Top-down island golf where you choose a club, read the wind and stop a swing meter three times per shot.
Coding Golf puts you above a small island and asks you to play a full 18-hole round on it. You take the part of Fred, a golfer who slips onto the course where he works, and you try to bring home the Broken Links trophy for him. Each shot means picking one of 19 clubs, turning your aim and stopping a swing meter at the right moments.
This is long-game golf rather than putting through windmills. The fairways twist between patches of sea, the wind changes after every stroke, and sand waits near many greens. It was built for the js13k contest in 2020.
The goal
Get the ball from the red tee to the flag in as few strokes as possible. A panel in the top left lists the yards left to the hole, your stroke count, the par and the club in your hand. Once the ball comes to rest within about 2 yards of the cup, it drops in and the hole is scored.
When all 18 holes are done, the card adds up both nines and gives your final total.
How a shot works
Use the Left and Right arrows, or the mouse wheel, to swing the orange aim line around. Its length matches the carry of your current club, and Up and Down step through the bag. Then press Space, Enter or the mouse button three times.
The first press sets the meter moving. The second press locks your power as the needle rises toward 100. The third press comes as the needle swings back, and this one controls direction. Stop it between 0 and 5 for a straight ball. Stop it late and the shot hooks, stop it below 0 and it slices. If you let the needle run beyond 100, the game picks the power for you and adds a little sideways error.
Hazards to watch
The wind panel in the top right shows an arrow and a speed in mph, and both shift between strokes. A stiff breeze into your face can steal a lot of yardage, so going up one club is often the right call.
Water is the costly mistake. A ball in the sea shows a “Sploosh” message, returns to where you swung from and adds a penalty stroke. Bunkers stop the ball cold, and your next shot from the sand comes out weaker and can drift up to 10 degrees off your line.
Strategy notes
- Play the bends. A straight line at the flag often crosses open water, and two dry shots score better than one wet one.
- Treat 100 on the meter as a ceiling, not a target. Stopping just under it is safer than letting it run.
- Check the bunker in front of the green before you pick a club for the approach.
- Glance at the card between holes so you know when to play safe and when to chase a birdie.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| Start a round, close the scorecard | Space or Enter | Click |
| Turn your aim left or right | Left and Right arrows | Scroll wheel |
| Change club | Up and Down arrows | — |
| Start the swing, set power, set accuracy | Space or Enter (three presses) | Click three times |
| Show the scorecard | S | — |
Coding Golf FAQ
Does Coding Golf work on a Chromebook?
Yes, as long as the Chromebook has a keyboard. The arrow keys switch clubs and Space or Enter runs the swing, while a touchpad can handle aiming and clicking. Phones and tablets are not a good fit, because there is no on-screen way to change clubs.
Is this a one-player game?
It is a solo round. You play every hole yourself, and the card keeps your strokes for all 18 holes, split into an Out nine and a Home nine. Your aim is to finish with the lowest total you can manage against par.
How is par set for each hole?
Par sits between 3 and 6, based on the length of each hole. When the ball drops, the game names your result, such as Birdie, Par or Bogey. Press S at any point to open the card and see how far over or under you are.
What should I do if I keep flying past the green?
Switch to a shorter club earlier. The 1 Wood carries 278 yards, the wedges cover about 30 to 115, and the putter rolls only 10. The orange aim line shows how far the current club reaches, so line its end up with the flag.
