Real World Golf gets you up off your ass and on your feet allowing you to swing a club yourself instead of using a typical controller. The idea is very appealing, but due to technical costs and restraints (literally), the result is still fun, but cumbersome.

The game itself is a basic golf game; no pros, a few courses, a driving range, and of course a tutorial complete with picture in picture demonstrations on how do perform maneuvers. Visually the game is standard, but is easily first generation Xbox/PS2 graphics. The player models are lifeless and emotionless, special effects aren’t very special, and after a few holes, you’ll begin to wonder why you are not playing Tiger Woods instead.

The answer is the cool Gametrak peripheral the game comes packaged with. You get a base complete with motion sensor, a foot pedal for advancing menus and changing clubs and some cool early 80’s Madonna gloves which tether to the base and a nifty mini golf club like you used when you were five. The original idea was to allow you to use your own clubs, but honestly, I feel the tethers got in the way of that experience. Speaking of the tethers, I can’t help but hear the song “Master of Puppets” when I’m playing this game. The sense of restriction is really the only obstacle to overcome. Now I like to be tied down and all, but this just seems unnecessary.

Once you are set in to the realization of the experience, it actually works quite well, and is much more fun than using a controller. The sensor on the Gametrak reads your club head to indicate if you are slicing or hooking the ball, the tethers measure the strength and follow through of your club, and you do all this without having to tee up, chase down balls, or look silly in checkered pants and a cardigan. The accuracy of the Gametrak device is pretty accurate, especially when playing on harder difficulty levels. Per the usual, the game is much more forgiving on easy and won’t be so critical on your club placement and follow through. The tougher the difficulty though, the more judgmental the game becomes on your game.

Overall, if you love Golf and want something to keep you in stride during the rainy days, then Real World Golf is an inexpensive simulation that is every bit worth the 70 bones you have to shell out for it. For the casual gamer, you may want to steer clear of this as the learning curve is nearly as frustrating as golfing in real life. Now only if this game were compatible with Tiger Woods PGA Tour, then we would have something to get excited about. But alas, so far this is the only game that works with the system, with a baseball title called Slugger in the works.

	Great substitute for real golfing for rainy days
	Perpheral simulates the sports well...
	...but makes you feel like a puppet
	Less than stellar visuals
	Will this ever work with an established golf title?