[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/tigerwoods2005/cover.jpg[/floatleft]Tiger’s real life standards may be slipping, but his golf game definitely isn’t. Fair enough, I haven’t played that many golf games, but [i]Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005[/i] is definitely a nice game.

Game modes vary from the obvious and simple “Play Now” mode to the indulging and time-eating “Career Mode.” With Play Now, you basically choose any one of the many true-to-life golfers and away you go; but if you want a challenge, you will choose the Career Mode. It is difficult, as you have six legendary golfers to challenge here-Tiger being at the top of the tree. The six golfers are broken down so that, for example, if you choose Tiger Woods, you would have to beat five other people who are also challenging him, after which you get your shot against him. This is the same with the other five golfing legends.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/tigerwoods2005/ss11_thumb.jpg[/floatright]Now you have to make your player, be him a 500-pound hairy sandal-wearing 60-year-old man, or the trim 150-pound 25-year-old sporting sunglasses and very cool Nike golfing shoes. I created both; the first for fun, of course, but the second is now my legendary golfer. You get offered sponsorship deals the more matches you win, if you use those sponsors’ products during a match, you will be paid money for it. For example, wearing a TAG Heuer watch when the company is sponsoring you will put a few thousand bucks in your pocket. You can get sponsorship deals for everything, be it club grips, tees, or your very special multi-colored balls. There are many ways to make money, but what is the money spent on, you might ask? Well, you improve your stats by spending money in the respective allocated area, be it power, accuracy, or even luck. Also, you can buy more things to wear to be sponsored.

Something new to this year’s edition, I believe, is Tiger-proofing: basically, you have your own course and you Tiger-proof it, or make it more challenging, so that computer players will challenge you to a game at your own course. Perhaps you would like to make a 500-yard hole with thick foliage on either side of the fairway with a bunker right smack in the easiest place to lay your ball? Or a small island with 250 yards of water between the tee and the hole? You can do it all with Tiger-proofing.

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/tigerwoods2005/ss02_thumb.jpg[/floatleft]There really is nothing more satisfying than hitting a 300-yard shot in a Par 3 hole, where you hit the green on the first shot then make a successful putt on the second shot to win the hole. Twice I have smacked the ball perfectly-it flies for 220 yards or so, bounces next to the hole, and due to the spin I put on it as I hit the shot, it rolls into the hole (as I gasp in amazement and shout at my TV for the ball to get in the hole).

The game is visually stunning, the players are projected with great detail, and the amount of visual customization you can do to the course and player is immense. Play against Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods. Beat them, be proud, let your family and friends know, and be ridiculed. [i]Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005[/i], it’s a great game. Go buy it.