Vector Zero

If you are wanting offline and career mode then you should probably check back in 6 to 12 months. Computer AI opponents and career modes are planned but not yet implemented.

It's difficult to compare the two at this point because The Golf Club has a 12 month head start in terms of development and so, in terms of features, Perfect Golf is currently a long way behind. However, it PG has excellent potential and has received mostly positive reviews on Steam so far despite still being in a very basic form. In my opinion, Perfect Golf could be the best golf game on PC in a year's time. They both have good graphics and PG can run 1080P resolution with beautiful water effects. Currently the golfer animation is a bit weak and I think they need to work on making the ball impacting club and terrain more "solid" feeling (it's a bit floaty right now) but these are all things that are on the Dev's list. PG will also have a course editor called Course Forge which is supposed to be state of the art but it's not been released yet and so I cant comment on it further. One thing that is implemented right now though is the ball flight physics engine which, as far as I know, is the only truly dynamic, real time ball flight simulator in a golf game today. This means the ball flight is continuously recalculated as it's happening. In other words, the computer doesn't know exactly where the ball will land any more than you do once it has been hit.

So... replying to my own thread over a year later. Feels a bit strange, but it would appear that "Perfect Golf" has hit Steam and it's actually pretty darn good. http://store.steampowered.com/app/288140/ It's still in early access (priced at £15 or $20) so it's understandably rough around the edges and a bit buggy but it's shaping up nicely and is far closer to Links 2003 than TW in terms of style, ie a golf simulator. The team responsible are part of the Perfect Parallel company who provide much of the golf graphics seen on televised golf tournaments from the likes of Sky and so the visuals are pretty decent, although you'll need a proper gaming graphics card to play at the highest detail levels. They are a small group of independent programmers, many of whom have worked on the modern Links 2003 mods projects and they are headed up by an actual PGA professional. I would recommend it to anyone who liked Links 2003 back in the day. I particularly like their motionswing mechanism (mouse) which uses the ratio between backswing speed and downswing speed (ie tempo) as the main factor in determining how accurately you hit your shot, rather than just how straight you pull the mouse back and through as is the case in every other game but is easily exploitable via a table edge for example. It has about 6 courses available at the moment with online and local multiplayer options but weekly updates are adding more and more functionality and the finished game will have a career mode, customisable avatars etc. It takes a bit of getting used to and lots of practice, but I'm having a blast with it so far.

I reckon a main difference between a 20 handicap and a 15 handicap could be the number of melt-down holes. Think about your previous few rounds and try to figure out what caused the melt-downs. Is there a pattern? For example, I naturally draw the ball on a course where most of the OBs are on the left. Occasionally I hit a hook off the tee which, if done on one of these holes, causes a card-wrecker. I worked like crazy to reduce those hooks and my scores are now much better. Also, I try to play smart: If I'm not hitting the ball too well and I reach one of those "OB Left" holes, I leave the driver in the bag and hit a hybrid. 220yds for one is much better for my card than 260 yds for three.

My 60deg low bounce only comes out when it's off a fairway lie near the green and I have a hazard to get over but on those occasions I'm glad I have it. If there's no hazards to get over then it's a variable bump and run. Any sort of fluffy lie or rough to content with and it's normally the SW, since the high bounce generally results in more consistent contact.

I always chuckle at the thought of an irate golfer chasing a giant rodent down a fairway with a pitching wedge shouting, "give me back my ProV1 you little bastard!"

There's a small course in Bristish Columbia called Marmot Ridge where the local rule used to be that you got a free drop if a marmot steals your ball. Happens quite a lot apparently but it would make a great excuse.

Ah yes, the unmistakable sound of golf ball hitting wood. That reminds me of a time I saw a playing partner have to duck as it bounced straight back at his face.

An easy solution would be for me to aim directly at the guy in question which would mean I'm assured to miss.

Ah, now that's a better idea. Or you could just "accidently" step on his ball as you walk off, heavily.

You're right of course but we were only 14 when my friend did it and it was a lone player so no chance of hitting innocent parties. I wouldn't dream of acting in such a fashion now that I'm a responsibly 30 year old...

Another random thought; does anyone else get nervous when watching the crowds lining the tee box as a tour pro is getting ready to drive? I know these guys are pros but a shank off the toe isn't completely unheard of for them, right? I mean, one really ugly swing and someone is digging a golf ball out of their head.

I once had to apologise to about 30 people stood on the first tee after nearly wiping them out once. I was playing down the 18th par 5 of my local course where the 1st tee is only about 30 yards from the 18th green to one side. I was hitting my second shot with a hybrid into the sun and hit a great feeling shot that went straight at the green and then disappeared into the glare. Unfortunately it must have been turning over because I then catch sight of it hurtling straight towards the 1st tee and I didn't have time to shout. In hind-sight I should have shouted the instant I lost sight of it as a precaution, but you live and learn. Apparently it missed one of them by about a foot.

I'd add to this the golfers I see who stroll oblivious into my fairway when I'm just about to hit a drive because they are looking for their wayward shot from the adjacent hole. The temptation to hit anyway is overwhelming (but I don't because I'm an adult now, bah).

Ooooh, do tell