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Ea sports pga tour initial review: hands-off with ea's golfing return.

We've been given a tour around some of the Tour. Here's what we've learned so far.

It's been a fair old while since Electronic Arts dabbled with golf. Even though it was the gaming home of the PGA Tour since the start of the 90s, we've not had a new game from EA Sports since 2015's Rory McIlroy.

In the meantime, HB Studios and 2K Games have capably filled the gap, first with The Golf Club and snagging their own PGA Tour licensing in latter days.

Now though, EA is about to return to the fairway with a new addition to the franchise. And, it's looking like it'll carry on exactly where it left off, albeit with a fair few modern bells and whistles thrown in for good measure.

We've been privy to a hands-off demo of the game and a walkthrough of its features by some of the developers. Here's how it's looking so far.

EA Sports PGA Tour

With 30 courses planned for launch and all the major tournaments, including the Masters at Augusta, EA Sports PGA Tour is shaping up to be a thorough title for enthusiasts and casual gamers alike. From what we've seen so far, it's also looking superb thanks to the adoption of the Frostbite Engine. We can't wait to get our own hands on it soon to see if it's up to par.

• Stunning course mapping
• Great attention to detail
• 30 PGA Tour courses to play on
• All the majors
• Too soon to tell

EA Sports PGA Tour is the publisher's biggest golf game yet. It is exclusive to current-generation consoles - PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S - and PC, which means there have been few compromises on graphical fidelity. From what we saw streamed in an online demonstration, anyway.

The development team has switched to Frostbite for the graphics, which not only renders player models (real-world and created) in great fidelity - much like the latest FIFA, Madden and NHL games - but it presents the 30 included courses in sometimes photo-realistic detail.

That's because every course was mapped using multiple methods - by helicopter using LiDAR technology, through high-resolution camera drones too, and by taking thousands of photos on the ground. Augusta even gave the developer access to its tree health system, which accurately maps every flowerbed, tree and other types of flora to ensure they are placed in exactly the same position in the game as in real life.

Impressively, this level of minute detail doesn't just help the look of the game but the feel. The bumps on the ground are in the exact same spot - as are the imperfections on the fairways and greens. And so, we were told, that when a ball interacts with the course, it will move across these minor spots in the same way it would for real.

That is further improved through the use from two other third-party data sources - the PGA Tour's ShotLink and TrackMan - which not only gave the team real-world mechanics for ball movement, thanks to storing many thousands of shots from the PGA Tour itself, but also player motion and behaviour that has provided the animation specifics for each licenced professional in the game.

EA calls its new stroke engine Pure Strike and it enables gamers to take shots in a more fluid, natural way.

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing

The gameplay that we viewed showed a new swing arc that is used for the accuracy and power of a shot. The power is determined by a small line on the arc that you meet during the backswing (using a thumbstick). The speed of the follow-through is important too and reminds us a little of the mechanics in PGA Tour 2K23. However, EA hasn't gone full simulation with its effort. There is still the option for boost and other gamified elements of its previous titles in the series.

One major new feature is that, as well as club selection, you also get the choice between types of shot each time - from a pool of 20. And each club in your bag will have their own assigned shot types that you can customise. In previous years, the clubs from different manufacturers would have their own stats - this is gone, but the shot types can still make one driver feel different to another, say. You can adjust depending on your play style, therefore, which is inspired by the pro golfers and their experiences on the real Tour.

It's this mix of realism and fun that we're looking forward to testing more when we get our own hands on the game.

We were also told that the old three-click shot method of yesteryear will make a return as a playable option, but wasn't active for our demo.

Putting has changed a bit this time around - perhaps even more so than the main shot system. You get a suggested line to give you a decent read of a green (although that can be turned off in settings) but the putting meter is certainly different to before. You have a smaller swing overlay that suggests power and works more like the main shot arc. Again, it's something we have to try for ourselves before we can give you more on how it works.

Licenced to thrill

Perhaps the most impressive part of EA Sports PGA Tour for us so far is the amount of licenced content in the game. The 30 courses, the clothes, clubs and shoes, the different tournaments, including all the majors, and a healthy selection of PGA and LPGA professionals to play as and against. There is also a great cast of commentators that use dynamic phrasing to make the presentation feel just like a TV broadcast. They've even recorded unique voice clips for points of interest on course that you may never hear - such as if you bounce a ball off a specific fence, which cues a sentence about that actual event.

As well as the licenced players, you can also create your own, of course, with an in-depth editor and the choice to set him onto the path of greatness by either entering amateur tournaments first, the Korn Ferry Tour, or the PGA Tour itself. And, if you want to play as a woman, the Amundi Evian Championship is there for the taking too.

In short, EA is ensuring that while it has taken a seven-year leave of absence from golf, it is coming back with its most expansive offering yet. It's certainly not doing things by half.

First impressions

It's hard to give a genuine opinion on a game we've not physically played ourselves, but everything we've heard and seen so far shows much potential. We've really enjoyed 2K's rival title (and still do), but can't help admitting that we've missed the traditional EA Sports PGA Tour games over the last few years. Plus, we're really looking forward to playing in The Masters at Augusta and this will provide the only opportunity to do so. We await it with bated breath.

EA Sports PGA Tour will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC from 24 March 2023.

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EA Sports PGA Tour review: Grip it and rip it

Over seven years later, EA Sports takes a shot at rebooting its simulation golf franchise and the result is good enough to compete with the PGA Tour 2K series.

Making a comeback in golf isn’t easy. It’s been more than half a decade since the last EA Sports PGA Tour game, which featured Rory McIlroy on the cover back in 2015. Since then, the PGA Tour 2K series has filled in the void, providing a solid version of realistic golf simulation that EA now has to contend with. The 2K series even signed Tiger Woods to its franchise several years ago, taking him away as the potential cover athlete from this reboot. Even so, EA Sports PGA Tour has several notable advantages over its rival, even if many parts of the game are unfinished and underworked. The game does enough to land the ball along the edge of the fairway, but its form is still noticeably rusty. 

All about The Masters

If you’re looking for a golf game that features all four major championships, including The Masters and its signature Augusta National course, then EA Sports PGA Tour is the only one in town. You can get fairly close to playing this in PGA Tour 2K23 with its course creator, but it wouldn’t be the official version. In fact, EA Sports PGA Tour was intentionally delayed a few weeks out of March so it could release around the same time as The Masters in April, if just to make a point.

Along with the surprisingly strong commentary and the wonderful fly-by videos for every hole, the game’s depiction of Augusta National is spot-on. Having to navigate its notoriously thin fairways between the trees and its fast, hilly greens made me groan with appreciative frustration. It’s a peculiar experience watching The Masters tournament in real life while playing the course in the game, but it made me better understand how difficult, say, Amen’s Corner would be to survive without dropping a shot or two.

EA Sports PGA Tour brings the same level of detail to all of its courses, at least in terms of the painstaking process of making every hole look like their real-life counterparts. The game comes with a whopping 30 courses right out of the gate, which is a huge improvement over its Rory McIlroy predecessor that only came with about a dozen courses at launch. So while the lack of a course creator somewhat limits the lifespan of the game, there’s plenty of content to master and the developer will release more courses in due time.

It's swings and roundabouts

The game’s swing mechanics and shot-making are manageable for the most part, but they’re rather rough around the corners. While I prefer the three-click swing, which is a feature EA promises will be added later, using the analog stick to pull down for back swing and then up for the follow-through isn’t difficult to understand or do consistently. The right analog stick makes performing draws and fades easy, and there are several options to make putting and swinging as challenging as you’d like. After turning on a few assists and spending a few hours getting accustomed to the putt preview and the putting grid, I was making birdies left and right.

That said, the swing meter isn’t as refined as it could be. There’s an awkward delay between the upswing and downswing that’s hard to judge accurately. No matter how fast I pulled up on the analog stick, the game said my downswing was too slow. Perhaps if there was a driving range, which is surprisingly absent here, I would have been able to decipher exactly what was happening. I got used to it eventually, but it would have been better if the tempo for a swing could be customized more than just a simple setting in the character creator. There are also times when the circular meter is hard to see against a while background or so thin relative to the camera that it’s difficult to tell where the sweet spot is.

Also strangely absent are an indicator for the lie of the ball and vital information on hole elevation white putting on the green. How your ball rests on the ground, particularly the slope of the lie, can impact where you need to aim. In Everybody’s Golf, this info is easily shown in a corner that tells you the tilt of the slope, but that interface is missing here. On top of that, while you’re on the putting green, the indicator for hole elevation will cut off the inches if it’s beyond one foot in either direction. So if the hole is, say, above you anywhere between 1 foot and 1 foot 11 inches, all it says in the box is “1 FT.” That can make judging the strength of your putt nigh-impossible unless you have putt preview on. I remember this being an issue in past PGA Tour games and that problem unfortunately still persists here.

Take your best shot

Fortunately, I was able to mitigate most of these UI issues by either going through the options or by using one of the many special shots that have been added to the game. Each golfer on the pro roster has stats in various categories, like Power, Driver Accuracy, and Approach Control, and if they meet the minimum requirements, the golfer will gain access to cool shots like the Pick or Finesse. Having these tricks in the bag broadens shot selection while giving you a chance to get out of the rough or a bunker, or prevent you from being there in the first place.

On the subject of the roster, EA Sports PGA Tour sidesteps the whole controversy between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. You can even select players like Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter to play in PGA Tour tournaments, so it’s up to you whether that’s a problem or not. For comparison, PGA Tour 2K23 decided to remove all players on the LIV Golf tour from its roster for realism.

Anyway, this nifty upgrade to shot-making makes Career Mode far more engaging, as I leveled up my character from an amateur to a proper professional. You don’t have to start a new character in the amateur ranks, as you can bypass it at the start, but I enjoyed the experience (and the extra experience points) for doing so. The developer was also smart to include both the Masters and U.S. Open as the second and third events in the amateur season. After about sixteen rounds of eighteen holes, my golfer could finally perform High Flop shots to mitigate challenging greens, Pick shots to get out of the bunker with ease, and the Texas Wedge for when I thought the putter would be easier to handle than a tricky pitch or punch shot.

Better yet, you can earn experience points — the bulk of which is gained just by completing holes — for your custom character in any available mode, be it offline or online. Both local and multiplayer modes have plenty of options to choose from whether it’s ranked competitive or unranked social. And since the game supports simultaneous online play for up to 16 players, it’s fairly easy to get in and out quickly. The main downside is that multiplayer doesn’t support turn-based play apart from local co-op, leaving no option to gather a group of friends online and watch each other take turns like you’re on a course together. The game also doesn’t support multiple players using their own custom characters in local co-op, so it sounds like there are technical limitations preventing both of these features from happening.

Over time, you’ll gather enough reward points to purchase clothing from the shop, though you’ll likely try to save enough up to obtain a spec, since that actually improves your golfer’s skills. Surprisingly, the game only allows you to use real money to purchase currency for buying cosmetics and tickets for tournaments, so you actually need to play the game to earn specs. That’s right, you don’t need to worry about pay-to-win lootboxes or some kind of Ultimate Team mode in an EA Sports title. It’s a minor miracle.

Right into the sand trap

Where EA Sports PGA Tour falters the most is the character creator, which is almost criminally barebones when compared to past PGA Tour games and other sports franchises. All you can really choose here is a face from among about 50 presets, your body size between two types, and a few touch-ups for eye color and hair. That’s about it. There are no options to tweak body parts or to scan your game face. Sure, you can dress your character in different colored polo shirts, khakis, and shoes from the in-game store, but chances are that you won’t be able to create a character that looks like you or one that you’ll be completely happy with.

Worse, their reaction animations on the course are as stiff and generic as stock footage and sometimes they’re just wrong or awkward. It would have been much better to let us choose the emotion of the golfer after a shot so that it feels appropriate. The character models for the crowd are lifeless and blocky as well. Though the audio for the crowd rises and falls appropriately, their animations remain rather static.

Overall, EA Sports PGA Tour feels like it was rushed and that it needed a proper beta to iron out the issues. Menu navigation is sluggish, the camera can get wonky at times, and you can’t skip the intro video for a course. The developer could make rounds more dynamic by allowing an option to show all the experience points you gain with every shot, adding hole-based challenges, or increasing the XP earned by turning off assists and raising the overall difficulty. Also, making an eagle, chip-in, or long putt could be highlighted more effectively, while winning a major championship could be rewarded with something more than holding up a trophy for eight seconds or so.

Up and down golf

As a comeback, EA Sports PGA Tour performs well enough to compete with PGA 2K23 on fairly even footing. The inclusion of all four majors, the solid ball physics, the wider arsenal of shots, and the long list of official courses are impressive, though the presentation can be flat, laggy, and rough. If EA decides to turn this into an annualized sports franchise, the next installment will need to revamp the character creator and rework the user interfaces. Despite the game's flaws, though, I can still see myself casually playing it throughout the year alongside other sports games like MLB The Show 23. It’s been a while since we’ve seen two established developers battle each other within the same sport, and I’m all for it. At the very least, golf games will be made all the better from the competition.

This review is based on a retail Xbox Series X|S code supplied by the publisher.

Once upon a time, Nick's parents confiscated his Super Nintendo because he was "playing it too much." He has secretly sworn revenge ever since. Nick is now a freelance writer for various video game sites. Powered by iced green tea, he typically plays RPGs of all kinds like Shin Megami Tensei, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout. In his spare time, he follows the latest season of Critical Role.

• Electronic Arts
• EA Sports PGA Tour
• All four major golf championships, including The Masters
• Good ball physics
• Strong commentary, nice fly-bys
• Thirty courses right out of the box
• Wider arsenal of shot types
• No Ultimate Team or pay-to-win lootboxes
• Extremely barebones character creator
• Limited swing customization, no driving range
• Lifeless crowds and character animations
• Very laggy menus
• No indicator for the lie of the ball

Nick Tan posted a new article, EA Sports PGA Tour Review - Grip it and rip it

EA Sports PGA Tour Review - Hit The Links

• First Released Apr 4, 2023 released

EA returns to the world of golf with a challenging and rewarding title that's let down by a couple of inconsistencies and an underwhelming swing mechanic.

By Richard Wakeling on April 12, 2023 at 10:55AM PDT

EA Sports PGA Tour is unlike any other golf game I've played. It still features familiar elements from the series' past--back when Tiger Woods was front and center--such as slow-motion heartbeat moments and climactic power shots. But after an eight-year hiatus from the world of golf simulation, EA has returned to the fairway with a more demanding recreation of the sport that's as much about feel as it is mastering the game's robust mechanics. With 30 courses covering all four majors--including The Masters at Augusta National--EA Sports PGA Tour has a plethora of golfing action to sink your teeth into. It's just a shame there are a few notable issues in critical areas that hold it back from greatness.

The first of these is the game's swing mechanic. If you've played a golf game before, the actual act of swinging a driver or 5-iron will be familiar. You pull down on the analog stick to bring the club back, then push forward again to unleash your shot. This has been a staple in golf games for a number of years now, and there aren't any alternatives at the moment--not until a three-click system is implemented in a later update. The issue with EA Sports PGA Tour is that there's a slight delay between your input and the on-screen visual. Your swing isn't 1:1, so there's an uneasy disconnect where you never quite feel like you're in total control. The general malaise of each swing doesn't help matters either, with the slow, clunky pacing and frustrating lag making it difficult to nail the timing and power of each shot. I eventually grew accustomed to these idiosyncrasies over time, but it never feels quite right and fails to capture the satisfaction that hitting a 300-yard tee shot should achieve.

To compound the issue, EA Sports PGA Tour also lacks any sort of meaningful tutorial. There are tooltips that pop up and cover the basics the first time you play, but these brief snippets barely scratch the surface of everything going on under the hood. Instead, the game has a suite of challenges that happen to include a Coaching Academy. This is the best place to start, even if these challenges still neglect to offer any tips or feedback to help you along the way. What you get is a variety of contextual situations covering different aspects of the sport, from putting downhill to dealing with elevation changes and the multitude of shot types on offer. There's a lot of trial and error involved, but the repetition of replaying each situation does give you a greater understanding of how everything works. It's not a very user-friendly approach, but it sets expectations and is genuinely helpful in an unconventional way, even if it might prove frustrating for some. Plus, completing these challenges also earns you XP that can be used to improve your created character.

EA Sports PGA Tour's career mode sits front and center, starting off with your no-name golfer competing in the qualifying school before moving on to the amateur Korn Ferry Tour. The ultimate goal is to reach the PGA Tour, which can be done either by winning one of the many four-round courses or by placing highly enough in the Korn Ferry rankings come season's end. You can expedite this process by opting for a quick play mode where you only need to play a few holes rather than an entire round, but I think playing full rounds is the way to go. That's mostly because it gives you ample time to fine-tune your skills, learn the courses, and gain a better understanding of the game's mechanics. There's also a palpable sense of progression that comes from leveling up your golfer. Earning XP lets you build your skills in driving, approach play, short game, and putting, while progressing each attribute also unlocks more shot types, giving you additional options when preparing to send the ball careening toward the green.

Fortunately, the Coaching Academy includes challenges for each of the game's myriad shot types, giving you the opportunity to see how each one functions before playing competitively. There's value in understanding the differences between a runner, spinner, or knock-down shot, but knowing when to utilize each one essentially comes down to a matter of feel. In this respect, EA Sports PGA Tour resembles the sport of golf more accurately than any other game. There are a number of variables at play for every single shot, to the point where there's a real thought process behind each swing. You have to choose the right shot type and club for each situation, adjust for wind and elevation, judge how much power you need to put into the swing, and account for the distinct ways each course plays--tweaking your shot shape depending on the shape of the fairway and lie of the bunkers. The game helps to some degree by displaying relevant information such as wind speed and distance, but then you're left to your own devices. This can be frustrating, particularly early on when you're still learning the ropes and your golfer's attributes aren't up to snuff, but once everything clicks, EA Sports PGA Tour plays an engrossing game of golf that can be incredibly rewarding.

Much of this is down to the courses themselves. Every single one of the 30 officially licensed courses is staggeringly beautiful and offers an authentic attention to detail, whether it's Liberty National and its view of the Manhattan skyline, the waves crashing against the sand at Pebble Beach, or the alligators lurking in the water at TPC Sawgrass. Almost every course is iconic on some level, and they've all been faithfully rendered and recreated, right down to individual blades of grass. The absence of a course designer is a tad disappointing, but unlike PGA Tour 2K23, it's not something that feels like a necessity because there are already so many 18-hole delights. The courses are the game's main character, providing the kind of variety and depth to stave off any tedium. Mastering a golf game's mechanics is usually the key to success, but EA Sports PGA Tour's courses demand much more from you. Each one plays differently, whether it's the roll of the green or the width of the fairway impacting your decision-making. It genuinely feels like you're playing against the course rather than the shot meter.

The physics model, which is built around the official TrackMan data for ball tracking and swing analysis, is excellent for the most part. However, there are some inconsistencies when it comes to ball rollout. On The Old Course at St Andrews, for instance, the rollout is overly extreme to the point where the ball will roll uphill at pace, even through heavy rough. This forces you to account for situations that shouldn't really occur. Once you land on the green, putting is also equally aggravating for different reasons. Each green contains a grid that uses moving beads to show you the direction of the break. The problem is that sometimes this data is inaccurate and the break is opposite to what the beads are showing. The putt reader alleviates this somewhat by showing the ideal path to the hole, but this is also misleading at times. With no reliable way to gauge the breaks, putting is a lesson in irritation that will only be rectified if these issues are fixed in future updates.

Outside of career mode, EA Sports PGA Tour also features various tournament options for use in online matches against the community. If you want to play against friends, however, stroke play is the only option, and there's a disappointing lack of alternating play for those who want to see each other tee off. A range of daily, weekly, and seasonal tournaments give you another chance to earn XP and items like club specs and in-game cash for a limited time before they're refreshed, so there's an incentive to keep coming back. That in-game cash can be spent in a store of rotating items including various cosmetics, which holds some appeal because the character creator is extremely barebones. Outfitting your golfer in branded clothing can be fairly costly, though, which is explained by the inclusion of microtransactions for those who would rather buy the in-game currency with real money. This isn't a surprising move, but it doesn't exactly vibe with the serene mood.

After almost a decade away from the sport, EA's return to the golf course is a promising one. The range of shot types, courses, and tangible variables make for a methodical and tactical game of golf that's both challenging and rewarding. It stumbles by barely introducing players to its robust mechanics, while a laggy swing and inconsistent putting are notable flaws on what is otherwise a fantastic golf sim. EA Sports PGA Tour represents a solid re-entry for the series and lays down a sturdy foundation for an auspicious future.

• Leave Blank
• Each shot must be carefully considered, taking into account a number of variables
• All 30 courses are wonderfully recreated and each one feels distinct
• Offers a tough but satisfying simulation of golf that's close to the real thing
• The lack of tutorials makes for a rocky start
• Swing mechanics are delayed and create a disconnect
• Putting information is frequently misleading

About the Author

Richard Wakeling

• @richardwakeling

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Critic reviews for ea sports pga tour, metro gamecentral.

Slick, high-tech, and impeccably well designed; this is the best golf game of the modern era and the new standard for others to aspire to.

Read full review

Game Informer

EA Sports PGA Tour captures the intricate nuance of golfing. However, the systems struggle with what a user can reasonably decipher from a mere analog stick, leading to a frustrating experience. EA Sports PGA Tour is a game at odds with whether it wants to compete with rival 2K’s realism or veer closer to its own more arcade roots, and in the process, lands its first drive on this new round in the rough.

EA returns to the world of golf with a challenging and rewarding title that's let down by a couple of inconsistencies and an underwhelming swing mechanic.

As a comeback, EA Sports PGA Tour performs well enough to compete with PGA 2K23 on fairly even footing. The inclusion of all four majors, the solid ball physics, the wider arsenal of shots, and the long list of official courses are impressive, though the presentation can be flat, laggy, and rough. If EA decides to turn this into an annualized sports franchise, the next installment will need to revamp the character creator and rework the user interfaces. Despite the game's flaws, though, I can still see myself casually playing it throughout the year alongside other sports games like MLB The Show 23. It’s been a while since we’ve seen two established developers battle each other within the same sport, and I’m all for it. At the very least, golf games will be made all the better from the competition.

EA Sports PGA Tour is a good golf simulation that marks the return of the series after years of absence from the green, even if EA Tiburon hasn't managed to make a "hole in one" despite offering satisfying gameplay. The realization of the courses and the physics of the ball is truly remarkable, while the pleasant visual appearance clashes with some technical defects linked to an imperfect use of Frostbite. Overall, EA Sports PGA Tour is an enjoyable gaming experience, designed primarily for golf enthusiasts.

Review in Italian | Read full review

God is a Geek

EA dazzles with its re-entry onto the fairways with EA Sports PGA Tour, which is comfortably the best golf game in years.

EA's return to the course is a surprisingly understated and supremely accomplished golf sim

The controls can be tough to get the hang of, but the visuals are stunning, the commentary impressive and the play itself gives you all the challenge and realism you could want

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EA Sports PGA Tour

It's Masters weekend, but why watch the action when you can play it yourself.

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The sun is shining, the flowers are starting to bloom, and it's a long bank holiday weekend. You literally couldn't ask for a better way to experience the annual Masters golf tournament... indoors and playing EA Sports PGA Tour. Yes, while the actual event is taking place this weekend, golf gamers are probably more interested in EA's return to the world of golf video games, with the simply named EA Sports PGA Tour. While I have been quite actively following this title (because I strongly believe that golf is one of the best sports to adapt into a video game and that it works very well in a digital format), I've also been hitting the links over the course of this week, to see if EA's return to digital golf is something to celebrate or pass on.

And simply put, it is worth getting excited for if you are a golf fan. Now don't get me wrong, EA Sports PGA Tour isn't perfect and has its demons (I'll get to them in a moment), but generally speaking this is a very competent golf video game that is bolstered by featuring arguably the best course list that you could ask for.

EA has been shouting from the rooftops that this game is the "home of the Majors" and there's a very good reason for this. The Majors make up the most demanding and desirable golf tournaments around the entire world, and take competition to the iconic and exclusive Augusta National, historic St. Andrews, the sunny Southern Hills, and a collection of 30 other non-exclusive courses that make up the wider PGA Tour, such as the scenic Pebble Beach, the rowdy TPC Scottsdale, the challenging Riviera Country Club, and so forth. Every time you take to the tee in one of these locations, you can't help but feel the sense of history for being present - something the commentators help to elevate thanks to tons of informative titbits that delve into golf history and help you with your game - and as the courses are all very finely crafted, the game also really excels with delivering on the challenge of mastering a PGA Tour-level course.

As every course has been crafted using photogrammetry and other fancy techniques to extremely accurately digitally recreate them, each course feels truly real. The delicate unevenness of every green on every hole is a challenge to overcome, the individual branches on trees provide a further obstacle to face, the angling of the fairway and the placement of bunkers all make blasting a ball with a driver an opportunity for disaster. The ambience of each course is also excellent, with vibrant and intricately placed flora, water features or ocean bodies, and a massive crowd following you around every tournament screaming and shouting as they cheer you on. You can see why EA chose to leave behind last-generation consoles for this game, as the finer details are what allow EA Sports PGA Tour to stand out, even if EA's sports developers still can't figure out how to animate a human's face to save a life. Without exaggerating, the people are horrifying, although, FIFA, Madden, and F1 fans are all very familiar with this.

Adding to this is the actual gameplay, which has a pleasant variety of depth and simplicity. If you just want to play some golf, then you can ignore all of the really complex shot types and RPG systems and just play nine holes to see how far under par you can go. Alternatively, if that depth excites you, you can look to explore the different ways to hit a ball down the fairway, or to drop it onto the green from the first cut.

The pure gameplay side of things can be very difficult to unpack and master (I won't deny that the clunky analog stick golf swinging mechanic has frustrated me on countless occasions, especially for short chip shots where it is frankly way too easy to smack the ball into the stratosphere), and will require a fair bit of failing before you start to understand how it really operates. You can make the argument that the tutorial system doesn't really help with teaching players much, although that is why EA has baked in different coaching and sponsor challenges to help master new shot types and the finer mechanics of being a PGA Tour golfer, each of which will reward experience that contributes to levelling up, and thus acquiring more attribute points to improve your golfer.

On the RPG side of things, the Career mode, where this is most prevalent, is excellent. It's simply about doing the best you can at each of the tournaments through a PGA Tour season, all to improve your global ranking and to level up so that you can spend attribute points to improve your own golfer's power, putting skill, short game, and various smaller areas that tie into these wider categories, for example accuracy or control when using wedges and other short game clubs. It's a system that really allows you to see improvement tournament after tournament, as at the start of your career you'll be struggling to crack the top 250 in the rankings and to putt a ball accurately beyond seven feet, but by the time you reach Augusta a few months into the season, a 10 foot putt is easily doable and the top 150 or better will already be where you find yourself on the global rankings.

I will say that I'm less impressed by the customisation suite as this is mostly tied to microtransactions. While you can't improve your golfer by, for example, purchasing a better club with real money, you can buy Specs to improve certain attributes of a club or a shot type, alongside Tickets to enter into tournaments. The fact that getting a new kit bag cosmetic seems to be tied mainly to real money leaves me disappointed and lacking ways to update and change my golfer's appearance. Not that I'm a huge stickler for cosmetics and appearance, but more options that aren't tied to premium currency and even occasionally (and unbelievably) loot boxes, would be a massive improvement.

Likewise, the game seemingly requires you to log into EA's servers to be able to access the majority of the game modes, including the Career. I loathe this frankly, and do not understand why I needed to connect a PlayStation Network account with EA's account systems to simply be able to play 75% of EA Sports PGA Tour.

Oh, and while I'm ranting, let me take aim at the menus and the in-game user interfaces, which are quite frankly sluggish, needlessly complex, and frustrating to use. The actual menus require far too many buttons to get anywhere of importance, and then attempting to get a better angle on a shot by moving the camera when on the course requires such a fine degree of focus and skill that ultimately I prefer just 'eyeballing' it using just the information from where my golfer is standing to go off, despite the fact that this is a game and not the real world and that shouldn't be a requirement.

Yet with this being the case, EA Sports PGA Tour's game mode variety is really impressive. Aside from the Career mode that is all about becoming the ultimate golfer, and Quick Play where you can jump into a collection of slightly different match styles (for example Best Ball that pits two teams of two against one another, or Skins which sees golfers competing for in-game money on a hole-by-hole basis), there is also the unranked multiplayer of Social, the simultaneous online action of Competitive where you can see how your rivals are doing in real-time as ghosts on the course, the ranked Tournaments mode for the most challenging online play, and if this isn't enough, Private Matches and Challenges look to bring ways to create your own tournaments and improve your skills, respectively.

While there are a few weird and unusual bugs that plague the game as well, for example certain lighting instances actually changing the colour of your golfer's hair, generally speaking, EA Sports PGA Tour is a fun and entertaining golf game that excels in the places that matter the most; the gameplay, the courses, and the experience. If you're looking for a way to double-down on golf this Masters weekend, then EA Sports PGA Tour is a good title to take a look at, just save yourself some disappointment and keep clear of the Store tab.

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EA Sports PGA Tour Editions: Deluxe & Standard Comparison

EA Sports PGA Tour will launch with two different editions, and there are some major differences between them.

It's fairly commonplace for publishers and developers to launch a game with separate editions in the modern era of video games. This gives players access to more content if they're willing to pay, but players who are not can simply buy the regular version of the game.

EA Sports PGA Tour is maintaining this trend, as the reboot of the popular golf video game series will release sporting two separate editions. As expected, one of these editions is the standard version of the game while the other is a more expensive and content-filled version. If you have been struggling trying to decide which one to buy, you can look below to see all of the differences between the two editions.

PGA Tour 2K21 in 60 Seconds

EA Sports PGA Tour Editions

The names of the two editions for EA Sports PGA Tour are the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition. The Standard Edition costs $70, which has become the norm for next-generation titles, and the Deluxe Edition costs $85. The difference in price isn't nearly as stark as editions of other games, which might be good news for players, as they don't have to pay that much extra for the Deluxe Edition.

However, if you want to see the content included in both editions before making a decision, take a look below.

EA Sports PGA Tour Standard Edition

• THE PLAYERS Championship Gear (pre-order bonus)
• The Grand Slam Gear Bundle (Gear items celebrating The Majors) (pre-order bonus)
• Scotty Cameron Putter (pre-order bonus)

EA Sports PGA Tour Deluxe Edition

• 3-Day Early Access (pre-order bonus)
• Early Access to August National
• Exclusive Early Access to Augusta National (pre-order bonus)
• 1500 Premium PGA TOUR POINTS
• PGA TOUR XP Bundle
• The Masters Gear
• Madden NFL 23 All Madden Edition PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S from March 21, 2023

As you can see, the Deluxe Edition offers quite a bit more than the Standard Edition. Moreover, the Standard Edition's extra content only comes from pre-ordering EA Sports PGA Tour. If you pre-order the Deluxe Edition, you can access that content plus a variety of other benefits. However, the Deluxe Edition might not be worth it for every player.

Although, it might be worth it for those who do not yet own Madden 23 and have been looking to try it. The Deluxe Edition comes with a free code for Madden 23 on PC and the All Madden Edition of Madden 23 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

EA Sports PGA Tour launches on April 7, 2023, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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EA Sports PGA Tour vs PGA Tour 2K23 Compared: Which Is Better and Which Should You Buy?

Golfers have long clamored for an authentic and exhaustive golf video game to let them explore their sport virtually. With EA Sports PGA Tour and PGA Tour 2K23 both on the market, which is the best and which you should you buy?

EA Sports PGA Tour vs PGA Tour 2K23

We’re kicking off our comparison with what we consider the most important aspect: the gameplay. Put simply, which plays better, feels better and resembles golf better? In our opinion, the point here goes to EA Sports PGA Tour .

It’s not that PGA Tour 2K23’s gameplay is poor; in fact, it’s good. We find it smooth and comprehensive as well as intuitive and easy to learn. However, it can feel a little too easy to learn. Within hours of picking up 2K23 I was able to sink chips frequently, whip my tee shots around obstructive trees to find the middle of the fairway and easily get within inches of the pin regardless of the hole, conditions and clubs. It’s a slightly truncated version of golf, simple and quick (which does have its bonuses) but not exhaustive and granular.

That’s why EA Sports PGA Tour takes the point here. There’s countless shot types to piece together, a wealth of information to take into account on every shot and ball physics that feel realistic. PureStrike technology makes nearly every shot (see our criticism of pitches and chips) feel rewarding or punishing depending on how you played the shot. Anyone who’s played real golf knows that’s how the sport goes: within seconds of playing your shot you’ll know whether it’s on the right tracks or headed for disaster. That can lead to EA Sports PGA Tour feeling difficult and even merciless – but that is golf.

Golfers, Licenses, Courses & Modes

This round comes out as a tie for us. EA Sports PGA Tour, proudly ‘The Home of the Majors’, brings 28 brilliantly realized golfing environments to life and will bring more in the future. It also lets players try their hand in countless tournaments, from the rookie to the top level. These have official licenses and branding, adding to the ultra-realistic gameplay to emulate various tournaments excellently.

2K23 can offer the same in terms of the presence of the PGA Tour and over 20 officially licensed courses, but its courses aren’t quite as refined as EA’s. However, its community-built courses are certainly a counter. Players can create environments based on whatever they like — just the other day I enjoyed a full 18 holes set at Hogwarts. Another personal favorite is a post-apocalyptic Seattle course that’s straight out of The Last of Us.

Away from courses and licenses, there’s a plethora of ways to play in each title. From Career Mode to Quick Play and competitive matches online, both ensure you can play the way you want to. EA Sports does feel like a deeper dive, especially in Career Mode. I felt more like myself – with better character design options and swing customization – when I entered into tournaments. Hence, if you’re wanting to build your dynasty and cement yourself as the best golfer of all time, it probably edges 2K here — but that’s not to say you can’t do the same with their title.

In terms of golfers, it’s a mixed bag for both. There’s exclusive big names in each, but there’s also noticeable absences. 2K is the only one that has Tiger Woods. It also brings eclectic and enjoyable presences like Michael Jordan and Steph Curry, but EA Sports holds it own with the presence of stars like Jordan Spieth and Nelly Korda. Both games are clearly designed for players to use their own creations as much as possible.

Finally, a word on in-game stores and microtransactions are pertinent. We’re disappointed with both in this regard. Unsurprisingly given their track record with FIFA and Madden, the EA Sports PGA Tour store is thrust on players so egregiously it’s actually difficult to avoid in the average session. There’s real-life brands – TaylorMade, Ping, etc – front and center and there’s no denying that being willing to throw real-life money at the game will benefit you significantly.

This is when we’d love to be able to say 2K is the exact opposite; a utopia free of microtransactions. Unfortunately, 2K’s foray into golf also takes a leaf out of its NBA 2K book and incorporates large numbers of microtransactions, encouraging players to plough more money into the game. It feels cynical (as it does in EA’s title) so, with both disappointing in this regard, we’re chalking this entire round up as a draw.

Here, there’s a clear winner, and it’s PGA Tour 2K23. It’s certainly not a surprise given the newness of EA Sports’ PGA Tour, which only released in April of 2023. As a result, it’s down from its launch price ($79.99 / £69.99) and available for around $59.99 / £49.99 depending on the platform, version and retailer.

In contrast, PGA Tour 2K23 is available for as little as $19.99 / £14.99 depending on the platform and chosen retailer. We know this round is probably unfair on EA Sports’ game. 2K23’s release back in fall 2022 guaranteed it’d be cheaper at this point, and will probably stay that way for a while. Regardless, cost is undoubtedly a major factor for most players when buying a game, so it’s only natural to rank it on this basis. Point to 2K.

Each game has one round in the bag and the other’s a tie, so we might be at a crossroads. However, we do have advice for you. The game you choose should be dictated by how you intend to play and what you want out of your golf video game.

If you’re searching for a realistic and immersive golf game that is difficult, rewarding and exceptionally detailed, then it’s EA Sports PGA Tour that you want. It’s as faithful a golf game as there’s ever been, giving you a wealth of customization tools, truly remarkable commentary and beautiful courses.

If you’re after a simpler, quicker and downright easier golfing experience, then it’s PGA Tour 2K23 you’ll want to purchase. It’s the ideal title to play with friends as a social event, being able to get in a quick eighteen and see who comes out on top in what feels like arcade golf. You can even use the money you’ve saved to purchase Michael Jordan and play as basketball’s GOAT in the golfing world.

Hopefully, this guide on EA Sports PGA Tour and PGA Tour 2K23 has helped you decide where to invest and what you can get out of them. We can summarise it simply: EA Sports is better if you’re a golfer who wants to game, 2K is probably better if you’re a gamer who wants to golf.

EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™

Cloud enabled game while in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Learn more

+Offers in-app purchases.

Game requires online multiplayer subscription to play on console (Game Pass Core or Ultimate, sold separately).

Description

Tee off at Augusta National where you can compete for a Green Jacket. - Play unique challenges and complete quests inspired by the Masters. - Access exciting new content, golf gear drops to customize your golfer, and online tournaments to test your skills on the course. The exclusive home of the Majors, EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ features Pure Strike for superior golf gameplay powered by ShotLink®, and unrivaled access to the world’s most exclusive golf courses. Home of the Majors EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ is the exclusive home of the Majors, including the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open Championship, and The Open Championship. Pure Strike powered by ShotLink® Powered by official PGA TOUR ShotLink® and TrackMan data, Pure Strike provides unique golf swings with a fluid feel, and realistic outcomes on every golf shot. Pure Strike combines golfer-specific tendencies with unique Course Dynamics and revolutionized Ball Behavior for the premier golf gameplay experience. Your career, your way As your golf game improves, so does your path to becoming a Major champion. Create and customize a golfer, develop your skill set with new Shot Types, gain deeper course knowledge as you play, and learn to attack every hole like a pro. The world’s most exclusive courses The tee is yours at 30 courses, including some of the world’s most exclusive, designed in stunning quality with Frostbite™ so you can enjoy more of golf’s finer details than ever before. Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.

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Developed by, release date, playable on.

• Xbox Series X|S

Capabilities

• Xbox local co-op (2-2)
• Online co-op (2-2)
• Xbox local multiplayer (2-4)
• Online multiplayer (2-16)
• 4K Ultra HD
• Single player
• Spatial Sound
• Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
• Xbox achievements
• Xbox presence
• Xbox cloud saves

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EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ Deluxe Edition

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• Member-only in-game rewards
• 10-hour game trials
• A library of top EA titles
• 10% off EA digital purchases

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EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ Deluxe Edition

About This Game

• The world’s most exclusive courses — The tee is yours at 30 courses, including some of the world’s most exclusive, designed in stunning quality with Frostbite™ so you can enjoy more of golf’s finer details than ever before.

System Requirements

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Ryzen 5 1600 / Core i5 6600k
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: Radeon RX 570 /Geforce GTX 1050 Ti
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 100 GB available space
• Processor: Ryzen 7 2700X /Core i7 6700
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• Graphics: Radeon RX 5700 XT / GeForce RTX 2060 Super

Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.

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EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™

Originally posted by couturemk57 : No as long as there is no toggle switch to turn off the RNG in arcade mode i'll not buy another version.

Originally posted by Boge : Did they fix the menu with mouse controls? When I tried it, it didn't even work with mouse controls. I had to use the keyboard. Also, some people talk about the inconsistencies in this game reflecting real golf. Uh...the inconsistencies are in the wind and your swing. If the wind is constant, the lie is constant, and your swing is exactly the same, the ball should land in the exact same spot. That's physics. So inconsistencies are not a good thing. Is that actually the case in this game? Is there RNG screwing with your shot?

Originally posted by Abjuration : Originally posted by Boge : Did they fix the menu with mouse controls? When I tried it, it didn't even work with mouse controls. I had to use the keyboard. Also, some people talk about the inconsistencies in this game reflecting real golf. Uh...the inconsistencies are in the wind and your swing. If the wind is constant, the lie is constant, and your swing is exactly the same, the ball should land in the exact same spot. That's physics. So inconsistencies are not a good thing. Is that actually the case in this game? Is there RNG screwing with your shot?

Originally posted by Boge : Originally posted by Abjuration : lol you don't know what golf is..... "physics" lol, too bad humans are not robots, you know. The swing is NEVER EXACTLY THE SAME. If you like this arcade method of golf, then play 2k where you can do 10 times in a row exactly the same shot. That's ridiculous, wind is never the same, elevation can't be calculated with math (just like wind). You've been tricked into thinking Golf is a mathematical science. That's just in some videogames. The real beauty of golf, and the reason why it's one of the most played sports in the world, is that there will never be in your whole life a shot identical to the other.

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EA Sports PGA Tour: Does Buying Clubs Improve Your Stats?

EA Sports PGA Tour, the game where swinging is key to success and upgrading your Pro golfer enables the key. There are different ways to improve your golf game, and one would think upgrading from an EA Hammerhead to a Taylormade driver would improve and increase your driving range to get to the greens easily.

The most crucial part of golf is to get to the greens as quickly as possible and in the least amount of shots. With this in mind, many are asking the question, what improves when you buy new and better golf clubs? 

To learn what happens when you buy a new driver, hybrid, iron, or putter in Road to the Masters, read below.

Shopping Around In the EA Sports PGA Tour Store

In the PGA Tour store, you’ll find all apparel, equipment, specs, and more. Here you will spend your Reward Points on purchases. Reward Points are accumulated through playing tournaments and completing challenges. There are golf clubs, ranging from drivers to irons to putters. 

It is pretty expensive to purchase any of the items, as you will need a lot of Reward Points. Golf clubs are the same number of credits as buying a pair of Nike Airmax or a new golf bag, making the decision difficult. But what you need to keep in mind when shopping is, Reward Points come to you a lot easier when you are playing like a Pro.

Upgrading your golfer to improve your long and short game will allow you to play a better game of golf and receive more Reward Points quicker. 

Related: Can You Fully Max Out Your Golfer in EA Sports PGA Tour?

Now, before you make any purchases, you need to ask yourself what is more important: playing like a Pro or looking the part? Firstly, the apparel is inviting and makes you think twice about your purchases. Secondly, if you do not know what you are doing, you could end up making the wrong decision.

Does Buying Clubs Improve Your Stats in Road to the Masters?

Sadly, buying top-of-the-range golf clubs or other equipment does not improve your hitting stats in EA Sports PGA Tour Road to the Masters. The golf clubs, batting gloves, cleats, and all accessories are just for cosmetics and nothing more. 

If you plan on spending your points in the game, hold out on buying any apparel or equipment. These items can be obtained by completing challenges. Instead, use your Reward Points on specs, which are meant for upgrading your clubs’ attributes. 

Specs can also be obtained by completing daily, weekly, and other quests. This creates a way to save your points and progress steadily. How I played it out, I purchased almost nothing while trying to complete all sponsorship challenges and side quests to help improve my golfer faster.  

Looking to improve your short game on the greens? Read EA Sports PGA Tour: How to Putt Like a Pro .

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