Celebrity Byte

What do the next generation of consoles bring to golf besides just better visuals?

I think they bring a more realistic feel. If you do mess up...the controllers are so sensitive now...you definitely get exposed. Before that wasn't the case. It was just move up and down and that all there was. It's become more sensitive now and that makes it more like how real golf is. It is a fine-tuned sport and we're trying to bring that to all of the gamers out there.

Tiger Woods takes a swing during the final round of the 2007 Wachovia Championship.

How do new features like the Wii's controller give beginning players a chance to get introduced to the game of golf?

The Wii has been incredible for kids, especially, to introduce them to the game of golf. I remember when golf was not a cool sport, but now by introducing kids to this type of fun and challenging atmosphere, I think you're bringing a whole new demographic to the game of golf, which is good. You're bringing a young generation that probably didn't think golf was a cool sport to play. And I think that's one of the neat things about being part of this change. I think EA Sports has pushed the envelope and brought new people to the game of golf.

Young athletes in many sports grew up playing video games of their sport. Do many PGA players also play golf video games?

There are a few guys who play video games all the time, but it's their kids that play. With just about all the guys on tour, it's their kids that play. They play online. They build up rivalries just like we do on the tour.

Your new business venture is designing golf courses -- do you see this as a feature in a future edition of the Tiger Woods game?

I like what you're thinking -- that could be in 09. I'm sure it will happen. We've offered fantasy courses in past games. But to design your own golf course from scratch, there's a lot to it. I think from a fantasy side of it that could be really intriguing.

With how realistic the video game has become, do you ever play a new course in the video game before playing it in real life?

Yeah, I've done that before in the past. It definitely helps, especially if it's a course I haven't played before. It gives you another vehicle to take a look at the course and shows you where trouble is, the angles, the slopes. It helps you prepare for your practice session and how to get ready and what to get ready for.

Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods on the fairway at the Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 2, 2007. Photo by Sam Greenwood.

What features would you like to see in future golf video games?

I think you're always trying to make it more realistic. We have things evolve from morning to afternoon, but that always can be more realistic. Or a storm brews up during the game, which happens a lot. Also making the controllers more sensitive and the game a little more difficult, because guys are just getting too good.

What's your gaming background?

I've always enjoyed playing videogames. I started back with Pong like everybody else. It's a great way to shut your mind off but also keep it active in a different way. It's like a fantasy world. You get away from your daily activities and different things that might be going on in your life. It's fun and challenging, but it's also a way of escape.