On April 1, a dream of every golfer will come true when Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters Tournament, will open to the public—virtually. Both gamers and golfers will have the opportunity to win a green jacket with EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters.
“For more than a decade, The Masters Tournament has been the most requested and coveted feature for the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise among our fans,” said Peter Moore, president of EA Sports. “Pairing the number one golf video game franchise with the most prestigious golf tournament in the world is a perfect marriage, and we’re thrilled to bring our fans this exciting opportunity to experience Augusta National Golf Club like never before.”
Adding his stamp of approval for this new gaming experience is the four-time Masters champion himself.  Quoted in a press release, Tiger Woods said, “I am very happy and excited that the Masters Tournament is featured in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour game. There are many new and unique elements in the game that will make everyone feel like they’re really competing at Augusta National. This is great for the sport and will connect a new audience with The Masters, a tournament I’ve been fortunate to experience since 1995.”

Three years of collaboration between Augusta National and EA Sports resulted in a game that gives players an authentic Masters experience. To capture the most realistic look possible, EA used a new, state-of-the art laser scanning technology at Augusta. Each hole was completely scanned—every fairway, bunker, tree, and azalea bush—to provide gamers with the most authentic digital representation of the Masters tournament.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters is compatible with both the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation Move interactive motion-controlled platforms. From the backswing to the follow-through, the control system transfers a golfer’s entire swing and replicates it on-screen. Any flaw or imperfection displays on the virtual link, changes the flight of the ball and potentially costs the player a stroke.

In addition to its operational features, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 allows gamers to relive each of Tiger’s four wins at The Masters by attempting to equal or beat his scores during each round of the tournament.

Caddies appear in the video game for the first time, offering advice about shot selection and how to read the greens, helping gamers become better golfers.
View the video below for a sneak peek at the virtual course and a full game review from Masters anchor reporter, Jim Nantz. For more information and to pre-order a copy of EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters, head to ea.com/tiger-woods.

Source:  EA Sports
Photos:  EA Sports