Sid Meier's SimGolf

Build a thriving country club and beat the competition in this golf course management simulator from Sid Meier.

Released: 23 January 2002
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Golf Simulation Sports Strategy
Developers: Firaxis Games
Publishers: Electronic Arts
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Non-fiction
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB E USK 0

About

Sid Meier's SimGolf is a video game developed by Firaxis and published by Electronic Arts in 2002. Players must successfully design golf courses and play them with their default professional golfer Gary Golf. Played in a near-isometric dimetric view, the game runs on fairly low system specs, and only at an 800x600 resolution.

Keywords

golf
tycoon
dolphin
management
camera
capitalism
tournament
sheep
customizable characters
customization
bink video
developer cameo

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The game features a complete system that allows the player to build their own golf empire. Players begin with some money and choose a country to begin building the players' course. Once there, players begin by placing a teeing ground and a putting green for Hole One and are then allowed to go on adding or modifying what lies between: fairways, trees, rough, bunkers (or sand traps), landmarks, benches, paths, flowerbeds, terrain and just about anything players would normally see in a golf course. Players are advised not to waste money because if the budget stays in the red long enough, the game is over.

If players design the course well, they can manage to build an entire 18-hole course while obtaining profits. Players can also populate their course with a variety of staff, such as groundskeepers who will pull out any unsightly weeds, greeters that will talk to customers, marshals to maintain pace of play, and drinks vendors to help golfers quench their thirst.

Reception

The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.

SimGolf was nominated for Computer Gaming World's 2002 "Strategy Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Freedom Force. It was also a runner-up for GameSpot's annual "Best Single-Player Strategy Game on PC" award, losing to Medieval: Total War.