Turbo Golf Racing: 5 tips and tricks you need to know

Out now on Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview, Turbo Golf Racing looks like Rocket League with golf on the surface. While it has similarities, Turbo Golf Racing is a different league, combining crazy golf with competitive racing. Put simply, it has the potential to be the best car sports game since Rocket League. If you're just starting out, our Turbo Golf Racing tips have got you covered.

The aim is simple: up to eight players race in rocket-powered cars across elaborate levels to the finish, with the aim of getting their giant ball into the final hole first. Each game has three rounds and the player who gets the most points in each round wins.

It’s fast-paced and gloriously chaotic - and that’s what makes it so fun and addictive.

Turbo Golf Racing tips and tricks

Playing with up to seven other players online can be daunting, but our five helpful Turbo Golf Racing tips and tricks will help you tee off like a pro and get the edge over the competition.

Boost starts

One of the most important Turbo Golf Racing tips is to use boost starts. Just like in Mario Kart, boosting at the right time is essential for getting a fast start.

To activate a boost start in Turbo Golf Racing, hold down the accelerator as soon as the countdown begins.

While holding the accelerator, press the boost button as soon as the countdown says go. It’s tricky to time, but get it right and you’ll get a massive speed boost and soar past the competition, giving you a head start in the race to the finish.

Dash

You don’t just drive in Turbo Golf Racing: you can also jump, flip, and even glide. Using these techniques tacitly affects the angle of the ball when you hit it.

If you want to hit the ball harder and send it flying over a long distance, use the dash move.

To perform a dash, press and hold the handbrake as you approach the ball. When you’re about to hit the ball, press the jump button to dash. This launches the car forward into the air for a more powerful hit. Be careful though, as it’s easy to knock the ball out of bounds when performing a dash.

Use the analogue stick to hit the ball high or low

Turbo Golf is easy to pick up and play, but the controls have more depth than you may realise. As well as steering left and right, pushing the left analogue stick up or down raises or lowers the front of the car, affecting the height of the shot.

Tilting the front down increases the precision when hitting the ball in a straight line if you’re close to the final hole.

Pushing the stick up, on the other hand, raises the front car, hitting the ball higher. This is particularly useful when aiming for a floating hoop that launches the ball onto the right path towards the final hole at high speed.

Pick up power-ups with the ball

Turbo Golf Racing is a strictly non-contact sport. To prevent frustration, other player cars and balls are ghosts. But there are other ways to deviously disrupt your competitors.

Power-ups including missiles, shields, and boost refills are scattered around each level to collect. Missiles can be fired at other players to temporarily disable them and shields can be activated to deflect attacks. There are also boost canisters that replenish your boost. 

You don’t need to drive through power-ups to collect them, however: knocking the ball into a power-up will also pick it up, allowing you to sneakily steal a power-up before a competitor gets to it.  

Pairing the right Power Cores

As well as collecting power-ups such as missiles and shields, you can also equip Power Cores that give you special abilities. Up to three Power Cores can be equipped for each car, with one Active and up to two Passive Cores.

Passive cores are always activated, adding abilities such as making the ball bigger, bouncier, and adding more spin. Active cores, on other hand, are activated manually. They can also only be activated after a cooldown period.

There are currently 11 Power Cores in Turbo Golf Racing, but you can be strategic when trying combinations. These Power Core combinations are recommended by developer Hugecalf Studios and offer different advantages.

Magnet + Straight and Steady: this combo is effective for players trying to earn stars in the solo campaign. Straight and Steady removes spin on the ball, while the magnet allows you to slingshot your ball down the fairway. It’s worth progressing through the campaign as earning stars unlocks additional Power Cores.

Sand Master + Big ball: this combo is perfect for beginners. Big ball makes the ball easier to hit and harder to miss. Sand Master also stops your car slowing down when driving in sand traps.

Double Dash + Hot Head: this combo is ideal for experienced players and focuses on speed. Double Dash allows the car to dash twice when airborne, while Hot Head increases boost power. The downside is that this depletes the boost bar faster, so don’t waste your boosts.

Small Ball + Spring Ball: if you want to test your skills and be the envy of other players, use the Small Ball and Spring Ball Power Cores. This combination makes the ball smaller while increasing the bounciness, making the game more challenging. 

Turbo Golf Racing Early Access review

Is Turbo Golf Racing a hole-in-one or a swing and a miss? Find out our verdict on Hugecalf Studios' Rocket League-style golf car game in our Turbo Golf Racing Early Access review.