GOLO (1999)

Overview

GOLO Golf dice is played with 9 12-sided dice that represent the 9 holes on the front (or the back) of an 18-hole traditional golf course. There are 5 white dice (par 4s), 2 red dice (par 3's) and 2 blue dice (par 5s). Each dice has the ability to shoot above par, par, or below par. There are as many formats as there are golf side games, but players typically play in one of two formats:

Traditional Format:

All nine dice are rolled--the player chooses at least 1 die, but can use more than one to count toward his/her 9-hole total. The remaining dice are picked up and rolled again. Players have the option of having multiple dice count toward their score, or choose as few as one and try to "GO LO" (shoot a low score--golf parlance).

Golf Course Format:

In this format, the players must follow along to the scorecard of their favorite course, or any course. If the first 9 holes ("Front 9") at Pebble Beach are laid out in this order--4-4-3-4-5-3-4-4-5=36, then when the player begins by rolling all 9 dice, he/she must play the course "in order" by choosing two par 4's before he/she may then chose a par 3. Having to go in the order of holes on a golf course creates a different strategy and usually produces higher scores than the Traditional format.

In all formats, tournament play is the most exciting--where players are playing against each other, and their scores are affecting other players' choices and strategies.

A game primarily for non-gamers and sports nuts, which nevertheless is a very strategic, "push-your-luck" dice game. It is not just a matter of rolling dice and counting up your score; the requirement of keeping one or more dice each time you roll presents many interesting choices, depending on what your opponent has done, and what you already have kept for scoring.

The game is sold online and in major golf shops and golf stores. Game includes a cup, nine dice, score pad, pencil, and rulebook.