Product Reviews

The quest for the top prize keeps golfers on their toes and, with Microsoft having recently releasing Links 2003, PC golf sims needed a decent challenger to shake up the leaderboard. Step up EA with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003.

This year, the developers have gone back to the drawing board, making the game more realistic by adding great graphics and sound effects, as well as significantly improving on last year's TrueSwing - where you use real-time mouse movements to play shots, as opposed to the traditional three-click method. Essentially, your progress depends on you working out the speed at which to play your shots.

The new Career mode isn't what it seems, as it's actually a calendar-based mode where you play for money by entering yourself into chipping, putting and driving contests, as well as the odd nine-hole match - hardly reflective of a career. And it's not much fun either, as you have to watch your AI competitors take their shots as well.

Season mode is where you want to tee off after practising. Here you choose either

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to play as one of 15 PGA regulars or as your custom-built self. You then decide which Pringle gear to wear at the historic St Andrews or trendy Pebble Beach, or any of the remaining ten prestigious courses. As usual, you're assisted with club selection, but don't feel obliged to go with what you're recommended.

If after a few eagles you're feeling confident, it's worth going head-to-head with someone on the Internet, either through EA's website or by typing in your opponent's IP address. Note, however, that at $5 a month for the former option you'll have paid a lot on top of the game itself.

PGA's graphics are clearly the best yet. The flight of the ball, movement of the trees in the wind, and the other weather effects are truly amazing. Similarly, the sounds of chirping birds and the trees rustling in the breeze add to the all-round solidness of the game. The commentary, however, is where EA falls down again. Not only are the phrases repeated too frequently, but, more often than not, they're incorrect in relation to what's happening in the game; for example, I was warned about how the high winds would affect my shot, but the wind speed detector hadn't tipped 2mph.

The game does have other weaknesses, too, particularly the Career mode. It's useful for developing your skills, but it isn't linked to the actual season, which is a severe letdown as this would let you chart how your learning curve is improving. Also, putting is a little too easy.

Still, Tiger Woods 2003 retains all the good bits from last year and adds enough extras, such as a course designer, to keep it at the top of the leaderboard.