Solid controls make getting from tee to green a snap, whether you’re using your own created player or one of the golfers from the uninspiring stable of current professionals. The super-slick presentation also masks an agonizing amount of loading we’re forced to sit through every round between each hole. Golfers fail to retrieve their ball from the cup after a made putt, walk through each other’s lines on a regular basis, and even tromp through sandtraps to walk up to the greens if they happen to be in the way – all big no-no’s in the oh-so-buttoned-up rules of golf etiquette. It also feels like so much of the focus has been put on getting The Masters just right that the rest of the game suffers. Any kind of storyline would have spiced up the rote “make good shots, get XP, build your skills” process to the point that we would have been compelled to keep moving forward. We would have loved for one or more of them to stroll into a virtual clubhouse as our avatar laced up his spikes and talked a little trash, giving us some motivation other than XP to beat ‘em. Your career is full of challenges issued by fellow golfers, but they’re simply mute mannequins you play against.

What’s more disappointing is that Road to The Masters feels like a missed opportunity. We assume someone can make Gene Sarazen’s famous double-eagle, but it sure ain’t us. A few of these Moments feel utterly impossible, though. Instead, our created golfer gets to try them, getting a ton of valuable XP with each success. We were also jazzed up to play the historical Masters Moments mode, until we realized you don’t get to step into the shoes of the past greats like Ben Hogan or Arnold Palmer whose feats you’re attempting to match. It’s extremely challenging, even with Tiger at the height of his powers. Our favorite is Tiger at The Masters, where replicating – or besting – each of Tiger’s four Masters wins over the entire four days is the objective. There are several ways to soak in everything the stately Georgian course has to offer. Augusta National feels alive, in a perpetual state of spring. EA clearly took its job seriously, too, as each hole is lovingly crafted to a level of detail we’ve never seen. The course hasn’t been available to play in any format for many years, and it’s the closest most of us will ever get to experiencing it. So it goes in Tiger Woods 12, or, as it could be called, “EA Sports Presents Augusta National and a Whole Bunch of Other Courses that Aren’t Nearly as Important.” The reverence displayed for the ultra-exclusive course that hosts the annual Masters tournament is palpable, as well it should be.

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