Woods’ Water-Walking Wows

Tiger Woods has won four major championships, amassed 65 professional wins, and has sunk countless numbers of clutch shots in his still booming career. So, what is a 32-year-old golfer to do after he has accomplished so much already? Walk on water, of course.

Woods’ water-walking ways have become a topic of interest as EA Sports has released an online-only commercial that depicts Tiger taking a shot from the middle of a pond. The idea for the ad came as a result of a wise guy gamer know as Levinator25 creating a video that showed a glitch from the ‘08 installment that he refers to as the “Jesus Shot”. In his video, Tiger approaches a ball that has miraculously landed on top of the water. He takes his aim and shoots it into the hole with the greatest of ease, clearly a glitch, and a funny one at that.

So what better way for EA to make the best of their mistake than to make a funny commercial out of it featuring Tiger himself? The ad has already had over 1.7 million views and is clearly operating on the ever-so-effective viral marketing strategy. What is also impressive is Tiger’s marketability; every single thing this guys supports turns to gold.

But how does this year’s game compare to last year’s? First and foremost, I would assume that the water-walking glitch has been fixed, as I haven’t seen it so far in my experience with the ‘09 version of the game. Tiger Woods PGA Tour ‘09 will be familiar in the hands of fans of the franchise, and easy to pick up for those who are new to it. The game features both a three-click-swing meter and the regular left-stick-analog control.

New game modes include accelerated online play, which allows up to four players to golf simultaneously, taking a considerable amount of time away from the process. Players will also be able to compete in a variety of GamerNet challenges ranging from longest drive to closest to the hole.

Players will also be able to create themselves in game just as they have in years past. The major difference in ‘09 is players’ ratings will adjust after each match depending on how they played. After a match, Tiger’s coach will offer tips on how to improve your game, and players will have the option to practice in these areas; if you practice well, your skill increases. It is a small yet massive change that adds some realism to the game.

Altogether, Tiger Woods ‘09 is better than last year’s game thanks to some new features and a lack of glitches, so if you’re looking to play some virtual golf and walking on solid surfaces, give the new Tiger a try.