Like the island of Cyprus, the game of golf and I have a complicated history. I remember the pain of being dragged away from the The Tick on Saturday mornings for lessons, the tedium of driving practice, and the slow, meandering grind of 18 holes. It’s no surprise then, that for much of my childhood, my feelings for golf were the same as a session of particularly ambitious amateur dentistry. It was only much later, once I had found my own pace with which to cross the forbidding territory of novice golf (and discovered the magic of Caddyshack) could I appreciate the adventure of tackling a difficult course, the strategy of competitive play, and the satisfaction of a well-executed stroke.
Consequently, the difference between “golf games” and “golf simulations” presents an interesting question for game reviewers like me: realism in the simulation of the intrinsically sucky. Common sense says games are meant to be fun. While playing golf is arguably fun, learning how to play golf is roughly the same amount of fun as being pelted with rancid meat. Much like the difference between Microsoft Flight Simulator and Ace Combat, the difference between “golf game” and “golf simulator” lies in faithful attention to detail.
