Training center course
Team USA Wisconsin Training Center course style is called eternite course and is one of official style courses for World and European Minigolf Championships. Other types of official WMF courses are betong and felt courses. Players on these courses play with the minigolf putter which has a rubber plate on putter's head and special minigolf balls which differ in bounce, size (38mm-42mm; usually small, medium and large), outer texture (from smooth lackiered to rough matte or lackiered), hardness and the way ball changes when it is heated up or cooled down. All these courses are strictly standardized and have 26 variations out of which 18 are chosen for one course. These courses have very strict rules the way players shall overcome obstacles and how balls should be repositioned but in difference from adventure style courses more popular in US here are no penalty points when a
ball bounces out of playing area. Maximum stroke amount allowed for these courses per hole is six strokes. In the situation when player has not holed- in within six strokes, player receives seven strokes for the hole concerned.
For Worlds best players average score on eternite after all tournament rounds is 18-20 points, on betong 23-26 points, on felt 24- 28 points.
Here are only three eternite courses in USA, but here are no betong or felt courses.
General rules for eternite course:
On each hole game always starts from tee- off box. Player may place the ball at any point inside the tee- off box. Ball also may be placed on black marking line surrounding tee- off box but the center of the ball may be only on the line or more towards inside of the box but is not allowed that center of the ball is moved towards outside of the box.
Some obstacles, if the ball is not holed-in from the tee- off point, player must replay from the tee-off box. These obstacles are : volcano, net (also known as basket), flower, labyrinth and "V"
The rest of the holes usually have a red borderline. The significance of this borderline is: once the ball properly passed this, the ball always is played from the end-tee side of this line, even if the ball rolls pass borderline towards the tee- off area. In this case the ball is repositioned at the point the ball crossed border line in the playing area repositioning lines.
Once the ball has properly passed borderline but did not stop in the hole here are special rules for repositioning. If the ball stopped in the playing field, ball is played from the point where it came to rest.
If the ball have stopped close to the wall or obstacle, lines on black repositioning squares are used. Ball is moved in 90 degree angle against the wall or obstacle onto the repositioning line. While repositioning the ball on the repositioning line, the center of the ball may be directly on the line or more towards obstacle or wall, but center of the ball can not go over the line towards the playing field.
Volcano
The ball has to stop on the top of the volcano. If the ball bounces over or out, or rolls back the play resumes from the tee- off box.
Pipe.
Ball has to go trough the pipe in order to reach the end circle. If the ball did not go trough the pipe, game resumes from starting point. If the ball did not stop in the hole after properly passing the obstacle, the game continues from the end circle. If the ball has stopped between the wall and the black marking line, ball should be repositioned on the black repositioning line at the 90 degree angle against the wall.
Ski jump or net.
Ball has to lend in the basket after going over the ski jump. If the ball is not sitting inside the net, game resumes from the tee- off point.
Favorite killer.
In order to getto the end circle, the ball has to go trough the window . Shots are retaken until ball properly reaches end circle. If the ball does not stop in the target hole after propely passing obstacle, general repositioning rules are obeyed and game continues from the end circle side of hole.
Double wedge.
Playing from tee- off point the ball has to stop in the flower after double wedge. When ball misses or does not reach flower, next shot is taken from the tee- off square.
Truncated cones
From the tee- off point ball has to pass red line, located by second cone. Once it has succesfully done, game resumes from the target circle end, even if the ball rolls back towards starting point and passes red line.
Middle hill.
Player has to reach target hole located on the middle hill. When the ball misses target hole and ends on the other side, game is played from the point where the ball has stopped. When ball has stopped between wall and repositioning line or obstacle and repositioning line, ball is moved onto repositioning line at 90 degree angle against wall or obstacle. When the ball with the next shot does not reach target hole and rolls pass the starting line, ball may be positioned on the original starting point. When the ball stops before crossing starting line (tee- off square), the ball is played from the point where it stopped, unless it has to be repositioned according to repositioning rules.
Right angle
Ball has to pass red line about three feet from the tee- off box and make it's way to the target hole. Once the ball has passed red line, game continues from the end hole side of red line, even if the ball rolls back towards the beginnning of the hole. The ball is picked up and placed where it crossed the red line.
Kidney with sloped end circle.
Ball has to go trough the opening in the kidney or pass the kidney on the right side to reach the end circle. Once it has been done, even if the ball rolls back to the beginning of the hole, game continues from the eend -circle side of hole obeying proper repositioning rules.
Salto or vertical loop.
Ball has to pass trough all of the length of the loop to reach end circle. When it is not properly done, shot has to be retaken from the tee- off square.
Optical illusion.
Ball has to pass red line, located alonside first obstacle. Once it is successfully done, the game resumes from the point where the ball crrossed red line or from the point where the ball stopped until ball reaches target hole.
Irregular passages.
Ball has to go over the obstacle in order to reach end circle.
Flat loop.
Ball has to go trough all of the length of the loop to reach the end circle. If the obstacle is not passed properly, the shot is retaken from the tee- off square.
Labyrinth.
Ball has to reach target hole going through the right middle tunnel of the labyrinth. If the ball does not reach the target hole, shots are retaken from the tee- off point.
Double hill.
Ball has to pass both hills to reach end circle playing from the tee- off box. If the ball does not reach red line located at the end of the second hill, shot is retaken from the tee- off square.
Slanted hill with the v- obstacle.
Playing from the tee- off square, ball must stop in the v- obstacle. If the ball bounces out or rolls back, shot is retaken from the tee- off square.
Lightning.
Red line is located between two middle corners. Once the ball successfully passed red line, game continues from that point or from the point on the red line where ball crossed the line, if the ball rolled back.
Pyramids.
Ball has to pass the red line located on the very left or very right corner of the second pyramid to reach the target hole.
