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EA SPORTS PGA TOUR, the exclusive home of all four men's majors and road to the Masters launches worldwide on March 24, 2023

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Watch the official game trailer here

In addition, EA SPORTS PGA TOUR will launch with Road to the Masters which brings tradition and unmatched stakes featuring Augusta National, challenges, tournaments and gear tied to the Masters. The Masters made its first-ever virtual appearance with EA SPORTS in 2011, and its return to video games has been highly requested by golf fans. EA SPORTS will also provide more details on additional live service content throughout the 2023 PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour seasons.

“We're bringing the premier PGA TOUR experience to players around the world with real-world golf data powering incredibly realistic gameplay with every shot, and some of the most iconic courses in the world rendered in painstaking detail,” said Cam Weber, EVP and GM, EA SPORTS. “From The Old Course at St Andrews Links to Pebble Beach Golf Links and more, we’re giving players the chance to tee off in bucket list golf experiences like never before in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR .”

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR released the official gameplay trailer today, featuring the all-new Pure Strike shot system. The full trailer can be seen on EA SPORTS PGA TOUR’s YouTube channel , and can be watched here .

Pure Strike gives golf fans all the tools they need to realistically attack every hole on every course the same way the pros do. Featuring ShotLink® powered by CDW and TrackMan, Pure Strike also helps ensure that each professional golfer’s unique swing and attributes will be accurately reflected in the game. Pure Strike incorporates the three parts of every golf shot - fluid swing mechanics that are highly accurate to a player’s backswing length and speed of follow through, innovative ball behavior allowing every bounce and roll to behave more accurately across a variety of terrain and course conditions, and lifelike course dynamics that play true to their real-life course counterparts.

In addition to being the exclusive home of all four men’s majors, EA SPORTS PGA TOUR is filled with experiences and content players have been asking for in a golf game, including:

• World Famous Courses - The tee is yours at 30 courses, including some of the world’s most prominent venues such as Augusta National Golf Club, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Southern Hills Country Club, The Old Course at St Andrews Links, The Country Club, Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course, Torrey Pines, Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, East Lake Golf Club, TPC Southwind, The Los Angeles Country Club, Wilmington Country Club and more. EA SPORTS PGA TOUR will also feature the past major host courses in 2021 and 2022 as well as the new 2023 majors courses releasing post-launch.
• Your Career, Your Way - EA SPORTS PGA TOUR provides players with an RPG-like progression system on the Road to the Masters. As their golf game improves, the closer they’ll be to becoming a major champion. Players will be able to create and customize a golfer, develop their skills and master each course to attack every hole like a pro. With 20 shot types available as players progress in the game, they can enhance their skill set for driving, approach, short game, or putting, depending on their style. Players will be able to compete to become a major champion, and take on the PGA TOUR's best events in the season-long race for the FedExCup, as well as conquer the top Amateur Championships including the Augusta National Women's Amateur, the U.S. Amateur, and other elite international amateur events.
• THE PLAYERS Championship and FedExCup Playoffs - The PLAYERS Championship and all three events of the FedExCup Playoffs will be in the game, and players can earn in-game FedExCup points in Career Mode for the opportunity to compete in the FedExCup Playoffs. As part of the Career mode, top golfers at the end of the year will be given the opportunity to win the FedExCup.
• Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and The Amundi Evian Championship - In partnership with the LPGA, EA SPORTS PGA TOUR allows fans to compete at The Amundi Evian Championship, one of the LPGA Tour’s five major championships, and have the opportunity to play as several female athletes as well as create a female golfer in the overhauled Create-A-Player system. Players will also be able to participate in a series of LPGA-themed challenges and other events. Iona Stephen will be joining the EA commentary team as the first female on-course commentator in-game, bringing her experienced insights from both playing professionally and working in golf broadcasting.
• True-to-Life Course Visuals - EA SPORTS PGA TOUR will also present the most realistic visuals in any golf game utilizing EA’s Frostbite™ engine. Using state-of-the-art equipment, including drone technology, helicopters and airplanes equipped with custom LiDAR scanners, and more to develop terrain maps, EA SPORTS PGA TOUR depicts courses exactly as they appear in real life. The photogrammetry and scanners were also applied to create precise renderings of clubhouses, iconic vegetation, bridges, tee markers, rock formations, and other on-course elements offering players life-like visual experiences of their favorite courses.
• ShotLink® - Utilizing ShotLink ® powered by CDW, the PGA TOUR’s proprietary real-time scoring system since 2001, golfers will authentically be replicated with accurate player ratings, skills and magnified true-to-life in-game events.
• TrackMan Data - Insights implemented from TrackMan, a world leader in 3D ball flight measurement and swing analysis, is a critical component to authentic gameplay utilizing a myriad of stats including club tuning, flight trajectory, landing position and much more.

Pre-orders for EA SPORTS PGA TOUR are now available, including the Deluxe Edition where players will receive three-day early access to the game and Augusta National, THE PLAYERS Championship Gear, The Grand Slam Gear Bundle, Scotty Cameron Putter in-game, 1,500 Premium PGA TOUR points, a PGA TOUR XP Bundle and The Masters gear*. EA Play** members will also receive early access to the game, starting with a 10-hour early access trial on March 21. EA Play Pro members will enjoy unlimited access to the Deluxe Edition of the game – as well as the exclusive EA Play Staff Bag – starting March 21. Lastly, all EA Play members will unlock additional bonuses for EA SPORTS PGA TOUR, with monthly drops of Pro Shop perks such as exclusive headcovers, shirts, hats and more.

For more details on EA SPORTS PGA TOUR , and to register for email updates, visit r . Follow @EASPORTSPGATOUR on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram for the latest updates.

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR is being developed in Orlando and Madrid by EA Tiburon.

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EA Sports PGA Tour: Road to the Masters is a golf game unlike any other

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EA Sports PGA Tour: Road to the Masters is out now.

Didn’t score Masters tickets this year? Still trying to cope with the fact you might never peg it at Augusta National? Those things might not change, but you can still visit Augusta … virtually.

For the first time since 2013, Augusta National is back in video game form with the latest release of EA Sports PGA Tour.

EA Sports, known for its popular Madden NFL and FIFA titles, is relaunching its popular golf series in 2023 for the first time since 2015 — and it’s bringing back the home of the Masters as part of it all.

Augusta National hasn’t been in the game since 2014, the last time the series was released under the “Tiger Woods” name. Augusta is one of 30 different courses now available on the new game, with more courses — like major hosts Oak Hill and Los Angeles Country Club — coming online as those majors get underway.

EA’s return to the golf world means that golf gamers have the option between two PGA Tour-licensed golf games for the first time. 2K Sports released its third PGA Tour-licensed game, PGA Tour 2K23 with Tiger Woods, last fall.

The EA game was officially launched on Masters Friday, and we at GOLF have been putting it through the wringer to see if it’s a worthy golf simulation game. Here’s what we learned.

What we liked

Graphics and Aesthetics: In the run-up to the release of the game, the EA Development Team credited significant advancements in video game visual technology with bringing the series back from its nearly decade-long hiatus.

They weren’t kidding. Not only do the courses look stunning — EA producer Ben Ramsour told GOLF a screenshot of Augusta’s 13th green was mistaken for a photograph — but also the swing animations have finally started to appear lifelike.

You can really see EA’s attention to detail with the equipment highlighted in the game. From Callaway and TaylorMade drivers to Scotty Cameron putters, most of the game’s most modern offerings are available to users. And it all looks like the real thing. EA even brought insane detail into recreations of the trophies from golf’s majors, which brings us to the next item…

The four majors : Unlike the 2K games, EA Sports PGA Tour features exclusive rights to all four of the men’s major championships, meaning that the majors are now playable in career mode. That also goes for the U.S. Amateur, as well as the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. You can also play in the LPGA’s Evian Championship .

Each major has a unique broadcast package, with specific lines of dialogue from the broadcast team — a solid grouping that reunites Rich Lerner with Frank Nobilo, Notah Begay III and Iona Stephen. Nick Faldo even handles a spine-tingling intro for the Masters.

Career mode : You have three options of where to start your career: as an amateur in either the U.S. Am or the ANWA, a pro playing on the Korn Ferry Tour or by skipping those steps and heading straight to the PGA Tour.

I chose to start as an amateur, winning the U.S. Amateur to qualify for both the Masters and U.S. Open. My player made the cut on the number at Augusta (I have yet to break 71 there, more on that in a bit) and then earned a solid top 10 at the U.S. Open. Eventually, I’ll have to tackle Korn Ferry Tour Q-School before advancing up the ranks into the world of the PGA Tour.

As you play rounds or challenges, which can range from easy to very difficult, you earn XP to level up your golfer and earn skill points to improve your ratings and add shot selections to your repertoire.

Gameplay and shot types: Finally, a golf game has done justice to the stinger and the knockdown, two of my favorite shots. You have to level up your golfer enough to unlock these speciality shots — at which point you need to learn how to use them — but it’s fun to see a game actually delve into shot-making.

I’ve been playing on a custom difficulty in between the two most-difficult settings, “Tour” and “Simulation.” This means my shots are penalized or rewarded for timing, my clubs are recommended to me by carry distance, not total yardage, and I don’t get putt previews or shot trails. In the past, I’ve found golf video games were too easy in the mid-difficulty levels and far too difficult at the harder settings. With the latest EA offering, I’ve found a balance that allows me to shoot some “normal” scores that a pro would shoot on a real course.

The actual swing mechanic works nicely into the user interface. Some people have noticed some lagging in the timing, but it rarely impacts me significantly.

That said, Augusta National is hard. I mean, seriously hard, especially around the greens. I have yet to break 71 there and it’s mostly due to the crazy slope in the greens. That makes not only putting difficult but also chipping and approach shots.

Thanks to new ball flight and ball behavior settings, shots seem to react like they would at ANGC. Miss the tiny plateau in the upper right corner of 6 green? You’re going all the way back to the front left corner. Come up short on 9? You’ll be rewarded with a fun 50-yard pitch. Go long of the Sunday pin on 18? Good luck with that putt.

As expected, you also won’t get the same kind of spin at say, Bandon Dunes or St. Andrews, where the ball bounces and bounds like a true links course. These tendencies are independent of what the course setting is too. “Tournament” conditions at St. Andrews will naturally be firmer than at Augusta, but green speeds in Georgia will be quicker.

What could be better

I’m no video game expert (I only ever buy golf and basketball games at this point) but here’s what I, as a golfer, would like to see.

Short game: Short shots have always been the toughest to replicate in video games for some reason. Thanks to the new ball behavior, putting from off the green is finally reasonably accurate. The game also added a spinner shot, basically a lower pitch that checks, which I found myself using most of the time once I unlocked it. However, I still find myself using the flop shot at times I wouldn’t in relief simply because it spins way more than it should, even out of the rough. Also, where the spinner checks a little, the regular pitch and chip shots don’t. It would be very hard to recreate Tiger’s chip-in from the 2005 Masters.

Real-world weather : I believe the previous EA games had access to real-world weather that would allow you to play courses in real-time conditions. I would love to see that again as the tournaments I’ve played had random wind directions and speeds each day. Plus, the PGA is in May now — no way there’s perfect weather all the time!

Parting thoughts

The graphics and actual shot types make this game a must-have for any golf-loving video gamer or a video game-loving golfer. But then again, a golf game with Augusta National might be enough to earn “must-have” status alone.

After Tiger Woods’ 2K23 game came out around the same time this one was teased, I thought more people would gravitate toward 2K thanks to Tiger’s name (which was part of the success of EA’s previous games ).

But EA deserves a big chunk of the market share with this game. They knocked it out of the park with a vastly superior experience both from a visuals and gameplay standpoint. Would I love to play with Tiger in this game? Yes — but I’d argue having access to some of the best venues in golf is more important. I’d also love to figure out how to use EA’s graphics on a golf simulator, because the game has some of the best golf visuals I’ve ever seen.

EA Sports PGA Tour is out now for PlayStation 5, Xbox S|X and PC; the standard edition costs $69.99 and the deluxe edition costs $84.99.

EA Sports PGA Tour

Latest in lifestyle, how are 'short' golf courses rated an expert explains, 10 father's day gifts our golf dads actually want, 5 great golf finds you should buy (all under $50), memorial tournament betting guide: 7 picks our gambling expert loves this week.

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™

• PS Plus required for online play
• In-game purchases optional
• Supports up to 16 online players with PS Plus
• Online play optional
• 1 - 4 players

Deluxe Edition

• 1500 PGA TOUR POINTS
• PGA TOUR XP Bundle

Global player ratings

Play the Ryder Cup at the newly-added course Marco Simone located in Rome, Italy only in EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ Season 6: Ryder Cup Edition. Collect new gear to represent your team with honor and take on new challenges inspired by the iconic golf tournament. The exclusive home of the Majors, EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ features Pure Strike for superior golf gameplay powered by ShotLink®, and unrivaled access to the world’s most exclusive golf courses. Home of the Majors EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™ is the exclusive home of the Majors, including the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open Championship, and The Open Championship. Pure Strike powered by ShotLink® Powered by official PGA TOUR ShotLink® and TrackMan data, Pure Strike provides unique golf swings with a fluid feel, and realistic outcomes on every golf shot. Pure Strike combines golfer-specific tendencies with unique Course Dynamics and revolutionized Ball Behavior for the premier golf gameplay experience. Your career, your way As your golf game improves, so does your path to becoming a Major champion. Create and customize a golfer, develop your skill set with new Shot Types, gain deeper course knowledge as you play, and learn to attack every hole like a pro. The world’s most exclusive courses The tee is yours at 30 courses, including some of the world’s most exclusive, designed in stunning quality with Frostbite™ so you can enjoy more of golf’s finer details than ever before.

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'EA Sports PGA Tour' 2023 release date, price, courses, consoles and more on newest golf video game

Those who indulge will be able to play at major championship venues such as augusta national.

EA Sports is officially back in the golf video game space with its impending release of "EA Sports PGA TOUR". Marking its first venture back to the golf scene since "Rory McIlroy PGA Tour" in 2015, the return to consoles will feature stark contrasts compared to those that came before. Having previously featured cover athletes such as McIlroy and primarily Tiger Woods from 1999-2014, this year's edition of the game will not include a big-name superstar on the cover. EA Sports will instead lean on new gameplay options, advanced technology and the inclusion of some of the most storied golf courses around the world.

Below is everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming release of "EA Sports PGA Tour".

Release date

The official release date for "EA Sports PGA TOUR" is Friday, March 24, just two weeks before the 2023 Masters. This makes some sense as the game will feature a Road to the Masters gameplay option. 

Price and consoles

The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Featuring three different editions, each will come at a different price point. The "Deluxe Edition" is available for pre-order at $84.99 while the "Standard Edition" comes in at $69.99. Lastly, the "EA Play Pro Edition" is listed at $99.99/yr.

The game will include 30 courses in total, and boasts some of the world's most prominent venues such as Augusta National Golf Club, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Southern Hills Country Club, The Old Course at St Andrews Links, The Country Club, Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Ocean Course, Torrey Pines, Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, East Lake Golf Club, TPC Southwind, The Los Angeles Country Club, Wilmington Country Club and more. It will also feature the major host courses from 2021 and 2022 as well as the new 2023 majors courses releasing post-launch. 

You can play the game as Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Champ, Xander Schauffele, Sungjae Im, Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau and Hideki Matsuyama.

My Career mode

The game will include a role playing game mode-type progression in the Road to the Masters. As one's golf game improves, the likelihood of donning the green jacket or raising a major championship trophy increases. Users will be able to create and customize a golfer and develop their skills through the 20 different shot types available. From there, players will compete in major championships, participate in some of the PGA Tour's best events -- such as The Players Championship -- and ultimately the FedEx Cup. In addition to this, players can take on top amateur championships including the Augusta National Women's Amateur, the U.S. Amateur and other elite international amateur events.

LPGA and the Amundi Evian Championship

In partnership with the LPGA, fans can compete at The Amundi Evian Championship, one of the LPGA Tour's five major championships. They will also have the opportunity to play as several female athletes as well as create a female golfer in the Create-A-Player feature and be able to participate in a series of LPGA-themed challenges and other events.

New technology

• True-to-Life course visuals:  EA's Frostbite engine uses state-of-the-art equipment such as drone technology, custom LiDAR flight helicopters and more to develop terrain maps allowing to game to depict courses exactly as they appear in real life
• ShotLink:  Golfers will authentically be replicated with accurate player ratings, skills and magnified true-to-life in-game events by utilizing the PGA Tour's proprietary real-time scoring system since 2001.
• Trackman data:  Insights from TrackMan will allow for authentic gameplay utilizing a myriad of stats including club tuning, flight trajectory, landing position and much more.

What about Tiger Woods?

Woods is no longer with the EA Sports family after their partnership from 1999-2014. The 15-time major champion is now with the 2K franchise , and made it known to his followers where they can play as him.

The only way to play as me, and my friends, is in PGA TOUR 2K23, available now. #team2k pic.twitter.com/5lwCJ73o4v — Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2023

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EA Sports PGA Tour – Road to the Masters Review | A Master in the Making?

EA Sports PGA Tour Road to the Masters – the golf game presumed to make a strong comeback after being MIA for the last eight years. Speculations were that this title was meant to come in, use the latest tech, come up with new initiatives, and knock its competitors out of the park. So, did it exceed expectations?

Features such as the Puke Strike, Ball Behavior, the long list of Pros, exclusive golf courses, game modes, and more were all meant to set this one apart following its worldwide release on April 7. Adding pressure to the release of Road to the Masters was the brave decision to make the game exclusive to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC, while excluding the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. From this, you have to ask… Did they accomplish what they set out to do by excluding other platforms?

With this review, Prima Games will discuss the gameplay, graphics, pros and cons, and more. The discussion will also cover if EA Sports PGA Tour is a game changer in the golfing simulation world; if it perfectly stroked past its counterparts; if it’s worthwhile investing all your time in; or if it’s none of the sorts.

Sit back, grab a coffee, and enjoy the read. Hopefully, it’s not like the suffocating silence you experience before making a long 40ft putt, and it’s more like the release of cheers around the golf course after a long successful drive for a Greens In Regulation.

EA Sports PGA Tour Gameplay and Features

EA Sports PGA Tour Gameplay has a few clean swings and missed hits. EA’s hit-and-miss involves the in-game experience, what to make of the user interface and many other factors. 

Let’s start with playing golf. 

Playing Golf

Yes, many out there feel the new swing mechanics of Road to the Masters left EA in the rough. However, I liked it more than I hated it and quickly became accustomed. With the developers ready to introduce the 3-Click Swing mechanics soon with their next major update, there’s an option for all, making the game more enticing.

To find out more about EA’s latest update, you can read: EA Scores a Hole-in-One With Latest PGA Tour Fixes and Additions .

The gameplay is fantastic if you enjoy being a professional athlete. However, the UI is lacking in-game, and there’s a need for more assistance and tutorials. Once your first tutorial’s done, you’re on your own. It’s like swinging closed eyes and hoping for the best. 

The same can be said for the grid and guide for putting. There should have been an added feature: darkened areas where there are huge slopes and lightened areas with less slope. It would help you fare better in the short game, and having this as a map addition in the game would have been nifty. It would help eliminate using the putting guide and assist all players in identifying slopes better — a quicker way to get accustomed to all of the courses, allowing you to work on your strengths and weaknesses.

The lack of assistance does, however, influence practicing more by doing all the game’s challenges. One has to admit, rehearsing shot after shot gets your game going which, in turn, is a tremendous positive for the game. If you’re fresh to golfing and any golfing simulator, the Coaching Academy in the Challenges game mode will be your best friend and where you need to head first.

To sum it all up, playing golf in EA Sports PGA Tour is not user-friendly, but you can master your craft quite quickly to swing like a pro.

Related: All EA Sports PGA Tour – Road to the Masters Shot Types Listed

Something to Celebrate and Something to Improve on

The main hub is clear, straightforward, and easy to navigate around. Despite some glitches that occurred because of bugs in the early days of its release, it was pretty easy to maneuver around — a great UI experience, hands down.

Upgrading Your Player in Road to the Masters

Probably the most straightforward upgrading system I’ve ever used. Plain and simple describes it best. The upgrading points could use some improvements, though. With only two points for levelling up, I’ll be 65 by the time I win the Master with a fully upgraded self-created Pro.

“ Where there is an unquestionable shortage in one area, another area weighs in heavily and comes to save the day. “

The biggest letdown is the editing and player creation. A high flop by the dev team here. Limited options, no face scan, and nothing new. For a team like EA, this is a department where they excel and usually deliver.

Apparel Equals Fire In EA Sports PGA Tour

Where there is an unquestionable shortage in one area, another area weighs in heavily and comes to save the day. The apparel in the game lifted my mood on the editing front, and honestly, all the options you have for equipment and clothing to choose from are fire.

A big ups to EA for including such an incredible catalogue of exclusive drip. Supposing you can’t play like a pro, at least you can dress up and look the part! 

Exclusive Courses In-Game

From Augusta National to Teeth of The Dog, the 30 courses in EA Sports PGA Tour are winners. The attention to detail of the grass, water, bunkers, and trees makes for a fantastic view. Playing in 4K certainly has its touch of realism in the PGA Tour.

For decades, we’ve seen EA triumph over their rivals in many, if not all, sports titles in one crucial area. That is, having all the licences and agreements for players, stadiums, courses, etc. Having the rights to the exclusive courses in Road to the Masters sets the bar high for all of their counterparts. It’s, again, a winning factor for them.

The courses will also make or break you, asking different questions and making each hit, stroke, drive, and putt a unique situation. Brilliant!

Related: EA Sports PGA Tour – Road to the Masters: All Golf Courses Listed

EA Sports PGA Tour Graphics

Other than a few moments where the ball is missing just before you swing, the audio playing at the wrong time, and other minor glitches with the fans and delay, the EA Sports PGA Tour graphics are phenomenal.

Playing Road to the Masters on PS5 has been a great experience and something I enjoyed, but only once I started getting used to the game’s mechanics. The massive downfall is the Pro players who look “similar” rather than like-for-like to their real-life figures. It’s not the end product just yet, and work needs to be done.

The cutscenes overview of the courses is the best way to admire the precise detail of all the golf courses and structures. The TrackMan data, Fluid Swing Mechanics, Ball Behavior, many Shot Types, and Course Dynamics all aid the graphics and make for a better and smoother golfing game experience.

Related: EA Sports PGA Tour – Road to the Masters Pure Strike Explained

Concluding Thoughts on EA Sports PGA Tour

With this one, if I were to sum up EA Sports PGA Road to the Masters into one analogy, I would say: If this were an 18-hole round of golf, EA got an excellent few birders, one or two eagles, but there were undoubtedly bogeys. 

Was the comeback strong? Yes, It indeed was. The Pure Striker, Flued Swing Mechanics, and Ball Behavior make for a real-life golf experience. The courses are fantastic to play on, and their abundance in the game makes for a timeless title. The online modes make the game even more timeless, something many are happy about, not just me. Without it, golf can be a lonely place.

“ You restart, restart, restart, you get a bogey, you’re disappointed with yourself, and you restart again. You make a top, top shot; you‘re running around the house celebrating and thanking the crowd for their support. “

Though, much work must be done on making the title more story-driven and following something like FIFA when you play as Alex Hunter, the fictional character, on a journey to become a professional footballer. Or when you sit in on negotiations during transfers. These ideas could be implemented into the game for a more simulated experience, maybe by separating this from Career Mode and giving it its own title: Story Mode.

To find out more about the various game modes in Road to the Masters, you can read:  All EA Sports PGA Tour – Road to the Masters Game Modes

It’s Just Straight-Up Golfing

This is where EA Sports PGA Tour does excel over its counterparts. The swinging, response to the joystick, bounce of the ball, how you can manipulate the shot, the many shot types, immersion, everything seems to be in tuned and seamless. That alone sanctifies a strong comeback for EA into the golfing gaming world. 

Believe it or not, the game has an alluring feel about it. You want to get all the stars in each challenge. You restart, restart, restart, you get a bogey, you’re disappointed with yourself, and you restart again. You make a top, top shot; you‘re running around the house celebrating and thanking the crowd for their support. You consider your strategy every step of the way. It is all definitely “ In the Game!” in this one.

If you’re into sports games that allow you to live the thrills, chills, disappointment and excitement of a professional sportsman, I highly recommend this game. If you’re an action-packed junky that enjoys end-to-end action, this game is way too quiet and passive for you. The true meaning of the gentleman’s game comes to mind when playing EA Sports PGA Tour Road to the Masters.

• Looks incredible realistic
• User-friendly HUD
• Limited editing options when creating a pro
• Little golfing aid and assistance
• Slow upgrade system

A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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EA gets exclusive rights to the Masters for its golf game

All four major tournaments playable only in EA Sports PGA Tour

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Following last week’s surprise news that it was reviving its simulation golf franchise , publisher Electronic Arts has announced that it is also bringing back the flashiest feather in the video game series’ cap: the Masters Tournament.

The Masters and its home, Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, will be playable exclusively in EA Sports PGA Tour , EA announced Wednesday, one day ahead of the 2021 Masters. It will be Augusta National’s first appearance in a golf video game since 2013’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Masters was playable in only three golf games — EA secured the rights starting with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 , but by the time the publisher brought the franchise to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with Rory McIlroy PGA Tour in 2015, the licensing deal had expired . Asked for information on the length of the new agreement, an EA Sports spokesperson declined comment.

EA also said Wednesday that in addition to the Masters, EA Sports PGA Tour will feature the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the British Open, making it the only video game that will offer all four major tournaments in men’s professional golf.

It’s something of a coup for EA Sports as the company reenters the golf market to compete with 2K Sports’ PGA Tour 2K franchise. 2020’s PGA Tour 2K21 offered 15 real-life courses, a few of which have previously hosted majors. But despite 2K’s own relationship with the PGA, it did not have the rights to the names of the actual major tournaments.

For golf fans looking to play along with the pros and strive for a grand slam, the presence of the majors in EA Sports PGA Tour is a key authenticity-related selling point over PGA Tour 2K. Meanwhile, 2K Sports is trying to draw in golf fans with a different tactic: partnering with Tiger Woods , who had been the face of EA’s golf games from 1998 through 2013.

“We’re honored to partner with Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, to feature the course and its traditions exclusively in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR ,” Cam Weber, executive vice president and general manager of EA Sports, sin a news release. “EA SPORTS is committed to growing the love of sports for everyone, and through our partnerships with the PGA TOUR, Augusta National and the other majors, we will bring new and longtime fans closer to the biggest events in golf than ever before.”

EA said in its news release that it has “worked meticulously to capture the course and traditions of the Masters,” including “first of its kind aerial scanning to collect millions of data points, previously inaccessible in golf games, to recreate the unparalleled beauty of Augusta National authentically in the game.” (This is presumably an upgrade over the old technique — when EA announced in 2011 that it was bringing Augusta National to its game for the first time, its news release touted “state-of-the art laser scanning technology.”)

There’s no word yet on whether EA is using the same aerial scanning technology for other licensed courses in the game. EA has not yet announced any playable courses beyond Augusta National and Pebble Beach Golf Links. If EA Sports PGA Tour is going to feature the host courses for the 2021 majors, it will have to include Kiawah Island Golf Resort (PGA Championship), Torrey Pines Golf Course (U.S. Open), and Royal St. George’s Golf Club (British Open). In 2022, those same events are scheduled to take place at Southern Hills Country Club, The Country Club, and the Old Course at St. Andrews, respectively.

EA also said it will highlight the Masters in EA Sports PGA Tour with a package of content called Road to the Masters that will “deliver players the prestige of competing in the Masters Tournament, plus additional experiences exclusive to Augusta National.” Asked for clarification, an EA Sports representative told Polygon that EA Sports PGA Tour “will celebrate many of the biggest events in golf alongside the real-world events,” starting with the Masters at launch. This suggests that the game will contain a live-service element with in-game content that’s timed to the major tournaments and other PGA Tour events.

EA Sports PGA Tour is being made by EA Tiburon, the Maitland, Florida-based studio behind EA’s previous golf titles as well as the Madden NFL series (and, presumably, the revived EA Sports College Football ). EA described it last week as a “next-gen golf video game,” suggesting that it is in development on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

The publisher has yet to announce a release window for EA Sports PGA Tour ; it launched the last few Tiger Woods PGA Tour titles in the spring, and released Rory McIlroy PGA Tour in July 2015. If the tournament-aligned content such as Road to the Masters is any indication of the game’s launch timing, it could point to a release in early 2022, ahead of the next Masters Tournament.

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EA Sports PGA Tour Review - Hit The Links

• First Released Apr 4, 2023 released

EA returns to the world of golf with a challenging and rewarding title that's let down by a couple of inconsistencies and an underwhelming swing mechanic.

By Richard Wakeling on April 12, 2023 at 10:55AM PDT

EA Sports PGA Tour is unlike any other golf game I've played. It still features familiar elements from the series' past--back when Tiger Woods was front and center--such as slow-motion heartbeat moments and climactic power shots. But after an eight-year hiatus from the world of golf simulation, EA has returned to the fairway with a more demanding recreation of the sport that's as much about feel as it is mastering the game's robust mechanics. With 30 courses covering all four majors--including The Masters at Augusta National--EA Sports PGA Tour has a plethora of golfing action to sink your teeth into. It's just a shame there are a few notable issues in critical areas that hold it back from greatness.

The first of these is the game's swing mechanic. If you've played a golf game before, the actual act of swinging a driver or 5-iron will be familiar. You pull down on the analog stick to bring the club back, then push forward again to unleash your shot. This has been a staple in golf games for a number of years now, and there aren't any alternatives at the moment--not until a three-click system is implemented in a later update. The issue with EA Sports PGA Tour is that there's a slight delay between your input and the on-screen visual. Your swing isn't 1:1, so there's an uneasy disconnect where you never quite feel like you're in total control. The general malaise of each swing doesn't help matters either, with the slow, clunky pacing and frustrating lag making it difficult to nail the timing and power of each shot. I eventually grew accustomed to these idiosyncrasies over time, but it never feels quite right and fails to capture the satisfaction that hitting a 300-yard tee shot should achieve.

To compound the issue, EA Sports PGA Tour also lacks any sort of meaningful tutorial. There are tooltips that pop up and cover the basics the first time you play, but these brief snippets barely scratch the surface of everything going on under the hood. Instead, the game has a suite of challenges that happen to include a Coaching Academy. This is the best place to start, even if these challenges still neglect to offer any tips or feedback to help you along the way. What you get is a variety of contextual situations covering different aspects of the sport, from putting downhill to dealing with elevation changes and the multitude of shot types on offer. There's a lot of trial and error involved, but the repetition of replaying each situation does give you a greater understanding of how everything works. It's not a very user-friendly approach, but it sets expectations and is genuinely helpful in an unconventional way, even if it might prove frustrating for some. Plus, completing these challenges also earns you XP that can be used to improve your created character.

EA Sports PGA Tour's career mode sits front and center, starting off with your no-name golfer competing in the qualifying school before moving on to the amateur Korn Ferry Tour. The ultimate goal is to reach the PGA Tour, which can be done either by winning one of the many four-round courses or by placing highly enough in the Korn Ferry rankings come season's end. You can expedite this process by opting for a quick play mode where you only need to play a few holes rather than an entire round, but I think playing full rounds is the way to go. That's mostly because it gives you ample time to fine-tune your skills, learn the courses, and gain a better understanding of the game's mechanics. There's also a palpable sense of progression that comes from leveling up your golfer. Earning XP lets you build your skills in driving, approach play, short game, and putting, while progressing each attribute also unlocks more shot types, giving you additional options when preparing to send the ball careening toward the green.

Fortunately, the Coaching Academy includes challenges for each of the game's myriad shot types, giving you the opportunity to see how each one functions before playing competitively. There's value in understanding the differences between a runner, spinner, or knock-down shot, but knowing when to utilize each one essentially comes down to a matter of feel. In this respect, EA Sports PGA Tour resembles the sport of golf more accurately than any other game. There are a number of variables at play for every single shot, to the point where there's a real thought process behind each swing. You have to choose the right shot type and club for each situation, adjust for wind and elevation, judge how much power you need to put into the swing, and account for the distinct ways each course plays--tweaking your shot shape depending on the shape of the fairway and lie of the bunkers. The game helps to some degree by displaying relevant information such as wind speed and distance, but then you're left to your own devices. This can be frustrating, particularly early on when you're still learning the ropes and your golfer's attributes aren't up to snuff, but once everything clicks, EA Sports PGA Tour plays an engrossing game of golf that can be incredibly rewarding.

Much of this is down to the courses themselves. Every single one of the 30 officially licensed courses is staggeringly beautiful and offers an authentic attention to detail, whether it's Liberty National and its view of the Manhattan skyline, the waves crashing against the sand at Pebble Beach, or the alligators lurking in the water at TPC Sawgrass. Almost every course is iconic on some level, and they've all been faithfully rendered and recreated, right down to individual blades of grass. The absence of a course designer is a tad disappointing, but unlike PGA Tour 2K23, it's not something that feels like a necessity because there are already so many 18-hole delights. The courses are the game's main character, providing the kind of variety and depth to stave off any tedium. Mastering a golf game's mechanics is usually the key to success, but EA Sports PGA Tour's courses demand much more from you. Each one plays differently, whether it's the roll of the green or the width of the fairway impacting your decision-making. It genuinely feels like you're playing against the course rather than the shot meter.

The physics model, which is built around the official TrackMan data for ball tracking and swing analysis, is excellent for the most part. However, there are some inconsistencies when it comes to ball rollout. On The Old Course at St Andrews, for instance, the rollout is overly extreme to the point where the ball will roll uphill at pace, even through heavy rough. This forces you to account for situations that shouldn't really occur. Once you land on the green, putting is also equally aggravating for different reasons. Each green contains a grid that uses moving beads to show you the direction of the break. The problem is that sometimes this data is inaccurate and the break is opposite to what the beads are showing. The putt reader alleviates this somewhat by showing the ideal path to the hole, but this is also misleading at times. With no reliable way to gauge the breaks, putting is a lesson in irritation that will only be rectified if these issues are fixed in future updates.

Outside of career mode, EA Sports PGA Tour also features various tournament options for use in online matches against the community. If you want to play against friends, however, stroke play is the only option, and there's a disappointing lack of alternating play for those who want to see each other tee off. A range of daily, weekly, and seasonal tournaments give you another chance to earn XP and items like club specs and in-game cash for a limited time before they're refreshed, so there's an incentive to keep coming back. That in-game cash can be spent in a store of rotating items including various cosmetics, which holds some appeal because the character creator is extremely barebones. Outfitting your golfer in branded clothing can be fairly costly, though, which is explained by the inclusion of microtransactions for those who would rather buy the in-game currency with real money. This isn't a surprising move, but it doesn't exactly vibe with the serene mood.

After almost a decade away from the sport, EA's return to the golf course is a promising one. The range of shot types, courses, and tangible variables make for a methodical and tactical game of golf that's both challenging and rewarding. It stumbles by barely introducing players to its robust mechanics, while a laggy swing and inconsistent putting are notable flaws on what is otherwise a fantastic golf sim. EA Sports PGA Tour represents a solid re-entry for the series and lays down a sturdy foundation for an auspicious future.

• Leave Blank
• Each shot must be carefully considered, taking into account a number of variables
• All 30 courses are wonderfully recreated and each one feels distinct
• Offers a tough but satisfying simulation of golf that's close to the real thing
• The lack of tutorials makes for a rocky start
• Swing mechanics are delayed and create a disconnect
• Putting information is frequently misleading

About the Author

Richard Wakeling

• @richardwakeling

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Summary Compete in PGA TOUR events like all three legs of the FedExCup Playoffs and THE PLAYERS Championship. Additional experiences include the LPGA, U.S. Amatuer Championship, and the Korn Ferry Tour. EA SPORTS PGA TOUR is the only place to play the MASTERS Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Discover the best golfing destinations around ... Read More

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EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR™

• PS Plus required for online play
• In-game purchases optional
• Supports up to 16 online players with PS Plus
• Online play optional
• 1 - 4 players

What is EA SPORTS PGA TOUR?

Experience the exclusive home of the Majors

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR is the only place you can tee up at the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open Championship and The Open Championship.

Compete in the PGA TOUR's best events in the season-long race for the FedExCup. Conquer the top Amateur Championships, including the Augusta National Women's Amateur™, the U.S. Amateur™ and other elite international amateur events.

Buy EA SPORTS PGA TOUR on PlayStation Store

Deluxe Edition

• 1500 PGA TOUR POINTS
• PGA TOUR XP Bundle

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR key features

Pure Strike

Utilising official PGA TOUR ShotLink powered by CDW and TrackMan data, Pure Strike gives you all the tools you need — including a set of 20 Shot Types — to realistically attack every hole on every golf course, the same way the pros do.

With Pure Strike, golfer-specific tendencies are combined with unique Course Dynamics and revolutionised Ball Behaviour for the premier golf gameplay experience, resulting in unique golf swings with a fluid feel and realistic outcomes on every shot. 

Choose from a set of 20 Shot Types strategically during your round. Each Shot Type utilises different club types, and each produces different Ball Behaviour, so you can attack every course like a pro.

Course Dynamics

Backed by a rigorous course tuning process from tee to green, lifelike Course Dynamics ensure no two golf courses play the same. Every fairway, green and rough is meticulously scanned, handcrafted and uniquely tuned to simulate the individual nuances of different courses and terrain variables.

Ball Behaviour

With three ball flight trajectories (high, medium, low), revolutionised Ball Behaviour delivers next-gen responsiveness between your club, the golf ball and the golf course. Once your shot lands, the ball spins, bounces, dribbles and rolls as it would in real life.

The world’s most exclusive courses

Play at 30 courses including 28 of the world’s most prestigious tracks and two fantasy courses. Designed in stunning quality with Frostbite™ so you can enjoy more of golf’s finer details than ever before.

Immerse yourself in the stunning visual beauty and photo-realistic detail of pristine, bucket-list golf courses around the globe. Featuring unique Course Dynamics, test your skills and face the same challenges as the pros on every golf shot.

What courses are featured in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR?

• Augusta National
• The Old Course at St Andrews Links
• Pebble Beach
• The Los Angeles Country Club
• Southern Hills
• TPC Sawgrass
• Wilmington Country Club
• TPC Southwind
• TPC Scottsdale
• Whistling Straits
• Quail Hollow
• Torrey Pines
• The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
• Chambers Bay
• Banff Springs
• Liberty National
• Harbour Town
• The Riviera Country Club
• Top of the Rock
• Bandon Dunes
• Evian Resort
• Teeth of the Dog
• Wetlands (fantasy course)
• Lighthouse Pointe (fantasy course)

Your career, your way

Create and customise a golfer and take on the PGA TOUR's best events in the season-long chase for the FedExCup. Develop your skills through unified RPG progression so you can master each course and learn to attack every hole like a pro on your way to becoming a Major champion.

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The Masters 2024: dates, TV channel and the LIV golfers who will play

T he first of the year’s four major golf tournaments, the Masters is a fixture of the spring sporting calendar, timed to come to a head when the azaleas are in full bloom in Georgia. 

When does the Masters start?

This year’s tournament runs from Thursday, April 11 to Sunday, April 14. 

Officially, there are three days of practice and build-up to the opening round, including the Par 3 contest on Wednesday, April 10, featuring the families of some of golf’s top players. There have been 107 holes in one made at the Par 3 contest since it was inaugurated in 1960. 

How can I watch the Masters on TV?

In the UK, the Masters is broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports Golf . 

Free-to-air coverage is also broadcast on the Masters website, where viewers can watch every individual shot a few minutes after it happens and also catch rolling coverage of select groups and holes. 

Radio coverage of the tournament in the UK will be on Talksport. 

In previous years the Masters has been shown on free-to-air television in the UK, either live or as highlights. Last year, however, the BBC cut ties with the tournament completely. 

Where is the Masters played?

The Masters is the only one of golf’s four majors that is played at the same course each year . 

Augusta National Golf Club is in the north east of Georgia, close to the border with South Carolina. Augusta National is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world. There are understood to be only about 300 members, among them Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. The only way to play the course is by invitation of a member.

There is a more pernicious side to the club’s exclusivity, though. Augusta did not permit an African American member until 1990, while there were no female members until 2012 when Condoleezza Rice joined.

What is the Masters prize money?

This year’s total purse is expected to be $18 million, the same as it was last year. The winner takes $3,240,000, with incrementally less prize money for each of the top 50 finishers. 

The winner also get a replica of the official trophy (which never leaves the club). The champion golfer also receives a gold medal and, most coveted of all, a green jacket. 

There are also trophies for finishing second, being the leading amateur golfer, recording the lowest score of the day, hitting a hole in one, hitting an eagle and hitting a double eagle.

How do players qualify for the Masters?

Technically speaking, players receive an invite to play in the Masters. Unlike the US Open or the Open Championship, there is no ‘open’ qualification process.

There are 20 different ways to make sure an envelope from Augusta drops through your letterbox. The simplest way is to be in the top 50 of the world rankings on January 1.

All previous Masters champions can play, should they choose to take up the invitation, as well as those players who finished in the top 12 of the previous year’s tournament.

Any player who won a major or a fully-sanctioned PGA Tour event the previous season will also book their place for Augusta. The same goes for any player who achieved a top-four finish in any of the previous season’s majors, while major winners secure their Masters berth for five years. 

Any player in the world’s top 50 the week before the Masters who has not qualified by any other measure will also be invited. The Masters also reserves the right to invite wildcard players. 

The rest of the field is made up of the winners of the amateur game’s most distinguished events. The Masters is a smaller field than the other three majors, with around 90 players usually in attendance.

Will LIV golfers be at the Masters?

Yes, but in lower numbers than last year . The main problem for LIV golfers is that tournaments on the breakaway circuit do not offer world ranking points, which are the route by which most players qualify for the Masters (see above). 

The LIV golfers who will be at the 2024 Masters are Bryson DeChambeau (because he won the 2020 US Open), Cam Smith (who won the 2023 Open Championship), Brooks Koepka (who won the PGA Championship in 2019), Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson (who are all previous Masters champions), Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk (who were in the world’s top 50 earlier this year) and Joaquin Niemann (who received a special invitation ).

Will Tiger Woods be playing?

The official starting lists have long included five-time champion Tiger Woods but that is standard practice for any golfer who is exempt and has not already scratched.

He continues to recover from the 2021 car crash that so almost cost the American his right leg but his withdrawal from the second round of the LA Open in February - his first official event in 10 months - led to doubts he would appear at the season’s first major.

But a practice round at Augusta over the Easter weekend has indicated he is aiming to tee off at the 2024 Masters.

How do you get tickets for the Masters?

If you want at ticket for this year’s tournament, you’re well out of time. Tickets go on sale the previous year, and the application deadline expires in June. Tickets are allocated by ballot, with applicants told in July whether they have been successful.  

A ticket for one of the three days of practice costs $100. A ticket for one of the tournament days is $140. 

The full list of Masters winners

What are the tee times.

The tee times for rounds one and two will be announced in the week of the tournament itself. 

For the opening round, the first group are likely to tee off at 8am local time (1pm UK time) with the final group starting at 2pm (7pm UK time). That means the last finishers will probably be out on course until 7pm (midnight UK time).

What are the latest odds?

• Scottie Scheffler 4/1
• Rory McIlroy 11/1
• Jon Rahm 12/1
• Brooks Koepka 20/1
• Jordan Spieth 20/1
• Xander Schauffele 20/1
• Ludvig Aberg 25/1
• Viktor Hovland 25/1
• Wyndham Clark 25/1
• Tiger Woods 125/1

Odds correct to April 2, 2024

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