The REAL Adventure GeoGolf Game

What is Geocaching?

 

Geocaching is a fun and rewarding treasure hunting adventure where participants worldwide hide and find “caches” using hand held GPSr (Global Positioning System Receiver) units. Ask any geocacher and they’ll tell you that there is nothing like the excitement of your first successful find.

The word “geocache” was derived from “Geo”, meaning Earth, and “Cache” (pronounced cash), a French word for a place where supplies are hidden. So geocaches are like supplies (or in our case, goodies) that are hidden all over the world and geocaching is the hobby of finding them.

 The stash contained a logbook, a can of beans, mapping software, five dollars in cash, and a slingshot. Previous to May 2000 the GPSr’s that were available to the public didn’t have the accuracy needed to hunt small things like a stash. Ulmer hid his stash and posted the coordinates on a USENET group and called it the “GPS Stash Hunt”.

One of the first people to find the “stash” was Mike Teague. After finding Ulmer’s “stash” he wrote about it on his website and started a mailing list where members could receive locations of new stashes. One of the members of the mailing list was a guy by the name of Mike Stum. Stum is credited with inventing the word “geocaching” which soon became the universal term for the hobby.

Not only is geocaching fun, but it’s a great family activity that provides excitement, exercise, and fresh air. Kids love it and with over 1 million caches hidden around the world there are probably many close to your home. On our own geocaching adventures we found things close to home that we never knew existed. Geocaching is not just for people who live close to the great outdoors. You can find caches in small town and large cities as well. Many geocachers also include geocaching on their vacations, giving them an opportunity to search for caches that would be too far away during their regular outings.

Geocachers are an inventive bunch of people and have placed caches just about any place you could think of, even underwater. That’s part of the fun for cache hiders and seekers alike, making them challenging for both the mind and the body. Some geocaches even require you to have a boat or climbing gear to get to their location. One geocache that my sons and I found was sealed with a chain and a combination lock so we had to search the area for the lock combination. Another one we found was located in a swamp inside of a huge frog lawn ornament. The cache owner had appropriately named his cache as “Frog Bog”.

If you decide to try geocaching you’ll most likely come across fellow geocachers during some of your hunts. You won’t find a nicer bunch of people, members of the geocaching community are always happy to share tips and advice and you’ll learn a lot from them. Just about every geocacher or family that geocaches together has a nickname. My two sons and I are “Da3Amigos”. In case you’re wondering why it’s “Da” instead of “The” it’s because at the time my sons where fond of saying “duh” when they were making fun of each other.

When looking for caches you’ll need to learn to think outside of the box. When you reach the general location of a new geocache, also know as ground zero, start by looking for things that just don’t seem right. Some caches will be easy to spot while others will require some additional hunting, don’t be too disappointed if your first geocaching adventure ends in a “DNF” (did not find). It’s happened to all of us.(and still does..lol) On the other hand maybe you’ll be one of the lucky “FTF” (first to find) geocachers and you’ll get a change to grab a special gift that a lot of cache owners leave for the first person to find their “hidden treasure”.

Finally, I suggest you make your first geocaching adventure an easy one if you have kids. After they’ve successfully found their first geocache they’ll be anxious to go again and you can start searching for more difficult caches.

I wish you happy hunting and many successful finds on your geocaching adventures, have fun and respect the environment![lg_gallery]

World’s 1^st GPS Geocaching Adventure GeoGolf™ Game a 18 Hole Multi-cache Ver. 1.3 Updated.

Welcome to the Adventure GeoGolf™ geocaching a game played on a real-world fictitious golf course over a typical 5,000 – 6,500 sq. meter on any open terrain.

The GeoGolf game was created for geocaching enthusiasts and golfers alike.  It’s fun for the whole family and there are no course fees. There are several different types of GPS games that are related to or include geocaching.  One such game is called GeoGolf.  GeoGolf is a fun way to familiarize yourself with a city or neighborhood.  It does not involve a ball, tee, or even a club.  GeoGolf is played with nine or eighteen waypoints that act as the greens and / or “cache hide holes” on the golf course like a normal Geocache.  The rules are simple and easy to follow.  All you need to know is how to work with your GPS.  You then find the coordinates of each hole / cache as you move through the GeoGolf game course.

This is a typical Par 72 course.

GeoGolf is best played with a group or a min of two players, the most “FTF’s” wins the game!

In Geocaching terms, this a standard multi-cache hide consisting of 20 caches, with one extra cache known as the ‘Caddy’s Hide-Away’.  The ‘Caddy’s Hide-Away’ is only required if you need assistance on the course from the caddie.  You only need to find 20 waypoints to log your multi-cache attempt.  That’s the starting point for the cache, where you will find the ‘Caddy Shack’ (where a scorecard and other material is provided), the 18 holes of the course and the final waypoint, being the Club House!

On the geocaching page for the GeoGolf game course, you are only given three sets of coordinates with which to begin the game these include; (1) Close to the first hole. (Parking Area), (2) CaddyShack Course Entrance (Trailhead), (3) Caddy’s Hide-Away (Reference Point).  The others coordinates are all found on the GeoGolf course during game play at each of the 18 hole cache hides.

 

GeoGolf game play:  Adventure GeoGolf™ Game Instructions

How to complete this Geocaching GeoGolf traditional multi-cache course game:

Step 1:

In order to get to the 1^st Hole, you’ll need to find the starting point by visiting the waypoint coordinates for the ‘CaddyShack’. Once there you will receive the coordinates for the 1^st Hole.  The tee box for the 1^st Hole is anywhere near the Caddy Shack coordinates.  Once you find the 1^st Hole cache you will receive the coordinates for the 2^nd Hole.  Naturally, this will continue all the way down each of the fairways from each tee box to the next Hole. (2^nd Hole to 3^rd Hole, 3^rd to 4^th Hole and so on).  The tee box for each hole is anywhere next to the coordinates of the previous hole.

A GROUP OF GEOCACHERS MAY GeoGolf TOGETHER.  THE ‘FIRST TO FIND’ FOR EACH GeoGolf HOLE HIDE IS RECORDED – THE PLAYER WITH THE MOST FTF’S AT THE END OF THE GeoGolf GAME WINS!  FOR THIS YOU NEED A MINIMUM OF TWO PLAYERS, THOUGH NATURALLY YOU ARE WELCOME TO PLAY THE COURSE BY YOURSELF.

Step 2:

Scoring in GeoGolf is easy (you will find a scorecard in the CaddyShack, as mentioned earlier).  The scoring is based on your time to find the hole / cache, based on the time that you left the previous hole / cache.

Take note of the current time from the 1^st tee box in front of the Caddy Shack (anywhere at those coordinates will do).  What you do is mark your start time on your official Adventure GeoGolf™ scorecard.  These score cards are souvenirs of your ‘Dubai Desert Dunes’ geocaching GeoGolf game to take with you in case you ever wish to play again and try to better your score and / or bring new geocachers to play the course.

Special Note:  You need to take a photo of your start time at the ‘CaddyShack’ before you begin by using our official time from the ‘Clock Tower’ near the course entrance (see the photo gallery) and / or your watch or mobile ‘phone.  This allows you to keep track and record your scores (based on time) for each hole on the course.  These photos are used for the *optional proof of course completion task at the bottom of these instructions.  Your image may be uploaded to the cache page along with a 2^nd photo of the time when you find the 19^th hole Club House cache.

You may also want to have a notepad to keep track of these times between each hole, as well as for writing down the coordinates provided at each hole.

You can mark your official score card once you have completed each hole!

You may download an official ‘Dubai Desert Dunes’ Adventure GeoGolf™ scorecard from the site link listed on this geocache page.  If you didn’t download a scorecard before reaching the GeoGolf multi-cache starting waypoint or forgot to bring the GeoGolf scorecard from home, you can find one in the ‘Caddy Shack’ – there will be extra copies there.

Alert disclaimer:  You are about to download a file that can used as an aid to find all the waypoints on this multi-geocache.  As the cache owner, I represent that this file is safe to download although it has not been checked by Groundspeak, Inc. or by the reviewer for possible malicious content.  Download this file at your own risk.

Click here to download GeoGolf Official Scorecard

 

Step 3:

In order to record proof of each cache hole hide and ‘stay out of the rough’, you will need to find the traditional cache hide at each of the holes’ coordinates and for every hole on the GeoGolf game course.  Proof of finding each cache hole hide is provided by via a special colored hole card located inside the traditional hide.  Each hole also includes the coordinates for the next hole on the course printed on the card, along with the time allotted to reach the next hole for scoring your time between each hole.

You will need to take note of the hole card color of each hole for later use.

Please Note:  There are no logbooks at any of the cache hides along the course itself for the 1^st Hole through to the 18^th.  You will ONLY find the official logbook for this multi-cache GeoGolf game course at the last waypoint the ‘19^th Hole Club House’.  This is where the swag container is located as well!  This special 19^th Hole cache container lock box has a 6 digit locking code to open – more on unlocking the code to open the electronic lock box below.

Step 4:

Once you have found all the 18 traditional cache hole hides on the GeoGolf game course and recorded all your times and taken note of the collected hole code card colors, you will then be able use the all the code colors to help you find the 19^th ‘Club House’ cache hide coordinates.  This will allow you to complete the GeoGolf game course multi-cache and log your name for your attempt (instructions for using the color codes later below).

Instructions on how to receive the coordinates for the 19^th Hole ‘Club House’ are located and printed on a special color hole card list at the 18^th hole cache hide.

At the 18^th Hole cache hide there is a code breaking card.  This will provide you with the coordinates to reach the 19^th Hole Club House.

Step (A):  The code breaking card will have a list of all the colors from the 18 holes played.  This list is compiled from the official Crayola Crayon Color list of 133 colors for fun sake. The NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, and WEST indicators are provided for you to reach the 19^th Hole.  In addition, you will need the longitude and latitude numbers, which in this case for the ‘Dubai Desert Dunes’ GeoGolf course is a set of ten (10) numbers.

So there will be a code breaking card list of fourteen (14) Crayola colors with a corresponding number for each color collected at random from 10 different holes on the course.  The first two (2) digits in the coordinates will be the number associated to two colors that is equal to number of letters in the color name on the code breaking list card (White is always equal to one (1) and Black is always equal to two (2).  For example Blue = 4 and Green = 5, then a set of two (2) different numbers for the next part of the coordinate, finally a set of three (3) for the last numbers.  White = 1, Black = 2 then a point Tan = 3, Gold = 4, and orange=5.  The same again for the next set of coordinates.

i.e. N 45^O 12.345 – S XX ^O XX.XXX

Step (B):  Opening the special 19^th Hole GeoGolf game multi-cache hide (a six (6) digit combination lock box).

Please see the photo in the geocache page gallery.

You simply use the last three (3) digits from the first set of coordinates and the last three (3) digits of the second set of coordinates.  You then use these numbers to unlock the electronic lock box and press the (Star Button).  And Hey Presto, you have found the last and main traditional cache hide.

 

Sign you name in the logbook and share some swag if you wish!

Note you will not be able to log your attempt for the GeoGolf game multi-cache without reaching the 19^th Club House.  This is where the logbook is located. Grab yourself a beer from the 19^th Hole Club House bar menu … WELL DONE!!

Bravo, you finished the ‘Dubai Desert Dunes’ GeoGolf Game Multi-cache course!  We hope you enjoy this special multi-cache – remember to have fun geocaching and playing this newest version of GeoGolf Game.

Special Help if needed:

If at any time during your game play on the GeoGolf game course you feel lost, or one of the cache hides is in need of maintenance or has been muggled in some way, you are welcome to visit the ‘Caddy’s Hide-Away’.  This is an emergency waypoint cache hide.  You do not need to find this traditional cache hide to complete the GeoGolf game course.  At the ‘Caddy’s Hide-Away’ you will find a list of all the coordinates for the 18 holes on the GeoGolf game course and all the colors to find the 19^th Hole Club House cache hide.  It’s up to you if you find you need help with the course, or if you wish to spoil all the fun of playing through the complete GeoGolf game course.

Please note that you should take ten (10) penalty strokes for using the Caddy’s Hide-Away, with the rest of the holes not completed should be scored at par!  By the way, the course designers do have some idea on the true time it should take to complete this course officially.   Keep it out of the rough! Smiles 

 

Using your official GeoGolf game score card:

Each hole has a special colored coded hole card inside the cache hide.  This card contains the coordinates for the next hole, and a time guide for scoring purposes.

How to score each cache hole:

• An ‘Albatross’ is scored if you reach the cache coordinates and find the cache hide within one (1) minute of the time allotted for that particular hole.
• An ‘Eagle’ is scored if you reach the cache coordinates and find the cache hide within three (3) minutes of the time allotted for that particular hole.
• A ‘Birdie’ is scored if you reach the cache coordinates and find the cache hide within six (6) minutes of the time allotted for that particular hole.
• A ‘Par’ is scored if you reach the cache coordinates and find the cache hide within ten (10) minutes of the time allotted for that particular hole.
• A ‘Bogey’ is scored, and one extra stroke is added, for every two (2) minutes beyond the Par score, over the allotted time to find the cache for that particular hole, subject to a maximum of five (5) over par for a hole.

Please note:  The ‘honor system’ applies here – it is up to you to keep an accurate score as you work your way around the course!

Remember to mark the start and finish times for each cache hole on your official GeoGolf scorecard, as well as your start time from the “CaddyShack” tee box, and when you reach and find the 18^th cache hole.  In addition, do not forget to mark the color codes of the various caches!

 

Step 5: Completely optional as per Geocaching.com rules.

Once you have completed the full course, taken the required photo’s, marked your scorecard, and had your beer of choice at the ‘19^th Hole Club House’, you will have all the necessary requirements to log your ‘Dubai Desert Dunes’ GeoGolf game course multi-cache on the cache page.

 

**Optional for the GeoGolf game course cache, the players of GeoGolf who play this traditional  multi-cache as out lined here can choose to complete the following tasks, below for the cache owner.

Upload your start time photo.

Upload your finish time photo.

Send an email via the GeoCaching.com email system with ONLY the name of your beer of choice from the Club House Beer Menu.  Basically, what you need to do is choose the name of a beer brand from the ‘Club House’ beer bar menu and take note of it to be sent to the cache owner on the GeoCaching.com email system as proof of completing the whole GeoGolf course.

Step 5 is completely Optional. Why is this optional? As per Geocaching.com rules, a geocache is considered found once you log your attempt in the cache logbook and that’s it! No other task are mandatory and if a geocacher has signed the logbook, his or hers attempt deemed valid.

 

**Important:  Failure to not do these three things will not effect your log attempt (Simply signing the logbook at the 19^th Hole cache hide is all that is required by Geocaching.com.

 

BEST OF LUCK – we hope you enjoy this new form of geocaching.

Copyright © Dec 2011