Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Just like the man himself, the EA Sports series continues to surprise the critics and has well and truly benefited from a mechanical boost of the new consoles.

There simply is no competition for EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour on PlayStation, PC and Xbox. Unlike EA’s FIFA versus Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer that every year keep fans guessing as to which will come out on top, there’s only ever been Tiger to consider on console. There hasn’t been a PC alternative since Microsoft’s Links 2003 (released 2002). Seven years without company could cause EA to grow complacent but the creative team’s enthusiasm remains as unwavering as Tiger’s winning smile.

Arguably on console you have the light-hearted golf games such as Everybody’s Golf (PlayStation) and Pangya Golf (Wii) to take into account. But if you’re serious about your game Tiger Woods invariably makes this fun too. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
introduced to a virtual coach that significantly improved not just our skills but deep appreciation of the kind of finesse the game has to offer. This year’s iteration offers largely more of the same as its predecessor, but that’s no bad thing. The main difference is in the presentation which, before you sneer, makes quite an impact.

You can now take part in the full US Open tournament, and with it new courses that include the current venue Bethpage plus legacy circuits Oakmont and Torrey Pines. In total there are now 16 courses to choose from with ESPN TV-style coverage and a function that allows players to import weather information from The Weather Channel. It feels more than ever like the real deal, and gameplay is boosted to match. EA will also be laying on tournaments to coincide with real-world PGA events, incorporating the weather conditions, so you’ll well and truly feel part of the occasion.

Before basically signing off on another job well done, give or take personal preferences, we should point out the one major gameplay alteration that will divide fans. The putting system has been revamped to offer Precision Putting, which does away with the multiple irons and simple percentages of swing strength to give a one-size-suits-all iron that requires more reading of the green. Wind factor and undulations all contribute to your success rate, making each shot feel of the moment rather than your best guess based on previous holes. It’s possibly too scientific for comfort but makes you appreciate how tricky this is in real life. If you hate it there’s an option to play Tiger 09 style.

All in all then Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 brings much of the same only better. Let’s be honest, we expected nothing more or less.

4 out of 5