EA Sports PGA Tour is just a month away from launch and will be the first EA golf game to come out since Rory McIlroy PGA Tour all the way back in 2015. For context, the PS4 and Xbox One were only a year old when RM was released. Now, we are three years into the new-gen consoles.
The new game also sees the return of Augusta National and The Masters, which has been absent from the series since Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14. With the return of the iconic course that is always in extremely high demand, it will undoubtedly be a fan favorite.
Take a deeper dive into the #EAPGATOUR courses ⛳️
Watch the official Course Overview Trailer tomorrow at 11am EST 📺
➡️ https://t.co/fjIKq5fRhI pic.twitter.com/PsU6ZPLV2w
— EA SPORTS PGA TOUR (@EASPORTSPGATOUR) February 20, 2023
With Augusta leading the way as captain of the golf course pirate ship, EA included 29 other courses as well. There will be plenty of familiar names but there are several other courses that are pleasant additions. Tara Iti, Southern Hills, and The Country Club are a few of the new courses that pop out.
It’s also nice seeing a par-3 course like Top of the Rock making its debut in an EA golf game. Teeth of the Dog is another standout, and one the late great Pete Dye once called “the best course he’s designed.”
Courses play a massive role in golf, and it seems that the folks at EA Sports wanted to put full emphasis on that in the new game. They had low-flying helicopters and photographers go around each of the courses to grab every detail.
“We start off by making sure the courses are visually accurate and all of the data for it is correct; slopes and things like that”, gameplay designer Craig Penner said. “We want to make sure that, when you’re playing each course, you’re facing the same level of challenge and trying to hit the same type of shots as pro golfers.”
The Golf Ball Will React To Different Courses
One of the big things that were mentioned in one of the trailers for EA Sports PGA Tour was ball behavior. The golf ball will react to the different grasses that are on offer with each course. This is one element that’s important for the challenge of golf, and it’s one EA wanted to replicate as best they can.
Each course has its own grass type, so playing a links track in Scotland is going to feel different compared to a place in Georgia. The ball will react differently and that’s one of the aims of EA Sports PGA Tour.
“If we don’t design a course like St. Andrews (Old Course) to be fast and firm like it is, then you can just go and hunt pins and go about it that way,” Penner said. “But, because we have created and handcrafted these courses to be authentic like they are in real life, you might try do that but then realize that the ball is bouncing and running after and you’re gonna have to land the shot short and run it up the green, slowly going through the same process that the pros do.”
Players May Need To Take Advantage Of The Extra Shot Types
It seems like one of the main ways to dominate a course in EA Sports PGA Tour will be to utilize the many different shot types that are available thanks to the Pure Strike system. You might need to switch up regularly to help give you an advantage, as one play tester found out.
“I remember we had a playtest with someone, and they said the greens on one of the courses were too soft and that they use a 60-degree wedge shot and it spun off the front,” Penner said. “We said no no no, that happens with pro golfers; they spin these so much that if you try to hit a full wedge like that, you’re going to spin it off the front in certain areas so that’s when you’re going to have to learn how to hit some of these other shots.”
Courses always did play a little differently in past games. However, you were still able to take similar approaches to each shot, whereas with this game it seems like you’ll need to rely more on your shot creativity.
Golf With An RPG Flair
There’s even an attribute system for the courses now. It’ll tell what its strengths and weaknesses are against the golfers. Is the course weak against golfers who rely on power? You should have an advantage if you’re a bomber. Does the course have a reputation for featuring difficult greens? Then make sure your putting game is on point.
This new feature adds a slight RPG element to the experience. You can think of each course as a boss battle of sorts. Bosses have their strengths and weaknesses and that’s exactly how it plans on being with the courses in EA Sports PGA Tour.
“No two things are alike. Think of it like different levels in the Mario games; that’s what our courses are,” producer Ben Ramsour said. “You attack them in different ways, there are things that are unique about them.”
Major Golf With Major Challenge
Arguably the biggest feature in EA Sports PGA Tour is the return of all four major championships and the Ryder Cup. As it pertains to the courses, there looks to be a change in course difficulty during the majors as opposed to regular tour events. So more than likely, we’ll probably have those famed US Open conditions that have given it a reputation for being the hardest major.
“Each tournament plays a little differently, a little harder, and as you get towards the majors; they are boss battles,” lead producer David Baker said. “When you hit Augusta, and you’ve done whatever you’ve done with your character (in career mode), you will have to be prepared to play that golf course and it will be hard to play.”
The combination of laser-scanned technology, helicopters, and professional photographers look to help truly bring the courses to life. Laser scanning is something that was utilized in the past when EA first got the Augusta license for Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’12, ’13, and ’14. They took the time to scan the entirety of the hollowed grounds, so we’ll see how things turn out this time around.
Courses are such a huge aspect of the identity of golf. In a sport where you don’t have a direct opponent, the course design is essentially your matchup, which is created by the true boss, the designer. With all of the resources and money poured into making sure each of the courses are on point, it will be interesting to see how they deliver once EA Sports PGA Tour is in the hands of gamers.
