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EVERYBODY'S GOLF (PS)
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a.k.a. Hot Shots Golf
Publisher: Sony. Developer: Camelot Software Planning. Released: June 1998 (Europe). Genre: Golf. Posted 14th May 2025. By Tom Clare © 2025 |
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You have to be up early in the morning to get one over Nintendo. The Japanese giants have long been synonymous with being at the cutting edge of creative trends, but for once, they were beaten to the punch by the efforts of Shining Force developer Camelot. As the name implies, Everybody’s Golf aimed for a light-hearted, accessible take on the sport, hoping to draw a broader appeal than those before it. This approach made waves, with the developer promptly enlisted to develop Mario Golf games from 1999. It’s a happy ending all-round: Camelot have continued in this role ever since, whilst Clap Hanz, who took over the reins with Everybody’s Golf 2, would craft one of the PlayStation’s most consistently excellent series over the years that followed.
Everybody’s Golf was a game-changer. Most golfing ventures of the time were functional, unexciting affairs, playing closely to the stereotype of a low-octane, slow-burn pursuit. Camelot recognised that for golf to flourish in the gaming space, it needed impetus and fun. This is evidenced immediately in a game characterised by bright visuals, a colourful front-end and a quirky bunch of protagonists who are a million miles from the beige-trousered competitors synonymous with the sport in the mid-nineties. Whilst the characters are admittedly a bit peculiar, it’s instantly appealing. On the surface, it keeps things straightforward with just the right amount of stats, guidelines and options at your disposal. Don’t be fooled, though: Everybody’s Golf offers as much depth and versatility as the most heavyweight of simulations.
You have to be up early in the morning to get one over Nintendo. The Japanese giants have long been synonymous with being at the cutting edge of creative trends, but for once, they were beaten to the punch by the efforts of Shining Force developer Camelot. As the name implies, Everybody’s Golf aimed for a light-hearted, accessible take on the sport, hoping to draw a broader appeal than those before it. This approach made waves, with the developer promptly enlisted to develop Mario Golf games from 1999. It’s a happy ending all-round: Camelot have continued in this role ever since, whilst Clap Hanz, who took over the reins with Everybody’s Golf 2, would craft one of the PlayStation’s most consistently excellent series over the years that followed.
Everybody’s Golf was a game-changer. Most golfing ventures of the time were functional, unexciting affairs, playing closely to the stereotype of a low-octane, slow-burn pursuit. Camelot recognised that for golf to flourish in the gaming space, it needed impetus and fun. This is evidenced immediately in a game characterised by bright visuals, a colourful front-end and a quirky bunch of protagonists who are a million miles from the beige-trousered competitors synonymous with the sport in the mid-nineties. Whilst the characters are admittedly a bit peculiar, it’s instantly appealing. On the surface, it keeps things straightforward with just the right amount of stats, guidelines and options at your disposal. Don’t be fooled, though: Everybody’s Golf offers as much depth and versatility as the most heavyweight of simulations.
You'll need a keen appreciation for wind and power as you seek to land near the flag
At times mesmerisingly addictive, EG’s rounds are never anything less than absorbing. An excellent game engine benefits the courses, utilising an impressively versatile 3D camera to give the player an idea of the contours and hazards each layout harbours. Getting the most from a round requires an appreciation of the effect wind has on different clubs (shorter irons hit higher and are more greatly affected by gusts), the elevation of the green, and even the lie. Shown in the bottom-right of the screen, the lie shows the kind of ground the player is playing from (be it fairway, bare ground, rough, etc.), indicating any potential loss of shot power. If the ground isn’t level, it may arc away from where you’re aiming.
You can chance at your hand with clubs offering greater shot distance but a narrower window of accuracy, impart sidespin as a means of avoiding trees, and even utilise a limited number of power shots, which add 10-15 yards to your selected club. Then there are the greens, where the game’s top-notch putting has you on tenterhooks, with grids to help estimate the angle and speed or travel. If you’re a dab hand at making estimates, you’ll love Everybody’s Golf.
You can chance at your hand with clubs offering greater shot distance but a narrower window of accuracy, impart sidespin as a means of avoiding trees, and even utilise a limited number of power shots, which add 10-15 yards to your selected club. Then there are the greens, where the game’s top-notch putting has you on tenterhooks, with grids to help estimate the angle and speed or travel. If you’re a dab hand at making estimates, you’ll love Everybody’s Golf.
FOCAL POINT: MINI GOLF, MAX FUN
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As the years pass, practice modes and tutorials have come to feel increasingly matter-of-course. It’s heartening, then, to rediscover instances of quality in unexpected quarters. Everybody’s Golf delivered a stroke of inspiration to help beginners acclimate to its putting system: a full, 18-hole pitch ‘n’ putt course. This involves steering the ball around obstacles, avoiding looming out-of-bounds sections and even navigating cart tracks, which see the ball skimming along the surface. It’s great, and perhaps the best way to enjoy multiplayer with new players: perfect pass-the-pad fun.
Is it truly for everybody, though? The early courses make for a sound introduction, but progression to the later tournaments and challenges reveals a game that, at least in a competitive sense, can be mercilessly difficult. Most golf games allow you a little leeway with regards to strike timing, but landing even a fraction outside of the yellow centreline is likely to see you careering into the rough, a bunker or, in the case of approaches, 50 feet away from the hole. Many courses are littered with steep gradients, whilst rain also affects the carry of putts. Dropping shots is an especially demoralising experience after the long periods of concentration needed to graft a good score, and it doesn’t help that the targets you are set to win the later tournaments require unflinching consistency.
There’s no doubt these elements mean things feel stacked against you at times. In a sense, though, the narrow line between success and failure is part of what makes EG is so delightfully absorbing, and the good far outweighs the bad. It’s simple enough to pick up, but it takes ages to master, and ultimately, the rewards for perseverance are huge. Nothing beats the feeling of driving for 230 yards, seeing the ball whistle over a bunker and pull up just feet from the hole. It’s got that rare quality sports games often struggle to find: no two games are ever alike, and with so many elements affecting the environment, there’s the potential for near-endless entertainment.
There’s no doubt these elements mean things feel stacked against you at times. In a sense, though, the narrow line between success and failure is part of what makes EG is so delightfully absorbing, and the good far outweighs the bad. It’s simple enough to pick up, but it takes ages to master, and ultimately, the rewards for perseverance are huge. Nothing beats the feeling of driving for 230 yards, seeing the ball whistle over a bunker and pull up just feet from the hole. It’s got that rare quality sports games often struggle to find: no two games are ever alike, and with so many elements affecting the environment, there’s the potential for near-endless entertainment.
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Everybody’s Golf positively spoils gamers, offering a whopping five, each with three variants, and they’re all terrific. Hawaiian Resort introduces water hazards, Fujiama Country Club narrow fairways and deceptively steep greens, whilst Vegas Desert Club obscures many of its approaches with cacti. The fourth course, United Country, proves an immaculate, picturesque highlight. Its plush greens are lined with neat flower displays, in a locale no doubt inescapably inspired by the legendary Masters course in Atlanta, Georgia.
For a PlayStation golf game, it’s visuals fare surprisingly well. Granted, courses are a shade sparse at times and suffer the odd technical shortcoming. It’s bright and pleasant though, with courses sporting just enough differences to be distinguishable. Little touches, such as clubhouses visible on the 9th and 18th holes, add considerably to its charm, whilst accomplished weather effects, water reflections and dynamic replays add a dash of quality to the package. The in-game music is mixed: the simpler, slower tempo efforts, including the putting theme, add marvellously to the intense, absorbing vibe. There are a few garish tunes that are much too busy for the subject. Something more sedate is preferable in a game that demands high levels of concentration, and the hyperactive ditties prove quickly distracting.
For a PlayStation golf game, it’s visuals fare surprisingly well. Granted, courses are a shade sparse at times and suffer the odd technical shortcoming. It’s bright and pleasant though, with courses sporting just enough differences to be distinguishable. Little touches, such as clubhouses visible on the 9th and 18th holes, add considerably to its charm, whilst accomplished weather effects, water reflections and dynamic replays add a dash of quality to the package. The in-game music is mixed: the simpler, slower tempo efforts, including the putting theme, add marvellously to the intense, absorbing vibe. There are a few garish tunes that are much too busy for the subject. Something more sedate is preferable in a game that demands high levels of concentration, and the hyperactive ditties prove quickly distracting.
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Player vs the Elements: Everybody's Golf throws all kinds of obstacles your way. Be wary of the wind and steer clear of the water!
Aside from the main Tournament setup, there’s a great deal to keep players engaged. Mini Golf is a gorgeous little mode that is essentially practice in the form of pitch ‘n’ putt, whilst Vs sees you tackling a computer opponent in Match Play, the twist being that should you beat them, they become available as a playable character. A great idea, though this too can make for a gruelling setup, with the AI’s method of play off-putting to say the least. They routinely shank the ball and yet miraculously seem to plan for it as the ball lands right next to the hole, or grazes within mere pixels of the rough, but rarely seems to stop in it. Because you are always up against a character with more power, it’s often a strain to stay with them over 18 holes when they are blasting their way to the flag with clinical efficiency. There’s no doubt the bar is set very high, but the gameplay is so enjoyable, you’ll keep returning to try your luck.
If it does take your fancy, there’s weeks, maybe months, of play to be found here. As well as unlocking the extra courses and golfers, there is a nifty gallery that saves your best shots in replay form, and an epic 5 Course mode that sees players tackling all 90 holes back-to-back. It’s also an incredible multiplayer experience. Beginners may struggle with its unforgiving nature, but Camelot’s debut golfing odyssey is a massively significant title in the genre’s history and, more importantly, remains a superb, addictive challenge.
If it does take your fancy, there’s weeks, maybe months, of play to be found here. As well as unlocking the extra courses and golfers, there is a nifty gallery that saves your best shots in replay form, and an epic 5 Course mode that sees players tackling all 90 holes back-to-back. It’s also an incredible multiplayer experience. Beginners may struggle with its unforgiving nature, but Camelot’s debut golfing odyssey is a massively significant title in the genre’s history and, more importantly, remains a superb, addictive challenge.
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VERDICT"A massively significant title in its genre, mixing fun, accessibility and challenge to superb effect. A generous supply of courses and addictive multiplayer make up for one or two small blemishes. A cut above its competitors." OVERALL: 8/10 |
OTHER FUN GOLF GAMES REVIEWED
Winning Shot (1989, PC Engine)
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Mario Golf (1999, Game Boy Color)
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