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Hoping for a hole in one was perhaps a little optimistic. But I had hoped to keep my score under double figures for each hole. I guess golf just ain't my game.

In fact I hate the real thing, so it's funny why I quite like playing the various golf games that are around, Mastertronic's Hole In One included.

Unlike Ariolasoft's Golf Construction Set and Leaderboard from US Gold, Hole In One has just one course to play.

About the top two thirds of the screen is taken up with a view of the course and the golfer. The graphics are simple but serve their purpose.

The lower part of the screen is taken up with details of hole, distance, par, club and wind direction.

There's a choice of 14 clubs, woods and irons to choose from. Perhaps part of my problem is that I haven't the faintest idea what each individual club is supposed to do. A one iron means absolutely nothing to me.

You take aim by moving an arrow back and forth across the top of the screen. Pressing the fire button fixes the direction the shot will hopefully go in.

The amount of power to the swing is made by moving the joystick to the left and then to the right. The time lapse between the two movements effects the amount of hook or slice on the ball.

When the ball is 12 yards or under from the hole, the screen changes to an overhead view of the green.

The one major criticism of the game I have is that, although you're supplied with a course map on the inlay card, I kept losing my sense of direction, especially after hacking away at the ball in a clump of trees for a few shots. It would have been nice to be able to call up a map on the screen which shows your correct position. Still, what can you expect for £2.99?

All in all, Hole In One is fair fun for those who look back in fondness to the days when plus fours were fashionable (The Ed, for instance), or those who like to wear loud check trousers (our designer), or for those who just like a simple round of computer golf.