Gator Golf
Gator Golf Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- Motorized Gator
- 2 Putter Grips
- 2 Putter Heads
- 2 Score Markers
- 2 Gator Golf Balls
- Label Sheet
- Plate
Object
Score 4 points by hitting your ball through the gator's mouth and into his tail.
Important Care and Feeding Instructions: Keep your gator healthy and happy by using only the special balls provided in this game. Any substitute may cause permanent damage.
The First Time You Play
Assemble the Putters
For each putter, you'll need 1 grip and 1 head of the same color (red or blue), 1 score label and 1 score marker. Assemble each putter as follows:
- Carefully apply the score label to the grip. See Figure 1A.
- Push the score marker onto the labeled section of the grip until it snaps into place. See Figure 1B.
- Insert the grip into the head by squeezing the tabs and sliding them into the head opening. Push in the tabs until they snap into place. See Figure 1C.
Note: To take the putter apart, just squeeze the tabs and slide them out of the head.
Figure 1A: Place "4" closest to handle.
Figure 1B: Score marker.
Figure 1C: Grip tabs.
Label the Gator
Apply teeth, eye, nose and leg labels to the gator as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2:
- Left leg label: Apply "Gator Golf" label to gator's left side.
- Right leg label: Apply ON/OFF label to gator's right side (the side with the ON/OFF switch).
- Eye label.
- Nose label.
- Upper teeth labels: There are 5 of these. Apply middle label first, matching label notch with jaw notch. Then apply 2 side labels to each side of the upper jaw, as shown.
- Lower teeth labels: There are 2 of these. Apply one label to each side of the lower jaw.
Insert the Batteries
Make sure the ON/OFF switch is in the OFF position. Turn the gator upside-down. Slide and lift up the battery door. Place 2 "C" size alkaline batteries into the battery box, matching the "+" and "–" symbols with those in the battery box diagram. See Figure 3. Then close the battery door and slide it shut.
Figure 3: Place batteries here. Battery door.
Test the Batteries
Now turn the gator right-side-up and place him on a smooth, flat surface. Slide the switch to the ON position.
Note: Don't be surprised if the gator immediately spins around; he just can't wait to play!
Place a ball directly in front of the gator and, using a putter, hit it through the gator's mouth and into his tail. The gator should flip the ball out of his tail and spin around while his mouth closes. Then he'll come to a stop with his tail down and his mouth open – facing a whole new direction!
If the gator does not spin around, the batteries may be weak or improperly installed.
After testing the batteries, slide the switch OFF.
Caution: Batteries may leak if improperly installed. Remove batteries if game is not to be used for an extended period. Never mix battery types.
Get Ready!
Where to Play: Gator Golf plays best indoors on a low pile carpet. Avoid rough surfaces and shaggy carpeting.
Place the gator in the center of an open area. Make sure he can spin freely without getting "hung up" on the carpet. If he doesn't spin freely, place the plate under him as explained under Raising Your Gator, on page 6. Slide the switch ON.
Take a putter and its matching colored ball. Slide the score marker on your putter to "0." Your opponent does the same. Figure 4 shows how to use your score marker.
Place both balls side by side (1 putter head away from each other) behind the gator – you choose the distance. This is the starting position for both players.
Figure 4: Slide your score marker until it clicks into place at the "0" position.
Play!
Choose a player to putt first. Players then alternate turns throughout the game.
On Your Turn
Each of your turns consists of one putt. Using your putter, hit your ball toward the gator's mouth. Your object is to "sink your putt" by hitting your ball through the gator's mouth into his tail.
If you don't have a clear shot at the gator's mouth (for example, at the beginning of the game), use your turn to try to "set up" a clear shot for your next turn.
- If you don't sink your putt, your turn is over. Leave your ball wherever it stopped. You must putt from that location on your next turn.
- If you sink your putt, you score a point! See Sinking Your Putt, below.
Sinking Your Putt
Whenever you hit your ball through the gator's mouth and into his tail, he'll flip your ball out of his tail as he spins around! You get one point for sinking the putt!
Score your point by sliding the score marker on your putter to the next higher number. Your turn is now over. Leave your ball wherever it stopped after the gator flipped it out. On your next turn, you must putt from that location.
Now your opponent must aim his or her putt toward the gator's mouth–wherever it ended up after the spin!
Putting Pointers
- Interference. If your ball is touching an object (a wall, furniture, your opponent's ball, even the gator!), you may move it one putter head away from that object at the beginning of your turn.
- No Touching! Once the game starts, no fair touching the gator or either of the balls (unless you're moving your ball away from an object as described above).
- Putting Around. If your opponent's ball is between your own ball and the gator's mouth, try to putt around it.
How to Win
The first player to score 4 points wins the game!
Raising Your Gator
If your gator won't spin freely on your carpet, turn the gator sideways and fit the plate onto the disk as shown in Figure 5. Then place the gator and plate on the carpet, and you're ready to play!
Figure 5: Plate. Disk.
Easy Snap-On Head
If your gator is dropped, its head may pop off. Don't worry – this feature is designed to protect the gator from breaking. It's a snap to reattach the gator's head: just slide it into the jaw until the 2 head pegs snap into the 2 jaw holes, as shown here.
Illustration labels: Hole. Peg.