15 Best Golf Video Games Of All Time (2025)
Golf didn’t always resonate with the broader audience—until golf video games began bridging the gap. Leaderboard Golf (1986) was a standout title, praised for its impressive graphics and realistic physics engine. It showcased how digital gameplay could capture the essence of the sport and draw in new fans.
To explore how far golf games have come, here’s a curated list of the 15 best golf video games as of 2025. These titles combine realism, fun, and innovation to deliver an experience that appeals to both dedicated golfers and casual players.
15 Best Golf Video Games in 2025
1. PGA Tour 2K25
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Released: February 28, 2025
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Developers: HB Studios, 2K Vegas
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Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
PGA Tour 2K25 elevates the golf simulation experience with the introduction of the EvoSwing system, offering more authentic swing mechanics. Players can now compete in all four major championships, including the U.S. Open and The Open Championship, on meticulously recreated courses like Oakmont and Royal Portrush. The enhanced MyPlayer progression system and expanded course designer tools provide endless customization and re-playability.
2. Links 2003
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Released: November 2002
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Developers: Microsoft
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Platforms: PC
A classic in the golf gaming genre, Links 2003 offers a realistic golfing experience with six beautifully rendered courses and a variety of game modes. Its standout feature, the Arnold Palmer Course Designer, allows players to create and customize their own courses, adding a much needed personal touch to the overall gameplay experience.
3. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
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Released: June 2009
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Developers: EA Sports
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Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, PSP
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 introduced a live weather system that mirrors real world conditions, affecting gameplay and adding a layer of realism. The Live Tournament mode allows players to compete against real time scores, enhancing the competitive aspect of the game.
4. Mario Golf (Series)
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Released: Various
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Developers: Nintendo
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Platforms: Nintendo consoles
The Mario Golf series brings a fun and whimsical approach to golf, featuring beloved Nintendo characters and imaginative courses. With titles spanning from the Nintendo 64 to the Nintendo Switch, the series offers accessible gameplay for all ages, blending traditional golf mechanics with creative power-ups and challenges.
5. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
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Released: September 2004
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Developers: EA Sports
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Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC
This installment introduced the “Tiger Proofing” feature, allowing players to modify courses to increase difficulty, providing a unique challenge. The enhanced Game Face II character creation system offered unprecedented customization, making it a standout title in the series.
6. Golf Club: Nostalgia
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Released: September 3, 2021
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Developers: Demagog Studio
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Platforms: PC
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Golf Club: Nostalgia combines golf with a narrative driven experience. Players navigate through desolate landscapes, uncovering stories of humanity’s past, all while enjoying a relaxing yet thought provoking game.
7. Hot Shots Golf 3
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Released: March 2002
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Developers: Clap Hanz
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Platforms: PlayStation 2
Hot Shots Golf 3 offers a lighthearted take on golf, featuring cartoonish characters and accessible gameplay. Its charm lies in its simplicity and fun, making it a favorite among casual gamers. And Pac-Man has been a regular guest star/golfer in the overall Hot Shots series since 2013… and who doesn’t love Pac-Man?
8. What the Golf?
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Released: September 19, 2019
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Developers: Triband
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Platforms: iOS, macOS, tvOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
What the Golf? is a hilarious parody of golf games, turning the sport on its head with unexpected twists and bizarre scenarios. It’s a delightful experience that keeps players continuously guessing what’s next.
9. Real World Golf
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Released: October 2005
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Developers: In2Games
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Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC
Real World Golf introduced the Gametrak system, allowing players to swing a real club and see their movements translated into the game. This innovative approach provided a more immersive golfing experience.
10. Wii Sports Golf
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Released: November 2006
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Developers: Nintendo
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Platforms: Wii
Wii Sports Golf brought motion-controlled golfing to the masses, using the Wii Remote to simulate real swings. Its intuitive controls and family friendly design made it a hit with any/all age groups. There are also updated and/or new iterations of golf featured in Wii Sports Club, Wii Sports Resort, and Nintendo Switch Sports.
11. The Golf Club 2019 featuring PGA Tour
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Released: August 28, 2018
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Developers: HB Studios
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Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
This title offers a comprehensive golfing experience with a robust course designer and realistic physics. Players can compete in officially licensed PGA Tour events, adding authenticity to the gameplay.
12. Ninja Golf
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Released: 1990
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Developers: BlueSky Software
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Platforms: Atari 7800
Ninja Golf is absolutely bonkers and absurd… but that’s what makes it great. It’s an utterly unique hybrid of side scrolling action and golf, where players fight various, random enemies between holes. Its quirky concept has earned it a cult following over the decades and for good reason as it is just a ridiculous amount of 8-bit fun.
13. Super Swing Golf
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Released: December 2006
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Developers: Tecmo
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Platforms: Wii
Super Swing Golf combines anime-style graphics with motion-controlled gameplay, offering a fun and energetic golfing experience. Its engaging story mode adds depth to the game.
14. Golf Story
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Released: September 28, 2017
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Developers: Sidebar Games
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Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Golf Story merges RPG elements with golf, creating a unique narrative driven game. Players embark on a journey to become golf champions, engaging in various quests and challenges along the way.
15. Leaderboard Golf (Series)
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Released: 1986 onwards
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Developers: Access Software
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Platforms: Various
As mentioned in the opening, the Leaderboard Golf series set the standard for golf simulations in the ‘80s and ‘90s, introducing realistic ball physics and swing mechanics that influenced future golf games. In 1999, the developers of this series (Access Software) were bought by Microsoft and Leaderboard Golf ultimately morphed into the long running Links series of games.
Golf Video Games FAQs
Is Tiger Woods in PGA Tour 2K25?
Yes, Tiger Woods is featured as a playable pro in PGA Tour 2K25, alongside other top golfers like Max Homa and Lydia Ko.
What was the first Tiger Woods video game?
The first game in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series was Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf, released in 1998 for PlayStation and PC.
What is the best golf game record?
While records can vary, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is often praised for its realistic gameplay and innovative features like the live weather system. Although, according to Metacritic, Super Stickman Golf 3 for iOS devices is the highest rated golf game (95/100), and the Guinness Book of World Records cites Golf for the original Nintendo Entertainment System as the best-selling golf game of all time, having sold a whopping 4,009,599 units.
Why did EA stop making golf games?
EA shifted focus to other sports franchises and faced licensing challenges (i.e., they are soulless corporate husks only interested in the bottom line), leading to a hiatus in their golf game development. (See the soulless corporate husks part mentioned previously.)
What’s Next for Golf Video Games?
The future of golf video games looks promising, with advancements in VR and AR technologies offering experiences that are on the bleeding edge of immersive diversity. Innovations like the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) are blending real world golf with digital enhancements, attracting new audiences. Indie developers are also pushing boundaries, creating unique narratives and gameplay mechanics that redefine the genre.
Whether you’re looking for a realistic simulation or a fun, quirky take on golf, there’s a game out there for you. So grab your virtual clubs and tee off into the varied world of golf video games… and maybe, just maybe, it’ll make you fall in love with the game.
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