The Golf Club

 Xbox One
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 63
  3. Negative: 26 out of 63

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  1. Jobospartan
    Oct 5, 2014
    1
    An absolute diabolical game graphics are like something from the original xbox. Gameplay is way too basic surprised they let this one get out there it's that bad
  2. Bobo42
    Aug 22, 2014
    0
    Ok. I created an account to get this off my chest. I am not a troll. I was really excited for this game, based largely off of the youtube videos and description of the game by the developer themselves. Big mistake. I feel like the pre-release videos of this game border on "deceptive" and are, at the very least, "misleading."
    The graphics look like Playstation 1 era graphics. As soon as i    Ok. I created an account to get this off my chest. I am not a troll. I was really excited for this game, based largely off of the youtube videos and description of the game by the developer themselves. Big mistake. I feel like the pre-release videos of this game border on "deceptive" and are, at the very least, "misleading."
    The graphics look like Playstation 1 era graphics. As soon as i saw the first flyover of my first hole, I noticed all kinds of jagged lines, texture glitches, just generally low level graphics. I would strongly suggest looking at twitch streams or post-release vids of this game if your only look at it was from pre-release youtube videos, which were EXTREMELY misleading about the end-result graphics quality.
    The sound... my god, the sound. Every time i press a button on the menu (besides having to wait 5-10 seconds for the button press to register) i hear an awful clipping/buzz/pop sound, and it gets worse/louder after each consecutive course played, or so it seems to me. Beyond audio glitches, the actual sound effects are almost non-existent. Besides the boring ambient insect noises and the dull drone of the "announcer", your ears won't be receiving any sort of stimulation from this game.
    The gameplay itself... just feels so boring. I get that it's an indie game with an indie budget, but don't try to pass off poor design decisions, likely made under budget or time constraints, as some sort of purist, high-road excuse to omit standard features under the guise of simulating a real-world golf experience. I get that most golfers don't have crowds of people lining the fairway, cheering on every stroke in real life, but this game feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone where our main character awakens to discover that everyone in the world has vanished (except for the world's most boring golf announcer) and decides to go play a round of golf. There could be the occasion passerby or maybe even a fellow golfer, but there isn't. The worst part is, even if i'm playing with live friends, as opposed to the default ghost mode, i only ever see the golf balls flying through the air. Not once will you ever see another golfer while playing this game. The "social" aspect of this game, one of the features i was most excited about, even in LIVE mode... is still just me playing a course that my friend happens to be playing at the same time, where if we happen to be close to each other i might see his ball flying through the air, but more than likely we will end up on different holes within that course and barely see each other's balls at all (giggle).
    The developers and their fake-positive-review cronies, who are really easy to spot, keep trying to justify the lack of polish on this game by claiming that it's simulating a real-world golf experience, but ultimately it IS a game, and it's a really boring and poorly designed game. The developers could have a career, unlocks, or customization options available in a game without sacrificing their claim to realism, but instead we are stuck with the absolute minimum of features allowed to be still considered a golf game.

    That's the gyst of this game. It is absolutely the most minimal game experience i have ever played. Having a course creator is great, but if i still don't have fun playing on the courses after they've been created, what is the point. It's like giving me a truckload of expensive tools or a case full of cosmetics and glitter and asking me to enjoy the experience of polishing a turd, even though I'm still just stuck with a piece of **** at the end of the day.

    Never have I wanted a refund for a game as bad as I did after playing this game for a couple days, hoping to find redeeming qualities.    … Expand
  3. paulo3152
    Aug 20, 2014
    2
    I love golf games..... I have been patiently waiting for the first 'next gen' golf game to blow me away, unfortunately the golf club isn't it. The game hasn't obviously been play tested before release , it's buggy the sound is awful and don't get me started on the visuals .... jeez if this the best a developer can do then I am off to crack open my snes. I am sure somewhere here there isI love golf games..... I have been patiently waiting for the first 'next gen' golf game to blow me away, unfortunately the golf club isn't it. The game hasn't obviously been play tested before release , it's buggy the sound is awful and don't get me started on the visuals .... jeez if this the best a developer can do then I am off to crack open my snes. I am sure somewhere here there is a golf game but the shoddy mechanics, sound and visuals have ruined it. Shame on you HB studios , if I could get my money back I would , roll on pga tour next year , that's how it's done .… Expand
  4. Grubleguri
    Aug 20, 2014
    1
    Oooops. By first glance this looks like a Waste of money :-[ Framerate 15-30 is not very fun. Graphics from 1980s, and a 30 second wait every time you go to main menu before you get tossed offline and have to wait again is not very fun either.

    Yes, its first day, but framerate and Graphics are right out bad. Only default Clubs, clothes and distances, so as expected way off Tiger    Oooops. By first glance this looks like a Waste of money :-[ Framerate 15-30 is not very fun. Graphics from 1980s, and a 30 second wait every time you go to main menu before you get tossed offline and have to wait again is not very fun either.

    Yes, its first day, but framerate and Graphics are right out bad. Only default Clubs, clothes and distances, so as expected way off Tiger Woods/EA. No "Upgrades", clothes or Equipment for sale.

    Gameplay can be good and its all about feel. You change Clubs/shottype as you like and hit every shot With 100% Power easy, but fades/draws are in play. When it comes to putting its hard. Mainly because you dont have any idea how hard to pull/push stick untill you try, cause there is no indicator or meter etc. With some practice I can see this beeing closer to real life "feel" of golf, but mostly everything else is a letdown. Hardcore golfers who only care about the pure game of golf might enjoy the New refreshing way of "feel" when you putt, but most of the game is "flat" and boring. There is no career or anything you normally see, so you get the feeling that something(important) is missing from the game.    … Expand
  5. Gollum
    Aug 21, 2014
    0
    No online lobby/mades other than strokeplay

    10 second delay between strokeplay shots is a killer

    No wind options,, very little other options

    Very very poor save the cash
  6. Candiansun
    Aug 23, 2014
    1
    I could easy have given this better score, but the small things ruins to much. Like you will get the Message "Connection lost" regurlarly. Every time I go to the submenus Connection is lost and I have to wait and hope it Connects itself or I have to go back to menu and Connect.
    My saved round didnt start me where I left off. The leaderboardsystem is no good. The Graphics are horrid. The    I could easy have given this better score, but the small things ruins to much. Like you will get the Message "Connection lost" regurlarly. Every time I go to the submenus Connection is lost and I have to wait and hope it Connects itself or I have to go back to menu and Connect.
    My saved round didnt start me where I left off. The leaderboardsystem is no good. The Graphics are horrid. The Interface/menu is no good. The putting I kinda enjoyed untill I tried fast greens. The ball has some kind of perpetuual motion and With only 0,00001mph speed the ball rolls 50 feet. Its just strange to watch. Also putting uphill is strange. You have to hit way hardr than the rest of the game indicates.

    Good things is you get Message if friend starts a round and you can jump in. Onlinemode is good if they can buy a server or two.... Lots of good courses. Gameplay itself is also pretty good.    … Expand
  7. Royerrulz
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    Embarassing. Everything about this studio is a complete joke.

    RUNS TERRIBLE. STEER CLEAR. NO ONLINE FEATURES THAT FUNCTION LIKE THEY SHOULD.

    Someone PLEASE start a petition to get our money back. PLEASE!

    I think this would be acceptable if it were coming out on the n64. Seriously.
  8. BishopBoston
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    It's bad. Really bad. Unacceptable in today's age of gaming.

    They clearly ripped off TW. They didn't even bother to ad any options. I mean, NO OPTIONS. The creator is great, except you got to wait abou 10 seconds every time to hit a button before it registers. All of these issues were detailed in early access, but they didn't bother t fix anything. They were simply focused on    It's bad. Really bad. Unacceptable in today's age of gaming.

    They clearly ripped off TW. They didn't even bother to ad any options. I mean, NO OPTIONS.

    The creator is great, except you got to wait abou 10 seconds every time to hit a button before it registers.

    All of these issues were detailed in early access, but they didn't bother t fix anything. They were simply focused on getting the game out as fast as possible.

    HB Studios is the creator. They're on my DO NOT BUY EVER AGAIN list.    … Expand
  9. SickTiggre
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    In concurring with most of the other reviews on this, it's just a terrible product. Terrible. I am actually embarrassed that Microsoft let this onto the system, though I think it is in part to ease their reputation as hardliners.

    This game is not ready for release, runs poorly on next gen consoles, and doesn't come close to simulating golf. As noted in the official reviews, it's a    In concurring with most of the other reviews on this, it's just a terrible product. Terrible. I am actually embarrassed that Microsoft let this onto the system, though I think it is in part to ease their reputation as hardliners.

    This game is not ready for release, runs poorly on next gen consoles, and doesn't come close to simulating golf. As noted in the official reviews, it's a course designer (that takes about 15 seconds to refresh after every action) with a straight shot mechanic glued onto it. They made putting hard and nonintuitive so that it takes longer to shoot -20. Don't worry, you'll be able to once you figure out how to not putt and just chip in instead.

    I give it a 0. Just a frustrating waste of time and energy.    … Expand
  10. k3ckham
    Aug 24, 2014
    0
    This is most possibly one of the worst golf sims I have ever played. I have played most golf games ranging from EA to Mario and this is the least intuitive, least rewarding and most frustrating. Not saying that golf shouldn't be frustrating at times but this is non-stop! To add to this the graphics look more at home in an arcade than on a next gen console. Do not waste your money and holdThis is most possibly one of the worst golf sims I have ever played. I have played most golf games ranging from EA to Mario and this is the least intuitive, least rewarding and most frustrating. Not saying that golf shouldn't be frustrating at times but this is non-stop! To add to this the graphics look more at home in an arcade than on a next gen console. Do not waste your money and hold out till a decent game studio has a crack at a game.… Expand
  11. SuckeredIntoTGC
    Aug 20, 2014
    0
    As written on the pC side, I bought early access and then the Xone version. Was promised that the Xone version was significantly improved over the PC. That is total and complete BS.

    Never buy another game from this studio. I'm surprised EA hasn't sued them yet (though I hear from a friend it's under consideration) for ripping off their mechanics and making them about as terrible as it    As written on the pC side, I bought early access and then the Xone version. Was promised that the Xone version was significantly improved over the PC. That is total and complete BS.

    Never buy another game from this studio. I'm surprised EA hasn't sued them yet (though I hear from a friend it's under consideration) for ripping off their mechanics and making them about as terrible as it can get.

    Maybe they're just laughing at the hilarious failure this has already become. I'd pay 5$ to get a couple holes in with friends until PGA 15 hopefully hits a home run. At $35 it's a scam more or less.

    Save your money folks, nothing to see here.    … Expand
  12. georgelc55
    Jul 10, 2015
    1
    This is not a very good game. First when i finish the local season it wont save my results so i cant go to the next season. Second the green are like ice. The ball hits of the front of the green and rolls off the back of the green. Third, its very hard to increase your skills and fourth when i play the tour its very discouraging to see other players with scores of 15 to 20 under par and iThis is not a very good game. First when i finish the local season it wont save my results so i cant go to the next season. Second the green are like ice. The ball hits of the front of the green and rolls off the back of the green. Third, its very hard to increase your skills and fourth when i play the tour its very discouraging to see other players with scores of 15 to 20 under par and i cant ever finish even par. I hate this game.… Expand
  13. Broyax
    Dec 28, 2016
    1
    Un jeu de golf avec le moteur Unity tout pourri ? allons-y, pourquoi pas, nous les développeurs indés, on ne doute de rien et on part la fleur au fusil, on aime les défis !...

    Et tout de même, il faut reconnaître que ce n'est pas trop moche et que de surcroît les temps de chargement entre les trous sont inexistants ! Bien sûr, les ombres apparaissent toujours avec quelque temps de    Un jeu de golf avec le moteur Unity tout pourri ? allons-y, pourquoi pas, nous les développeurs indés, on ne doute de rien et on part la fleur au fusil, on aime les défis !...

    Et tout de même, il faut reconnaître que ce n'est pas trop moche et que de surcroît les temps de chargement entre les trous sont inexistants !

    Bien sûr, les ombres apparaissent toujours avec quelque temps de retard, le public est... inexistant et des accès disque inopportuns entraînent de brèves mais sévères saccades ici et là ; bien sûr l'image se déchire de temps à autre tandis que le jeu rame... tout le temps, incapable d'afficher un 30 im/s stable !

    Mais putain mec, c'est fait avec Unity, c'est fait avec de la merde, alors respect !!

    Bon après, la jouabilité est très aléatoire, l'imprécision est si dramatique qu'on a autant de chance de la mettre dans le trou que de gagner au loto : à cet égard le putting est tout simplement à chier par terre, là sur le green. Le swing est logé à la même enseigne d'ailleurs même si c'est moins flagrant.

    Aucun repère, aucune façon de se faire une idée, tout se passe au pifomètre avec en outre une gestion de la physique foutraque. Très embarrassant pour un jeu qui se veut réaliste... et carrément... rédhibitoire.    … Expand
  14. Woomer051
    Feb 28, 2017
    4
    Great idea, but poor appearance and approach hinder the devs from executing what they set out. I love the idea of a sim game or even just an EA competitor. However, lack of tutorials limits the audience right out of the gate, even if they are long time EA customers. The game needs to look better and approach a casual audience to engage more people socially, from there they can experienceGreat idea, but poor appearance and approach hinder the devs from executing what they set out. I love the idea of a sim game or even just an EA competitor. However, lack of tutorials limits the audience right out of the gate, even if they are long time EA customers. The game needs to look better and approach a casual audience to engage more people socially, from there they can experience the depth the game has to offer. Unfortunately the game has to much depth to pick up and have fun. I dont see it competing with EA until maybe a third installment, even if people dont mind bug/choppy graphics.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
37
#37 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
25
#25 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Pure Xbox
    Oct 21, 2014
    70
    The fact that we can say that true fans of golf who are looking for a new challenge might well have found their new home in spite of those technical issues, is a testament to how brave and revolutionary the game really is.
    Read full review
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Oct 11, 2014
    60
    Real golfers will love the challenge, and the course design feature is a trump card. However, it won't give the average user much of a buzz. [Issue#116, p.83]
  3. XGN
    Sep 29, 2014
    50
    The Golf Club is a game that relies on friends and the social aspects of gaming. The golfing itself is hardly interesting, as there is nothing to collect and to be fair: a bit of a boring sport like golf does not get much nicer by playing The Golf Club.
    Read full review
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