Mario Golf: Toadstool's Tour Ring Attack Guide Written By: Corrie Divitt (Ultros999) ------------------------------------------------------------- I chose to write this guide because I have always wanted to write a guide for Gamefaqs, but I figured it would take way too long and I'd lose interest in the game before I ever finished the guide. I decided that the ring attack guide would be a good one to write because it wouldn't take too long and lots of people have been asking on the boards for tips. This game just came out 2 days prior to the writing of this guide, so if you are reading this months after the game has been out, and some of my strategies seem old and stupid, that is probably why. I am far from a master of this game, I simply can complete the ring attack so I bring you this guide. If you have an inquiry/comment about the guide, too bad. I don't want to sound rude, but I get over 20 spam emails a day and I really don't need more. Plus, the message boards are there for a reason, I check the boards frequently so chances are I'll see the questions that you have. This guide does contain spoilers as to the secret characters, so if you don't want to see them, do not read on. ||||||||||||||||||| |Table of Contents| ||||||||||||||||||| -Intro -Terminology -The Guide -Credits/Legal Stuff Use ctrl + f to search quickly for the hole you are having trouble on. ------------------------------------------------------------- ||||||| |Intro| ||||||| The ring attack mini game is a really fun and challenging mini game in Mario golf. It takes precision, aim, and strategy to complete, and while the first few stages may seem easy, it gets VERY difficult in the later stages. If you complete all the ring attack holes you will unlock Shadow Mario, the secret character. Another thing to mention is that you can complete these ring attacks with any characters to unlock Shadow Mario. I completed the first few courses with Mario and then I used Petey, Boo, and Koopa to complete the last few. As long as you complete all of them you will get the secret character. On a final note, I used Mario for most of the first courses because I didn't have anyone unlocked, I then switched to different characters depending on the different situations. You can use any character you want to use, but if you plan on following my guide it will work best if you use the character I used. ||||||||||||| |Terminology| ||||||||||||| This section will simply explain some of the words I use in case they are confusing. When I say to put top spin or backspin on the ball, I mean to use AA, or BB to help slow down or speed up the ball after landing. Super top/backspin is AB or BA. When I say to hit a certain part of the ball, like "hit the bottom right of the ball" I mean to use the joystick during your shot to either top the ball or get under it. This causes the ball to spin and change trajectory while in the air. You can test your trajectory before a shot by using the gray D-pad to see what will happen. Just a note: Hitting the right side of the ball causes it to curve left, and the hitting the left side of the ball causes it to curve right. Star means that I used the character with a star activated. Activating a star involves beating them in a player match when you are challenged (they have a letter on their picture) ||||||||||| |The Guide| ||||||||||| |Lakita Valley| Ring Near Troubled Water Character: Mario Tips: Aim towards the ring and hit the left side of the ball with a full powered drive. This should keep the trajectory low enough to go through the ring and still keep you in good shape to hit the green. Your second shot should land on the green, now just two putt it in. No Easy Entrance Character: Mario Tips: Stay on the suggested 6 iron and ease up on the ball using the R button. Set the marker at the 121 y distance and top the ball. Aim just in front of the ring. This should allow the ball to land just in front of the ring, roll forwards, through the ring and onto the green a few feet from the hole. Long Ring Run Character: Mario Tips: For your first shot, aim towards the ring on the right. Hit the right side of the ball with a full powered drive. This should drop the ball just in front of the ring and give you a good shot at the next ring. Your second shot should be done with your driver again. Just hit it directly through the next ring and try to land in the centre of the fairway. Landing too far right or left will make it tough to hit the green on your next shot. Use a 6 iron for your next shot. Aim right through the ring and use the R button to ease up to about 119-125 yards. This should keep the ball low enough to go through the ring, and far enough to land on the green. Two putt to completion. Ring Here, Arch There Character: Mario Tips: Aim for the first ring with your driver, but hit the left side of the ball. This should make the ball go through the ring and curve to the right, giving you great shape on your next shot through the final ring. Hit the top of the ball with your 4 wood and set the marker a little lower than full power. This should keep the ball low enough to hit the ring but still roll far enough forwards to land on, or just in front of the green. Chip and putt in. Two-Ring Bunker Ball Character: Mario Tips: Drive with full power to the right side of the ring, and hit the right side of the ball. This will give the ball a bit of a curve towards the left, bringing it down in the centre of the fairway, just avoiding the bunker to the left. For your second shot, hit the right side of the ball with a full powered 4 iron shot. This will bring the ball through the ring and curving left, landing right on the green for a two putt. Times Two Character: Mario Tips: Drive towards the left ring with full power, hitting the left side of the ball. This should drop you just through the first ring. Now, using your 5 iron and hitting the right side of the ball, aim towards the second ring with about 57 y power. You want to avoid the trees on the left, but not go so far as to land in the bunker just past the ring. This should line you up for a 4 iron drive to the green and a one putt in the hole. |Cheep Cheep Falls| Waterfall Arch Character: Mario Tips: Hit towards the first ring with a full powered drive. Hit the left side of the ball and try to make the ball land on the slope of the right fairway. This should cause the ball to come in with a right hook, and combined with the right sloping fairway, the ball should land just in front of the ring rolling right. You should now have a clear shot through the ring and onto the fairway with your driver. You may want to hit the bottom of the ball so you are sure to clear that mountain, but it is not necessary. Drive to the green and two putt in. Skid, Ski, Skip Character: Mario Tips: Ok, on this hole we're going to be a little cheap. Use your power drive and shoot to the far most rough on the right. You want to try and land on the rough REALLY close to the water. You should be able to land about 30 yards in front of the ring, and since the rough isn't too hard to get out of in this game, just hit to the green through the ring. Donuts! No, Ponds! Character: Mario Tips: Your first shot should be a long drive towards the island with the ring on it. Use any tricks you want to get the maximum distance on your drive. I used a power shot with super topspin. For your second shot, aim to the island with the ring on it. The trick to landing on this island is to hit the bottom of the ball. This will cause the ball to go much higher and not roll as much on impact. Remember though, the higher the ball goes the more the wind effects it, so take wind strength and direction into account. Try to land the ball right on the highest point of the island without having the tree in the way, because if you are too low on the island, it will be tough to get over to the green. Chip off of the island onto the green and two putt in. Hunkering Bunkers Character: Mario Tips: Ease up on your first shot and use a 4 wood or soft 3 wood. You want to land about 190 yards from the tee and to the farthest right of the fairway. You want to land yourself right in front of the bunker that the first ring is over. This should give you a clear shot through all three rings and towards the green. For your second shot use your 3 wood, hitting the top left of the ball. Don't hit with full strength, ease up a bit so the ball will go low enough to hit the rings. This should land you just in front of the green with a clear ship and putt opportunity. Treetop Target Character: Mario Tips: Hitting the left side of the ball with a full powered 3 iron should land you through the ring and in the left bunker. Chip to the green and putt to win. Flowering Arches Character: Mario Tips: Aim your first shot to land right in front of the right arch. This may require a power shot, top spin, or landing on the down slop past the small bunker. You should now chip to the other side of the water, hitting the ball on the left to have it curve towards the direction the fairway is going. You are going to have to ease up with an 8 iron probably. If you use a higher club than an 8 iron, the ball will probably go too high and go over the ring, and if you use a lower club it will go too far. So use an 8 iron and ease up a bit. Now you have two shots left to land on the green and putt in. |Shifting Sands| Phunky Pharaoh Character: Mario Tips: Ah, the first of the fun ring attack holes. This one is really cool because it starts to require you to do things you wouldn't normally do in golf. On this hole, you want to use your driver for your first shot. Hit the top of the ball, and ease up on the power so that the ball goes through the ring and hits the pharaohs right cheek. This should send the ball flying off of his face and right on to the fairway. Approach the green and sink the ball to win. Rocky Rebound Character: Mario Tips: Drive with full power down the fairway for your first shot. Make sure you don't putt too much topspin or anything because you don't want to roll over the edge into the bunker. For your second shot you want to use your 1 wood with power. Hit it as hard as you can so that it clears the ring, bounces off the wall, and comes back towards the green. This one may take a few tries due to the hard to anticipate bounce off of the face of the wall, but I got it to land in the bunker right near the green first try. After that you have two easy shots to sink the ball. Pyramid Pinnacle Character: Mario Tips: For your first shot you want to drive to the fairway that is right in front of the pyramid. Try not to go too far forwards because you MUST be on the fairway to make it to the top of the pyramid. After landing on the fairway, aim up to the ring on the top of the pyramid. Hit the ball at the bottom right and aim to the far left of the ring. This should send the ball through the ring and curving left towards the green. If you can, try to hit the fairway or green, but it's not that important. As long as you can get into a bunker near the green you should be able to easily make a chip and putt in. Columns on High Character: Mario Tips: For your first shot hit a full powered drive on the right side of the ball through the ring. This should land you in the middle of the fairway. Now make your next shot through the next ring, hitting the ball on the left side. This should land you in the waste area, but with a clear shot through the third ring and onto the green. Putt in for completion. Ring In Ruin Character: Star Koopa Troopa Tips: This one is really simple. Use your 9 iron with power on and drop the ball directly into the ring. This should cause the ball to bounce off of the hard rock and onto the waste area. Chip to the green and putt in. Ruins, Rings, Right On! Character: Mario Tips: This one's a little tricky. First shoot to the centre of the fairway about 130 yards from the tee. Try to land to the left front of the first bunker. This should give you a good shot through the first ring if you use a 1 wood and hit the ball on the left. Ease up a bit and hit it about 190 yards. This should land you right in front of the next set of rings. Now hit the right side of the ball so it curves to the left through both rings and lands on the fairway right in front of the green. This can be done with a 1 wood and hitting about 150 yards. Use your fourth shot to land you on the green and putt for par. |Blooper Bay| Dolphin Dreams Character: Star Boo Tips: For the first shot, top the ball and hit it about 227 yards. Aim for the very left "leg" of the ring. This should land you just to the left of that big bunker. Now ease up with your 3 wood, aim to the left of the palm trees and hit the left side of the ball. Try land on the fast green where the ring is and roll through the green. Now hit the left side of the ball with your 5 iron and try to overshoot the green and go through the ring. This one's a little tricky, but if you do it right, you will have land just at the edge of the bunker without actually going in. Another way of doing this is just to hit to the far side of the green and even if you miss the ring, chap back through the ring and onto the green. Rocky Rings Character: Mario Tips: This one may take a few tries, because my strategy does rely on a lucky bounce, but it works most of the time for me. Aim towards the three rings and use your driver with power. Hit the ball halfway to the top. (meaning hold the stick up but not all the way) If you do it just right the ball should go through all three rings, bounce off of the rocks and land in the bunker or fairway over the water. If it doesn't bounce far enough and lands in the water, try again. A much better strategy for this hole would be to ease up and use your 9 iron. Hit your first shot to the first island, landing to the right of the palm tree. Now you should have a clear shot through the three rings and onto the next island. Chip to the island with the green and putt in. Wacky Weather Character: Mario Tips: Make your first shot with your 4 wood onto the sand right in front of the first ring. This gives you a clear shot through the first ring to the little island with a club like a 3 iron. You might want to lift the ball so it doesn't roll off the other side of the island as easily. Try your best to land on the fairway on this island because it will make your third shot a whole lot easier, but if you get on the rough, don't worry about it, just use a power shot to ensure that you make it up to the third ring. For your third shot you want to aim to drop at the far side of the ring. If you drop into the centre of the ring you will land in the bunker and have to chip in for par. Hit the bottom of the ball to make the ball fly higher, making it possible to avoid the bunker and not roll off the edge. Sharky Sharky Character: Mario Tips: Land your first shot on the fast fairway in front of the sharks mouth. Try not to get too far forwards or you won't be able to get through the ring. The front edge of the fast fairway is probably the best place to be. Then using a club like your 4 iron, getting under the ball to lift it up, shoot through the ring and towards the green. Chip to the green with your third shot and putt to win. Floating Huts and Hoops Character: Mario Tips: There are a few ways you can do this hole by bouncing the ball off of the roof of the house, but I find the best way to work like this. Use your 1 wood with full power and full right spin (hitting the left side of the ball) Aim so that the line of your ball is going to bring it through the ride side of the ring. Shoot the ball and putt a little less power than full into it and use super backspin. This should just barely get you through the right side of the ring and land you onto the fairway. If you putt too little power into your shot though, you won't need the super backspin, but if you putt too much you will need it to keep yourself from rolling off of the edge of the island. Your next shot should be a simple chip to the green and a two putt to win. Heartburn Character: Mario Tips: This ones pretty simple and can be done many ways. My best suggestion would be to use a 3 wood and hit the bottom of the ball so that the ball drops down and doesn't roll much. Just aim to the hoops and smack it. It should bring you close enough to the hole to two putt easily. |Peach's Castle Grounds| Warp Pipe Hype Character: Star Boo Tips: So you finally made it to peaches castle? Good, because this is where it gets fun. Pull out your 3 iron and aim to the right. See that blue tube? Aim to get your ball right into it. If you get it right it should come out the other end giving you an easy shot to the green for the putt. Chain Chomp Caution Character: Star Boo Tips: For your first hit you are going to want to hit the right side of the ball and aim for it to land just on the fast fairway in front of the second ring. For your next shot use your 6 iron and hit the right side of the ball again. Aim so that the ball passes through the first rings side and then through the second ring, landing either on the rough or if you can make it, the edge of the fairway. Now you have a sort of a tough shot. Use something like your AW to drop the ball into the last ring but use super backspin. This should land the ball through the ring, and then cause it to come flying back towards the pin. Make the putt for completion. Big Bob-omb Character: Star Boo Tips: For your first shot you want to hit to the right of all the mountains so that you land on the fast fairway. Try to get as close to the edge of the rough without actually being on the rough. This will line you up perfectly for your next shot at the ring. Aim up towards the big bob-omb and use your power shot. Try to hit the bob-omb, or just land near him and you'll be fine. Hitting him works better though because he will explode and disappear if you do. Your third shot should be through the ring and onto the green (if you didn't make it through the ring on your second shot). Two putt for the win. Ring Around the Koopa Character: Star Boo Tips: For this shot you are going to have to use your 4 wood. Ease up to 133 yards and aim directly for the small ring. Blast it hard at the ring and watch as it goes through, bounces off of the wall, through the big ring and directly onto the fairway. Now chip up to the green and putt in. Mushroom Doom Character: Star Boo Tips: Get right under the ball with a power 1 wood and aim to the right of side of the mushroom with the rings on it. Getting under the ball should give you enough leverage to land through the rings and onto the right face of the mushroom. The mushroom should bounce you to the right and onto the fairway where completion is an easy chip and putt away. Star Light, Star Bright Character: Star Yoshi Tips: Aim to the right at the tube with the three rings around it. Use your driver and, depending on the wind, get under the ball to make sure it falls into the tube. This should pop you out the other side getting your 6 rings. Now aim about 90 degrees left of where you are facing, there should be a yellow tube just below you. Make sure you don't shoot for the far yellow tube, shoot for the close one that is more to your left. Switch to your 9 iron, ease up a bit and sink it into the tube. This should get you another 6 rings. Now using your 5 iron, aim through the centre of the rings, easing up a tiny bit so you don't overshoot the green. This should land you right on the green giving you a birdy opportunity. |Bowser Badlands| Bewitched Bridge Character: Star Koopa Troopa Tips: Drive to the right side of the fairway landing on the fast fairway for your first shot. Try not to land too far right or you won't get a good approach at the rings. Hit the right side of the ball to bring you left giving you a good look at the green. Now simply use the club that keeps you through the rings and still gives you enough power to hit the fairway/rough just passed the bridge. Once you've gotten there you have two clean shots to sink the ball. Bowser Jr.s Breath Character: Star Yoshi Tips: Use your 5 iron to hit the ball to the FRONT of the fairway on the little island to the right of the tee off area. You want to keep near the front so that the statue does not get in the way of your next shot. After safely landing on the fairway aim towards the statue with an 8 iron and hit the ball on the left side. This should send the ball in a perfect arch around the statues face and onto the green where you can putt in. This one may take a few tries because you have to one putt the green, but with some persistence it shouldn't be hard. Needle Mountain Madness Character: Star Koopa Troopa Tips: Use your 3 wood to land in the left side of the ring. This should land you on the fairway right in between the bomb and the wall. Now use your pitching wedge to hit the ball 90 yards into the next ring. Land the ball as far to the left of the ring as possible, still making sure that you clear through the ring. Now a simple 6 iron to the green and a putt will complete this challenge. Sorry Bob-omb Character: Star Petey Piranha Tips: With Petey's massive drive distance you should have no trouble driving directly into the big Bob-omb's vicinity. Take the wind into consideration and make sure you hit the FRONT face of the bomb. You want the ball to quickly bounce off of the bomb and come backwards towards the bridge. Once the bomb is hit it will explode and send your ball flying any direction. If you hit him right, the ball won't go flying too far, and you will have a clear shot through the ring and onto the green. Thwomp Romp Character: Star Yoshi Tips: For this one you want to pull out your 3 wood. Look to the right of the fairway and you should see a castle wall in the way. Just past that castle wall is a little patch of fairway and fast fairway. Use some right curve to land yourself on that patch of fairway. This should give you a clear 4 wood shot through the rings and near the green. You may also want to give the ball a little left curve on the second shot to ensure that you steer clear of those bunkers right of the green. That's a Volcano! Character: Star Petey Piranha Tips: Aim to the right and get fully under the ball. Use Petey's huge 3 wood drive, with power, to get you up onto the little platform below the rings. Ease up a bit or use backspin to ensure that you land on the close edge of the platform. Once you've safely landed on the platform, take out your 9 iron and aim up as high as possible. Hit the bottom of the ball and make sure it raises enough to clear all three rings. If done right the ball will drop about 200 yards (it looks about that high!) and land right on the green. You could even get an albatross on this one with a little luck! |||||||||||||||||||| |Credits/Legal Info| |||||||||||||||||||| All credit goes to me, Corrie Divitt (ultros999) I completed the entire ring attack game without help from anyone else and all these strategy's are my own. I feel really stuck up and pompous saying that you cannot distribute my strategies and claim them to be your own, but they are my intellectual property so just ask me if you want to directly quote any of this strategy guide on your site/post/whatever. (I'm sure many people do these the same way I do anyways, so it's not really like I'm reinventing the wheel here or anything, just stating some obvious hints to help people who are stuck) Copyright 2003 Corrie Divitt