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As is often the case with Nintendo games, Mario Golf: Super Rush flips the script a little when it comes to the game modes that are on offer. It is still possible to play a regular nine or eighteen hole round of golf, but most of the challenges in the game's Adventure Golf mode will instead see players competing in either XC (Cross Country) or Speed Golf.

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Speed Golf tasks players with sinking their ball as quickly as possible, with each stroke adding 30 seconds onto their time. Sometimes, they'll need to complete a certain number of holes within a set amount of time, while others will see them racing against others to score points. It can actually be fairly challenging, although there are certain things that players can do to improve tip the odds in their favor.

10 Sabotage The Competition

Sabotaging the competition in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Though the real world sport of golf is very much a gentleman's game, Mario Golf: Super Rush actively rewards deviant behavior. One of the more obvious examples of this can be found when using the special dash to crash into other players, which will not only knock them over, but also lower their coin count which makes it difficult for them to pull off special shots.

What some might not realize, however, is that it's also possible to use the special dash to move another player's ball. This could be as simple as knocking it from the fairway into the rough, although it's sometimes possible to knock another golfer's ball into the water or out of bounds. Given that each additional shot adds thirty seconds onto their time, this can be a great way to secure victory.

9 Target The Biggest Threat

The Speed Golf leader board in Mario Golf: Super Rush

When players are first introduced to Speed Golf in the Golf Adventure mode, they'll be playing by themselves. As they progress, however, they'll by joined by a number of different AI characters. Boo, Chargin' Chuck and Toad are merely along for the ride, but players will need to beat Luigi and Donkey Kong in order to unlock the gold medal and gain access to Mount Snow.

Which of the pair scores the most points seems to be entirely random, but players can improve their chances by targeting the one who poses the biggest threat to their victory. If one of them takes an early lead, try to slow them down as much as possible. Once the other begins to pull ahead, switch targets to keep the score required to win as low as possible.

8 Don't be Afraid To Restart

Restarting from the first hole in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Restarting a round may seem cheap, but it can potentially save players an awful lot of time. Completing 18 holes on the Wildweather Woods course takes around half an hour, meaning that the time taken to complete multiple attempts can very quickly start to add up. For most players, the winning margin at the end of the challenge with Luigi and DK will be pretty fine and so every point really does matter.

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With this in mind, it's best to keep restarting the round through the pause menu until players are able to take all three points from the first two holes. Neither takes particularly long to complete, so it's better to waste a couple of minutes restarting than it is to waste thirty. This does mean missing out on a little bit of experience here and there, but anybody worried about this can simply grind some of the practice exercises instead.

7 Pay Attention To Weather

Some of the weather hazards in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Anybody who has ever played golf before will already know how much of an impact wind can have on where the ball goes. It's not too bad when using a low trajectory shot, but when driving the ball or lofting it into the air, players will need to adjust their shot in order to account for both the strength and the direction of the wind.While playing on the Wildweather Woods course, players will also have to contend with rain and lightning.

Rain will lead to balls rolling much more slowly, which will not only affect carry when driving the ball, but also the amount of power required while putting. If the green is wet, players should hit the ball harder to make sure it has enough momentum to make it to the hole. If the power meter ever shows a hazard symbol, it means that there is a risk of lightning and so players will need to avoid this section of the meter to avoid getting struck. If doing so prevents a player from making it to the green, they should select a more powerful club.

6 Prioritize Speed And Stamina

Leveling up in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Due to the layout of most of the holes in Mario Golf: Super Rush, power isn't actually all that important providing players have the right selection of clubs in their golf bag. What is important, however, is how quickly players are able to make it over to their ball after taking their shot. For this, speed and stamina are both incredibly important; especially the latter.

Assigning more stamina to their Mii golfer will allow players to run for longer and use their special dash far more frequently. One thing to be cautious of here is how the game's powering up system works, as adding too many attribute points to power can make it so that multiple attribute points are needed to increase a player's speed by any noticeable amount.

5 Bring The Right Clubs

Club selection is important in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Another thing that can affect a player's speed is how many clubs they are carrying in their bag. Generally speaking, anything over six is too many, so players will need to cater their selections to the course they'll be playing on in order to avoid incurring any weight-related speed penalties. Thankfully, knowing which clubs to bring isn't really rocket science.

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It's impossible to unequip the putter and a Driver, Pitching Wedge and 3 Wood are somewhat essential too. The rest, however, will depend on both the player's golfing style and the course that they're playing on. Luckily, there's always a Toad sat near the place where players sign up for events who can offer course specific advice, so those who are unsure of which clubs to equip can always ask.

4 Use The Time At The Beginning Of Each Hole To Line Up Shots

Lining up a shot during the countdown in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Though players can't actually take their first shot until the countdown timer at the beginning of each hole is over, it is possible to set up a shot while the timer is still ticking down. Players can use the X button to check out their current trajectory and are also able to pan left and right and switch clubs before finally being told that they can go.

An extra three seconds may not seem like much, but it can sometimes be the difference between first and last place in competitive Speed Golf events. Though anybody wanting to use their special shot won't be able to take advantage of this quite as well, they can still select their club and line up the shot while the countdown is still taking place.

3 Don't Rush Shots

A tight finish in Mario Golf: Super Rush

While finishing a hole quickly is certainly important in Speed Golf, finishing the hole in as few strokes as possible should always take priority. Each additional stroke adds an extra 30 seconds onto a player's time, so taking an extra few seconds to line everything up correctly is rarely a bad idea. That said, getting to the ball as quickly as possible after each shot is still highly recommended.

When racing to their ball, players should also be mindful of whether or not the ball has actually stopped moving. If it hasn't, using the special dash can lead to players overshooting the ball and having to double back, which can easily waste two or three seconds. This happens a lot on the green and so, in general, it's best to stick to normal sprinting while putting.

2 Prioritize Item Pick Ups

Picking up coins and stamina hearts in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Due to the stamina system in Mario Golf: Super Rush, The shortest route to the ball isn't always the fastest. In fact, more often than not, it pays for players to take slight detours in order to pick up coins and stamina hearts rather than taking the most direct route. This also has the added bonus of preventing AI players from getting a speed boost by running behind.

Assuming that players make the most of the time available to them during the countdown, they'll usually be the first golfer to take their shot and can use the special dash to get ahead of their rivals and be the first to power ups. If, for whatever reason, they fall behind or exhaust their stamina, it's possible to get a speed boost by running directly behind other players.

1 Don't Waste Special Shots

Using a special shot in Mario Golf: Super Rush

Players earn special shots by filling up the yellow bar beneath their scorecard at the top of the screen. Once it turns blue, pressing the left trigger will allow them to perform a special shot, which can have a number of different effects depending on the character they're controlling. Choosing the right moment to unleash this shot can therefore be incredibly important.

One of the other big benefits of special shots is that players only need to select the power once, meaning that there's no risk of the ball spinning off to one side. For that reason alone, it's best to save them for instances when players need to hit the ball at full power, as these tend to be the moments when unwanted spin is most likely to occur.

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