Everything I didn’t know I absolutely positively can’t live without in a VGS
In the interest of full disclosure, I am not an employee of Steelhead or TrueGolf. I purchased my Tour Pro VGS with my own funds I have received no payment in any form from any parties for my review. This is my personal opinion based on my own experiences with the Tour Pro VGS. I don’t want to sound terribly full of myself, but I thought it was important to get that out there. -KD
It was Midnight SLT, November 30. I was just outside the clubhouse at Rainbow Valley with L$1,900 burning a hole in my pocket. Seconds later, it was mine. All that anticipation and excitement and childlike glee bubbling over as I frantically unpacked my TrueGolf Tour Pro VGS and begged Lexy to give me a fade/draw 101 lesson before quite literally running to the driving range.
Let’s start with the new long irons. The 3 and 4-irons are solutions to a problem that I assumed was just part of golf. Long approach shots are nightmarish for me, and all too often I leave myself with a very long putt (or bounce my shot right off the green). Even trying to be clever with backspin and shot power, fairway woods can just be really tricksy when it comes to hitting those big approach shots.
Hitting a 3-iron where I might have, in the past, hit a 5 or 7-wood is a game changer. I played in a foursome team match with my teammate, the extraordinary Becca Ordinary, against Yummy and Poppy Williams this past weekend. Poppy is an amazing golfer and Yummy is positively no slouch, yet we played them to a hard-fought draw. You will not be able to convince me that some of my really outstanding long approach shots using one of the new irons wasn’t part of the reason we had such a strong round.
Remember how I compared my anticipation to the abilities to shape shots using fade and draw to the anticipation of a first date? I’m still learning the use of fade and draw, and I can feel myself improving with it (fair play, I’m practicing A LOT). When I first started experimenting with it, that first date seemed like it would end with me storming out of the restaurant and taking an Uber home. Now that I’ve spent some time practicing and using fade and draw in play, it turns out that first date is ending with me eagerly anticipating a second. I feel like it’s not going to be long before we have one that ends with me wondering if maybe I should have invited fade and draw up for a drink.
(That got weird…sorry…)
The ability to shape a shot is challenging. It is not something that will come right away (if it does, you’re a much better golfer than I). It requires practice, and I wouldn’t be at all ashamed of asking one of the pros for ‘Fade/Draw 101’ (thank you, Lexy!). In fact, Lexy and TrueGolf’s Chelsea Malibu are going to be including fade and draw instruction in their monthly golf classes. I hope to see you there!
All of that said, fade and draw is SO FREAKING COOL. I played a round at Deer Creek earlier in the week (the new course is AMAZING and unlike any other course in SL – go play it!). At one point on the front nine, I found myself square behind a large hill with the green on the other side. I wasn’t going to be able to lift a shot over the hill given my position. Pushing my draw slider all the way to the side, I was able to bend the shot right around the hill. It worked just how I wanted, my approach shot put me in a fantastic position, and it looked unquestionably fire.
The last big ticket feature in the Tour Pro VGS are the new emotive animations. These all use motion capture and are smooth, expressive, and really fun. I have said it before, and I was conclusively correct: this was the feature none of us needed, but it adds so much to the Second Life golf experience.
Yeah…I hit a tree with my wedge. You know that part of you has wanted to do this at one time or another. Don’t lie to us.
I have been trying to find things I don’t like about the Tour Pro VGS, and I haven’t really come up with any. I guess the color of the HUD isn’t my favorite. An option to customize that would be a welcome, but probably overly scripty, feature. I can’t come up with anything else. It’s just really damn good.
Is it worth it? If you’re a golf enthusiast in Second Life, unequivocally yes. It’s awesome. The Tour Pro VGS is exactly what I wanted, both the things I knew I wanted and things I don’t know how I lived without. The Tour Pro set cost me L$1,900 courtesy of the special introductory offer for previous owners of the Pro VGS, and it was worth every penny. Earlier I said that money is very personal, and L$1,900 is not chump change for me, but I don’t regret it one bit. I would wager you won’t either.
(Important note – that introductory offer ends on December 11th! Then the Tour Pro VGS will be L$2,900 for everyone.)
If you’re a brand new golfer, or this would be your first TrueGolf set, I would still wholeheartedly recommend it. However, if you opt for the less expensive Pro VGS, you’re still getting a fantastic system with which you’ll have a lot of fun. (If you are a new golfer, rent a set first and play a round or two with it; that’s just good sense.)
What are your thoughts? Have you tried the new Tour Pro VGS? Are you enjoying it? Please let me know in comments! Until next time, Fairways and Greens, golfers!
Keyli
CONTEST! Remember, I have a contest running on THE PREVIOUS POST! Leave a comment with your name on that post and you just might win a Steelhead gift card for L$1,000! Good luck!
Credits
Sam
- Body: PetiteX – Maitreya
- Top: Mock Neck Sweater – Lamb
- Skirt: Zoe – Addams
- Shoes: Bootastic Sneakers – Reign
Keyli
The Second Links Traveler 
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