Now this is more like it. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 on consoles proved to be an enjoyable golf game, though one that (as in previous years) considerably lacked in challenge. Luckily for the fickle computer-golfing crowd, this is not the case in the PC version of Tiger 06, a game that finds an excellent blend between compelling gameplay, consistent challenge, and enough reward to always keep you engaged.

Only in golf can someone look this silly and still have massive game.

If you've played Tiger 06 on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, or GameCube this year, you'll already be familiar with many of the features found in the PC game. Rivals mode, PGA Tour mode, and the game face system are all here to be played with to your heart's content. The great news is that each one of these features has been specifically tailored to suit the power and flexibility of the PC environment, and the result is more fun across the board.

Take the PGA Tour mode, for example. In the console version, this mode basically consisted of you taking your created golfer through weekly and/or monthly events, playing through multiple courses, and taking on all the PGA Tour pros found in the game. In the PC game, you'll still end up on the PGA Tour, but just as in real life, you'll need to earn your stripes first. Instead of starting out as an already-successful pro, you can take your created golfer and begin as a rank amateur to hook up with your buddies on the weekends to play matches and test your skills on your home course. Match types include your standard match and stroke play, along with more-involved games, such as alternate shot and four-ball varieties. The challenge from your virtual buddies isn't much to worry about, as you'll mostly want to spend your time just getting your stuff together for when you eventually win the hacker tournament and move up to the amateurs, where the competition is considerably stiffer.

Accompanying you as you make your way through this mode are a number of explicitly stated goals you'll need to keep up with for each tour you play on. These include such goals as playing a minimum number of events, achieving a certain average score on all rounds, and winning certain tourneys. Beyond that, you're welcome to join in as many events as you like (provided you've got enough cash to pay the entrance fee).

The progression up from the ranks of weekend hacker, through the amateurs, and eventually to the highest echelon in the sport--the PGA Tour--feels like a natural evolution that's paralleled nicely with how your created golfer evolves in the game. Once you've fashioned your duffer alter ego using this year's version of the powerful and fun game face tools, it's time to hit the links. Even if you're familiar with the Tiger controls, however, you'll have a long way to go before your golfer can play with the big boys. For one thing, you're pretty much a weakling, so it's tough to hit a drive more than 200 yards in the beginning. Furthermore, specialized shot modifiers, such as "blasts" out of sand traps, bump-and-run or pitch chips, and spin modifiers need to be learned before being incorporated into your game. Just like last year, you can take a number of lessons in specialized shots, which, when completed, will add these controls to your shot arsenal.

We love this player evolution feature, both in concept and execution. As a beginning golfer, it makes sense that you would have to earn these kinds of shots through practice and lessons. Of course, experienced Tiger fans may feel at odds with having to go through this kind of rigmarole just to get your game up to speed. Nonetheless, if you can get into the spirit of the concept, it makes each victory you achieve in the game that much more satisfying.

Rivals mode, a different spin on the legends mode found in last year's Tiger game, is a centerpiece in Tiger 06, both on the consoles and the PC. And while the basic concept of the mode is the same on both platforms--you take your created golfer through golf's greatest eras, answering challenges that come from unknowns and PGA legends alike--once again the execution is substantially different on the PC. Unlike the console games--which set skills challenges apart from one-on-one matchups (the latter being the only way to progress to a different era)--Tiger 06 on the PC melds everything together in a more organic fashion.

Your stately headquarters in rivals mode will change as you progress through the eras.

All the challenges that come your way, which are posted on the corkboard of your nicely furnished headquarters (complete with era-specific fixtures), progress you through the game in one fashion or another, whether by increasing your overall rank (which can happen if you win a difficult challenge) or by simply awarding you experience points that you can tack on to your golfer's attributes. That said, just as in the console game, you still end up facing boss battles against golf icons such as Old Tom Morris and Arnold Palmer. However, this time, these legends aren't as apt to three-putt holes and drive off the tee like elderly women. In fact, most of the "human" competition you'll find in the game tends to be adept on the links, and when you couple that with the uphill player progression and the challenge inherent to the courses, you have a game that consistently keeps you engaged by always forcing you to hone your game so you can shave off a few strokes.