Special Results

Q: If a player rolls a white die 6, and triples on the other 3 dice, does this still result in a trip to the Special Results chart?

A: Yes, because Special Results are fun!

Q: When a golfer re-tees due to an OOB shot, how do you proceed?

A: After the out of bounds tee shot, the player must start the hole over again from scratch.  If he spent a chip for control, it's gone. Simply start the hole again and follow the normal process, then add 2 to the final score. 

Q: I rolled triples on the tee shot and went to the Special Results Chart. The result was an OOB, add penalty stroke and re-tee. I then rolled a white die "6". My question is, can I take the gimme putt on the white die "6" and collect a blue chip for patience, even though my score on the hole was a double-bogey?

A: Yes!  Blue chip & double-bogey.

Q: A special result that said "golfer STORMY for the rest of round.” Can a result on the Mood chart still change that golfer back to normal and possibly Sunny?

A: No, the golfer’s mood will remain STORMY for the rest of the round, regardless of MOOD chart results.

Q: I just got a level 3 special result. It is Level 3, Par 3 “25” and I'm confused. "Must use wedge to putt, -1 d6 rest of round."

A: This is a typo. It should read “... +1 d6 rest of round”. In other words, the player should add “1” to all putt rolls for the remainder of the round.

General Gameplay

Q: If the hole I'm playing has the triangle "!" symbol, how do I know if I should apply its penalty or not?

A: If the hole has the triangle “!” symbol, you will make your final putt one level harder in these scenarios:

1. The course controls the hole;

2. The golfer initially controls the hole, but is sent to the GolfCam: Green chart, thus losing control to the course.

NOTES:

1. Do not apply the triangle symbol to a CLUTCH putt.

2. Do not apply the triangle symbol to the EASY putt after a missed CLUTCH putt.

3. Do not apply the triangle symbol if a boutique result on the hole card specifies a putt result (e.g. MODERATE putt for birdie)

4. Although not mentioned specifically on these charts, if the course controls the hole you are still required to apply the triangle symbol to results from the PIN!, WOW!, OH-NO!, STRONG Applause, and POLITE Applause charts.

Q: On a SEMI DB CORDIAL (DB• CORDIAL) hole, if the white die is 6, but the decider die is blank, what is the procedure?

A: This is the same as a white die 6 on a CORDIAL hole. The golfer can attack the green, or choose to take a gimme for par and a blue chip for patience. If the decider die were a bullet, then the hole would be DB CORDIAL and the golfer could take the birdie, but no blue chip.

Q: I’m rolling on the MOOD chart with a NEUTRAL golfer and he has a difficult putt for birdie. A miss makes him STORMY, and success makes him SUNNY. If I use a blue chip to change the putt, does that negate everything else that rides on the putt, or does it all stay the same? 

A: It all stays the same because it is still a putt for birdie. Now, if you decide to play it safe, and take a gimme for par, then the MOOD consequence is removed, as the putt is no longer for birdie.

Q: The chances of rolling on the Emerging Contenders chart is based on the leader's score (to par) at that point.  Is that their score for the round, or the whole tourney?  

A: It is the score for the round.

Q: The emerging contender chart says to use the leader's score for the day to determine the number of die rolls.  What happens when you have co-leaders with significantly different scores on the day? For example, say that one leader is at a -5, resulting in zero rolls on the EC chart while the other is -1 or E, resulting in two rolls on the EC chart.

A: You use the "better" of the two scores. In the example above, there would be 0 rolls. 

Q: Attacking the green on a par 3: I have a green 3 which leads to a check for Stone/Soft ability on a pitch. The instructions say to refer to the putting chart for difficulty. Can I use a chip to modify the difficulty as with a putt (which is how I played it), or because this is a pitch is that disallowed?

A: From Keith: “Yes, you can use a chip to modify the pitch difficulty in this situation.”  Note that if you miss the pitch shot, the follow-up putt will still be MODERATE per the note in the game book.

Advanced Options

Q: Regarding the Advanced Option “ADDED DRAMA for GOLFER 'PLAYING SAFE' (white die 6) RESULTS", can the golfer still attack the green if he chooses?

A: Yes, he can still attack the green, he just can't play it SAFE if two additional dice are 6's.

Tournament Mode

Q: For the “Out of Contention” golfers, can the cut-off be expanded to more than 6 strokes behind the leader? If golfers perform well using the quick-play chart, can they be put back on the leaderboard and eligible for full-play again? 

A: The quick answer is yes to both of these questions. If you feel that that current rules are too restrictive on the leaderboard, feel free to expand the cut-off, and let golfers back into full play mode at any time. From the designer notes that come with the game: “If you want to allow this, you certainly can. Our own play-test experience, however, shows two things. 1) Once a golfer falls more than six strokes back of the leader, the odds of him seriously contending (i.e., getting back to within a couple strokes of the lead) are VERY small. (I think this is borne out in real-life golf as well.) Putting the golfer back on the table will most likely just prolong the game experience without changing the result. “But,” you might say, “maybe the golfer could earn a few additional tour/money points?” Which brings me to the second point. 2) Even when a golfer “falls off the table,” he can still get results from the “Out of Contention Golfer” card sufficient to improve his tour/money points. In my own play-testing, an “off the table” golfer (or, for that matter, a B+ golfer who was never ON the table) frequently manages a top 10 finish. I even once saw a top 5 finish from an off-the-table golfer, when the rest of the field struggled. Again, think in terms of a TV broadcast: just because you don’t see a golfer on TV doesn’t mean he’s not playing.”

Q: If I reintroduce out of contention golfers when they get within 6 shots of the leader again, do they keep any chips they’ve acquired prior to falling out of contention?

A: Since this isn’t an official rule in the first place, the procedure is completely up to the player.

Q: In season sets, I notice that the top (“1” & "2") rated golfers are making the cut most of the time. If I play a full PGA Tour length schedule of 40+ events, their “Cuts Made” and “Top 10” finish stats will be too high. Is there a solution for this?

A: Keith covered this in the December 2019 Newsletter. In summary, follow these steps:

1. Identify the top “third” of events (about 15 in a 46 tourney season); no changes to tournament mode for these events.

2. For the other events, change the 1 and 2 rated golfers to a 6D rating for the "making the cut" portion, but then revert back to their normal rating for Saturday. 

Q: I had a tourney where one of the contenders finished 10th. However, when you do the "full leaderboard" scores, he dropped to 16th. Would you award him 3 points for a top-10 finish, based solely on the final round contenders, or would you grant him the same points as everyone in Group C, which matched his actual final score? Likewise (same tourney) another golfer finished in Group B as a never-did-contend, yet the full scoreboard puts him in 8th. Again, how many points would you award him?

A: From my Facebook Reply: Like we say often, the process you use is ultimately up to you, and for best results stay consistent throughout your project. But how it was designed is outlined on the Tournament Scoring Key - Full Leaderboard Method that comes with the game.

1) Calculate scores of the golfers on your leaderboard

2) Calculate the scores of the other golfers in the "stacks"

3) It is then assumed you will use the scores calculated in steps 1 and 2 to update your season document.

If you are going "by the book" with the Full Leaderboard method, honor the final scores, no matter where the player cards were on your table. So for your first question, that contender gets the points of a 16th place finisher. And for your second question, the golfer earns the points of an 8th place finisher.

That said, it occurs to me that you may be "mixing" the two tournament scoring methods. You mentioned "3-Points for Top 10 finish" and "Group C points." Those "points" are for the much quicker/easier Money Winner Method. If you are being more precise and using the Full Leaderboard method, then it is assumed you will be using a different (more complicated?) money or points distribution. For example, you could use a system that mimics the PGA.

Or to say it differently, if you are OK with the simpler system of only assigning POINTS to GROUPS of golfers (Money Winner Method), then you may want to forego the calculations you are doing (no need to figure out anyone's four round score!) and use that method instead. If you do, it DOES mean that you MAY have a contending golfer who was 10th on your scoresheet, but ACTUALLY placed 16th (if you did all the calculations - which is NOT part of this mode). My advice is NOT to do the calculations so that you don't get wrapped up in the "what if's." Award points by the book, and move on. Your examples are only a difference of 1-2 points, which will even out over the course of a season.

Tourney Day Issues and Perks

Q: A result said that a golfer gains CHOICE quality. What is considered a CHOICE quality?

A: Any HMG quality can be a CHOICE quality. The full list is on page ii of the game instructions. 

Q: On Tourney Day Issues and Perks, “lose choice quality”—can that be the loss of a poor quality? Can it include putting qualities?

A: Yes and yes.

Q: On Tourney Day Issues and Perks, “gain choice quality”—can you choose to gain a quality that is contradictory to one you have?

A: Yes, you could do that; the game results are set up to accommodate this.  However, note that if you do that, you could still get the "downside" results. So, for example, if you give a CHUNKY golfer the SANDY quality, if you're in the sand and get a "CHUNKY?" result, it would still apply.

Q: Phil Mickelson rolled a perk where he loses a quality. Must it be a full quality or may he lose his SCATTER(dot) half quality?

A: From Keith: Phil can lose the SCATTER• quality, for sure!  "Any quality" includes qualities held to a "semi" degree.

Q: On a 5-5 roll on the Tourney Day Issues and Perks chart the golfer loses a choice SEMI-quality; in this instance, can he reduce a full quality down to a semi, e.g. go from BOMBER to BOMBER•, or does he only get to lose a quality that he already holds to a semi degree?

A: Yes, he can reduce a full quality down to a SEMI. 

Q: How many TFN results can be active at one time? 

A: This is the gamers choice, but when playing a Full 40+ event season, 6 is recommended. If playing a shortened season, then 3 or 4 is appropriate.

Q: How does a TFN result go away? 

A: Keep track of the TFN status for your golfers. When you exceed the TFN limit you have set for your season, the oldest TFN goes away to make way for the new one.

Q: A Golfer with a "SUNNY TFN" perk misses a putt on the Mood Chart. Does his Mood now change to Neutral? Or does it stay SUNNY? 

A: Officially, a TFN status is intended to take precedence over any non-TFN results that attempt to change that quality. So in the example given, ignore the penalty for missing the putt and keep the golfer SUNNY.  That said, if it makes more sense to you, you can allow for in-tournament adjustments to occur with the golfer returning to his SUNNY status for the next tournament. 

Q: Do TFN results from the game book (see Special Results) carry forward to future tournaments like TFN results from the Tourney Day Perks/Issues Chart do?

A: Yes, a TFN result from the Game Book is treated exactly the same as a TFN result from the Tourney Day Perks/Issues Chart.

Match Play

Q: In match play, golfers with a Clutch putt go last. But what happens if the results of the other golfer(s) putts makes the scenario for the final golfer no longer “clutch”?

A: In match play, if the winner of the hole is already determined, a CLUTCH putt ceases to be "clutch." Continue to use the regular clutch putt qualities, but no chips would be earned.

Q: I really don't understand the hot/cold golfers rule for match play on page xxii of the game instructions of history-maker golf.

A: The match play HOT/COLD rule probably needs to be clearer, so as to underscore that many match play holes are halved…

HOT golfer has won the last two holes

SEMI-HOT golfer has won one hole and halved the other.

NEUTRAL golfer has either halved both the last two holes, or won one and lost the other.

SEMI-COLD golfer has lost one hole and halved the other.

COLD golfer has lost both the last two holes.

Course Information Table - Official PLAAY Courses

Course Collection Course Real Life Inspiration

Included with HMG Champions Course, Augusta, GA Augusta National

Included with HMG Palm and Orchid GC, Kapalua, HI Plantation Course at Kapalua

Course Collection 1 BlackJack GC, Las Vegas, NV TPC Summerlin

Course Collection 1 Wicker Pin GC, Ardmore, PA Merion Golf Club

Course Collection 1 Coastal Golf Resort (Oceanside) Sea Island

Course Collection 1 Lookout Ridge GC, Pebble Beach, CA Spyglass Hill

Course Collection 2 Big Easy GC, Avondale, LA TPC Louisiana

Course Collection 2 Rubber City GC, Akron, OH Firestone CC

Course Collection 2 Pacific Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA Pebble Beach Golf Links

Course Collection 2 Great Woods GC, Norton, MA TPC Boston

Course Collection 3 Texas Provincial CC, Ft. Worth, TX Colonial CC

Course Collection 3 Pacific Pines (South), San Diego, CA Torrey Pines (South)

Course Collection 3 Tycoon Pro Course, Miami FL Doral Golf Resort

Course Collection 3 Connecticut River GC, Cromwell, CT TPC River Highlands

Course Collection 4 Alamo Oaks GC, San Antonio, TX TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course)

Course Collection 4 Desert Sky GC, Scottsdale, AZ TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course)

Course Collection 4 Palmetto Harbour Golf Links, Hilton Head, SC Harbour Town Golf Links

Course Collection 4 Southern Breeze GC, Memphis, TN TPC Southwind

Course Collection 5 Lone Star GC, Irving, TX TPC Four Seasons

Course Collection 5 Federal CC, Bethesda, MD Congressional CC (Blue)

Course Collection 5 Napa Valley CC (North), Napa, CA Silverado CC

Course Collection 5 The PLAAYers Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL TPC Sawgrass

Course Collection 6 Lagarte Viejo Mundo GC, Playa Del Carmen, MX El Camaleon Golf Club

Course Collection 6 K-L GCC, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

Course Collection 6 Blue Lantern International GC, Shanghai, China Sheshan International

Course Collection 6 Firth of Clyde Golf Links, Ayrshire, Scotland Royal Troon Golf Club

Course Collection 7 Pacific Pines (North), San Diego, CA Torrey Pines (North)

Course Collection 7 Pearl River CC, Jackson, MS CC of Jackson

Course Collection 7 Fownes CC, Oakmont, PA Oakmont Country Club

Course Collection 7 Rock River GC, Silvis, IL TPC Deere Run

Course Collection 8 Golf City Stadium Course The Club at PGA West

Course Collection 8 Long Island Public (Black) Bethpage Black

Course Collection 8 Diamond Head CC Waialae Country Club

Course Collection 8 Country Club at Mile High Cherry Hills Country Club

Course Collection 9 1843 Golf Links St. Andrews

Course Collection 9 Sam's Bell Tower Course The Belfrey

Course Collection 9 Usk Valley Resort Celtic Manor 2010 Course

Course Collection 9 The Straffan Club K Club Palmer Course

Course Collection 10 Sunset Canyon Riviera Country Club

Course Collection 10 Rattlesnake CC Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course)

Course Collection 10 Avian Wood CC Quail Hollow Club

Course Collection 10 Hills of Eire GC Erin Hills Golf Course

Course Collection 11 Greens Bayou GC Golf Club of Houston

Course Collection 11 Peach Tree GC Eastlake Golf Club

Course Collection 11 PNG National GC PGA National Golf Club

Course Collection 11 Springhouse CC The Greenbrier

Course Collection 12 Baja Mar CC Albany Golf Course

Course Collection 12 El Saltamontes Golf Club Club de Golf Chapultepec

Course Collection 12 Glen Ebbe Glenn Abbey Golf Club

Course Collection 12 Royal Hawtree GC Royal Birkdale

Course Collection 13 Bergen Ridge CC Ridgewood Country Club

Course Collection 13 Founders Golf Club and Links Shinnecock Hills

Course Collection 13 Ocean Knoll Club and Lodge Bay Hill

Course Collection 13 Spirit of Scotland GC Muirfield Village

Course Collection 14 Capital CC at Avalon Farms TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm

Course Collection 14 Greater Greensboro CC Sedgefield CC

Course Collection 14 Prairie Hills CC Southern Hills CC

Course Collection 14 Temple of the Shrine CC Medinah CC (No. 3)

Course Collection 15 Baltus Roll Farm GC Baltusrol Golf Club

Course Collection 15 Motown Crown GC Detroit Golf Club

Course Collection 15 Thousand Lakes Pro Course TPC Twin Cities

Course Collection 15 Empire Oaks CC (East) Oak Hill CC

Course Collection 16 Bluegrass Trace GC, Nicholasville, KY Keene's Trace Golf Club

Course Collection 16 Kee-Carolina GC, Kiawah Island, SC Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course)

Course Collection 16 Mercury’s Sandal GC, Mamaorneck, NY Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course)

Course Collection 16 Statue of Liberty GC, Jersey City, NJ Liberty National Golf Club

Course Collection 17 Tseiqami Thunder CC, Rancho Mirage, CA Thunderbird Country Club

Course Collection 17 Rustic Valley Country Club, Sutton, MA Pleasant Valley Country Club

Course Collection 17 Assurant Lakes Golf Club, Long Grove, IL Kemper Lakes Golf Club

Course Collection 17 Chinook Haven Golf Club, Sammamish, WA Sahalee Country Club

Course Collection 18 Carolina Pines Resort GC, Pinehurst, NC Pinehurst Resort (No.2)

Course Collection 18 Texas Acres GC, McKinney, TX TPC Craig Ranch

Course Collection 18 Warren G. Harding GC, San Francisco, CA TPC Harding Park

Course Collection 18 Lake O' The Winds Links, Sheboygan, WI Whistling Straits (The Straits)

Course Collection 19 Country Club of New England, Brookline, MA The Country Club

Course Collection 19 Hall of Heroes GC, Louisville, KY Valhalla Golf Club

Course Collection 19 Sierra Nevada GC, Truckee, CA Tahoe Mountain Club

Course Collection 19 Sacred Soldier GC, Etobicoke, ON St. George’s Golf and Country Club

Course Collection 20 Collection of 75 Fictional Holes to create virtually unlimited course configurations!

2010 Golf Stars Pudget Sound Links Chambers Bay GC