I'm a golf fanatic and a video game fanatic, therefore I'm a golf video game fanatic pretty much by default.  Back in the day, I used to buy all the Tiger Woods games for my PC.  Then I started noticing something disturbing around the time of the 05 version:  I was buying the same game over and over every year.  Same courses, same players, etc.  06 made an attempt, but was just the same game with a different layout and a throwback mode, so I didn't buy it.  Skipped 07 too.  Gave up on the series.

When I got my Xbox 360 a few months ago, the 08 version was the first thing I bought so that I could play on Live with my buddies.  It was not the same game as past iterations.  At its core it was the same old thing, but the skill leveling, pro challenges, etc.  were a step in the right direction.  I didn't feel entirely ripped off.

Today I picked up 09 after having played the demo.  First of all, having new announcers is absolutely refreshing.  For about three versions in a row (04, 05, 06) it was Faherty and McCord telling the same jokes as last year.  08 had some new stuff, but I'm already sick of them by now.  09 also has Hank Haney custom designing lessons for you based on the last round you played.  Not only do they give you practice, but they also improve your skill levels.  And I have to mention the clubs.  It's not just about buying new ones anymore.  You can go to the driving range and customize your clubs to fit your swing the best.  Online play now includes a play at your own pace mode, so you don't have to wait around for your friends if you don't want to.  And it may be just my imagination, but it truly seems like there's been a graphics update since last year.  It seems like there are less jagged lines and just a little sharper picture in general.

So anyway, that's my take.  I really feel like EA, at least on this series, is trying to live up to their pledge last year to stop just churning out the same sports titles.  Maybe they really are trying to improve.  The demo alone was enough to make me want to buy 09 after skipping over a lot of versions and buying 08 very reluctantly.

Sweet, I'll be picking this up for my 360. I was looking to get the wii version since according to IGN it's finally pretty darn good, but since they will be using Motion+ next year anyway I'll get it then.

O also good to hear about the announcers. I love David Faherty, but I've definitely heard too much of that Scottsman in my day.

"Well that was a great shot McCord... if you're a bovine." Shut the eff up farhety

Yeah, I'm just kind of sick of that particular brand of humor.  It's not that I don't like McCord and Faherty, it's just that I don't want to listen to them anymore.  They might be in the game somewhere, but from what I heard on the demo, it's new people.  I could be completely wrong. 

I'm just glad to finally have a version that "feels" different.