10 Best Skills in PGA Tour 2K25

PGA Tour 2K25 players know the pain of not having the right build for the right course. Those few skill points could mean the difference between an eagle and par. 

While PGA Tour 2K25 doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all build, there are some skills you should look at more than others. In this article, we’ll list some of the best starter skills every player should have in their skill tree. Let’s get started. 

Skill Tree Breakdown

Before we dive into the semantics, let’s review how the skill tree works. A character’s ability is defined by several aspects such as attributes, skills, and fittings. The skill tree portion is divided into five different skill trees. They are as follows:

• Tee
• Approach 
• Recovery
• Bunker
• Green

Each skill tree specializes in a different shot and situation. Points put into the Tee tree will benefit your first hit, while Approach is more focused on getting you from the fairway to the green. As such, Recovery relates to getting the ball out of the rough, and Bunker (as the name states) helps you get out of bunkers. You want to make that final shot as perfect as possible, right? Green is your best friend if you face difficulty putting the ball.

Now that you understand how the skill tree works, it’s time to reveal our top picks for skills. Do keep in mind that these are general skill points. As you progress in the game, you’ll realize every skill has its own niche situation, and you can tailor them according to your needs. 

Tee Shot (Tee)

The Tee Shot skill might be one of the most important beginner skills to invest in. Having a solid first hit not only puts you in a better position, but you’ll also be less stressed on your next shot. This skill is focused entirely on your first hit. Upgrading it increases the contact proficiency, transition proficiency, and swing path proficiency.

These upgrades will assist you in judging exactly where the ball will go. Additionally, each shot has a sweet spot bar you need to hit for the shot to land accurately. Tee Shot will increase the size of your sweet spot, better ensuring you don’t miss. In short, your shots will be more accurate.

Choked Tee Shot (Tee)

As we mentioned, every skill has its own individual use in PGA Tour 2K25. Where the Tee Shot is better for longer par 4-holes, the Choked Tee Shot should be preferred on shorter par 4s or even par 3s. Choked Tee Shot is a shorter distance shot with a bit more lob than the Tee Shot. It is used on shorter courses to avoid over-hitting.

It is also an invaluable skill to have early on because each course has a mix of short and long holes. Being able to switch between shots at will makes the game easier, even if you don’t have the proper attributes or clubs yet.

Power Drive (Tee)

The Choked Tee and Tee Shot skills are great for your first hit on short to mid-range holes. But Power Drive is what lets you drive the ball out of sight on longer holes. The Power Drive skill is primarily built for more power, less accuracy. It is the ideal tee shot for longer holes where you need the ball to go as far as possible.

Be aware that with increased power, you will slightly lose control of the ball. While this usually isn’t an issue on longer holes, just make sure not to send it straight into a bunker (or worse, water).

Approach (Approach)

Three skills are more than enough for your drive, now it’s time to focus on getting to the green. The first skill you’ll want in the Approach tree is the standard Approach skill. Similar to the standard Tee Shot skill, it will allow for an overall better second shot from the fairway. This skill will offer a mix of both accuracy and power for better judgment on where you’re hitting.

This skill is pretty important when starting PGA Tour 2K25. It reduces the pressure of getting a perfect shot. Players are given more leeway when hitting with a bigger sweet spot and overall more accuracy.

Choked Approach (Approach)

Next, we’ve got the Choked Approach skill. Choked Approach is kind of the counterpart to the Choked Tee Shot in the sense that it is a shorter shot with more lob. This is best for when you have a shorter distance to cover from the fairway to the green. While the Choked Approach has less power than an Approach shot, you get more accuracy with it.

Once again, the sweet spot bar is larger in the Choked version, so don’t worry about your shot going astray. This is great for beginners who haven’t yet gotten the hang of hitting within a smaller sweet spot.

Off The Deck (Approach)

With the Approach skill tree having a total of seven unique skills, it is one you’ll want to invest most heavily in. The third and final skill we recommend you have for the Approach tree is Off the Deck. Off the Deck is a lower shot with minimal lob but greater distance covered. On top of that, it allows the ball to roll at the end, getting it closer to the hole.

The roll at the end of the shot is crucial at times since it is much easier to judge the direction of the ball on the ground compared to in the air. It is also useful in covering distance if your drive wasn’t on point, so it checks all the boxes of a good skill. 

Flop (Recovery)

Moving on, we have the Recovery skill tree. While it has four different skills, Flop is primarily the only one we’d suggest focusing on. The Flop shot is ideal for when covering long distances from the rough onto the fairway, or even the green. This shot has reduced accuracy since it’s more focused on setting up your next shot and getting you out of the rough.

The Recovery skill tree is only good for getting out of sticky situations after your previous shot didn’t go as planned. The skills here are tailored to very particular situations, which is why we would suggest only getting Flop early on.

Splash (Bunker)

The rough on some courses might be difficult to get out of, but sand bunkers can be even scarier. So much so that Bunker has a skill tree of its own, exactly for those difficult situations. The Splash skill is what you’ll want to get from this skill tree, as this gives you both distance and some end-shot rollout as well.

Bunkers are usually small but greatly reduce shot power. Splash counters that by lobbing the ball a short distance out of the bunker and then giving it a rollout to proceed forward on the fairway. That’s why this skill is one you won’t want to miss out on.

Chip (Green)

You’ve traversed the entire course — from the drive to the rough. Now it’s time to bring it home on the green. While other skill trees were more focused on power and covering distance, the Green skill tree is about putting with finesse. Chip is the first skill you should upgrade in this tree. As we mentioned, rollout is very important for accuracy, and Chip gives you exactly that.

A shorter shot covering a smaller distance but with more rollout allows the ball to get closer to the hole, if not inside it. Think about it like this. The chances of the ball being hit exactly into the hole are much lower than the ball rolling into the hole. That’s why the Chip skill is great for starters to clean up shots without using extra shots.

Putt (Green)

Our last skill on today’s list is Putt. Putt, like the Tee Shot and Approach skills, is focused on improving your overall putting skills. It enhances all aspects of your putt slightly — power, forgiveness bar, and accuracy. This will help you avoid overshooting and give a better sense of direction and accuracy.

Putt helps on almost every course, regardless of the type. Considering putting is a skill many players face difficulty with early on in the game, this is a top-tier skill to focus on when beginning PGA Tour 2K25.

Customizing Your Build

The previously mentioned skills are amazing for the early game, giving you a well-rounded set of stats. However, as you progress through the game, there are a few must-have skills. These require more time and investment, so they aren’t very practical to focus on in the early game. Here’s a list of some higher-tier skills you should go for once you’re well-versed with the gameplay:

• Stinger (Tee): Great for windy days with ample runoff.
• Knocked Down (Approach): Low-ball flight and minimal runoff mean precise shots.
• Recovery (Recovery): Increases area on forgiveness meter, more leeway on shots.
• Pick (Bunker): Full spin control with minimal rollout for perfect angles.
• Green Reader (Green): Better visualization of distance and angle to the hole, aligns feet with the hole.