Sensible Golf

Sensible Golf is a sports game created by Sensible Software, released in 1994 for Amiga, DOS, and Windows 3.x.

Sensible Golf is a 2D golf game built around the Cannon Fodder engine. The game also relies on some of the game models used for Sensible Soccer, another title created by the same developer. The game engine was not built for a sports sim, so for sure, it has some limitations for a golfing game. Clearly it's more an arcade golfing title instead of a simulation.

Sensible Golf comes with 4 difficulty levels and 25 courses. It covers 72 holes in total; however, the layout was deemed less than realistic for most players. Many courses felt very similar in design and challenge, making Sensible Golf a commercial failure. The mechanics are straightforward. All you had to do is select the direction you want to hit towards and the overall power. However, the engine didn’t translate well to a 2D golf gameplay. It was tough to put off a ball on the green; it was impossible to get a perfect score in many cases. It was more about luck rather than developing a skill for it.

The game follows golf rules very closely, so you always need to get the lowest possible amount of points. If your score is high, the AI will win. That’s why you need to experiment with your shots. As a result, Sensible Golf does have some replay value.

The lack of innovation from the studio’s side regarding this game and the absurd difficulty brought a 66% Amiga Power score, which eventually led to a decline in the studio. In fact, the studio released only a single game after this, named Sensible Train Spotting, before actually going defunct in 1999.

Sensible Golf maybe is not as appealing when compared to other retro golf titles. However, if you’re looking for a challenge and want more arcade-style gameplay, this is the right title. Yes, it’s not perfect, and it can be frustrating at times, but you can enjoy the experience if you’re willing to learn how to play and accept there can be a bit of luck involved with your shots.