Fairway Hollow › How to play
How to play Fairway Hollow
Fairway Hollow is a free pixel golf game that runs in your browser, on a phone or a computer. A round is nine holes and the goal is the same as in real golf: get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as you can. This page covers everything you need for your first round.
Free in your browser. No account, no download.
Swing: aim, pull, let go
Aiming works like a slingshot. Press anywhere on the course and pull back, away from where you want the ball to go. The ball flies the other way. The further you pull, the harder you hit, and a small mark on the power bar shows the suggested power for the shot. Let go to swing.
While you pull, a needle sweeps across a small meter that runs from Hook to Slice. Let go when it is in the green zone in the middle (the meter says “release in the green”) for a straight shot. The further from the middle you let go, the more the ball curves to the left or the right. Pulling past full power launches the ball a little higher and longer, but it curves more and the needle moves faster. The putter has no needle.
On a computer you can use the keyboard as well: the left and right arrow keys (or A and D) turn your aim, the up and down arrows (or W and S) change club, and holding the space bar charges the shot, which you release to swing.
Choose the right club
Use the arrows at the bottom of the screen to change club. There are thirteen: Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Wood, Hybrid, 4 Iron to 9 Iron, Pitching Wedge, Sand Wedge and Putter. Each club has its own distance at full power. Woods and long irons fly low and run on after they land. Wedges fly high and stop quickly. The putter is for the green. The game shows distances in metres or in yards, whichever you prefer.
| Club | Carry at full power |
|---|---|
| Driver | 228 m |
| 3 Wood | 212 m |
| 5 Wood | 198 m |
| Hybrid | 185 m |
| 4 Iron | 175 m |
| 5 Iron | 166 m |
| 6 Iron | 157 m |
| 7 Iron | 148 m |
| 8 Iron | 138 m |
| 9 Iron | 127 m |
| Pitching Wedge | 114 m |
| Sand Wedge | 88 m |
| Putter | rolls the ball, up to 25 m |
Carry is how far the ball flies on a clean lie with no wind. The putter rolls the ball instead of flying it.
Read the wind and the slope
The wind arrow shows which way the wind blows and how strong it is. Wind pushes the ball, so aim a little into it. Slopes matter too. A ▲ next to the distance means the flag is higher than you, so the shot plays longer: take a bit more club. Greens can tilt as well, which bends a putt.
Tap the Wide button (or press Z) to zoom out and see more of the hole. When you are zoomed out, the Look button (or L) lets you drag the view to scroll across the whole hole.
Lies, hazards and penalties
- Fairway and tee: the cleanest lies. You get the full distance from your club.
- Rough and sand: they slow the ball and take distance off the shot. In a bunker take the Sand Wedge and swing firmly.
- Water: one penalty stroke, then you drop the ball.
- Out of bounds: one penalty stroke, then you play again from the same spot.
- Stone walls: a high shot flies over a low wall. A ball that rolls into it bounces back.
- Maximum score: par plus five strokes. Then the ball is picked up and the hole counts as par plus five.
Your scorecard
A round has nine holes. The twelve-hole events of the World Tour are the only longer ones. Every hole has a par, the number of strokes a good player needs. Par is 3, 4 or 5 on the free-play courses, and the Tour also has a few par 6 holes. After each hole you see how many strokes you took compared with par, and the scorecard adds it all up. Fewest strokes wins.
| Name | Strokes compared with par |
|---|---|
| Hole in one | 1 stroke |
| Albatross | 3 under par |
| Eagle | 2 under par |
| Birdie | 1 under par |
| Par | level with par |
| Bogey | 1 over par |
| Double bogey | 2 over par |
In the daily course and in the Tour there is no restart: every shot counts. In free play you can replay a hole.
Learn it in the Practice Academy
The Practice Academy is nine short holes, and each one teaches a single thing: the slingshot swing, power, wind, carrying water, hopping to an island, flying a wall, hills, sand and rough, and finally a full hole with a tee shot, an approach and a putt. It takes a few minutes. Open it from the Practice page of the game, or from Learn to play on the home screen.
Questions and answers
Is Fairway Hollow free?
Yes. You play it in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer. There is no account to make and nothing to download.
How do I hit the ball?
Press anywhere on the course and pull back, like a slingshot, then let go. The ball flies the opposite way. The further you pull, the harder you hit.
What happens when my ball lands in water?
You get one penalty stroke and drop the ball. If it goes out of bounds you also get one penalty stroke and play again from the same spot.
How many strokes can I take on a hole?
Par plus five. After that the ball is picked up and the hole is scored as par plus five, so one bad hole cannot ruin the whole round.
Can I play with the keyboard?
Yes. The left and right arrow keys (or A and D) turn your aim, the up and down arrows (or W and S) change club, and holding the space bar charges the shot: let go to swing.
Where can I practise?
The Practice Academy has nine short holes that each teach one thing, and there is a driving range and a putting green. Practice is not counted in your stats.