Updates & Acquisitions

August 25, 2025

There is much up in the air as I write this. It's not a huge update in that there are not a lot of items added to Golfshrine this time around - just the one, and not even one of particularly high value - but of life circumstances. I've probably whinged on at length in enough previous updates that I am without income. Well, with every finger crossed that I am capable of crossing, that has the potential to change soon. I had my first in-person job interview in over two years, last week. No idea when I'll hear back, or even if. But this paragraph represents me putting out the positive energies into the universe in the hopes that they'll come back my way. I need this, for many reasons (unrelated to the purchasing of more golf games), but it's a job I would love to have, and even at low wages, I would aim to help people with my gains. Here's hoping things pan out that way, for however long they need to.

There are a few other factors at play here that make me feel like this has potential to work out strongly in my favor, too. For a long time, I have believed that my day simply cannot suck if I get to meet at least one cat while I'm out and about. (Really, that ought to be an excuse for me to leave the house more often, but that's not the point.) Well, on the same day as my interview, I chanced upon a little game shop, built into an old residence, not even half a block from my bus stop.

A shop full of whimsy, indeed.

The place in question is called Tapper's, styled after the famed [root] beer-serve-em-up arcade hit. I did not ask them if they sold drinks, because I was already so enthralled by their array of unusual video game merchandise. A shelf full of Famicom Disk System titles (I did find a Golf Japan Course, but it was out of budget), lots of imports for various systems, and a rack full of big-box computer games. I spotted a complete-in-box Amiga Pipe Dream, with LucasFilm Games branding, for $85. On the one hand, yikes. On the other, though, it's already rare to find a CIB LucasFilm game, let alone one for Amiga and for the US market. Elsewhere in the store I even found some Bob and Doug MacKenzie action figures, and a Game Genie signed by Pat "The NES Punk" Contri. (I have no idea if he's any good, never watched his things, but I found it interesting at least.)

I heard a curious rustling after laying hands on my prize. As I craned my neck around the shelf, I spotted a little short-haired seal-point cat, staring at someone around the corner. She didn't mind my approach, but did the typical cat thing of retreating just out of reach for petting. The shopkeeper paid notice to this; his remark was that she was probably guarding him, because she hadn't been fed yet that morning. I did at least succeed in getting in a few ear-scritches before needing to move and get on with my transaction. It's been so long since I've interacted with a cat, let alone a shop cat, that I relish such moments where I can. I do apologize that I neglected to take a picture of the cat, but I know I'll have to go back the next time I'm in the area. Again, fingers crossed, but that's hopefully sooner than I expect. The lucky cat shall provide.

I forgot to take a picture of the cat, so I'll just have to borrow one from their Nextdoor page instead.

But of course, I didn't (or well, only partially) decide to write this update to tell you all about a cat at a game shop. I did actually buy a thing for not very much money, as is the ethos of Golfshrine.

Let the Tournament of Tires commence!

Golfshrine has previously owned add-on courses for Links, but only in the form of one volume of the Links 5-Course Collection on CD-ROM. This, Links Championship Course: Firestone, marks the first individual Links course to be enshrined, and also, somehow, the first 5.25" floppy disk in Golfshrine.

The contents of a large envelope inside the box.

Firestone is one of the first Championship Course add-ons to be released for Links, so this disk maintains the original style box branding. Owning this does also confirm something I'd wanted to know about the Links courses for a while, too; among the items included with the course is an official score card from the real-world Firestone course. Rather surprisingly, the envelope also contained an original receipt (far-right in the photo). This copy of Firestone was purchased from the Egghead Software location at 814 SW Broadway, in Portland, Oregon (near Pioneer Courthouse Square), for $15. Rather regrettably, the glue on the floppy disk has degraded enough that its label has just fallen clear off, but that was fortunately also in the envelope. I'd probably want to clean and reattach that at some point. Tips on what kinds of glue (and cleaner) to use on a floppy disk are welcomed, through the usual channels.

I'm also going to have to set up a computer to read this disk, because it occurs to me, not a single one in my possession has the correct sized floppy drive for it. I do have a drive. I just need to plug it into something.

Other remarks worth noting this time around...