The Golf Club

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 60 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 60
  3. Negative: 21 out of 60

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  1. vsi65
    Oct 18, 2014
    9
    As a beta tester of this software since feb 2014 I've seen huge improvement for the released version. Please give those guys another year to polish this and you'll be amazed.

    You should remember that TGC is not a simulator, it's more like golf is - find your own style to play and feel it, or do not. You may also give us your artistic skills and design. Do 'THE golf course', tools exist.    As a beta tester of this software since feb 2014 I've seen huge improvement for the released version. Please give those guys another year to polish this and you'll be amazed.

    You should remember that TGC is not a simulator, it's more like golf is - find your own style to play and feel it, or do not. You may also give us your artistic skills and design. Do 'THE golf course', tools exist.

    Since TW08 there hasn't been much choice for PC golf, now we have. Stay away if You hate golf ;)    … Expand
  2. guitardude_324
    Aug 29, 2014
    9
    This is an excellent alternative to the EA PGA series. It's tough and you get better by practice. There are no power-ups, or skill building. Everyone is on the same playing field and only the well practiced and skills will play better, just like in real life. Also, cheaters can be identified by how frequently they hit straight shots and their scores will be removed from leaderboards asThis is an excellent alternative to the EA PGA series. It's tough and you get better by practice. There are no power-ups, or skill building. Everyone is on the same playing field and only the well practiced and skills will play better, just like in real life. Also, cheaters can be identified by how frequently they hit straight shots and their scores will be removed from leaderboards as a result.

    This game is supposed to represent golf as it is in real life. This isn't a PGA tour title with tournaments, spectators, and grandstands. It's nice relaxing golf like you'd play with your friends or by yourself. I’d take this any day over the poorly animated crowd of people that surround the perimeter of the fairways.

    I've spent more time playing this game than the last few PGA Tour games combined. The course creator is really powerful and more intuitive than the others that are out there. If you're smart and pay attention to course ratings and how many times they've been played, it's easy to identify the good courses from the bad. Not to mention the excellent community on the TGC forum and a dedicated site to helping players find good quality golf courses. All courses that are made are shared on all Platforms, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Not to mention that more tools will be added to the creator as time goes on, as promised by the developer.

    Graphics look great, I recently fired up TW 14 the other night and noticed an immediate difference. This game is next gen and looks great. Don't let any of these negative reviews trick you into thinking this game looks like it's 2 generations old, because that is incredibly inaccurate.

    Some people will miss the multiplayer lobbies but you are still able to play with your friends live, you can play against ghost balls from anyone on your platform. As someone who has no interest in playing against a stranger live, this is ideal for me but I can understand why others may be put off.

    There is no career mode, or heavy customization. But the developer has confirmed that they are currently working on putting something in place to fill that void. The development team have been very helpful and involved on the forum. They have helped individuals troubleshoot issues, they’ve offered tutorials on how to play the game, and they have actually added features that were requested during early access, and have fixed bugs that were reported. They’ve also promised to continue to add more content and tools in the future and are trying to stay away from the yearly release structure of the PGA Tour series.
    This game is my favorite golf game to date, it does have a few rough edges and a few missing features (which aren’t as important as some people claim). This is a great start to a game that will continue to build as time goes on. For half of the price of a PGA Tour game, this was well worth the money.
    Some people may be disappointed for what they get, and they are likely more vocal about their complaints than the people that enjoy the game. So do yourself a favor, go to the game website, watch the tutorials, read the mission statement to the game and do your research before playing the game.

    I give this game a 9/10.

    Pros:
    -Excellent Course Creator that isn't gimmicky at all.
    -Plays really well and tough. Everybody is on a level playing field and the better players are better because of skill, not because of power-ups and leveled skills.
    -Graphics look really nice on all systems although the Xbox version is only running at 720p.
    -I'm able to play with my friends even if they're not there.

    Cons:
    -At the moment Crossfire and SLI are not supported but may be in the future.
    -Some course creators get carried away with their designs and it can cause framerate dips, especially for console versions.
    -No career mode currently (but something is in the pipeline to fill this void)
    -Limited customization, but more will become available as time goes on.    … Expand
  3. Mitchblue
    Aug 29, 2014
    10
    It's realistic at its core. Not an arcade game like TW. The course creator in itself is worth the $34.99. But it's much more than that..at this moment there's over 12,000 courses to play. Give it a shot..
  4. RoyceBrown
    Mar 12, 2015
    10
    I'm a grown adult in my mid 30's, I've been playing golf games dating back to the Links PC series in the early 1990's. I've played numerous editions of Tiger Woods on the PS1, PS2 & xBox360. The Golf Club is bar none the greatest golf simulation of all time, and probably the greatest sports sim also.

    The beauty of this game lies in the fantastic swing mechanic, which is easy to learn    I'm a grown adult in my mid 30's, I've been playing golf games dating back to the Links PC series in the early 1990's. I've played numerous editions of Tiger Woods on the PS1, PS2 & xBox360. The Golf Club is bar none the greatest golf simulation of all time, and probably the greatest sports sim also.

    The beauty of this game lies in the fantastic swing mechanic, which is easy to learn and challenging to master. The physics system is darn near perfect, all of the shots are available from any spot on the course, you can chip, putt, pitch to your liking around the green.

    The game being unlicensed is actually a huge plus IMO. The Greg Norman Course Designer is spectacular, and has been improved beyond belief with numerous (free) game updates/patches. New themes have been added, new objects for course design (walls, fences, stairs etc) have been added and the user community has done an unbelievable job creating some truly breathtaking courses. Real courses can be replicated (there's a very good rendition of Augusta National), but the true strength is the original user creations. These are completely free, can be played cross platform, and compromise some of the best looking/playing courses of any game I can remember.

    The hours of my life that I've sunk into this game is amazing, and my many other xBoxOne games collect dust now. The guys at HB Studios should be recognized as truly first class game developers, and TGC is a must play for any golf fan out there.

    Anybody who negatively rates this game is a goof in my opinion, who doesn't grasp the concept of playing a round with your mates on a Sunday morning. People complain about the graphics, which are darn good, but could be improved on the XB1. The framerate suffers on some courses packed with objects, but it's not a major problem in any way. People who complain the that swing mechanic doesn't reflect the actual golf swing are just failing to come to grips with a "simulation". I thing many people are frustrated by the fact that you can't apply post shot spin control, and there's no magic system that shows you the path of the ball pre-putt. Putting itself is almost perfect, by far the best representation of putting in any golf game to date.

    The other complaint I see a lot is the "bare bones" nature of The Golf Club. Just because the game lacks the face of Tiger Woods and a licensed version of Augusta doesn't mean it's "bare bones" in any way. In fact, I would argue the opposite. The depth of this title is actually a strength, it just comes in the form of thousands of (completely free to play) courses instead of buying a new driver shaft that adds 10 yards to your drive.

    The true excellence lies in the gameplay itself. It's the first game that replicates the feel of going out and playing 18 with your mates. Well done HB Studios!    … Expand
  5. plato666
    Sep 6, 2014
    9
    I wrote bad review about this game a few weeks ago well,I take it all back although still not perfect or near perfect the pc has been shouting out for a golf game since tiger woods 08 here we have it , great things to do course creator is fun and addictive but for me its the community, everyone is so helpful and live turn based play although in places glitchy is great fun.Whats more theI wrote bad review about this game a few weeks ago well,I take it all back although still not perfect or near perfect the pc has been shouting out for a golf game since tiger woods 08 here we have it , great things to do course creator is fun and addictive but for me its the community, everyone is so helpful and live turn based play although in places glitchy is great fun.Whats more the development of this game continues with among other things putting and chipping this is turning out to be the best £23 iv'e ever spent, I highly recommend this if you have the patience to practise and fine tune your play don't expect to pick it up and get it right from your very first shot that will come later isn't that what any form golf is about.give it a try you wont be sorry.… Expand
  6. SpawnTarget
    Aug 22, 2014
    10
    This is a very good golf game, some people in the steam forums have decided to hate the game and to even go so far as to try to encourage others to come here and give bad reviews without even playing the full release. Many do not have a PC worthy of running the game properly so just assume that it must be bad for everyone , this is not true, the majority have no problems running the gameThis is a very good golf game, some people in the steam forums have decided to hate the game and to even go so far as to try to encourage others to come here and give bad reviews without even playing the full release. Many do not have a PC worthy of running the game properly so just assume that it must be bad for everyone , this is not true, the majority have no problems running the game and have fun playing it. I have played many golf games and this one is the only one I have every seen that is making an effort to keep everyone`s playing ability the same with no attributes or extra powerful clubs that can be bought with cash, Someone who is new can buy the game and drive the same distance and accuracy as players who have been playing right from the start, so its about golf, not how long you have been playing or how much money you have to buy extras because there are not any.… Expand
  7. SnazzyD
    Aug 21, 2014
    10
    There's something fishy going on here with all the hate and low scores posted on here, and I am guessing it's the work of a few trolly types with multiple accounts and a lot of free time on their hands. I've waited decades for a golf game like this to come along and now we have it. Unbelieveable course creation tools and cross-platform sharing, infinite number and variety of courses thatThere's something fishy going on here with all the hate and low scores posted on here, and I am guessing it's the work of a few trolly types with multiple accounts and a lot of free time on their hands. I've waited decades for a golf game like this to come along and now we have it. Unbelieveable course creation tools and cross-platform sharing, infinite number and variety of courses that take just seconds to generate, and no loading time between holes.

    I find the graphics to be quite nice - nothing cutting edge, but definitely not the sub-par experience these trolls would have you believe. It runs fine on my mid-range gaming PC so those who are having issues need to figure out what their issue is - if it runs fine on one PC and not another.....it's the PC and not the game (duh!). And the physics are excellent overall. There are a few times when things go a bit wonky (just like my real game) but it's software people, and there are such things as patches that we should expect.

    This is a very ambitious golf game that also strives NOT to be the next Tiger Woods game, which I could take no more of. No career, no power-ups, no pro shop with meaningless bling upgrades...no problem. I want a real golf game, with infinite replayability, social features and hell, they've even partnered with the leading home golf simulator company which makes this an absolute steal for $35.

    Metacritic attracts all kinds of haters, so I've learned not to trust what people post on here much. Just go on the Steam community pages and you won't find any of this nonsense.    … Expand
  8. Franksnbeans
    Aug 19, 2014
    10
    This is NOT tiger woods! don't expect cheesy gimmicks or crowds to stroke your ego when making that 40 ft putt. This is more of an amateur experience. You know, like going to the Golf club with a mate and shooting a round of golf.

    You will have many courses to play that will be user generated, Quite a clever move by the Devs seeing as they could not afford official course licenses or    This is NOT tiger woods! don't expect cheesy gimmicks or crowds to stroke your ego when making that 40 ft putt. This is more of an amateur experience. You know, like going to the Golf club with a mate and shooting a round of golf.

    You will have many courses to play that will be user generated, Quite a clever move by the Devs seeing as they could not afford official course licenses or they were unable to obtain due to being owned by EA.

    The games graphics are not the best and not the worst. You have no sense of progression through stats, which is good. Your progression will be shooting a lower score on a course you previously did terrible on. Competing in tournaments or tours. Getting your average score down and so on. People will inevitably compare this with TW but I feel this would be unfair, they have different aims and perspectives.
    I loved TW but the boosting and being able to apply spin or remove it while mid-air was just plain stupid.

    This game will attract the more hardcore golfer. Difficulty will primarily come from the course you play and you being able to master the shot. All in all i recommend this game, its realistic, its fun, it has tons of potential with user generated courses, and I will be playing for a long time.    … Expand
  9. Divot
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    I have been waiting for a golf game like this for a long time. Great graphics and game play. No other game recreates the feel of being out on the course as well as this game. Instead of feeling like a video gamer trying to be a professional golfer you will feel like an average Joe out on the golf course playing a round. There are no flashy gimmicks to this game just pure golf, the way aI have been waiting for a golf game like this for a long time. Great graphics and game play. No other game recreates the feel of being out on the course as well as this game. Instead of feeling like a video gamer trying to be a professional golfer you will feel like an average Joe out on the golf course playing a round. There are no flashy gimmicks to this game just pure golf, the way a golf game should be. But.... it gets even better. The golf course designer system is so well done it has received endorsement by Greg Norman and the quality of games simulation itself has received endorsement from ProTee United Golf Simulation. Those are the guys who sell the $10,000 golf simulator set-ups that use real clubs and balls. If you want to feel like the greatest PGA Tour professional then perhaps this game is not for you but if you want to recreate whats its like to go down to your local club and play a round then this is it. You can even use the course designer to recreate your local club.… Expand
  10. Jack_h
    Aug 26, 2014
    8
    I also play this on PS4 and really like it. If you have a really good DX11 card, this game will look amazing. Lots of GPU usage but mannnn it looks good. No career mode but thousands of courses have been shared so far - really cool community around this one cranking out courses.
  11. DodgyJames
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    I am going to give this game a 10 - strictly speaking it's a solid 8 - but I wanted to add balance to other reviews. I LOVE this game. It's a really good game of golf. There are some glitches and there is a lack of character progression. But this game is so social. It's easy to play with your friends. Some players have put hundreds of hours in - that speaks volume for the playabilityI am going to give this game a 10 - strictly speaking it's a solid 8 - but I wanted to add balance to other reviews. I LOVE this game. It's a really good game of golf. There are some glitches and there is a lack of character progression. But this game is so social. It's easy to play with your friends. Some players have put hundreds of hours in - that speaks volume for the playability of the game. There is a nice variety of shot modifications. You can even create your own courses. Simply put, I recommend this game. It's not perfect but most will be glad they bought it.… Expand
  12. Golfer64
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    Best golf game ever and best course designer ever ! This game is design to simulate the golfing experience of the weekend golfer so there is no real-life PGA pro, no PGA courses and no sponsored golf equipment. There is also no 2-click swing and no meters. This is all by design in order to simulate the golfing experience and it is done exceptionally. If you want the next Tiger Woods gameBest golf game ever and best course designer ever ! This game is design to simulate the golfing experience of the weekend golfer so there is no real-life PGA pro, no PGA courses and no sponsored golf equipment. There is also no 2-click swing and no meters. This is all by design in order to simulate the golfing experience and it is done exceptionally. If you want the next Tiger Woods game with the ability to control the ball after you hit the shot then this is not for you. If you want to click on a meter to unrealistically determine you exact shot power this is not for you. If you want to fire the game up and start playing like a pro this is not for you. If you want the best game game ever then this IS for you. Bad reviews are from people who's PC can't handle the game.… Expand
  13. copulous
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    Great sim where all players are equal, no perks or silly upgrades just pure golf. This is the closest I have ever felt to being out on the course.

    The community is fantastic and the heart and soul of this very social game. The course creator is incredibly powerful, courses can be made in a few clicks or you can lose dozens of hours realizing your vision. Fantastic game and highly    Great sim where all players are equal, no perks or silly upgrades just pure golf. This is the closest I have ever felt to being out on the course.

    The community is fantastic and the heart and soul of this very social game.

    The course creator is incredibly powerful, courses can be made in a few clicks or you can lose dozens of hours realizing your vision.

    Fantastic game and highly recommended to all golfers.    … Expand
  14. xgamrx
    May 24, 2015
    9
    I am a golf instructor and author of "Golf Demystified" on Amazon who has played golf for 28 years. For this reason, I believe my experience and knowledge counts for this review. The Golf Club is the most realistic golf games I have ever played. Yes, I have played every golf game. I currently have devoted 125 hours playing it. The sheer number of courses and various terrain really drawsI am a golf instructor and author of "Golf Demystified" on Amazon who has played golf for 28 years. For this reason, I believe my experience and knowledge counts for this review. The Golf Club is the most realistic golf games I have ever played. Yes, I have played every golf game. I currently have devoted 125 hours playing it. The sheer number of courses and various terrain really draws the player into the game. Of course, it is not perfect. First, you need to play the game with a controller to really enjoy the experience. Second, the game is challenging like the game of golf. Third, there is room for improvement and additions. Overall, it is worth scheduling a tee time to play The Golf Club.… Expand
  15. CardinalStorm
    Dec 20, 2014
    8
    AUGUST 21st 2014:

    I'm giving the devs another chance to sort this game out, a game that should not have been released in it's current state. I think HB Studios have learned a lesson over the last day or two and if they stay true to their implied word, TGC could be very good. Although, I don't see it ever being outstanding. Considering I can now at least play the bloody thing after    AUGUST 21st 2014:

    I'm giving the devs another chance to sort this game out, a game that should not have been released in it's current state. I think HB Studios have learned a lesson over the last day or two and if they stay true to their implied word, TGC could be very good. Although, I don't see it ever being outstanding.

    Considering I can now at least play the bloody thing after plugging in a 360 pad - the M+K controls are far from satisfactory at present - I'll give it a six. It's not completely broken, so a very low score is not really justified, and there is definitely something about it that shows promise.

    I'll review this review in the months to come, when hopefully the devs will finish the game properly.

    UPDATE DECEMBER 20th 2014:

    OK, the game has been worked on and it's starting to look like a finished product; basically this is how it should have been released some four months ago!

    It's still better with the 360 controller, but with extra features, optimized code and settings (I can now run it @ 3840x2160 [4K] on my 780Ti and it runs very well) it's a decent golfing game. If the devs can implement a good mouse swing - as Tiger Woods PGA managed many years ago on PC - then it would be a very good game.

    As it stands, it's an improved 8/10 (original score was 6/10) from me as the devs have shown effort.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. PC Gamer
    Nov 10, 2014
    70
    Admirably back to basics, eschewing fancypants gimmicks to focus entirely on the ancient, noble art of hitting balls into holes. [Holiday 2014, p.58]
  2. Vandal
    Nov 5, 2014
    79
    It is always risky launching a community-based game, but The Golf Club delivers a very solid experience, accessible, but also deep. There are many good ideas here, and we’re looking forward to see big, ambitious updates, or even a sequel that polishes and improves the overall experience.
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  3. SpazioGames
    Sep 16, 2014
    75
    The Golf Club is a pretty good golf game, that delivers a brilliant challenge that relies entirely on the multiplayer. It does not have a career mode, or a progression system of your own character, but this is not some sort of lack; this is not your regular Tiger Woods game: it's just another type of title.
    Read full review
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