Top 10 Golf Games

05. World Golf Tour

When Chad Nelson and YuChiang Cheng set out to create World Golf Tour they were not trying to either build a better mousetrap or recreate the wheel. What they meant to do - and what they set out to do and actually did do - was to create an online, multi-player, FREE-to-play virtual golf game.

The sport inside WGT is played on what are arguably pretty good representations of actual golf courses from around the world, upon which the player gets to play a basic golf simulation using their patented 3D photo-realistic geo-referencing tech.

That said, we freely admit that the free aspect of the game is one of the elements that tipped its score high enough to allow it to grab a place on our countdown - and then there is the combination of a strong community, competitive play, and its focus on multi-player play as the preferable mode that again causes it to stand out.

The final and perhaps most important element that is unique to the game and part of what helped it pop head-and-shoulders above the pack is its portability. Basically when played through its community-oriented website what the player gets is a golf simulation experience that is at least equal to what they would find in the traditional console and PC based golf games.

But it is NOT a traditional golf game!

One very significant element among the many that set it apart is the fact that it is intended to be - and is - a true simulation. What that means is that the photo-realistic depictions of the courses as well as their physics means that you could use it as a practice sim for the specific golf course. And real PGA golfers actually do!

As noted above, this is a F2P title, which means that its developer, WGT Media, opted to use a combo of micro-transaction and sponsor content as its revenue stream rather than a simple price tag.

The micro-transaction side of the equation comes in the form of upgrades to kit and clothing outfits for the player. There are also greens fees for licensed courses - though the courses that WGTM developed themselves do not have greens fees.

Typically the greens fees run around .40 cents for 9-holes or .60 cents for 18-holes, so we are not talking about onerous costs here.

The sponsorship side of the revenue stream includes high-profile online tournament sponsors, and advertisements - so players should expect to have some products marketed directly at their eyeballs, it is true.

The game includes some famous courses - like Kiawah or St. Andrews - while the courses that require payment of greens fees (Cabo del Sol and Whistler are two) the fact that the game includes organized tourney play and an aggressive and well-planned expansion plan means that it will continue to get better and better.

The innovative edge that WGT is built with and its accessibility are the two factors that scored it this firm Number 5 slot on our list - and hey, it is F2P, which means you can hit the links whenever, wherever!