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In this neatly packaged golf game, the idea is of course to hit a ball into a hole.

The title page tells you that the course is 72 par. Once loaded you are asked if you want music, and to check that caps lock is on. The pre-defined high score table is then displayed.

Pressing the space bar starts the game, producing an image of the first fairway. At each hole the red tee box has an arrow through it to show the wind direction and contains a yellow number giving wind strength. At the bottom of the screen is a white box showing the distance and par of the hole being played. After entering your choice of club, a window displays the direction of shot, which can be rotated using the Z and X keys, and the strength, which can be altered by the up and down cursor keys.

Once set up you press RETURN and a white pixel pops out from the tee box representing the ball. As the ball slows down it can be carried by the wind. When it comes to rest it expands into a full stop, which is more easily seen.

You proceed like this until you reach the green, then the computer redraws the display as a green background with a black circle in the centre to show the hole, with a white circle representing the ball. You are told if it is a dfast or slow gren, then you set the parameteres for your shot as before, excet it is presumed that you chose a putter. And so your proceed through the 18 holes of the Acorn Park Golf Course.

The screen displays are good and clear on a colour monitor but rather difficult on a monochrome display.

This is a fairly good game, though slightly lacking in excitement; its only fault is not having a constant display of your running score.

Roger Gammans