Golf+ is undoubtedly the best VR golf game you can play today and one that I have spent many hours enjoying over the last few years. They’ve just launched a big update to the game to coincide with the launch of the Meta Quest 3 headset, providing big updates to the graphics, but also a huge update to the swing physics, making the game a lot more realistic and enjoyable to play.
I’ve been playing Golf+ for the last few years, but I’ve been more hooked than ever since I started playing it on Quest 3 due to the huge improvement in swing simulation, which makes the game so much more realistic and fun to play. In particular, hitting off the tee is much more consistent, and the outcome of my drives seems to be much closer to how I play in real life. I have also noticed a big change in chipping and short iron shots, which feel much more like real golf.
Golf+ VR used to have a power meter that you could adjust to give you some control over how far a full swing would go. This is now gone, and the distance of your shots is much more closely linked to the force with which you swing your controller.
There is a calibration procedure where the game gets you to swing your controller at different speeds, and once this is completed, you can then adjust the speed and power of your swing naturally, to hit the ball different distances. As someone who has played real-life golf since I was young, the short game now feels much more like the real game, and this is the biggest improvement to realism that Golf+ could have made.
One of my biggest criticisms of Golf+ prior to this update was that it was extremely hard to hit a shot at a set level between a half-power swing and a full-power swing, which made it extremely difficult to hit shots where the distance fell between two clubs.
You can read my original review of Golf+ to get a detailed overview of the pros and cons of this game or check out my article on Golf+ tips that shares can help you improve your virtual game.
Golf+ Graphics Update
The other big improvement in Golf+ is an update to the graphics, with lighting and textures getting particularly noticeable improvements. Although these improvements are welcome, I had expected there to be a bigger jump in quality, as some of the preview videos I had seen of the update seemed to suggest that there would be a more significant improvement in graphical fidelity.
The graphics update makes use of the new Qualcomm XR2 Gen2 processor on the Quest 3 to produce much better visuals, but this does mean that if you’re playing on Quest 2, you won’t have the pleasure of enjoying the improved visuals.
Golf+ was previously a highly stylized game, with simplistic graphics, and whilst the update doesn’t bring it anywhere close to the graphical fidelity of AAA PC games, it is a welcome improvement, and hopefully a sign of things to come in the future.
Golf+ VR Video Review And Quest 3 Update
I’ve made a video covering all my thoughts about Golf+, particularly the improvements in the game with the recent update and using the Meta Quest 3. Join me on the course as I share everything you need to know about Golf+
Golf+ Tour
One of the new features that I’ve been looking forward to is the new Golf+ Tour. This is a weekly tournament game mode that lets you play against players of a similar skill level, competing for ranking points and aiming to get promoted through the different ranks of play.
There is an amateur and Pro tour, each divided into 10 groupings of similarly skilled players, from Bronze 3 all the way up to Diamond. As you work your way up the rankings, course conditions get harder, the holes get longer, and it becomes increasingly challenging to shoot a low score.
At the end of each week you will gain ranking points based on your performance. Your overall rank is based on your performance over the last 12 weeks of competition. If you do well, you can be promoted to the next tier, but if you underperform, you can be demoted.
Similar to many other ladder-based games, this system introduces the excitement of regular competition, whilst ensuring you are always competing against players of a similar standard. It also provides a lot of motivation to keep playing every week to try to move up through the ranks.
I’ve already played my first week of games in the new format, and I absolutely love it. I’m going to be putting in plenty of hours of practice to see if I can rise to a decent level. I’ll not kid myself, I’m never going to be great, but I’m going to have a lot of fun trying.
Is Golf+ Worth It?
Golf+ has been the best VR golf game for quite some time, and it has seen a steady stream of improvements and additional content since its initial release. It has a partnership with the PGA Tour, meaning there are a growing number of real-world courses to play on, which is such a huge attraction for me. I’ve now played countless rounds on TPC Sawgrass and failed to make the green on the 17th more times than I care to admit.
However, up until now, Golf+ was very much in the VR Golf game category, rather than a golf simulator, and the lack of credible competition flattered it a little more than it should. As the CEO of Golf+, Ryan Engle has mentioned previously, realistic gameplay is the most important priority for making the game more immersive, and the improvements to the physics and swing simulation in this update are a huge step forward.
There are still some limitations due to the hardware, but Golf+ feels so much closer to real-life golf after this update. I love being able to use realistic movements and adjustments to my swing to create the type of shot I want. In Pro mode, the outcome of your shots is entirely dictated by how you swing your controller, and seeing slow and steady improvements to my game over time is so satisfying.
I typically use a golf club controller attachment when playing Golf+ on Quest 2, but I haven’t got one that is compatible with the Quest 3 controllers yet. These attachments allow you to hold a real golf club handle but also make your swing more consistent and realistic due to the weight and inertia of these golf club controller attachments.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well I can play the game with Quest 3 without a controller attachment, and I can’t wait to see how much better I am once I get one.