Tweaks in Tiger's Game

Published Octobre 3, 2008

Golf is a sport both tranquil and frustrating, an ultimate test of patience and skill juxtaposed against the most serene of settings. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 09 continues the trend of bridging the gap between the beauty and challenge of the real-life game, while offering enough variety and speed of play to match the needs of players from all walks of gaming.

No. 17 at TPC at Sawgrass. The most famous par three in golf.

Swift Rounds
While a real-life golf enthusiast thinks nothing of a five-hour-round on a summer weekend, there's not a gamer alive who wouldn't pound their head in frustration at such a time sink.

It's the spontaneous nature of these instant challenges that injects the moment with sudden excitement.

Enter Simultaneous Play, a feature that takes the already swift-playing Tiger Woods online experience and sends it hurtling through Xbox LIVE® at up to four times the pace. Tee it up online with up to three friends in Stroke Play and everyone plays every hole simultaneously.

That doesn't mean you won't be aware of their movements though. Every opponent's shot is highlighted by a brightly colored tracer demonstrating in real-time the flight or roll of their ball. You'll know precisely when to talk a little trash after your buddy goes for the par-5 green in two and splashes into the water hazard twenty yards short.

Get in your home!

Instant Challenge
Last year's GamerNet feature brought the game's community together in a frenzy of competition as countless thousands uploaded their own impossible and improbable shots, challenging any and all to equal or exceed them for coveted GamerNet points.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 takes the service a step further, introducing Instant GamerNet challenges during nearly any mode of play. For example, if you're settling in for an approach shot to the green during a tour event, you may find a Closest to Pin challenge chime in at random, complete with a highlighted target area and a few details (such as the Gamertag of the player that uploaded the challenge).

It's the spontaneous nature of these instant challenges that injects the moment with sudden excitement as you take aim at a fellow gamer's spectacular shot, hoping to match or beat it with your own greatness.

Of course, you can post your own challenges as well. After a shot, pull down on the Right Trigger, set the winning conditions, and upload it to the service. It takes just a few short seconds and then you're right back to the action.

Swing Feedback
A truly welcome tweak is the instant swing feedback feature added to this year's game. Every time you swing, you'll see two small arrows gauging precisely how much to the left or right you pulled back or pushed forward the Thumbstick. No more guessing, no more excuses.

Here's hoping his knee is feeling better!

For example, I know now that I have a tendency to pull the Thumbstick back just a shade to the left and press forward just a bit to the right. Armed with that knowledge, I'm well on my way to correcting the flaw.

Haney and Tuning
If you require further correction, Tiger Woods' own swing coach Hank Haney makes a star appearance in this year's game to help teach you the fundamentals, and keep an eye on your progress from upstart pro to seasoned champion.

Throughout the game, he pops up with new skill exercises based on your most recent play. Complete these tests and you earn swifter attribute bonuses and temporary "boosts" to each skill in your next round.

Haney also plays a large part in another new Tiger Woods feature, club tuning. At last you can tweak each and every club for, among other things, longer distance, more loft, and even swing bias (tweaking the club to correct for a natural hook or slice).

Of course, performance enhancement comes at a cost. In this case, it's the sweet spot on your club. Start jacking up the distance on your driver and your swing will require that much more precision to pull off a quality shot.

The reverse is true as well. If, say, you toggle on Tour Pro difficulty you may want to dial back club performance for a larger sweet spot to help eliminate those unsightly shanks.

With the addition of the much-welcomed preceding features along with a number of gorgeous new golf courses including Gary Player's Country Club and Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill masterpiece, classic courses such as TPC at Sawgrass, a revamped Tiger Challenge, a full-fledged PGA Tour schedule, and a staggering number of game modes both offline and online, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 does itself proud.

Article by Ryan Treit