Fore

Fore, produced by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in 1973, is a single-player electromechanical golf-themed game designed by Jim Patla. With a confirmed production run of only 80 units, it is one of the rarest Bally EM games of its era, and Bally's own records add some intrigue: the model 943 release date is listed as March 1972, while the schematic is dated January 1973.

Fore's playfield gives players plenty to shoot at: 13 standup targets, four pop bumpers, nine mini-rollover buttons, and two flippers with an up-post between them to save draining balls. The maximum displayed point score is 199,990 points, a substantial ceiling for an EM game.

The artwork has its own story. Bally artist David Christensen recounted that he drew the two ladies on the playfield at the request of Bally management, who felt the playfield art was lacking, though he was never credited for the contribution. Between its tiny production run and its behind-the-scenes art history, Fore offers collectors a genuinely scarce and characterful slice of early-1970s Bally.