In response to overwhelming feedback from the community that eventually became impossible to ignore, online matchmaking in PGA Tour 2K25 has seen some big changes. The most obvious and impactful one you’ll find is that you can no longer use the 3-click method of hitting shots. Instead, everyone must learn how to wield the shot stick to get your ball from tee to cup. This leveling of the playing field means that online players can no longer make excuses and gripe about the mode being inherently unfair. But now that this crucial issue has been addressed, it’s not as if there are aren’t other aspects of the mode that are bound to come with annoyances though.
Some of these stem from the type of behavior that you’ll encounter from your fellow players while you’re out on the course together. While the framework of the mode has some built-in parameters to keep a 9-hole match play round moving as smoothly as possible, there are some key things that you can bear in mind to ensure that you respect your opponent and don’t get on their nerves.
Here are 5 unwritten rules of etiquette for online matchmaking in PGA Tour 2K25 that you’ll want to follow to make the mode as enjoyable as possible for all parties involved.
Limit Your Practice Swings
Just because the game gives you a full 3 minutes to finish a hole, doesn’t mean that you need to take every second of that allotted time. As in real golf, there’s nothing more aggravating than playing alongside someone who insists on taking their precious time to settle into in their stance, scope out their shot, and finally strike the ball after much deliberation. Some people will even tease you by attempting not only one but several practice swings before getting down to the real thing. Look, there are obviously going to be circumstances where you’ll need to take a few moments to consider your club, lie, and wind impact on shots. But you can really grind the momentum of an online match to a halt when you milk the clock for any longer than is absolutely necessary.
Speak Only When Appropriate
Golf is a social game, so it’s understandable if you want to take the always risky step of turning on your mic and chatting with your opponent (or teammate in duos). But just as if you were out on a real course, there are times when talking is appropriate, and times when you need to keep your mouth shut. Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Never say anything while someone is lining up a shot. Though it might be tempting to use questionable gamesmanship to make an opponent lose focus, you shouldn’t succumb and stoop to such shady tactics (that includes any screaming and shouting). If you want to praise someone’s good shot or offer a helpful tip that could improve their game, then go for it. But please don’t confuse laughing or juvenile insults regarding a bad shot as anything even resembling constructive criticism.
Fast Forward Is Your Friend
Since there are plenty of reasons why a round of golf can drag on longer than expected, you’d be well advised to take whatever opportunities you can to cut down on that length. One surefire you can do this is by using the tools at your disposal and fast forwarding your shots to get through your turn quicker. Of course, you shouldn’t be expected to zoom through every one of your shots since there are moments when the suspense of where your shot will land is a big part of the fun. But there’s little reason to watch the entirety of a drive off the first tee in real time when you can already tell from your shot feedback and the lay of the land that it’s going to be right down the fairway. This can come in especially handy on your worst shots because chances are you will want to get them over with as quickly as possible anyway.
Concede Holes You Can’t Win
There will inevitably be holes where it takes you more shots to get on the green than you would have preferred and you just know that there’s no conceivable way that you can win the hole. When this happens, there’s no sense crying over spilled milk when you’d be better off taking the L and moving on to the next hole. Thankfully, the game has been programmed to recognize these moments and offer you the chance to concede the hole to your opponent so you can set your sights on winning the next one. This saves yourself and your opponent some time by not requiring you to pointlessly play out a bunch of shots and putts when the outcome has already been settled.
Control Your Rage
If you’ve ever golfed before, then you’re probably already aware that many of your shots are not going to play out exactly the way you envision. In fact, most amateur golfers will be lucky if they have just a handful of shots that end up anywhere in the vicinity of where they aimed. It’s important then to take your misses in stride and to not give in to some of the nastier emotions that will threaten to overwhelm and ultimately bubble to the surface if you let them. Some people see red when things go awry and just want to watch the world burn though. That’s when you’ll find players bringing out the driver around the green and intentionally taking as many strokes as they can to finish a hole. Why? Because wasting your time is the best substitute they can find for winning. Don’t be like these trolls. Part of good sportsmanship is being able to lose graciously. You don’t have to like it but you can at least accept it with some dignity.
Published: Mar 10, 2025 1:48 PM UTC