When I purchased the EA PGA Tour, it was the most expensive golf game, but it is now on sale (4/30/2024). Now, it is the cheapest golf game, selling for less than USD 10.00.
It pays to wait and NEVER buy a game when it comes out - wait for the sale. If you are a die-hard Golf Simulator Fan, get a copy; otherwise, read this review's What I Dislike section.
What I like about the EA PGA Tour is that it is an engaging golf simulator with beautiful graphics and a top-notch career mode that can simulate a budding golfer through their path to the Masters. EA PGA Tour licensed several golf courses, equipment, and clothing brands that can be played, + you can take on the pro sauna as a named pro golfer, such as Jack Nicklaus. Tiger Woods is absent but was under license with PGA Tour 2K23 at the time; you get the legend himself, Jack Nicklaus, as a substitute, the six-time winner of the Green Jacket. I have not played PGA Tour 2K23 since buying EA PGA Tour, as I feel EA has done a better job with the golf simulator in the graphics, environment, and gameplay execution. Playing the EA PGA Tour is challenging and rewarding in a way that keeps you coming back to improve your game. Improvements come by playing golf, taking on challenges, or participating in in-game competitions. At the end of a round, your player is awarded XP, which raises your player level and earns you points that can be traded for "skills."
Character Creation is available but limited in what can be modified - you have a fundamental choice of heads, eyes, and hair colors, but you can not change any features. When outfitting your golfer, the animation is from the SIM 4 game. Overall, Character Creation is adequate but has room for improvement.
There are many customizations with gameplay, but the game is best played with a game controller, and when played with a game controller, you never need to touch the keyboard.
What I dislike: The game will display the EA PGA AD cut scene 37 times during an 18-hole round of golf. It is like being forced to watch ads on YouTube, so after paying nearly $70.00 for this game, one would expect not to see the Logo Banner 2+ times per hole. This tactic extends your time playing without any benefit to gameplay.
Like most EA games, this title reeks of the familiar buy more content incentive to improve your golf game. First, you can acquire XP by taking on challenges and playing golf. Every hole-in-quick play will give you 1000 XP, which translates to Skill Points, which can be used to improve various aspects of your Golf Game. Playing nine rounds of golf is enough to get you two skill points. Until you reach a certain level, you then need 160,000 XP to move to the next level. Can you imagine playing 160,000 holes of golf to move up one level? But wait, EA has a solution - Purchase an XP booster at the IN-GAME STORE using your REAL money. However, once purchased, the XP booster only lasts a few hours. EA has it all figured out. They offer levels of booster. The higher the booster, the more you pay! You can not pause the booster once purchased, so EA forces you to see the stupid Golf Ads that slow up your gameplay.
The EA PGA Tour golf game is also server-based, which means losing the EA server connection at the 17th hole could mean losing all your effort and XP earned during that session. Also, if EA decides to shut down the servers later, good luck with playing the game - it has an offline option but does nothing to advance you as a golfer.
In summary, if you are a die-hard golf fan who doesn't mind being bent over, go for it; otherwise, steer clear.