The original 1997 version of Hot Shots Golf will always hold a special place in my heart. I can’t count the number of hours my brother and I would stay up playing on the PS1, as we competed or worked together to unlock all the courses and characters. Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots tries to replicate this feeling with a modern-day approach, but ends up missing the fairway in a lot of places.
Casual or chaotic?
Source: HYDE
As soon as I started playing Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, something felt off. With each round I played, I couldn’t help but feel stuck between the casual and chaotic gameplay I knew growing up, and its attempt to be more realistic.
Don’t get me wrong, I like some of the real-life additions that have been added. Features like being able to test the wind and adjust the spin of the ball are always welcome. I even appreciated the ability to use more than just the three-button press method of hitting the ball, especially the advanced swing mechanic that is all about precise timing.
Still, these mechanics felt considerably lacking when compared to other big game titles in the market, like PGA Tour 2K25 and EA Sports PGA Tour. Whether driving, chipping, or putting, movement and aiming is rigid and inaccurate, and timing on shots always felt inconsistent. There were so many instances where I lined up shots perfectly and only to be way off course, and then the CPU manages to hit an off-kilter bomb from the rough right next to the pin.
Aim for the bushes
Source: HYDE
The physics and overall timing are just slow and misaligned with shots. I also often found myself relying on instinct when hitting rather than the UI, as the poor camera angles and lack of rendered textures for items as important as trees would often get in my way. The fact that it is 2025 and a golf game doesn’t have a drive camera is a bit insane.
These CPU and UI issues affect the single-player campaign a lot, as they get in the way of completing objectives that are necessary for unlocking the next chapter, which leads to more characters and rewards. As much as I love goofy characters, I couldn’t find myself really liking or connecting with any of the stories, even if it was nice to see characters like Cougar again.
On the other hand, being goofy is where the Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots shines gameplay-wise. The brand new Wacky Golf gameplay mode is an absolute blast (literally, in some matches), as it adds completely unpredictable elements into the game, like a tornado spawning at the hole or animals running across the ground and sending your ball flying.
Wacky wedges
Source: HYDE
Each shot is like a game of chance in Mario Party, as you’ll never know what obstacle you’ll have to overcome. The myriad of customization elements also make for a good time visually, with everything from your avatar to your golf club being adjustable, though they are hidden behind unlocks.
Whenever Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots decides to go full tilt into the wacky parts of its gameplay, I really found myself wanting more. My favorite shot in the game was the homing shot, which locked onto a target with unrealistic precision. It is just a shame that so many of them are hidden behind grindy unlocks.
While it features 10 golf courses and 25 golfers to unlock, some of the prerequisites for unlocking them can be a bit repetitive. I really didn’t enjoy having to build up a character’s loyalty by using them dozens of times to unlock the best special shots they have. More courses might have this, but as it stands, the 10 that are available aren’t good enough to help ease the repetition.
When drive comes to put, Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is an ok game. It does a fantastic job whenever it leans into the weird and wacky mechanics that it became known for since its introduction back in 1997. The issue is that developers Hyde are caught between that nostalgic brand and trying to market the game to a modern golf audience.
In the rough
Source: HYDE
When compared to the other golf juggernauts in the video game landscape, the physics are poorly executed. Swings, timing, impact, and reads are far too inconsistent and hinder the enjoyment of the realistic aspects of the game far too much. Combine this with annoying camera angles, bad textures, and grindy gameplay unlock mechanics, and the air gets completely sucked out of the room.
The main saving grace for Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is that Wacky Golf is chaotic fun with friends, especially if you don’t care about winning. If you’re going into the game expecting this to be a next step in the evolution of the series, though, I hope you’ve got a pretty high handicap, as you’re going to need it.
This review is based on a PlayStation 5 code provided by the publisher. Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on September 5, 2025.
Andrew has wandered around with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications sitting in his back pocket for a while now, all the while wondering what he is going to do for a career. Luckily, video games have always been there, especially as his writing career progresses. He enjoys narrative-driven games like Mass Effect and Baldur’s Gate 3 and also getting angry while playing competitive sports titles like Madden and EA Sports FC.
