Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 All-Play

"Well worth the money, can't imagine getting bored with it"

When I first got this game, I wondered if I had wasted my money but now I know I haven't. It takes several rounds to figure out the controls unless you have the benefit of players that have gone before you. One downside is the incompleteness of the manual. There is no mention of one very important control. The lie indicator to the left of the club selector is very useful especially on the green, but the manual mentions nothing about it that I could find.

The graphics are great. I couldn't ask for better. The controls are not likely to mess up my actual golf game, it might even help (I'm not that good on the real golf course). The game play is nice. I'm about 1 third of the way through the Amateur season and found it challenging to win my first tournament. They could have included more commentary during the tournament instead of just the first round of the first tournament. I'm looking forward to Q school and next season.

The game modes keep you busy with more than just playing round after round and the Trophy ball set is definitely going to be a challenge to get them all.

None of the bad things about the game reduce my overall score of it but here are a few items.

1) For someone like me who hates to see bad sportsmanship, it is a bit irritating to see players throwing their clubs or demonstrating dramatic reactions to bad shots. You can customize your game character by adding more of these but you can't remove the ones built in. I just have to keep telling my children, that's not how you should act.

2) The game doesn't seem to save old scorecards. It would be nice to go back and see that scorecard where you got a hole in one. I know it must be a bug, but it says I have a hole in one and I don't remember it.

3) You can't put normal glasses on your character, only sunglasses.

4) I would like to be able to play together with other computer players during stroke play so you don't feel that you are all alone on the course, a gallery would be nice too.

I don't feel like I can say much more for fear it would give away too much. It took me awhile to get used to the game and it took me a while to find GAMESPOT for help, but it is well worth the money.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/03/09

Game Release: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 All-Play (US, 08/26/08)