WGT Golf News

For one day only, on TUESDAY 3/12, we're doubling the payouts for Hole-In-One Challenges on World Golf Tour.

Try your luck in closest-to-the-hole games to make a hole-in-one, or land the ball within 1 or 5 feet of the hole, and you'll earn twice as many WGT Credits as usual. Many of the holes now pay out over 100 to 1 for a hole-in-one.

Hole-In-One Challenges are available on the tee shots on any closest-to-the-hole WGT golf course, excluding Merion.

Play Now

Since we introduced Hole-In-One Challenges, WGTers have been winning and earning WGT Credits for their impressive shots. See winners and video replays here.

*Promotion runs Tuesday 3/12/13 PST. Hole-In-One Challenges are available on WGT closest-to-the-hole course tee shots only, excluding Merion. All countries are eligible except three U.S. States: Montana, Tennessee and Vermont.

 

Merion Golf Club is the site of the 2013 U.S. Open and the course just launched on World Golf Tour as part of the 2013 Virtual U.S. Open.

One of Merion's most memorable features is their flagstick baskets, which are wicker baskets that are used instead of traditional flags.

But what are the baskets for? And why were they first used? It's a golf mystery with a variety of possible explanations...

Snack Packs – Stories say that the baskets were introduced so that caddies could store fruits and other snacks while walking the golf course, and keep them out of greedy little critters' paws.

Wind-less Challenge – Some say the purpose of the baskets is to avoid giving players clues about the direction of the wind. And others say the baskets make it easier to see where the hole is, in case the wind was blowing and making the flags hard to see.

Something Borrowed – Did Hugh Wilson, Merion's course designer, get this idea from his visit to the Sunningdale Golf Club in England on a trip in 1910? Or maybe the Stoke Poges Club or Prestwick in Scotland?

Whatever the real reason, there are a few things we definitely know about the baskets on Merion East...

• Credit for the baskets is given to Hugh Wilson, course designer for both Merion's golf courses
• The baskets and flagsticks are re-painted regularly to maintain their distinctive appearance
• The baskets are collected every night to keep them safe and avoid theft

We love Merion's wicker basket flagsticks, and it makes you wonder what other unique flagstick designs are out there.

Play the new Front 9 Challenge at Merion on World Golf Tour

 

Pebble Beach is America's top-ranked and most famous golf course. The famed Pebble Beach Golf Links golf course is the most recent addition to World Golf Tour, now available as a free closest-to-the-hole online game.

The famous par 3 hole 17 has a small green surrounded by bunkers, and typically shots are hit straight into the breeze coming off the ocean.

On this hole in the 1982 U.S. Open, Tom Watson brilliantly holed out of the greenside rough with a sand wedge for a birdie. He went on to beat Jack Nicklaus that year for his only career U.S. Open title.

The shot on World Golf Tour is from that same rough, see if you can create your own miracle shot.

WGT Hole 17 Tip - Consider switching to a lob shot and aiming left and short.

You can sign up for World Golf Tour here and play Pebble Beach, St Andrews and other famous golf courses free online.

See Pebble Beach Hole 16 Preview

More exciting updates to World Golf Tour, including the first stage of the 2013 Virtual U.S. Open on Merion Golf Club.

 

Merion for Virtual U.S. Open

We're less than 100 days away from the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in June, and World Golf Tour is the exclusive host of the Virtual U.S. Open.

We're excited to give WGT players an early preview of Merion Golf Club with the new Front 9 closest-to-the hole challenge now available. Play today and you could earn $500 USGAshop.com prizes.

Note, the Back 9 Challenge on Merion will be coming in April, and the Full 18 hole strokeplay at Merion will be available in May.

 

New TaylorMade R1 Virtual Driver

 

The hottest driver on the PGA Tour is now on WGT. The new R1 Driver from TaylorMade offers more distance and forgiveness to improve your virtual driving. These top-performing clubs are available for WGT players at all levels...

• TaylorMade R1 10 degree Driver (Level 11+) with Aldila 55-gram shaft
• TaylorMade R1 9 degree TP Driver (Level 48+) with Aldila 65-gram shaft
• TaylorMade R1 8 degree Super TP Driver (Level 98+) with OBAN Kiyoshi White 65-gram shaft

 

More ways to play Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach is this month's featured golf course, play the monthly featured tournament including the iconic par three 7th hole.

Pebble Beach will also soon be available in paid Ready-Go golf tournaments on WGT. The top 30 of 50 players earn WGT Credits every day in these exciting Ready-Go games.

 

Special WGT Offers

Don't miss "double payouts" day on Tuesday 3/12, when the WGT Credit payouts for Hole-In-One Challenges are doubled. This is for one day only in Hole-In-One Challenges in closest-to-the-hole games.

WGT NATION members, play WGT on Sunday 3/17 for St. Patrick's Day and get a free WGT green vapor virtual golf ball. (See what these green balls can do in this Hole-In-One Challenge winning replay)

Special offer for all WGT players, play WGT on Monday 4/1 for MLB Opening Day and get a free WGT Baseball: MLB virtual golf ball. And if you haven't tried our baseball game, WGT Baseball: MLB, play here!

Pebble Beach is America's top-ranked and most famous golf course. The famed Pebble Beach Golf Links golf course is the most recent addition to World Golf Tour, now available as a free closest-to-the-hole online game.

Hole 16 is a challenging par 4, as the small green is lower than the fairway, surrounded by bunkers and trees, and sloping sharply from right to left.

Try it for yourself on World Golf Tour, with a 177 yard approach shot from the fairway to the challenging green.

WGT Hole 16 Tip - Aim carefully and swing with less power due to the downhill green.

You can sign up for World Golf Tour here and play Pebble Beach, St Andrews and other famous golf courses free online.

See Pebble Beach Hole 13 Preview

"We’re goin' flat bills, we’re goin' button-up, we're goin' Mahan, we’re goin' insane...ka caw, ka caw!"

Our favorite Golf Boys are back in their new video, Golf Boys - "2.Oh."

This “two thousand trizateen” version of the original music video is another classic, featuring Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Ben Crane and Hunter Mahan.

With lines like "25 inches on my golf cart rims" and "I like olives in my Rory Sabatini," how could you not want to SHARE this? 

Every day there is at least one hole-in-one winner and hundreds of players sticking it within 1 and 5 feet. Congratulations to all of our winners so far...

Hole-In-One Winners

• RampagingRodent - Pinehurst No. 8, hole 1
• MannyHazard - Pinehurst No. 8, hole 1
• WillieG34 - Pebble Beach, hole 3 
• stuckat23 - Hilversumsche Golf Club, hole 4 
• zigzag1roller2 - Pebble Beach, hole 3
• mmchelli - Best Of Water Shots, hole 1
• sealbeach1 - Congressional Country Club, hole 7 
• faceman68 - Harbour Town, hole 4
• Issdid14211 - Pebble Beach, hole 3
• bobbyx88 - Pebble Beach, hole 3
• bogeysthename - Hilversumsche Golf Club, hole 2
• Tounch - St Andrews Links: The Old Course, hole 1
• nimrod22 - Pebble Beach, hole 3
• chantheman56 - Pinehurst No. 8, hole 1
• scotthilleger - Pebble Beach, hole 3
• donny2012 - Pebble Beach, hole 2
• tchendrixjr - Pebble Beach, hole 3
  
• edfritzs - Kiawah Island: The Ocean Course, hole 9
• unwuerdiger - Celtic Manor Resort, hole 1
• brascal44 - Hilversumsche Golf Club, hole 4
• labossm - Edgewood Tahoe, hole 5
• PBCramer - Cabo Del Sol, hole 6
• todser - Wolf Creek Golf Club, hole 1
• Dogzdad - Pebble Beach, hole 3 
• klaustigerB - Hilversumsche Golf Club, hole 3 

For your chance to win, play any closest-to-the-hole course, and then choose the Hole-In-One-Challenge option on any of the tee shots. You can choose either 10, 50 or 100 WGT Credits to see the potential winnings that vary for each hole.

Tip: the Best of Water Course has the most tee shot opportunities.

*Hole-In-One Challenges are available to players in all countries, except in three U.S. States: Montana, Tennessee, Vermont.

Pebble Beach is America's top-ranked and most famous golf course. The famed Pebble Beach Golf Links golf course is the most recent addition to World Golf Tour, now available as a free closest-to-the-hole online game.

Hole 13 is an easier par 4 and a potential birdie hole for the pros as many are left with approach shots under 100 yards.

In the final round of the 1972 U.S. Open, defending champion Lee Trevino pitched to within a few feet of the flagstick for a birdie. Trevino tied for fourth that year, won by Jack Nicklaus.

The shot on World Golf Tour is only from 40 yards, but it's from the rough to a green that's sloped severely from right-to-left back toward the ocean.

WGT Hole 13 Tip - Aim right and use extra power to get out of the rough.

You can sign up for World Golf Tour here and play Pebble Beach, St Andrews and other famous golf courses free online.

See Pebble Beach Hole 11 Preview

Play the First Tee of Oakland Charity Tournament on World Golf Tour for a chance to win a golf outing at The Olympic Club.

This special online golf tournament costs 500 WGT Credits to enter, with proceeds going to benefit children in the First Tee golf charity in Oakland, CA, which promotes youth development and life skills through golf.

Every player who enters gets a free Callaway Tour i(z) virtual golf ball, and one lucky sweepstakes winner will win golf for four people at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, host of the 2012 U.S. Open.

Enter Charity Tournament

All entries receive 1 free Callaway Tour i(z) virtual golf ball (Level 35). One entry will be randomly selected to win the grand prize golf outing for 4 people at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, travel expenses not included. See tournament rules for details and eligibility.

Pebble Beach is America's top-ranked and most famous golf course. The famed Pebble Beach Golf Links golf course is the most recent addition to World Golf Tour, now available as a free closest-to-the-hole online game.

Hole 11 is one of the harder par 4 holes at Pebble Beach. The drive is a relatively easy, but the small green is raised and surrounded by bunkers, making for a difficult approach shot.

In the first round of the 2000 U.S. Open, Nick Faldo hit this 129-yard approach shot within a few feet of the hole for birdie, and went on to finish in 7th place that year. Faldo won six majors in his career, but never the U.S. Open. 

You can try the same approach shot on World Golf Tour from 129 yards in the fairway to the challenging green.

WGT Hole 11 Tip - Use a higher-lofted club and adjust your power carefully to get this shot close.

You can sign up for World Golf Tour here and play Pebble Beach, St Andrews and other famous golf courses free online.

See Pebble Beach Hole 10 Preview