18 Holes: Putting, Wind and Coastlines
18 Holes: Putting, Wind and Coastlines Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
New Component Overview
Green cards (x36): These cards indicate the difficulty of a putt (number in circles around edges of green hex) from each side of the green. When on the green, players will use dice to roll a number above the target to sink the putt. The colour of the target number gives you at-a-glance difficulty for a given side. The more putter icons (bottom of card) the green card has the more difficult the green is.
Longest Putt card (x1): This card is awarded to the player who achieves the longest putt. No points awarded for this other than the sweet satisfaction of having achieved something that others could not.
Player action cards (x10): New actions for players on the green to make their decision in secret. There are two cards for each player, one to change position on the green and one to attempt a putt. These are played like regular club cards.
Putting dice (x35, 7 each): These dice are used to putt on greens. The goal is to roll the dice and score higher than the target (but no more than 10 higher than the target). Note that the dice have different colours and have different faces. The red and orange dice go further (larger numbers) and it's more likely that you will roll a flag (a chance of a putt that goes the distance hitting the flag and staying out of the hole).
Wind cards (x22): These cards will form the wind deck that shows wind direction. There are three wind strengths: calm, windy and strong wind. The windy cards come with multiple versions showing the different directions the wind is blowing.
Wind tile (x1): When a wind card is played, rotate the wind tile to match the orientation of the wind to the course. You can move the wind tile closer to where the golfers are to help players orient the wind from different sides of the table. When the strong wind card is played, flip the tile over while maintaining the orientation.
A Note on Rules
This expansion includes two modules. You may play either of them or both in the same game. The rules explained in this booklet add or modify the existing rules. Familiarity with the rules of 18 Holes is assumed as only the changes are described in this rule book.
Like the base game, the rules here are for Match Play with variations explained at the end.
Reading the Greens
In reading the greens players now need to putt their ball into the cup on each green to complete the hole. The first part of each hole remains the same where players are trying to reach the green in as few turns as possible. Once they do, they enter the putting phase. The first player to sink the putt will win the hole. If multiple players sink the putt on the same round they all win the hole.
Setup
Build the Course
Take the green cards and decide on the difficulty you want for your game. A starter deck is 4 easy (one putter icon), 4 hard (three putter icons) and 10 medium (two putter icons) difficulty holes. If you're playing an online course then there will be an indicator telling you what greens to place in the deck e.g. 4/10/4. It is also OK to shuffle all the green cards together and deal out 18.
Shuffle and place the cards face down. This is the Green Deck. Take the Longest Putt award and place it near the Green Deck.
Select Golfer
Give each player a set of dice: 1x white, 2x yellow, 2x orange and 2x red. Include Peter as a potential golfer players may choose.
Your First Game
Get a sense of the numbers on each dice (the darker the red the higher the numbers and more flags). Take a spare green card (not from the deck) and practice trying to roll certain targets.
Drafting Clubs
Add the mallet putter and gap wedge to the deck of available clubs. When not playing this expansion remove them as they will not help. Perform the draft as usual.
Give each player the two putt action cards: one change position card and one putt card. These are to be included in every player's hand along with their drafted clubs. They do not count towards your hand limit.
Playing a Round
At the Start of Each Hole
When players arrive at a new tee box, reveal the next green card. If possible, place it next to green the players are competing for. Each green card has a small piece of fairway coming in from the bottom of the hex. Use this fairway to orient the green card with the green on the course.
In the example below, we orient the green card to match the orientation of the green. In this example, entering via the fairway will require a putt of 42-52. Traveling over the fescue (white line with block end) can't be putted from. Players landing here will need to move before putting. All other sides require hitting over water.
Selecting Clubs
Reset Empty Hands
The player action cards change position and putt are not clubs and do not affect the Reset Empty Hands action.
Select Club
Players that are on the green must select one of the two player actions cards. These are placed faced-down in front of the player as per club selection.
Determine Play Order
If there are players on the green, the initiative order changes. Players who have played the putt player action play first and they play from highest target to lowest target. Players who played change position go next (if the hole is not won) and then club initiative order follows.
- Putt action (highest to lowest target)
- Change position actions
- Club initiative order (lowest to highest initiative)
Putting takes precedence as it allows the hole to be won and doesn't waste other player's turns. If during the putt actions the hole is won by a player, other players who have also played a putt action can putt to tie the hole. Players that played change positions return their card to their hand. Players who have not reached the green, play as normal.
On Your Turn
If you played a putt action card follow the putting section below. If you played a change position card follow the rules in that section. Anyone who played a club follows the base game rules.
Putting
First Putt
If this is the first attempt of any player putting on this green, select which dice you want to roll and then roll those dice. If you roll equal to the target or no more than 10 above, you have sunk the putt. Follow the steps in Sinking the Putt.
Whether you have sunk the putt or not, set aside the highest dice you rolled. If there are multiple dice with the same face, pick one. Place this die behind your meeple on the green card. This die is now in the dice pool.
The other players putting from any side may choose to use one of these dice instead of one of their own dice. Each time a player putts, the other players are watching and learning. The dice pool expands to a maximum of one die per player.
If you didn't sink the putt on your turn, leave your dice as they are now. Next turn you will re-roll some dice for your second putt.
Example: Janelle has reached the green and needs 39 to sink the putt. She takes all her dice and rolls 2 4 5 6 7 6 9. A total of 39. She sinks the putt and moves her highest die (9) onto the green card to start the dice pool. It can be used by other players while this green is in play.
Example: Grover (blue disc) arrives on the green from the top-left. He places his meeple behind the target. His target is 21. A roll of 21 to 31 will sink the putt. Grover takes one white, two yellow and two orange dice and rolls 1 4 5 6 and flag. He re-rolls the flag as 7. A total of 23 and 1 flag. The ball has ended up 7 next to the cup. He moves his golfer onto the centre of the green card and adds his 7 to the dice pool.
Example: Nick (yellow disc) is putting after Janelle so there is one die in the dice pool already. Nick needs 42 to tie the hole. He takes the 9 from Janelle and then rolls all of his dice except the white (he can't total more than 7 dice). He rolls: 4 4 4 7 5 8. With the 9 from Janelle, Nick has rolled 41. So close. Let's assume that Janelle didn't win the hole and Nick is taking a second putt. He would have added his 8 to the dice pool. Nick chooses to re-roll two of his dice: 4 5. The two dice he re-rolled become a 6 and a 7 making his total 45 and he sinks the putt.
Flag Icon
Some dice contain a flag symbol. These represent the ball hitting the flag. When that happens it's uncertain whether the ball will go in. When you see a flag symbol, add them up and then re-roll that dice. If you roll another flag, you add that to your tally and re roll.
If you reach your putting target and your flag tally is odd the ball ends up next to the cup and is not sunk. Move your golfer onto the centre of the green card. Next turn you can tap it in without rolling.
If you reach your putting target and your flag tally is even the ball goes in. Zero flags is considered even.
Remember: odds out, evens in.
The higher the numbers on the dice the more likely you will roll a flag. Don't always reach for the strongest dice.
Subsequent Putts
On your next turn you may either putt again or change position. If you play change position you reset your dice (excluding your die in the dice pool.)
If you played a putt action again: if, on your previous putt you reached the target but had an odd number of flags, you automatically sink the putt. Retrieve your golfer from the centre of the green card.
If you have not reached the target yet, you may choose to re-roll any of your dice (excluding your die in the dice pool). Any dice you didn't roll last turn, you may add to this roll.
Every putt requires you to roll at least one of your dice. If you use any dice from the dice pool and you reach your target, you still need to roll one of your dice.
You may never count more than 7 dice in your total. If you use another's die from the dice pool and your own die from the dice pool you may only roll at most 5 dice. You count all 7.
In summary: you're again picking a set of dice to roll and rolling them. Any dice not in the dice pool from your previous roll can be re-rolled or kept with their current value. Before you roll you may replace one of your dice with one from the dice pool to add to your total. Once a die is in the dice pool it is never re-rolled for this green.
Mallet Putter
If you have this club in your hand you may discard it to re-roll one die from your putt. If this triggers a hand reset and you didn't sink the putt you can use it again on this green for your next putt. Using this club to re-roll one die isn't considered an additional stroke.
Change Position
When you play this card you may move to one of the adjacent edges from where you are now. You must change position and once you have done so your turn is over. Return this card to your hand.
Reaching the Green
When a player reaches the green place your meeple on the green card on the side that they arrived from. This will make it clear what your target is. If the side you arrived from has no target, the only action you can take next turn is change position.
Score Flags
Players no longer score flags when they reach the green.
Score Hole-in-One Tokens
If a player, from the tee box on their first shot of the hole, lands on the green, check to see if they achieved a hole-in-one. Look at the green card and find the highest putt target and add 1 to it. If the player can roll this target in one roll of the dice, the ball goes in. This happens during the turn of the player who landed on the green. Other players may also attempt a hole-in-one to tie the hole. If you score a hole-in-one you are officially allowed to hoot and holler and run around like a goose. You are not authorised to wake any sleeping babies.
All players that achieve a hole-in-one take a hole-in-one token and may put a very smug smile on their face. You are not authorised to smile so hard you wake any sleeping babies.
Move to Next Hole
This step is now taken after a player has sunk a putt. Every one should take back any dice from the dice pool.
Sinking the Putt
Once a player has sunk the putt, this is the last round on this hole. All players yet to play may do so. Players with pending putt actions may attempt their putts and tie the hole. Players with change position actions retrieve the card and end their turn. Players on the fairway may play as normal although it's not possible to win the hole they may wish to play an action to reset their hand.
The player who sunk the putt takes the flag for their score. If multiple players sunk putts this round then one player takes the flag and the others take a 1-point token.
If you sunk the putt in a single roll of the dice claim the longest putt card if your target was greater than the current holder's. After this hole is complete keep the green card with it so it's easier to remember what you rolled.
Taming the Wind
This module brings the wind into the game. When the wind is blowing it will push your ball around. As a professional golfer you have some skill here and get to decide when to apply the wind's effect, but it must be applied at some point in the ball's flight.
Setup
Build the Course
Take the wind cards and decide what kind of conditions you want. For the most random wind, shuffle all cards. For an easier wind, remove the strong wind card. To make the game harder remove one or more calm cards. If you're playing an online course the wind deck balance may be shown using a table like below.
| TL | TM | TR | BR | BM | BL | S | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | . | . | . | 1 | 3 |
You can use the direction shorthand on each wind card to help you pick the cards out. Shuffle and place these face down. This is the Wind Deck.
Select Golfer
Add Wendy to the set of available golfers.
Draft Clubs
Add the three hybrid club variations 3 Hybrid (Wind), 5 Hybrid (Wind) and 8 Hybrid (Wind) and take out the 3 hybrid cards that have the same initiative (#2, #4 and #6). These new clubs remove the old power (no rough penalty) and grant a new power (improve play in windy conditions). The power only applies when the club is being used. When the conditions are windy you play as though it were calm. When there is a strong wind you play as though it is windy.
Playing a Round
At the Start of Each Hole
When players arrive at a new tee box, reveal the next wind card. Orient the wind tile so that all players can see which direction the wind is blowing.
On Your Turn
Move One Hex
The wind does not apply when you are moving one hex.
Play Club Card
When playing a club in windy or strong wind conditions you must move your golfer one hex in the direction the wind is blowing. In a strong wind, you must move your golfer two hexes.
You get to choose when to apply the wind. You must apply the wind at some point in the flight of the ball. When it is a strong wind you don't have to apply the two hexes of movement at the same time.
The only constraint to extra wind movement is, you cannot apply the wind when adjacent to a tree hazard that blocks the direction of the wind. If the entire flight of the ball is protected by trees the wind has no effect.
If in the flight of the ball the last few hexes are protected by trees you must go back and apply the wind effect. You cannot avoid it if there is a valid place to apply it.
It can be beneficial to use the wind effect to push the ball into trees. As per base game rules, when the ball hits trees it stops all movement.
Example: Martinique (red disc) is on the tee box and the wind is blowing towards the top-right of the course tile. The hex immediately in front of the tee box is protected by trees. All other hexes are at the mercy of the wind. Unless she moves one, she will need to move one additional hex in a north-easterly direction somewhere on the ball flight except the protected hex.
Exit Bunker
The wind does not apply when you are exiting a bunker.
Reaching the Green
If you shoot over the green and the wind blows you back onto the green, you are considered to have arrived from the side the wind pushed you onto the green.
Chipping
The wind does not apply when you are chipping.
Longest Drive Card
The wind allows a drive to go 6, 7 or 8 hexes. If you hit 7 or 8 hexes then you may take longest drive card from whoever holds it now. You need to have hit further than them to take the card from them. If you hit 6 and the longest drive card has not been revealed yet, you claim it when it is revealed – the player who drew the card still gets to move 6.
Coastlines Tile Pack
When building your course shuffle the new course tiles in with your existing tiles. While it is aesthetically pleasing to have the coastline line up, it's not a requirement of the game, so place the tiles as you like. If there is a corner hex that is made up of both ocean and rough, it is considered rough. If you want the tiles to line up as best as possible, the fairway tiles have a variation on the other side to help with getting the coastline matching up.
Hazards
Fescue
Fescue is a long grass that is also known as double rough and that is how it plays in 18 Holes. When you land on Fescue even Hybrid clubs get no advantage when playing from them. Consider Fescue as rough and the flight of the ball will be of reduced distance.
Gorse
These hexes contain small shrubs with yellow flowers. These shrubs are very hard to play out of. If you land in gorse you may only get out by chipping or by moving one hex.
Ocean
In the ocean is not considered out of bounds. When you land in the ocean, step back along your flight path. Once you are back on shore, lay your golfer down as you miss the next turn (like the water hazard). Play the turn after that as though the hex was rough. If you landed on the green, you putt from the side you arrived when stepping back through the flight path.
If you used the gap wedge to land on the green but ended up in the ocean, and then stepped back onto the green through the rules above, you do not get to pick which side to putt from. Your gap wedge shot ended up in the ocean.
Golfer Abilities
Wendy
A-side: Wendy may treat any windy condition as calm on her turn. This means you can choose to apply the wind effect if it is to your advantage. You can also choose to ignore the wind effect if you want to. Strong winds still apply.
B-side: Wendy never plays calm winds and uses the previous wind condition (either windy or strong wind). Wendy does not get to optionally ignore the wind effect when using the b-side.
Peter
A-side: Peter can putt from sides that do not have a target. When he does he uses the lowest target on the green card.
B-side: When playing Peter you must halve any target when you use a red dice. If you roll any number of flags the putt does not sink.
Multiple Ways to Play
Unless a mode is listed here, it is considered compatible with both reading the greens and taming the wind.
Chaos Golf Modes
The reading the greens expansion isn't compatible with the nature of chaos golf and the first player to reach the green scoring the points.
Golf Racing
When a player completes a green and moves to the next green they leave their die on the green card until they reach the next green. At this point they retrieve their die and it's no longer available to be used by other players on that green.