Bruce Von Stiers

There has been a rash of simulation games on the marker. From SimCity to Zoo Tycoon, there are untold opportunities to waste your time doing simulations on the computer. Now Activision, in its Value division, has released a simulation title for the golf enthusiast. The title of the game is Golf Resort Tycoon II. There must have been enough interest in the game to make a sequel.

In this game you will build a golf course. It can’t be just any run of the mill golf course if you expect to succeed. The background story is that you’ve been hired to build a golf course. You will also manage the course when it has been completed. The success of your course depends on how well it is constructed and the types of perks the players on your course can receive.

You will hire staff for your course, add hotels, swimming pools and tennis courts to make this a true golf resort. When you’re done, if you got it right, your golf resort will be the talk of the PGA.

The game provides a fairly extensive tutorial to get you going. You start out your tutorial by cutting down trees in front of the clubhouse. In this case, the clubhouse is just a trailer in a fenced off yard. It shows that you have a long way to go to get your golf resort up and moving.

If you want to get into golfing, there is Instant Action. This game option allows you to play until the money runs out or you get really tired of it. The game is laid out in 3D, so you get a panoramic view of the course and all of its elements. The golfers are also 3D, but look a little cartoonish.

When trying to play the course you’ve designed, you will have the choice of clubs to use. Choose the viewing angle and the depth of your player’s golf swing.

Designing the course can be tedious. You will have to find the right combination of fairways, sand traps and greens to make your golfers happy they came to play on your course. Edit the terrain so that you have trees and hills in the path of a hole.

The game has a couple of things going for it that others like SimGolf don’t. First of all, it’s cheaper. Remember I mentioned it comes from Activision’s Value division. The second thing is that the golfers are large enough so that you can actually see the golf game unfold without having to use a magnifying glass.
It is not nearly as intense as SimGolf, so those of you who are extreme sim enthusiasts might find it a little too tame.

For a fun, and cheap, way to design a golf course on your computer, Golf Resort Tycoon II shoots a birdie.

The game can be found at most retailers. I saw it on the shelf at my local Best Buy store. You can also order it from the Activision Value division at www.activisionvalue.com