In addition to all the games we got for Johnathan, my wife was nice enough to buy me Tiger Woods 2008. Since this is my only Wii Game, the following will quite possibly be the one and only Wii Game Review by Todd that you’ll read on this site. Enjoy …
First thing first, as advertised, this game is majorly addictive. The first time I opened the box to “try it out”, Ana (my wife) finally came in and rolled her eyes at me about 2 1/2 hours later … at midnight.
I also earned another eye roll from Ana the next day, when I woke up a little bit sore … from swinging the controller. lol, so if any of you are wondering, Yes it’s true … you really can get some semblance of a “mini workout” playing a few of these wii games.
What I liked:
Driving – As you might expect, hitting the ball off the tee is by far the most enjoyable part of this game. And when you’re playing as Tiger Woods, you can even occasionally experience the exhilleration of hitting a 350 yard drive. When you play with a custom profile, the distances and skill levels tend to be a bit more realistic. It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, drawing and fading the ball is even pretty reliable (and somewhat realistic).
Putting – Especially on medium and long range putts, it almost feels like the real thing … making a smooth, well paced stroke tends to produce the best results. As far as “reading” the greens goes, if you’re familiar with previous versions of this game from earlier systems, you should have no problem adjusting to the Wii version. Line on the grids move to show you uphill or downhill, and how much of a side slope exists. Just like in real golf, some of the hardest putt are in the 6-8 foot range. It’s hard to leave the putt short, but sometimes without even doing anything differently, the ball can easily shoot 10 feet past the hole … obviously, happens most often when putting downhill.
Graphics – Obviously, this isn’t the PlayStation 3 or anything. It’s not that realistic. But, the last time I played Tiger Woods PGA Tour, was the 2003 version on my PC … so, I’m a happy camper when it comes to how the game looks.
What I didn’t like:
Controlling Distance – Ok, I know it’s just a game, but especially on wedge shots, there is almost no rhyme or reason to how far the ball sometimes travels. And maybe I just need more practice, but right now I’m finding it virtually impossible to hit 1/2 or 3/4 shots with the short clubs. Doesn’t matter how slow I swing the controller, there’s very good chance that the swing will end up being 110% strength … sending the ball flying over the green into the rough.
Unrealistic Scoring – I know that part of the idea is to give players the thrill of what it feels like to be Tiger Woods. But come on now … I’ve been playing this game for less than a week, and I already have 2 holes in one, a double eagle, and more eagles than I can count on my fingers. I shot a 59 two days ago on the St Andrews Old Course … I never hit the ball in a single bunker. Again, I don’t know if this is a realistic criticism on my part. I’m sure there are already people out there who have 18 hole scores in the low 50s on this game. I doubt it was made to ever come close to satisfying “real” golfers. That being said, if you can’t get to the course, at least you can tell your buddies you shot -11 … not much chance of that happening in real life … unless of course you’re the real Tiger Woods.
One thing I learned:
Use only One Hand – For everything other than putting, the game tends to work much better if you Don’t try to swing the controller with both hands, like you would a real golf club. It’s much easier to just use your right hand (or left if that’s the way you swing), and just make a one-handed swinging motion. This tends to produce longer drives, and it’s much easier to control fades and draws.
Well, that’s my Wii Game Review of the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08. I hope you found it helpful. If you’ve played this game, and want to share your own thoughts and advice, feel free to leave a comment below.
Keep havin FuN!

Todd
