Par Out Golf provides you with a golfing experience unlike any other, swapping the clubs and the ball for a pen and ink. (And, trust me, when playing in the back seat of a mini-van, you’ll appreciate not having to duck each time you hear “fore!”) Par Out Golf is also incredibly easy to learn, even for you non-golfers. And just like real golf, you’ll be hooked once you experience the challenges of the course, shot after shot.

Object

The object of the game is for each player to move the tip of their pen down each fairway, from the tee box to the cup in the fewest strokes possible. The player who finishes the 18 hole course with the fewest total strokes is the winner!

Game Play

In Par Out Golf, a stroke is any continuous movement of the pen towards the cup (this is also known as the “approach” to you swingin’ golf pros). But unlike real golf, the laws of physics do not apply! A stroke can travel in a straight line, around trees, or in any twisting or turning motion you can devise as your pen moves towards the cup. You may also move your pen as fast or slow as you wish and shoot as far down the fairway as you choose on each stroke. You may also practice a shot before playing, as long as you don’t leave any pen marks on the fairway.

When it is time to take the shot there is one catch--you'll be doing all of this with your eyes closed!

Here’s how it works:

Each shot begins with you (the player) visualizing your approach toward the white circle (cup). (Chanting “Om” is optional.) You commit to the shot by placing your pen tip in the tee-box (or at the end of a previous stroke if one has been taken) and (gulp) closing your eyes. That’s right, this shot will be done entirely by memory.
Your eyes must stay closed throughout the entire stroke, no peeking. Use your photographic memory to move your pen in the direction of the cup in your mind’s eye. Be careful not to lift your pen until you are done with your shot.
When you’ve finished your shot, open your eyes! Did you get a “hole in one?” If not, don’t sweat it. Just place a small x at the end of the stroke to mark the spot where your next shot must be taken. You will then continue playing until you successfully stop the tip of the pen within the white circle marked with the flag. As you get closer it gets harder, just like putting in the real game. If the pen tip comes up short of the cup, or goes in and back out, you have missed and must take another stroke from the new location.

Order of Play

Like “real” golf, players take turns beginning with the player who is away, or furthest from the hole, shooting first, even if that means taking two or more strokes in a row.

Hazards

Understanding and avoiding hazards has a lot to do with your success on the round. But don’t panic yet, —there are only three hazards that add penalty strokes to your score on any hole.

Sand: A stroke may travel through a sand trap. However, stopping the tip of the pen in a sand trap adds a one stroke penalty. Your next shot must be played from that spot. You will have to add a +1 stroke penalty to your score on that hole.

Water: A stroke may travel through a water hazard. However, stopping the tip of the pen in the water adds a 2 stroke penalty, and the next shot must be taken from the exact point at which the pen tip “left” the playable area (hazards excluded). This is known in golfing terminology as a “drop”. You’ll have to add a +2 stroke penalty to your score on that hole.

Out of Bounds (OB): Stopping anywhere out of bounds adds a 2 stroke penalty. But unlike the previous hazards, if your pen tip stops out of bounds, you must count that stroke, go back, and immediately reshoot from the same location. The +2 stroke penalty is added to your score on that hole.

Obstacles & Roll-backs

Obstacles include natural elements such as Trees, Large Cliffs and Rocks. But unlike hazards, your pen cannot simply “fly over” these objects. If any part of a stroke hits any part of a tree, large cliff or rock, (including the black outline) then your next shot must be played from the point where the pen came in contact with the obstacle, no matter how far the original shot traveled.

In contrast, Roll-backs are the triangle-shaped shaded areas on the fairway in which a landed stroke rolls back to the smallest point at the end (Think of the roll-backs as hills and it will all make sense!).

So, let McCaddy summarize these added complexities for you: a stroke may “fly over” roll-backs, water and sand trap hazards, but never trees, large cliffs or rocks.
Scoring

Mark your scores for each hole on the scorecard, conveniently located on the bottom of the game board. When you finish the “front-nine,” tally your score, flip the book over, and move your score to the F9 box. Play the “back-nine”, and when you are finished, tally up the overall scores and congratulate the winner!

Cleaning up

When you’re ready to call it a day, use a damp cloth and wipe off all of the ink before putting the game away. The ink wipes off easily with water but is designed to dry quickly, so you don’t get it all over your hands while playing. (McCaddy does so dislike getting his hands dirty.) DO NOT wash in a sink or use excessive water to clean. Edges of book are not laminated and can warp.

TIP: Like any responsible golfer, McCaddy recommends that you be gentle on your pens. Light, gentle pressure will give you the thinnest shots (lines) and are less likely to get caught up on trees or other obstacles or hazards. Oh, and only use wet-erase markers on the game board. Permanent marker ink will not wipe off. If you need replacement pens, visit www.ParOutGolf.com.