PGA Tour 2K23 is Accessible and a Great Time

PGA Tour 2K23 Hands-on Preview

I was fortunate enough to attend the PGA Tour 2K23 preview event at the illustrious East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. Being a local, the mere five-mile commute to the club made a lovely start to a memorable day. I got to go hands-on with a preview build of the game, speak with the Franchise Manager at HB Studios, Shaun West, and meet Shooter McGavin himself, Christopher McDonald. 

I deeply respect golf, but I’m a disgrace on the course. I’ve spent more time with Mario Golf over the years than with the simulation-style mechanics in PGA Tour 2K. Suffice it to say, the first several minutes I spent hands-on resulted in bunker shots and quadruple bogeys. I found the courage within and preserved it to properly handle 2K23’s default stick swing mechanic. 2K23 features the deep mechanics fans recognize but notably features a new 3-click swing option. 

More Accessibility

The 3-click swing is a mechanic in golf games of old but brand new to 2K. It also took some getting used to, but it’s a fantastic addition that provides players with a more accessible means of swinging the club. It also feels like a fun mini-game every time you swing, which is an added bonus. 

Tiger Woods has arrived in 2K along with many playable pros. Their in-game appearances aren’t flawless, but they’re pretty close, and it’s generally great to see them. Licensed courses include Wellington Country Club, Saint Georges Country Club, Renaissance, and Atlanta’s own East Lake. It was a bit surreal to play on an accurate East Lake in-game while sitting alongside the 18th hole in reality. 

MyPLAYERS and MyCAREER have returned, and HP promises more depth and customization than ever before between cosmetics and golf clubs. Some cool arcade-style modes like Top Golf can also be played solo or with teams locally or online. I didn’t experience any modes outside the standard stroke format, but I’m looking forward to giving the others a shot. I’m particularly interested in the Course Designer featuring loads of options to forge the golf course of your dreams. 

I had a great time with PGA Tour 2K23. It’s designed to cater to players with varying preferences and is seemingly doing an excellent job. PGA Tour 2K Deluxe Edition and Tiger Woods Edition are releasing on October 11th, with the standard edition launching on October 14th, all for Xbox X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and Steam.