Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course

Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course (ゴルフUSコース) is a Japan-exclusive golf game released for the Family Computer Disk System on June 14, 1987. It is a golf game starring Mario. Gameplay is more similar to the later NES Open Tournament Golf than to its companion title, Family Computer Golf: Japan Course, which was released a few months earlier. Despite the name, the holes are fictional.

Like Japan Course, the game comes on a blue disk, meaning it is compatible with the Disk Fax, a device found in public places across Japan such as department stores. These machines would send the player's saved games and high score information to Nintendo. Nintendo held a contest centered around this game. The top 100 players received a trophy and they along with 10,000 others received a gold Famicom cartridge of Punch-Out!! There was also an unannounced prize which was a special version of the game that came on a gold disk known as Family Computer Golf: Prize Card and was given out to 1000 randomly chosen players who had scored a hole-in-one. This version was harder due to its "Special Course". It also has a hidden character that can be unlocked if the total score is 320 or under after four games. At the Stroke Play menu, holding and pressing  will replace Mario with a female character. She has the same abilities as Mario. This character was once unlockable in the blue disk version but it required the extra step of registering the disk with the Disk Fax which has been discontinued.

There are two game modes:
 * Stroke Play: Up to 4 players can try to do their personal best. The other players look like Mario but with a different overall color. Player 2 is green, 3 is blue, and 4 orange. Player 3 uses Player 1's controller while Player 4 has to share it will Player 2. The 1 Player Stroke Play scores were used in the tournament which was contested by 77,000 players.
 * Match Play: Two players, controlling Mario and his green clone, compete against each other. Unlike Japan Course, there is no computer opponent.

References in later games

 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: One of Mario's palette swaps is based on his stars and stripes based clothing in Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course, although NES Open Tournament Golf is more frequently cited.
 * Super Mario Odyssey: The stars-and-stripes clothing once again appears.
 * Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Mario's palette swap based on his outfit from this game returns.