Sound
Not only do the courses look good, the sound great too. Once again, each course has it's own ambient sounds, be it waves crashing, trees creaking or insects whirring by, it's all there and very well done in positional audio too. Of course, all this would be useless if the game sounds pertinent to your golfer weren't up to scratch. Damn good thing that they are then. Wind back and hit a big drive off the tee and you're rewarded with a satisfying thwack. Drive off the fairway to the green and there's a meaty thud as the ball goes off into the blue (as well as a sizeable piece of turf following it). Drop into a bunker and you just know the ball has buried itself in the sand by the 'thuck' noise it makes, though getting it out with a 'swoosh' and a respectable shower of sand is very satisfying.
All this action is accompanied by your commentators, David Feherty and Gary McCord, who provide useful information on what's going on and what to look out for, before you take your shot. And here is where the game has it's second niggle. The commentators could make a hell of a lot more money playing the National Lottery, such are their powers of prediction. For every shot, even if it's a few moments into it's flight, they are already telling you that the ball has just caught the rough, or you've hit it too long. EA have gotten the timing ever so slightly wrong with their comments, so before the ball has even landed Feherty and McCord are discussing where you went wrong. Also, there are times when Feherty's greenside tips are less than helpful, advising on a straight putt when there is a clear slope to be negotiated. That said, overall the commentaries are useful and some of the quips Feherty comes out with are hilarious.
