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New Features for Golden Tee Fore! 2002
New game play features have just been automatically delivered to online versions of Golden Tee Fore! 2002 machines. The new features were delivered through normal telephone lines during the machine's regularly scheduled call to ITNet. The call lasted about 5 to 6 minutes while files were transferred to the machines, which call in every 48 hours.
The most noticeable new feature is the ability for players to now select Front 9, Back 9, or all 18 holes on any course. A new menu appears after a course is selected, that offers the player these three new choices. "Players have been asking for this capability for a while now, and we are happy to have found a solution," said Larry Hodgson, head Golden Tee programmer and IT's Vice President of Product Development. "They can now practice up on the back nine of the course that's been giving them trouble, as well as get in an extra 9 before their lunch hour ends". The addition of more selections for players should prove to be a money earner for operators as well.
An additional change is that the National Leaderboards have been changed to display Monthly rankings and course records. Every month these leaderboards will be reset to reflect the best players of the month. "There are so many great players out there that the course records get set pretty quickly," said Gary Colabuono, IT's Director of Marketing. "Now, players will have a shot at making the National standings each month, and a wider variety of players will see their name in lights. We think this will also result in a spike in earnings each month, as players go for the top spot on their favorite course".
Another new feature added to the machines is a more refined handicapping calculation. The player's individual handicap is now configured to emphasize more recent plays, so it better reflects the player's current level of skill. Players who have shown great improvement over their plays from a year ago will see a significant adjustment in their new handicap. "This new calculation should make handicaps very useful for players in both casual games and more structured events", said Andy Kniaz, IT's Director of Product Support. "In fact, a number of other files were sent to each machine in anticipation of the new Operator-Run Leagues system that will debut very soon. This exciting new feature, exclusive to ITNet Operators, will also utilize this more accurate handicap calculation."
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