EA Sports PGA Tour: How is your Career Mode going?

[MrArlingtonBeach]

I decided to max out the AI Difficulty to 100 in my career mode after winning a couple more events (including the Open Championship by 10 shots).

I proceeded to miss the cut at the Kohler Open, and finished T26 at the New England Championship. Winning scores are now pushing -30.

But the icing on the cake was seeing that Tony Finau put up a first round score of 58 at TPC Southwind in the first leg of the FedExCup Playoffs! This was just an AI leaderboard score, too...I do not play with AI partners.

I wish there'd be a better balance of scoring and AI difficulty...I upped the AI difficulty just 3 points, from 97 to 100, but there's been like a 10-shot difference in winning scores based on that small adjustment. The cut line at the Kohler Open was -5, which is a bit crazy.

Might have to settle in at 98 or 99 for the AI...100 seems a bit too much, and 97 wasn't enough.

[pietasterp]

Yeah, I noted this as well and discussed in one of these threads a while back. Bumping up the CPU difficulty really isn't a good solution, because it just means you have to shoot 62's to win a tournament. That's like having to score 200 points to win a game in NBA2K or 70 points in Madden; not very satisfying or realistic.

The solution is to make the game more realistic so that shooting mid-to-high 60's is difficult to accomplish. Dispersion penalties out of the rough, lie angles causing hooks/slices, occasional random flyers, more dispersion off the tee, etc. All stuff that's been discussed ad nauseum on these pages.

[DarthRambo]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

Yeah, I noted this as well and discussed in one of these threads a while back. Bumping up the CPU difficulty really isn't a good solution, because it just means you have to shoot 62's to win a tournament. That's like having to score 200 points to win a game in NBA2K or 70 points in Madden; not very satisfying or realistic. The solution is to make the game more realistic so that shooting mid-to-high 60's is difficult to accomplish. Dispersion penalties out of the rough, lie angles causing hooks/slices, occasional random flyers, more dispersion off the tee, etc. All stuff that's been discussed ad nauseum on these pages.

I keep scoring difficulty at 50 and when I compare scores to real life scores from same tournament they are very similar. But with a 80+ overall created guy with specs and all shot types it is too easy to win. So like you said, best way to make game more realistic in difficulty is to make shooting low difficult with some strict house rules/player upgrade limits.

For example, I am in the middle (on hole 10) of the final round of PGA Championship and I'm only -9 for tournament, tied for 1st place. Real life Brooks Koepka won tournament at -9, shooting -3 in final round. The second and 3rd place were -7 score.

The issue is if you wanna play online you need to be fully upgraded and using specs. Forces you to create a separate guy to do so if you wanna play online, which is kinda silly. I've just avoided online and it is what it is.

[DarthRambo]

Final round of PGA Championship! Coming in with a decent chance if I can get hot. Thankfully the wind has died down from the 5-10mph we've had all week.

Par first two holes, and then after an errant 1st shot I bogey the par 3, 3rd hole. Come back and birdie the par 3, 5th though. Finish front nine with birdies on 7 and 9. Shot a 33 (-2). And I was tied for 1st place with Schauffle, and Sam Burns.

Back nine: strong birdie at 12 and I am sole leader at 10 under. Birdie the par 5 13th (easiest hole imo) as Burns and Schauffle birdie as well and it's a 3 way tie. Schauffle and I through 14, and Burns through 13.

Jason Castro, the leader coming in and Burns playing partner has a terrible day and through 13 is +4 for the round.

Hole 15, a difficult par 3. I know if I can somehow birdie this I am in a great spot to win. I shoot long past the green with the 7 iron. My chip shot was awful and lands short smh. I manage to get up and sadly bogey the 15th. What a clutch moment I just pissed away there. Now 3rd at -10.

On 16 I give myself an 11ft birdie chance. Difficult putt read and omg the ball just grazes the rim on the outside of the hole as it swoops in from left to right. Just barely over read the break and settle for par. Schauffle bogeys 16 and Sam Burns is sole leader as he heads to play 16.

On the par 4 17th, my approach shot from 164yds isn't great as I missed left and overswung. Amazing how often I make mistakes using 3 click lol. 24ft put for birdie missed just barely and I par again.

Headed to the 18th the hopes are slim. Sam Burns birdies 16 and has a two shot lead at -12 with Schauffle and I tied at 10 under play the 18th. My tee shot is in the rough on the right as I miss well right.

And wow I couldn't get it on the green, reaching short side bunker for my 3rd shot. What a terrible last four holes. I went for it and ball rolls up fast and hits pin, rimming out of hole for an east 3 foot par.

Finished T2 (-10), shooting a 70 (-3) on the day. So close! Needed to start the tournament better but what a great way to come to 2nd major after being cut from the Masters.


PGA Championship: T2 (-10)
Winner: Sam Burns (-12)

FedEx Cup ranking: 27th (+13)

World Golf rank: 28 (+18)

4 weeks until the US Open at LACC. Will definitely play all three weeks leading up to it (quick play of course). Still looking for my first PGA win.

[pietasterp]

Sounds like you've got it dialed-in, DarthRambo. That final round of the PGA that you're describing is pretty much exactly the experience I'm looking for! I have been able to accomplish that on occasion - like you said, it's a combination of dialing-in the right settings and having your created player be spec'd to be competitive but not overwhelming. I think I had it dialed perfectly once or twice, like when I won the Masters by 1 stroke with some clutch par putts at -11 total for the tournament. That was a good tournament!

As a single player career experience, the game actually does okay. Not great but okay. I will say that it's nice to have branded tournaments on the actual courses the pros are playing week-to-week (for probably half of the tournaments, anyway - which is pretty good considering all the licensing involved). I avoid online like the plague, though. I have no interest in whatever it is that the online aspect of this game is trying to do.

[DarthRambo]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

Sounds like you've got it dialed-in, DarthRambo. That final round of the PGA that you're describing is pretty much exactly the experience I'm looking for! I have been able to accomplish that on occasion - like you said, it's a combination of dialing-in the right settings and having your created player be spec'd to be competitive but not overwhelming. I think I had it dialed perfectly once or twice, like when I won the Masters by 1 stroke with some clutch par putts at -11 total for the tournament. That was a good tournament! As a single player career experience, the game actually does okay. Not great but okay. I will say that it's nice to have branded tournaments on the actual courses the pros are playing week-to-week (for probably half of the tournaments, anyway - which is pretty good considering all the licensing involved). I avoid online like the plague, though. I have no interest in whatever it is that the online aspect of this game is trying to do.

Yeah I feel like I have it in a good spot. I had a great performance at Oak Hill. It's definitely my best so far. However, next tournament I miss the cut with +3. I was awful myself. Especially my driving accuracy. Just so so bad. Quick play simulated holes tried to help but I was so bad on holes I played both rounds.


IMO when looking at strictly single-player career, this is the best golf game ever and not even close. The licensed courses, all the majors and rotating each year in your career. And the presentation each week is some of the best I've ever heard from a sports game period.

I hope they plan to make another one and add things in for career mode though. Adding in some sort of VC, hiring coaches, having to buy clubs to use at tournaments. Having to pay to enter a tournament even, then realizing you just got cut and only lost money that week. Just a little deeper immersion and it would be near perfect.

Watching Full Swing show made me realize that making money playing golf for a career is not that easy lol

[MrArlingtonBeach]

Quote: Originally Posted by DarthRambo

I hope they plan to make another one and add things in for career mode though. Adding in some sort of VC, hiring coaches, having to buy clubs to use at tournaments. Having to pay to enter a tournament even, then realizing you just got cut and only lost money that week. Just a little deeper immersion and it would be near perfect. Watching Full Swing show made me realize that making money playing golf for a career is not that easy lol

Honestly, I would love if EA and 2K, in their future golf games, steal a lot of what TopSpin 2K25 added to its career mode.

In TopSpin, you earn VC as you play your career, and use that VC to hire coaches, support staff, and even homes in each region of the world. There's an energy/stamina system that carries over from each event, and long-distance travel takes away more energy. If you have a home in the region, your energy doesn't drop as much.

Coaches give you attribute boosts, but you must complete objectives for them. Coaches can be upgraded, as well, giving you better bonuses the longer you employ them.

Support staff helps with managing travel, energy, medical, and even merchandising. The staff allows you to recover from injuries faster, lose less stamina when traveling, or earn more VC as you play.

I would LOVE to see an injury/stamina system implemented into golf games. Coaches and support staff are fun to manage as well, and would make sense for golf, too.

Personally, once I got TopSpin, it made me realize that both golf games lack quite a bit in terms of depth in career mode. EA PGA's is better than PGA 2K's, but TopSpin stands head and shoulders above both golf titles when it comes to career mode immersion.

[DarthRambo]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrArlingtonBeach

Honestly, I would love if EA and 2K, in their future golf games, steal a lot of what TopSpin 2K25 added to its career mode. In TopSpin, you earn VC as you play your career and use that VC to hire coaches, support staff, and even homes in each region of the world. There's an energy/stamina system that carries over from each event, and long-distance travel takes away more energy. If you have a home in the region, your energy doesn't drop as much. Coaches give you attribute boosts, but you must complete objectives for them. Coaches can be upgraded, as well, giving you better bonuses the longer you employ them. Support staff helps with managing travel, energy, medical, and even merchandising. The staff allows you to recover from injuries faster, lose less stamina when traveling, or earn more VC as you play. I would LOVE to see an injury/stamina system implemented into golf games. Coaches and support staff are fun to manage as well, and would make sense for golf, too. Personally, once I got TopSpin, it made me realize that both golf games lack quite a bit in terms of depth in career mode. EA PGA's is better than PGA 2K's, but TopSpin stands head and shoulders above both golf titles when it comes to career mode immersion.

Wow I didn't know top spin career was that much. I am playing it now but only level 6. The level grind is real on that game. Probably a little too much honestly. I did just unlock the homes, but haven't seen anything about staff to hire.

Definitely would be cool to take these ideas from top spin. Tennis and golf are similar in regards it's not a team sport, so a lot of things can transfer over and make sense.

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