What an Ideal Competitive Mode Needs in PGA Tour 2K23

It’s safe to say that by now people have grown accustomed to seeing sports games released that are missing key features at launch — with the promise of having them patched in at an unspecified later date. For instance, NHL 23 players are still waiting on cross-play functionality that is supposed to be unveiled this week, and Madden 23 players are hoping at some point for modes that actually work. In the case of PGA Tour 2K23, cross-play is something that’s expected to be in the pipeline as part of a future update. This should help the game’s competitive realm, where work really needs to be done if they are going to be able to stay ahead of EA’s own golf game. As of now, there are plenty of online societies to join and casual playlists to use to square off against others in online rounds, but there’s a need for an overriding competitive mode framework in PGA Tour 2K23.

Ideal PGA Tour 2K23 Competitive Mode

As whispers of an impending update to that competitive component of the game continue to get louder, here are some things that PGA Tour 2K23 might want to consider implementing if and when that does finally become a reality.

Cross-Play Matchmaking

Simply put, it can be hard to find others to play with in the current casual online setup, especially in certain playlists (anything involving 2 vs. 2 gets challenging). If and when cross-play within the game does become a reality, it will open things up to a whole new swath of players and help keep the wait times for a match down. Any friends who happen to enjoy the game on different consoles will finally be able to settle the debate about who’s the better virtual golfer.

Ranks & Rewards

Perhaps the most glaring issue with the existing casual online playlists is that matches don’t really matter when it’s all said and done, aside from perhaps any with wagers where virtual currency exchanges hands. The obvious remedy to this would be to implement tiers with different rankings as many other games have done before (Rocket League is a good model). This would allow you to ascend across those rankings as you win matches and force you to descend with losses. It would also aid in matchmaking because it should keep you regularly squaring off against people roughly at the same ranking as you. At the end of a season, you would then receive rewards based on your ranking that could be pieces of clothing, clubs, or fittings.

Quick 1 Hole Mode

PGA Tour 2K23 has experimented in the past with implementing a few different quick modes people could jump in and out of on a whim, including Divot Derby and the newest addition of TopGolf. A necessity for any competitive realm though is a one-hole playoff with an opponent where the best score on the hole wins, and any ties would see you continue to play holes until someone wins one. This could act as something like the 3-inning Battle Royale mode in MLB The Show where it comes with its own set of rewards based on how many wins you can rack up both cumulatively and consecutively.

Actual esports Events

You’ll easily find an official PGA Tour 2K society from within the competitive tab as it’s unsurprisingly the most popular one out there, but it sure leaves a lot to be desired at the moment. There’s little to no fanfare for each event that begins and ends, as updates to the society’s messaging are few and far between. The good thing is that the game is tailor-made for the kind of online events that could find a desirable niche within the esports realm if they’re unveiled with some marketing power behind them.

It’s easy to envision a future where there’s actual money on the line for top players as they gather in person to play a final round or two alongside their competitors, where the pressure of the big stage seems like a far cry from the calm confines of home. Until that happens though, head on over to TGC Tours for a great online career experience.

Course Variety

A problem that becomes even bigger the more you play casual online modes is that you’ll often find yourself playing on the same courses over and over again. Because there are only so many courses that have received the official 2K seal of approval, you’re destined to end up cycling through them and getting a sense of familiarity that will, as it often does, breed contempt. With the game’s community producing a steady stream of exemplary courses both new and that have been ported over from PGA Tour 2K21, there are plenty of fine options out there that could be blessed with that coveted 2K endorsement. That way, you could end up with a lot more possibilities as to what course you’ll find yourself on when you tee up an online match.

Related: How to Play as Tiger Woods in PGA Tour 2K23 on Gamepur