Hardcore on Woods

Anyone who has had the pleasure of sending a slice screaming from the first hole tee directly towards a group of coffee-sipping members on the clubhouse steps understands the hardcore nature of golf. It is a ruthlessly unforgiving game that requires practically heroic levels of self-control and concentration.

Only a pro can look so blasé about taking a shot this hard.

When played correctly, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 07 requires all the skill you'd need to play golf on the real links, and thanks to a few needed tweaks (god bless the target area!) Tiger comes out of its package significantly more hardcore friendly than previous editions. Embrace the following basic challenges to test your hardcore mettle and challenge your self-confidence.

Rookie PGA Tour Win
Use training games and the Tiger Challenges to build up your golfer? Bah! Your Game Face golfer might only have the skills of a jealous clubhouse pro, but secure a win on the PGA Tour with Rookie skills and you know that you have the game in a chokehold.

No magical reads this year!

Sans Equipment Boost
I'm not sure what magical mojo EA is putting in their gloves and shoes, but no footwear should boost your drive by 30 yards, and there's no way your sunglasses should do wonders for your putting. If you want to buy a new pair of slacks and a sweater, be my guest, but stick to the clothing without the skill bonuses.

At the Pin
Golf is a game of risk and reward, and while there is much to be said about "managing the course," a hardcore Tiger Woods 07 player doesn't play the smart shot, they play the aggressive shot. If you're 250 yards out in the rough and there's an expanse of water between you and the pin, go for the pin! The most aggressive shot is the hardest shot, and the only shots worth bragging about are the ones that make your breath short and your pulse beat quicker.

Competition Progression
Maybe the average Johnny Xbox® needs to spend time at the driving range and practice green before they hit up the next challenge, but not so the hardcore player. Skills should be learned in the thick of competition. Whether it's the PGA Tour, a Tiger Challenge, or an online ranked session (no Player Matches for the hardcore), the dedicated player only earns his stripes when it counts.

Golf with bull's-eyes makes Hardcore happy.

Quit Outs
This deplorable phenomenon pervades every sports game, but golf seems especially tempting to the do-over crowd. If you find yourself struggling at the bottom of a leaderboard in a Tour event, deal with it. Don't turn tail and run like a frightened rodent. Live up to your mistakes, grind out the rounds, and fight your way back to respectability.

Downloadable Unlocks
Unless you're working fourteen hour days and coming home to a house filled with a screaming brood, there is no excuse good enough for buying content that's already in the game!

If the casual gamer wants to throw MS Points at EA for a maxed out character, that's their own business, but if you consider yourself hardcore in any way at all, put in the time to unlock the golfers, courses, gear, and skills for your character on your own. You know, I'm more than a little bit depressed that this would even need to be said, but apparently it does. So resist the temptation.

Article by Hardcore