In golf heaven, the days are always warm and sunny, the skies always clear, and the tournaments run without a hitch. Unfortunately, back here on earth, we must sometimes deal with the fact that there’s going be stormy weather that prevents us from enjoying our favourite game – at least when it comes to actually playing it at the course. In fact, over the years, there have been a number of excellent golf video games created that allow golfers to enjoy everything that they love about the game without having to leave the comfort of their own homes.
Many of these games might be a bit dated at this point, but they can still provide countless hours of fun. For the golfer that has a spare console or gaming computer, it’s definitely worth giving them a try.
Sid Meier’s SimGolf
A bit different to most of the other games on this list, Sid Meier’s SimGolf isn’t so much about playing the game in real-time as it is about creating and managing a golf course. It shares many of the same mechanics as other strategy games of the same ilk, including Sim City and Roller Coaster Tycoon. It’s endlessly fun, and despite the fact that it was released in 2002, it still has lots to offer.
At the end of the day, there just aren’t any other golf simulator games quite like this one, and Sid Meier’s titles tend to be some of the best videogames ever made.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour ‘12
A game from well-known development studio EA, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 is all about taking the player and putting them in a professional setting. It’s one of the newer titles on the list, which means better graphics and modern game play that’s sure to keep most people entertained for many hours. This game is a favourite for many due to the fact it’s the first golfing game where there’s an in-game caddy, something that was notably missing from previous games of the same genre.
The game was released on several consoles, meaning that it’s still very much obtainable and playable today.
Links 2003
Many consider Links 2003 to be the best golf game of all time, and it’s not difficult to see why. At the time of the game’s release, the golfing world was at the peak of its popularity, and there was a huge incentive to create a game that captured all the magic of golf and deliver it to a keen audience.
Even today, there remains a hardcore community of gamers that have a deep passion for Links, and thanks to a number of mods and add-ons over the years, it’s just as much fun to play today as when it was first released, like playing a few rounds to overcome the nerves when enjoying some French Open tennis betting. It’s the ultimate realistic golf simulator, and anyone with a love of both golf and gaming will want this in their library.