Pull on those Plus Fours, pull down that golf cap and prepare to tee into action. World Tour Golf offers armchair golfers the opportunity to play eighteen world famous golf courses, from St Andrews to Shinnerock Hills, plus a specially designed course. A construction set also allows the player to design courses, and save up to maximum of twenty-five per disk.

The program offers a range of options from the the main activity screen. Practice is available on the driving range, putting green or by playing a sample hole. A course proper selected from one of the nineteen provided. Additionally, there's the option of playing a match or strole game against up to three other players.

Each course is loaded separately and includes a variety of hazards, such as trees, hills, water and bunkers. A green can also be wet or dry, sloped or flat, which affects the speed and movement of the ball.

The playing screen is divided vertically and provides both overhead and Leaderboard-style view-points. Fourteen clubs are available, from Driver to Sand Wedge, each selected from joystick. Shotsare directed via a moveable crosshair, and the stroke is controlled from a Swing Meter, accessed by pressing the fire button. A further three presses are required to initiate the backswing, set the desired strength of shot and finally set the hook or slice on contact with the ball.

Once near the flag, the overhead viewpoint changes to that of the green itself, and the putter is automatically selected. Putts are made by simply aiming the shot and determining the strength of shot required.

World Tour Golf is moderately compulsive to play, but the sound, graphics and animation aren't as effective as the Access simulations, nor is the ball movement as realistic.

World Tour Golf deserves minor recognition for its novelty value, since there's a whole load of options (the player and course customisations are particularly impressive), and the on-screen presentation is interesting in that it provides both map and 3D views at the same time, However, the strained and unrewarding gameplay does nothing to make you want to tackle the wealth of courses available.

I don't really care what my character's name is or how far he can drive when the action of making a stroke is so poorly represented. The incrediblt accuracy of the Leaderboard series made them very enjoyable to play; you atcually believed the stroke had been made in three dimensions.

World Tour Golf fails dismally: the ball wobbles around like a Cruise missile with its guidance system up the spout, and even putting has been amde finnicly and unrealistic. Ubtil Access' simulations can be clearly surpassed, I don't see the point of creating another also-ran.