If we could’ve laid odds in Vegas some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year against a new Tiger Woods game appearing in 2010, we would’ve jumped on it. Considering the fact that Tiger barely played in ’09, then had a little scandal you may have heard about, we were p♊📖repared for EA to pull out of the Tiger business for a summer.

This proves a couple things, of course - we’re hideous gamblers and underestimating the will of EA Sports to perpetuate a brand is a fool’s bet. It’s also pretty obvious now that the development team had big plans for this year’s version, and wanted to show it o♛ff at almost any cost.

There are some changes, but longtime Tiger fans should have no fear. Even with the bevy of new gameplay feat﷽ures, much of the underlying action is exceedingly familiar. The new tweaks are welcome, though; the game feels more balanced than ever thanks to an improved stick-swing mechanic and the all-important Focus meter. The days of unlimited awesomeness are (thankfully) over, as you have to pick your spots to use power boosts and spins. The more of those you use, the less Focus you have, until eventually your tank is empty. The only way to r💯echarge is to keep firing the ball at the hole sans Focus, so you’ll think twice before you apply that backspin on a meaningless second shot.

The Ryder Cup is another big addition ♚in Tiger 11, and it definitely adds a wrinkle we haven’t seen. Team-based golf is a different animal than your normal weekend on the PGA Tour; it’s a🤡ll about matchups. Want to pair a great putter with a big boomer? Or should you put a couple of short game masters together to try and box in their opponents? There is no right answer, of course; it all depends on how you execute.