Golden Tee Advice

rainman154

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So my boss wants me to find him a Golden Tee, but I don't really know much about them.
Here are some questions...
1) How much do the games cost for credits? $3.00?
2) Do the games have Bill Acceptors?
3) Is it true that the software can be easily updated? So if I bout a Golden Tee 2006, I could update the software easily?
 
So my boss wants me to find him a Golden Tee, but I don't really know much about them.
Here are some questions...
1) How much do the games cost for credits? $3.00?
2) Do the games have Bill Acceptors?
3) Is it true that the software can be easily updated? So if I bout a Golden Tee 2006, I could update the software easily?

You can setup the coinage on the game anyway you want including free play.

A lot of the dedicated cabs have bill acceptors.

You can upgrade the FORE! systems easily by replacing the PCB and matching hard drive.
 
3) Is it true that the software can be easily updated? So if I bout a Golden Tee 2006, I could update the software easily?

There is no Golden Tee 2006. In 2006, they released the Golden Tee Complete, which was the last of the GT Fore! systems. GT Complete contains all of the courses from the 2002-2005 releases, and is probably your best bet - if you can find one (I think there is/was one for sale here in the For Sale section".

After 2006, they change to the GT Live! setup, which is completely different than the Fore! setups. Basically, it now has a PC inside it with an external video conversion PCB for use with non-VGA monitors. The conversion kits for changing Fore! systems to Live! systems also included a small LCD screen that is mounted up top in place of the old LED banner. The conversion is fairly involved, and is not the easiest thing to do for someone with little arcade experience. Twice I had to finish a conversion for someone who started it, got stuck, then when they thought they had it done - it didn't work.

You can upgrade the FORE! systems easily by replacing the PCB and matching hard drive.

You can buy any GT from 2002-2005 and upgrade/downgrade it to one of the other years (02-05) by swapping the security chip and hard drive. GT Complete upgrade kits were released for a while, but the upgrade required a call-in to ITS Games for authorization, and I don't think they support it any longer, so you most likely need to buy an already-installed setup, or a complete working game.



Unless your boss is completely set on GT, you can probably pick up a nice PGA Tour Challenge or PGA Tour Championship version for less money. It plays the same, usually has more courses per machine, and has some other options that GT doesn't have (like topspin, players who are left-handed or female, etc)...
 
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Ok, he seems to think you just DOWNLOAD the new hardware (update) and BOOM you have a newer version of Golden Tee.
Is this true? I thought he would have to get a whole new PCB.
Is there a specific Golden Tee that you would all say was the "best" one?
 
Ok, he seems to think you just DOWNLOAD the new hardware (update) and BOOM you have a newer version of Golden Tee. Is this true? I thought he would have to get a whole new PCB.

If you have a GT Live setup with a wireless internet connection, then I believe this is true. I doubt the update would be free, though. GT Live's aren't cheap, though. If he's playing this in a bar somewhere, then this is most likely the one he wants.

However, if he's planning on having this in his house, I don't think he'll be able to play "online" like he can in a commercial setting. Usually these game companies require you to setup an account with money in it so they can charge you for each online player.

Is there a specific Golden Tee that you would all say was the "best" one?

The best bang-for-the-buck is the GT Complete. It has about 31 courses (some 18 and some 9). As I said before, you used to be able to get an upgrade disc and security chip, then connect via phone line for authorization of the CD Key, then it would install. I don't think they support that anymore.

If he likes the "newer" version, then you'll have to track down a Live!, if he's willing to pay for it...
 
This is all great information.
So it sounds like I would want to go with the LIVE version since he wants to be able to update it when he wants.
$3.00 is what I thought, so thanks for letting me know.

So, how much do these cost? He wants to spend around $600. I know a guy who has a bunch and I could get one from him, but I think they are the old versions.
What do you think regarding price?
 
So, how much do these cost? He wants to spend around $600. I know a guy who has a bunch and I could get one from him, but I think they are the old versions.
What do you think regarding price?

HAHAHAHAHA! Tell him he can get a 2005 GT for that - MAYBE a Complete if he's lucky. $600 might be a deposit on a Live. The thing still retails between $3000-5000, depending on which year, and whether he gets the standard cab or the big one with the LCD screen. Buying from a private owner MIGHT get you half price, but that's still $1500-$2500...
 
BTW - if your boss is thinking about this for your business, then why not contact an operator and have him bring it in and split the money with you - or talk about leasing it by the month and leaving it on free-play?
 
Another thing

I don't think the requesting poster realizes that an update is not something that you can simply do with a regular old internet connection and google access. That's why there's both offline/complete and online versions of most flavors of GT. Offline versions are for home/office use. Online versions are the ones used in venues, bars, etc. As for the $600 price range for live...no. It can happen, of course. So can winning the lottery. But I wouldn't stake my life-or career-on either.
 
Yeah, he doesn't really know the prices for a GT. I have a bit of a clue, but have never really investigated one. I could get him a 2005 or so for under 600. Hmmmm. I am going to do more research, but this did help me a lot!

So updating it "live" is not as easy as connecting it to the internet and downloading? Correct?
 
Would 700 be a good price for a nice working 2005 GT?

If it's local to you, and it works for ya, it's not a bad deal. Not great, but not bad either. That's what I paid for mine, fully shopped with a 6 month warranty. 2005 will have either 5 or 7 courses. Find the GT Complete set(hard drive, pcb, & marquee) and install it for the 29 courses, this set will run anywhere from $250-$450 depending on where you can find one.

The value all comes down to how much is it worth to you or him? That's what you need to determine, but that's in the price range.
 
There is a GT complete kit in the for sale section right now for $325. Find yourself a 2002 GT for $300-400 and install the kit...
 
I have a dedicated cabinet Golden Tee fore for $400. This is the first year of the hard drive versions. Like others said, easily upgraded if desired.

I put a new medium res monitor in it a couple years back. Also, put a new factory control panel on it at the time. Has dollar bill validator. Good, not perfect condition.

Located 50548 which google says is about 220 miles from you.
 
A couple of notes that I have found in the past 3 weeks.

I have been looking for a Showcase GT for a while, one came up I was just too slow on it.

If you get a Golden Tee Complete Kit, you will NOT be able to "dial-in" to get it activated. You will need to hand deliver it to ITS. That is the only way they will do the upgrade now, and they will not support it past that.

Your best bet is finding an already installed setup. For GT complete.

BTW if anyone is selling a GT Complete in a showcase anywhere near Milwaukee do let me know!



PS there is a seller on ebay his name is Mark thikn his username is mjb(something), good guy sells GT's quite often. Reasonably prices too!
 
If you get a Golden Tee Complete Kit, you will NOT be able to "dial-in" to get it activated. You will need to hand deliver it to ITS. That is the only way they will do the upgrade now, and they will not support it past that.

Your best bet is finding an already installed setup. For GT complete.

I'm not sure regarding any other updates for the Complete, but yes the "dial in" feature is long gone. I guess I didn't realize there were additional updates for the Complete version. I just swapped out the board and hard drive, worked right away. I do remember IT offering something about that, but I thought is was just to update it to the Complete series.
 
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