Golf video games: Top 20 of all time
7. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
The first game to ever include the Ryder Cup was quietly a very solid game that took graphics to a new level as the colors of team golf came to life.
This was a game I personally was highly anticipating when it was announced. Still only a few years removed from discovering this great sport, I learned about the Ryder Cup and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 was the first and only game to feature the historic team event. It was also a perfect time, when Celtic Manor was designed specifically for the Ryder Cup.
As we know, Celtic Manor is a gorgeous golf course in Wales and it looked great in the game, serving as the perfect backdrop as you played the Ryder Cup mode. You were able to build your roster. Whether you were Team USA or Team Europe, you could place your created golfer in there and even one of the LPGA Tour stars, which I thought was very cool and I made sure to include Paula Creamer on one of my squads.
For example, if you played one hole with one group, the game allowed you to control another group on a different hole.
It was fun as you were able to swap groups throughout the round. For example, if you played one hole with one group, the game allowed you to control another group on a different hole.
Among other features was the addition of Liberty National Golf Club, which was very neat. The course looked great with the Statue of Liberty far in the background and it made for an epic setting of golf. Another course to make its PS3/Xbox 360 debut was Emerald Dragon, a fantasy course made by EA Sports.
It’s personally one of my top-five favorite courses in the series so it was a thrill to see it make a return. You were also able to take the team game online and play with friends. Up to 24 players could duel it out on one course. This really helped make the Ryder Cup experience more immersive.
When you have 24 real players duking it out in a team format, the drama unfolds and you can’t save yourself all the time. This was also the last time you’d see costumes, which had become an iconic feature of the series. But with the Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor, some improved graphics and fun online gameplay, TW11 was a dandy.