Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (Xbox )

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald Rating * * * * * )

On the PC, golf games enjoy a huge following but golf titles have not translated well to the consoles, with the exception of the tongue-in-cheek efforts like Everybody's Golf (PlayStation) and recently Outlaw Golf (Xbox).

EA Sports knows how to put together a good sports title yet it was with a little scepticism that I shredded the plastic off Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003.

The graphics are striking, not just Tiger and the motion-
captured players, but the courses, too. The home of golf, St Andrews, Pebble Beach and each of the nine courses are beautifully recreated and look picture-perfect.

The most notable advance is in the control system. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 features a revolutionary swing method that lets players have a lot more control over their game.

Using the analogue thumb stick, players control the back lift, giving more options. Pull to the left and you will hook the ball, do the opposite for a slice. You can fade, draw, produce forward or back spin with the thumb stick and the black or white buttons on the Xbox controller.

Putting is handled differently as well. Rather than showing you the perfect way to the hole, players are left to work that out for themselves with some helpful advice from the caddie.

Players can take the Tiger Challenge, earning money to increase power, accuracy and various attributes. There is also stroke play, mini-games, multi-player, skins, match play, speed golf, target shooting and even a game that resembles H-O-R-S-E.

Custom courses allow players to create the ultimate 18-hole challenge, using holes from the nine courses featured. Available on the PS2 and Gamecube, this is fun, original and even addictive. It is the best sports title I have seen in a long while and is almost certainly the best golf simulator to grace the consoles.

Price: $129.95


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