Video-game reviews | Swing into action with the latest golf games

Even if you can't afford the clubs and the greens fees on a real course, you can still play 18 holes thanks to video golf.

This week's roundup features three new golf games. All are rated "E" for everyone.

"Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09"

Tiger Woods isn't the only familiar face in his namesake game: You'll also compete against pros like Vijay Singh and Annika Sorenstam. But the guy you'll see a lot of is Woods' coach Hank Haney, who pops up after every round with exercises to improve your game. Haney is a welcome addition, and I found that his drills actually did improve my performance.

The big improvement in "PGA Tour 09" is in the mechanics of swinging the club. The analog controls in last year's edition made it too difficult to gauge the power and accuracy of shots. This time, EA has added on-screen indicators to give you a better idea, before you make the shot, of whether the ball is going to slice off into the woods. EA has also added a club tuner that allows you to adjust the controls to compensate for your own tendencies.

"PGA Tour 09" also offers simultaneous play, with everyone taking shots at the same time. And the GamerNet instant challenges, in which you're asked to outdo achievements by other online golfers, add a nice element of unpredictability.

New courses include China's Sheshan Golf Club and South Africa's Gary Player Country Club. Longtime fans of the series, however, may be rattled by the new announcers, Sam Torrance (dull) and Kelly Tilghman (annoying). Still, "PGA Tour 09" looks better than ever, and it's fun for newcomers and veterans alike.

System: Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable

Price: $39.99-$59.99

"We Love Golf!"

The Japanese studio Camelot has years of experience developing lighthearted golf games like "Mario Golf" and the original "Hot Shots Golf." So it's surprising that its "We Love Golf!" is somewhat of a misfire.

The big disappointment is that "We Love Golf!" doesn't make good use of the Wii remote. Yes, you have to swing the remote to strike the ball, but the motions don't match the back-and-forth of a golf swing. Once you nail the timing, however, the game's awfully forgiving, making eagles and long putts too easy.

"We Love Golf!" does deliver the flamboyant courses and wacky minigames that Camelot is known for.

System: Wii

Price: $49.99

"Golf: Tee It Up!"

You get what you pay for in "Tee It Up!": two courses, a small selection of character options and a fairly bare-bones experience. If you're looking for a cheap golf game to play with friends, it's not bad, but it won't hold a solo player's interest for very long.

"Tee It Up!" does have one distinctive feature: a "focus" meter that lets you influence the path of the ball while it's in flight. It's a gimmick but I'd like to see it duplicated in a more full-bodied golf game.

System: Xbox 360

Price: $10