Given that Links 2001 is just two months away from release, and that it will have an overhauled physics and graphics engine, Microsoft Golf 2001 Edition might seem like a last-ditch effort to squeeze just a few more bucks out of the existing Links engine. But for novice or intermediate golfers who don't mind giving up a few of the features found in previous Links or Microsoft Golf games, it's actually quite a good choice for just $19.95.
The best thing about Microsoft Golf 2001 is its vast selection of courses. Of course, most of these are staples from the extensive existing library of Links courses, but even so, the variety of terrain and excellent design of each course in Golf 2001 makes it an attractive package. You'll find plenty of rocky hills and mountains at Bighorn and Entrada - and if that's not enough dry heat for you, there's the fantasy course Three Canyons, which has numerous par threes and water hazards on every hole. Sea Island is a classic Robert Trent Jones replete with lush, tree-lined fairways and plenty of water (that casts beautiful reflections), and Bountiful's mountain setting is breathtaking as always. Kapalua Plantation is the only site of a PGA event (Mercedes Championship), and it's also the only course to run over 7,000 yards - a big chunk of which comes from the monstrous 663-yard 18th hole.
On the other hand, Golf 2001 adds little or nothing in terms of actual gameplay since Microsoft's last golf sim - in fact, the biggest changes are what's no longer in the game. You won't find hole flybys or scenic videos detailing the history of each course. The option to play in an offline tournament against human or computer-controlled opponents is also gone, and there's not even a single token PGA personality to make you feel as if you can run with the big dogs after you nail a killer eagle putt. Audio commentary is also minimal at best - the few dusty clichés are delivered as if the speaker had just finished walking 27 holes.
What's also missing are all the options for adjusting your stance and tweaking your club face. Microsoft makes no bones that this game is aimed at newcomers to golf sims, and to be fair, the inclusion of those features would probably result in novices winding up in more trouble than if they'd just stepped up and hit a standard shot.
What does seem to have undergone some improvement are the game's scenery graphics. At first it might seem as if this is because many of the courses feature distant, rocky backdrops instead of just nearby trees, which are the toughest to render realistically. But on closer inspection, it appears that even the trees look much more convincing than in the last edition of Microsoft Golf - until you get right up close to one, where it still looks blocky.
There are eight golfer animations to choose from for your player, but only three default computer opponents ship with the game. Fortunately, creating new ones is simple, and it's nice to be able to tweak their skills in seven different categories. And like the last version of Links, Golf 2001 features an "easy swing" option that eliminates any possibilities for slices or hooks: All you control is the shot power, though wind and what type of terrain the ball lands on will naturally affect the direction and distance. There are also two- and three-click "classic swings" and the "power stroke," which uses mouse movement to simulate the swing and incorporates a mouse-click to emulate the snap as you make contact with the ball. It doesn't quite have the realistic feel of PGA Championship Golf's "true swing" system, possibly because you also have to worry about making a mouse-click while you simultaneously maintain a straight line of movement with the mouse. Still, it seems to work well, provided you're willing to invest some time mastering it.
Microsoft Golf 2001 also supports multiplayer gaming over the MSN Gaming Zone and also supports modem and direct TCP/IP connections. The Zone has constantly improved over the years, and you can always count on tourneys and special events there, especially for proprietary Microsoft products like Golf 2001.
For golf-sim fans who have switched to PGA Championship Golf 2000, and for Links owners who already have most of the supplemental courses, Microsoft Golf 2001 will have little or no appeal. But it's very well suited for new players who are searching for a fun golf sim that can be adjusted to provide an increasing challenge.
