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Playing With the Pros: On-screen indicators and a club tuner are major improvements in '09 version
Electric Arts Inc. Photo
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Published: September 18, 2008
Tiger Woods isn't the only familiar face in his namesake game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (EA Sports, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99; Wii, $49.99; PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, $39.99): You'll also compete against Vijay Singh, Annika Sorenstam and other pros.
But the one guy you'll really see a lot of is Woods' coach, Hank Haney, who pops up after every round with exercises to improve various aspects of your game. Haney is a welcome addition, and I found that his drills actually did improve my overall performance.
The big improvement in PGA Tour 09 is in the mechanics of swinging your club. The analog controls in last year's edition made it too difficult to gauge the power and accuracy of your shots. This time, EA has added on-screen indicators to give you a better idea, before you make the shot, of whether your ball is going to slice off into the woods. EA has also added a club tuner that allows you to adjust the controls to compensate for your own tendencies.
The online play is far superior to last year's. It has a cleaner interface that makes finding a match much easier. PGA Tour 09 also borrows a trick from Sony's Hot Shots Golf with simultaneous play, with everyone taking shots at the same time. (Instead of having to watch your opponents play, you see their shots as colored trails.) And the GamerNet instant challenges, in which you're asked to outdo achievements by other online golfers, add a nice element of unpredictability.
PGA Tour 09 looks better than ever, and it's more fun for newcomers and veterans alike.
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