PGA Tour 2K25 preview: Getting back in the swing
Amy Flower
STACK Senior Editor
It had been a while since we'd taken to the virtual course, so when we received an invite to preview 'PGA Tour 2K25', we keenly accepted. Here's what we learned from our hands-on time with the upcoming golf game.
It’s been a two-year break since the last entry, PGA Tour 2K23, and in that time developers HB Studios have been busy fine tuning and otherwise refining their baby.
A key development is that PGA Tour 2K25 has been developed exclusively for the latest generation hardware, and it doesn’t take long to see the advantage of this when you start off a round.
The in-game presentation is akin to being inside an interactive golf broadcast, with commentary that doesn’t repeat itself incessantly, and some superb camera angles. We found the camera that follows the ball towards the pin to be particularly spectacular.
We picked one of the many courses and dived straight in, and being strangers to the links for some years were surprised by how natural the swinging mechanism felt. Pull the right stick back, then flick it forward and your onscreen representation does their stuff.
HB Studios call their latest advancement of the mechanic “EvoSwing”, which breaks the swing into four separate components – contact, rhythm, transition, and swing path. Each of these are measured during your swing, and you’re either rewarded or penalised depending upon whether you nail them or flub them – uh-oh, in the drink again!
Once on the green, the putting mechanism is familiar, with the expected representation of incline and weather. The commentary can also be worth listening to for tips. We struggled with this for a while before we got to grips, but that’s definitely more on us than there being anything wrong with the mechanics.
Our first game saw a rather lousy 18 over result on 18 holes. Then we took to TPC Scottsdale and found that something had suddenly clicked. We ended the 18 holes at two under par, even managing an eagle on one hole. The key to a good pick up and play golf game is that it gets the balance right for both new and seasoned players, and PGA Tour 2K25 appears to have nailed that.
One part of the game that really matters to many is the MyPLAYER experience – and we’ve seen some wild custom getups in our travels. This year’s model delivers more options, starting with one of five player types - Powerhouse, Technician, Magician, Greenskeeper, and Sculptor – adding skill trees, and allowing refinement of the look of both player and their getup from there.
MyPLAYER goes hand-in-hand with MyCAREER, and while we didn’t get to play with this much, we are promised the most immersive iteration yet, and many will be rapt to hear that the experience has been tweaked to allow quicker progression – if you want it.
There’s also equipment progression, so that clubs and balls can be levelled up to match your gameplay style. Basically, pick a variable, and PGA Tour 2K25 lets you tweak it.
Elsewhere, PGA Tour 2K25 is set to initially deliver 27 licensed courses, with new additions including the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, and the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Of course - pun intended, sorry - those who really enjoy getting into the nuts and bolts will want to create their own places to play, and great news is that the course designer is back, with everything from new tools, surfaces, and items, right through to new camera systems. These are all shareable with the online world, where you can also get into classic multiplayer rounds of varying types, with cross-platform support, too.
Licensed player-wise, step into the golf shoes of the legendary Tiger Woods or superstar Kiwi Lydia Ko, as well as several other pros both male and female. However, if you’re a Happy Gilmore fan like us you’ll likely be most excited about the inclusion of Christopher McDonald – aka Shooter McGavin – in a pre-order bonus pack.
We loved our time with PGA Tour 2K25 and look forward to getting stuck into the full version in review.
If you’re keen to get a taste right now, a playable demo ‘First Look’ is now available, on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
PGA Tour 2K25 is out February 28.
^Discounts apply to previous ticketed/advertised price prior to the discount offer. As we negotiate, products will likely have been sold below ticketed/advertised price prior to the discount offer. Prices may differ at airport stores.
