Tiger Woods Online

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is the browser-based game in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise from EA Sports (Electronic Arts). The Tiger Woods Online game entered open beta testing in May 2009, then, on April 6, 2010, EA Sports officially announced the launch of Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online. The game is located at tigerwoodsonline.ea.com.

Some information about the game is provided below, and we encourage you to add your own comments (and ratings) of the game: Tell us (and other golfers) what you think about the quality of the Tiger Woods Online gameplay, the options available, whether it's worth it to subscribe.

Yes and no. Depends on how many features you want, or if you're satisfied with the basics and limited play.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is free to play on a handful of the total number of golf courses, using a points-based payment system. When you create a new account (by registering), a certain number of points are "deposited" in your account. (We'll avoid mentioning specific point levels here because those levels can change over time.)

The number of points you are given upon registering for Tiger Woods Online corresponds to the "greens fee" (in points) it "costs" to play one round of golf on those featured courses. So when you register - and, later, when you first log in on any given day - you can play one free round of golf on those featured courses.

You get more points to use for free play by based on on daily sign-in streaks, rounds-played streaks and leveling up.

As noted, free play does require you to register, but you might not have to download anything (and if you do, it will be only a browser add-on).

For unlimited play - and to access all rather than just some of the golf courses - you have three options:

• Buy points
• Buy a monthly "subscription"
• Buy an annual membership

You can directly purchase Tiger Woods Online points using a credit card or PayPal (among other options), then pay the "greens fees" using those purchased points.

Or you can go the membership route, paying for a monthly or annual subscription. The subscriptions give you access to additional features such as the ability to set up custom, private tournaments for your circle of friends.

Other social media features are also available through memberships. In addition, you can use your points to make purchases in a pro shop.

We won't try to provide a comprehensive list here, because new courses are added to Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online over time. But notable golf courses that were available for play at the time of this writing included Bethpage Black, Celtic Manor, Harbour Town, Oakmont Country Club, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Torrey Pines, TPC Sawgrass and Whistling Straits.

Each available course has a "greens fee" - a certain number of points it costs to play. Premium courses will cost more, and so will only be available for play if you use one of the purchase options noted above. And, as also noted, a small number of courses have greens fees that match the number of points you automatically get for registering or upon your first log-in of the day (making those courses part of the limited-play free option).