PGA European Tour (AGA)

Title		PGA European Tour (AGA)
Game Type	Sport
Compatability	AGA and ECS versions available
Company		Electronic Arts (1994)
Players		1-4
Submission	angus@angusm.demon.co.uk

Review
I`m not an authority on either the game of golf, or computer simulations
of the sport, so I can`t really compare and contrast too much in this
review. I was, however, a moderate to big fan of the game Leaderboard, so
I do atleast have that as a yardstick to measure PGA with. First of all
though, what is PGA ET all about? Well, it`s another golf simulation, your
viewpoint, as usual, is just behind the golfer that represents your good
self, and you control your shot with the tried and tested three-click
method: Click one starts your swing and the power bar begins to move along
the gauge for a stronger stroke, your second click determines the power
you want to use and reverses the power indicator`s movement causing it to
rapidly move towards and past the 0% power position, and click three must
be performed just as the power indicator moves through the 0% position
(actually called the accuracy point), or the shot will be hooked or sliced
depending on if your final click was premature or late. If that sounds
complex blame me, it is simplicity itself to use and whoever devised the
system, which seems to have been used in most golf sims, deserves a huge
pat on the back.

There are a couple of further wrinkles, by allowing the power bar to
exceed 100% into the overswing area, you can achieve a more powerful
stroke, but the price you pay is a greater degree of hook or slice if you
miss the accuracy point on your final click. Further, on occasions when
you might wish to intentionally hook or slice, perhaps to avoid a tree,
rather than deliberately missing the accuracy point you can bring up the
Draw and Fade meter and set that to your requirements. Now you can continue
with your shot, hitting the accuracy point in the normal way, confident
that the shot will conform to your wishes .....assuming of course you
don't mess it up.

In PGA ET there are an abundance of options for you to explore. You have
Driving and Putting ranges, Tournament play, the Skins challenge where you
play for money, Match play, and the Practice round. There are five courses
in total, and there are some attractive features the game allows you to
use. For example you can fly over the hole currently in play, giving you a
better idea of the lay of the land, or in the hole browser mode you can
actually position your viewpoint, from the air, moving around as you
please. The only danger with this mode is that your opponent may well bore
you to death while he painstakingly evaluates the options for his next
shot. Seriously, this is a great multi-player, and if for example you were
part of a broadminded foursome, (not that broadminded!!) you'd probably
find that the game would go down very well even with NCGPs (Non Computer
Game Players). It doesn't have to be at all fiddly you see, you obviously
have the ability to choose which club you wish to use, but you`re
presented with the most likely choice; ideal if you just want some quick
entertainment without a lot of messing about.

From what I can see PGA ET is basically an updated version of Leaderboard
that is just as much fun, just as easy to play, but with tastier graphics,
some nice enhancements, and the option of some extra
depth. The sound may not be momentous, but it does the job very well,
including the occasional chirp of a nearby bird, the sigh of sympathetic
spectators as you just miss the hole, as well as the odd ditty of music.
A very playable game then, possibly the best of it's type, and with
sufficient appeal to be enjoyed  by ......oh, almost anyone, I'd say.

Alphabetical list.