4 Best Golf Games On PS5 In 2023

As a member of the latest generation of consoles, the PlayStation 5 has proved extremely popular. However, due to publishers’ recent releases and the cross-console release cycles, the best golf games in the system are largely backward compatible. Nonetheless, what are the best golf games on PS5?

Four of the best golf games on PS5 are:

• PGA Tour 2K21: Ideal for golf simulation.

• Golf With Your Friends: Ideal for a casual, multiplayer experience.

• Everybody’s Golf: Ideal for RPG elements and three-click swing gameplay.

• Golf Club Wasteland: A single-player side-scrolling narrative.

Some may argue that golf games should be reserved for simulation. In contrast, many would agree that one of the best parts of gaming is putting unique spins on golf as a sport, with Sony delivering these unique experiences in abundance.

Let’s explore the best golf games on PS5 right now!

1. PGA Tour 2K21 Review

In recent years, 2K has had increased involvement with sporting franchises, given the relinquishing of rights to certain sports housed under EA (although they maintain a monopoly on certain brands such as FIFA).

Consequently, it is no surprise that 2K has opted to expand its sporting umbrella beyond NBA and WWE by developing PGA Tour 2K21 as an accurate golf simulator and official licensed PGA product.

PGA Tour 2K21 focuses on accurate simulation of golf swing mechanics (as aided by the PS5 controller’s haptic feedback technology) and the simulation of golf events in the career mode.

2K21 capitalizes on the PS5’s controller technology, offering controls that are easy to learn and difficult to master. The game requires players to learn how analog stick movements and speed affect their shots, with haptic feedback giving players unprecedented communication between their real-world movements and the game’s response to them.

As this golf game focuses on simulation, you need a basic understanding of its mechanics and how they relate to real-world golf; namely the lay of the ball, wind direction, different shot types, putting terrains, and ball spin.

Fortunately, while real-world-golfing experience makes this transition and understanding easier, there are ample tutorials and clear UX designs to assist new players in coming to grips with golf both in a real and virtual space.

Concerning the online modes, Online Societies allows players to join online groups that allow them to compete with players globally. (Note: A PlayStation Plus subscription service is needed for online play).

This allows gamers to customize their online experience to their experience level and avatar stats, meaning they can compete with other players at a novice, intermediate, or advanced level without worrying about being matched to overpowered avatars or very experienced players.

Although PGA Tour 2K21 does not have a dedicated PS5 upgrade, the PS4 version is backward compatible with the PlayStation 5. This means it can successfully operate on the PS5.

2. Golf With Your Friends Review

Unlike the aforementioned PGA Tour 2K21, Golf With Your Friends is a more casual affair that focuses on fun “party game” activities, themes, and presentations, rather than trying to create accurate golf simulations.  

That being said, while initial play-throughs may suggest that the game is all luck and no skill, don’t let the basic design, premise, and visuals fool you! There is a surprising amount of skill underneath the hood once you understand the game’s otherworldly physics engine and course layouts.

This is echoed in the nature of the gameplay, whereby the game rules do not mirror the stroke play of real-world golf. Instead, players take their shots simultaneously, whereby the goal is to reach the hole faster than their opponents.

Consequently, Golf With Your friends ‘makes the cut’ as one of the best golf games on PS5. It is also the perfect game to jump onto PS Plus with your friends for a short while before playing something more intense and serious, such as the latest FPS or FromSoftware experience!

3. Everybody’s Golf Review

Striking a curious balance between our two preceding entries on this list, Everybody’s Golf is a challenging, fairly accurate golf simulator with oodles of character, zany antics, and cartoon graphics. 

Furthermore, while PGA Tour 2K21 has some light RPG elements centered around skills developments and Golf With Your Friends has some customization options centered around aesthetics, Everybody’s Golf mergers these gameplay styles to create a game with a surprising amount of depth.

While Everybody’s Golf may appear to be solely focused on the casual market, the series has a long history of challenging courses and NPCs that more experienced players may opt to take on.

Fortunately, this can be achieved by accessing the settings menu and customizing your experience to your personal skill level, including the toggling of “Serious Mode” to forego any tutorials or handholding.

Unlike most modern games, the gameplay uses a three-click swing mechanic to align and perform golf shots. While I feel this underutilizes the PS5’s innovations in haptic feedback, you must understand that this is a port from last-generation consoles.

While some may find the CPU fairly easy, despite the inclusion of “Serious Mode,” online play allows for asynchronous multiplayer, meaning you can compete against your leisure against some of the best scores globally for a real challenge!

Although this golf game also does not have a dedicated PS5 upgrade, Everybody’s Golf (PS4) is backward compatible with the PlayStation 5.

4. Golf Club Wasteland Review 

While all the above games take place in a 3D environment with the necessary physics and camera angles needed to compliment a game of golf in a 3D virtual space, Golf Club Wasteland is a 2D side-scrolling narrative game.

While the game does feature some basic golf mechanics for 35 holes across the apocalyptic state of the remains of planet earth, this is mainly a vehicle upon which the game derives its narrative and message.

Consequently, while the game does feature some golf mechanics, its main gameplay hook and purpose is to tell the story of how the earth came to its apocalyptic end and now merely serves as a playground for the ultra-rich to spend time playing golf.

In conclusion, while Golf Club Wasteland may not be to everyone’s liking and certainly wears its political message on its sleeve, there’s no golf game quite like it (save for Golf Story on other systems) and thus easily makes it onto my list on the best golf games on PS5. You can buy this golf game at the PlayStation Store.

Final Thoughts

Although the above list is my personal preference for the best golf games on PS5 and a celebration of the relaxed and serious genres that PS5 golf games can be packaged in, it is up to you to decide which of these golf games appeal to your own gaming preferences.