EA Sports PGA Tour marks the return of the series to the gaming world after almost a decade away. The game boasts an impressive range of 30 officially licensed courses, each one faithfully recreated with an authentic attention to detail that will leave golf enthusiasts in awe. From the waves crashing against the sand at Pebble Beach to the alligators lurking in the water at TPC Sawgrass, the courses offer a variety and depth that staves off any tedium.
The career mode is the game’s centerpiece, starting off with your no-name golfer competing in the qualifying school before moving on to the amateur Korn Ferry Tour. The ultimate goal is to reach the PGA Tour, either by winning one of the many four-round courses or by placing highly enough in the Korn Ferry rankings come season’s end. To expedite this process, you can opt for a quick play mode where you only need to play a few holes rather than an entire round. However, playing full rounds is the way to go because it gives you ample time to fine-tune your skills, learn the courses, and gain a better understanding of the game’s mechanics.
Earning XP lets you build your skills in driving, approach play, short game, and putting. Progressing each attribute also unlocks more shot types, giving you additional options when preparing to send the ball careening toward the green. The Coaching Academy includes challenges for each of the game’s myriad shot types, giving you the opportunity to see how each one functions before playing competitively. There’s value in understanding the differences between a runner, spinner, or knock-down shot, but knowing when to utilize each one essentially comes down to a matter of feel.
In this respect, EA Sports PGA Tour resembles the sport of golf more accurately than any other game. Each shot is a complex interplay of different variables, including the choice of shot type and club, wind and elevation, power, and shot shape. The game helps to some degree by displaying relevant information such as wind speed and distance, but then you’re left to your own devices. This can be frustrating, particularly early on when you’re still learning the ropes and your golfer’s attributes aren’t up to snuff. But once everything clicks, EA Sports PGA Tour plays an engrossing game of golf that can be incredibly rewarding.
The physics model, which is built around the official TrackMan data for ball tracking and swing analysis, is excellent for the most part. However, there are some inconsistencies when it comes to ball rollout. On The Old Course at St Andrews, for instance, the rollout is overly extreme to the
Summary
EA Sports PGA Tour presents a solid re-entry for the series, providing a methodical and challenging game of golf. The game boasts an impressive range of courses, shot types, and customizable characters, but falls short in terms of tutorials and user-friendliness. Inconsistent ball rollout and misleading putting mechanics are also notable flaws. Despite these shortcomings, EA Sports PGA Tour sets a sturdy foundation for future installments in the series.
