by: Chris Vavra

June 27, 2009

The online mode is above average and it adds a great deal of depth to a title that already has plenty of mileage from the single-player and the create-a-golfer mode. EA has provided a setup where they have tournaments going on every week and you can also go head-to-head with someone or create a challenge for a particularly impressive shot you have made. There’s also a fun mode called T.I.G.E.R., which is like H.O.R.S.E. in basketball. I imagine this could be a fun, albeit limited, drinking game for some people because it requires a great deal of skill and, again, that word precision, in order to be successful. You can also play Battle Golf, which allows you to put handicaps on yourself and your opponent by removing and taking clubs from their arsenal and adding them to your own.

The graphics are solid all the way around. The courses have been given great attention and detail and so have the golfers. Reaction shots are very good and the visuals compliment the lip-synching very nicely for a change. The weather is also quite realistic and seeing the rain hitting the ground or watching the trees blow is also quite realistic. I wish that someone would make a golf game where the after-effects of rain is evident. It can rain one hole and stop the next and you won’t notice. Instead of going 220 off the tee in the rain, you’ll be going back to the usual 250 or 260. This might seem like a long way off, but I hope it isn’t the case because this is an addition that all sports games (not just golf) could really use to enhance the realism factor.

EA has also recruited ESPN personalities Scott Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman to provide the analysis and commentary while you’re out on the golf course. Commentary is always tricky because there’s never enough dialogue, even today, to make the words seem genuine. The first couple of rounds might escape your notice, but after that you’ll want to put them on mute because they aren’t interesting or exciting enough to warrant listening to them over and over again. You might have more fun providing your own soundtrack. The sound effects are clean and crisp, as expected, and the crowds aren’t as irritating or as outrageous as you might think. They stay in the background and avoid calling any kind of attention away from the action.

Those who are familiar with the series and have played the past installments will find EA’s latest installment to be satisfying even if it hasn’t changed too much (aside from names and courses) in the past few years. Those less familiar with the series may find this title to be a bit much for them because it is difficult and does require practice. Those who stick with it will find this to be one of the deepest and best sports titles we’ve had thus far in 2009.