From the first, ummm tee, the game looks superb - detailed and well animated golfers (most have their own individual swings) and excellent representations of the courses. The visuals give a true feeling of distance with some clever misting and shading, and lovely lighting effects help too. Trees sway in the wind and look wonderful (as long as you don't get too close), and birds, squirrels and various other creatures help bring the game to life.

You can play as Tiger or one of several other PGA Pros, or a collection of fictional characters - including some gorgeous girls that look like they were left out of 007 Nightfire at the last minute, and a stereotypical big red-headed Scottish bloke in a kilt that looks like he fell off a Scots Porridge Oats box. If you choose to play with a profile you win money (for everything, from just hitting the fairway to winning tournaments, skins games etc.) which in turn can be used to upgrade your profile's stats with better accuracy, distance, recovery etc.

   

The aforementioned control system (pull an analogue stick back, and push through to swing, followed by the ability to control the spin on the ball in-flight) has been refined and polished allowing for some truly excellent shots to be played (it was a bit inconsistent and unforgiving when it was first used a couple of years ago, and you could actually control the hook or slice in the air, which seemed a bit too much like having a radio-controlled ball), and now with a bit of practice it's even possible to accurate and consistent draws and fades as you control the amount by altering your swing path in a very realistic way.

Few ball games make the convincing or fun videogames unless the ball physics are bang-on, and TW2003 has got them dead right. The ball reacts to spin, wind and the various slopes and surfaces in a very believable way, and that again adds to the experience. Couple this to the different reaction your player exibits depending on the quality of the shot you hit and you get a seriously addictive game (it's almost as much fun finding out what you chosen character does when you duff a shot as when you hole in one).

Many otherwise good golf games suffer because of a lack of courses to play on or a lack of game options, but again TW2003 has this department nailed. Nine PGA Tour course (including St Andrews, Sawgrass and Pebble Beach) and three fantasy courses mean plenty of variation. 10 different modes of play also mean that you don't just end up playing in tournament after tournament.

You have to look hard for faults in this excellent sports sim. But there are some problems with shot distance and selection (the game won't let you use the club you want), and it seems impossible to judge some shots accurately. Even with these control issues we were shooting some ridiculously low scores before long so maybe it's too easy as well - but it never ceases to be enjoyable so we're not complaining.

   

Saveable replays mean that you can relive your best moments over and over again (although goodness only knows why the Xbox version only gets the same measly 5 save slots as the PS2 & GC versions).

TW 2003 still doesn't managed to convince you that you're playing in a PGA Tournament, with only a few gaggles of horribly drawn spectators present and no grandstands - mind you, they do make an awful lot of noise! Some more TV-style camera views during replays would have been nice too.

With an excellent single player game, and plenty of multiplayer options Tiger Woods 2003 is truly unmissable for golf fans, and it's a while since we've said that about a golf game.