The Tiger Woods game by EA Sports has been around for years, but you "swing the club" by clicking a mouse to start and finish your shot. The Launchpad allows golfers to swing their own clubs and hit an actual (tethered) golf ball as sensors process the shot's velocity, angle, and swing path to render a result on the PC screen as soon as you finish your follow-through.
Sounds complicated, but it's not. All you need to do is install the Tiger Woods software on your computer (it is included with the Launchpad), plug the Launchpad into a USB port, and select from two types of shot (full swing or chip/putt). You may not have a cathedral ceiling or an enormous rumpus room in which to swing your Nike SasQuatch driver, but the game settings can be tweaked to allow you to simulate a tee shot with a shorter club, say a 7-iron, making the game suitable for any home with standard 8-foot ceilings.
The Launchpad, the brainchild of Electric-Spin Corp. of Woodbridge, Ontario, won an innovation award at this year's Consumer Electronics Show . It is also compatible with courses from the Microsoft Links game on either a PC or a Mac, and a swing analysis program can help you groove your swing as you await spring. The Launchpad sells for $249, with a PlayStation2 version $199.
Go to electricspin.com for more information , or call 416-410-1166 or 866-571-7746 .
Pining for Carolina? So you'd prefer to swing your clubs at a real-life destination? Check out the Evergreen Escape package at the venerable Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, which is available through Feb. 28.
