Golden Tee GO PGA Tour review — The definitive golfing experience, now in a slick home package

I’m not what you’d call a golfer, heck, I can barely putt-putt, but that never stopped me from challenging my friends to a round of golf in Golden Tee anytime that I stumbled upon one of its many arcade iterations during my younger bar-hopping days. Despite my unfamiliarity with the sport and lack of knowledge on everything from golf clubs to even the most basic rules, I still had a blast with Golden Tee. The series somehow transcended genres, drawing in players of all types. There’s something about spinning the track ball which adds to the thrill of competing against your friends, and thanks to its extreme accessibility, anybody can play regardless of skill or golf knowledge. I may not remember everything from those late nights, but I certainly remember the fun I had playing Golden Tee.

Now, thanks to Golden Tee GO PGA Tour, I can finally bring that experience home. While this is not the first home iteration created, it is the first I’ve had the chance to pick up and play, and to say that my memories didn’t come flooding back to me upon seeing the start screen would be a lie. Golden Tee GO PGA Tour is incredibly well designed and perfectly recreates the arcade experience while including a bevy of enhancements, including online play, nearly 100 total golf courses, multiple game modes, and the ability to customize your player.

Let’s first talk about the console unit itself. The first thing you’ll notice is its size and weight. This is not some low-quality home version of Golden Tee, this is a full-blown monster of a unit, capable of withstanding countless hours of play from even the most, ahem, spirited trackball rollers. The unit weighs nearly 26 lbs, with a depth of 20”, a height of 8”, and a width of 25” and is sturdy enough that it will not rock or topple over during play, provided you place it on a sturdy surface or one of Incredible Technologies purchasable stands. The trackball rests in the center of the unit and is used not only for swinging, but also to scroll through menus or to change your club. On the left of the trackball are three buttons, “Left”, “Fly-By”, and “Right”, used during gameplay, and to the right of the trackball are three more buttons, “Options”, “Spin”, and “Start”, which are pretty self-explanatory. The unit also includes a built-in NFC reader which allows tap usage for logging in during online play.

The unit is connected via HDMI and only requires a power source and a 4K TV. Yes, you must use a 4K TV, anything else will result in an error during boot up and will not load. This is most likely not a problem for most at this point in time, but I did want to make sure anybody reading this is aware of this requirement. The unit also comes with built in Wi-Fi, allowing for quick online connections. Courtesy of the simple plug-and-play setup, you’ll be ready to golf within minutes!

From the moment you boot up the unit, you’ll find yourself impressed by the overall presentation. Golden Tee looks glorious in 4K and is certainly a far cry from the pixelated arcades of years past. Sure, the golf courses and player graphics are not on par with the AAA titles on current gen consoles, but they serve their purpose and, most importantly, the game plays smoothly and without any hiccups, lag, or other noticeable issues. I’ll take smooth gameplay over groundbreaking graphics any day, especially when it comes to sporting games or anything which requires precision, such as golfing.

There is a lot of game included here. Not only are there more than 100 courses in total, but also three main game modes and character customization options. Game modes include a basic 18-hole golf tournament for up to 4 players, a “Closest to the Pin” mode, and a “Target Rush” mode. The main draw will of course be the 18-hole golf tournaments which can take place on any of the incredibly varied, detailed, and challenging golf courses, but “Closest to the Pin” and “Target Rush” should not be discounted, especially during parties or any event where you’d rather have a rapid-fire experience than an extended gameplay session.

The classic 18-hole mode includes courses ranging from new designs to those pulled from the series’ 30+ year history and even eight real PGA Tour courses, one of which lets you play Hole 17 on TPC Sawgrass which is often referred to as the most famous hole in golf. With over 100 courses, you’d worry that they may quickly deteriorate into nothing more than slight variations of each other, but thankfully that is not the case. Since the courses are pulled from more than three decades of Golden Tee, mixed with brand new designs, players will travel around the world to play golf in nearly every setting you can imagine. Choosing a course may end up taking as much time as a match, as you and your friends argue over whether to golf in Japan, in the middle of the Sahara Desert, or on the beautiful Palmetto Coast. The choices feel endless and offer up an absolutely enormous amount of replayability. Each course is fantastically designed, featuring obstacles to avoid, challenging par requirements, and overall being a great test of skill. I found myself replaying courses multiple times to figure out how to best adjust my shot, which club to use, and how to beat my previous score.

Before beginning a playthrough you can choose whether you’d like to be represented as a male or female player, and customize the color and style of their pants, shirt, and hat. If you connect online then you can also unlock a wide variety of additional customization items, though an online subscription is not necessary for basic play. Before each swing the game will default to what it feels is the best club for you to use, but you are welcome to switch up per your own preferences. Helpful indicators on the screen provide wind direction, the number of yards to the hole, as well as the number of yards your choice of club will most likely be able to accomplish. Swinging your golf club is as simple as rolling the trackball, though you are able to finesse your rolls to perform various swings. Before swinging you are able to adjust the angle you are facing, which is helpful when attempting to account for wind and land layout. A fun feature allows you to replay any shot you make, which can be quite funny when you choose to replay some of your worst shots for added embarrassment.

Once you’ve had your fill of the 18-hole mode, you should check out “Closest to the Pin” and “Target Rush,” both of which are immensely enjoyable experiences and much more fast-paced than the basic game of golf. “Closest to the Pin” features nine holes, with each player getting one swing per hole, and the player with the closest distance to the hole after their swing winning the round. “Target Rush” features one hole and a 60 second timer, but with the ability to swing an unlimited number of times. The goal of “Target Rush” is to score points in a specified target zone, with the player who scores the most points winning. Both modes are an absolute blast to play, and I especially enjoyed “Closet to the Pin” as it essentially also serves as a sight-seeing tour of the various courses available. I found myself diving back into both these modes countless times for some friendly competition during holiday get-togethers.

Golden Tee GO PGA Tour also boasts a wide range of online features, supported by a subscription package which can be purchased monthly or as an annual installment. Online benefits include unlocking new game modes, courses, and features as well as new items to customize your character and the ability to track your stats against other players worldwide. The online mode allows you to participate in competitive matches with up to three other players on any of its modes, and Incredible Technologies has already announced a year of continued support, which will include regular updates such as new courses and player events. One of the most exciting aspects of the online mode is the ability to compete in a “Random Round” game, which puts you up against players from around the world as you compete in a full 18-hole round with each golf course selected at random from the over 100 available. This is another great way to see the beautiful courses that this package has to offer without needing to check out each course individually.

While Golden Tee GO PGA Tour is a fantastic package, its price point will most likely scare away all but the most obsessed golfers. There are countless hours of gameplay here, essentially an infinite amount thanks to online play and updates, but i’d be surprised if the price point doesn’t end up causing a few double takes. Still, for those that do pick this up, you most likely won’t regret the purchase, but be prepared for your house to become the weekly meet up place for some friendly – or not so friendly – competition.

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