PGA Championship Golf 2000

Last updated: January 22, 2026

Overview

PGA Championship Golf 2000 represents the pinnacle of Sierra’s golf simulation franchise, developed by Headgate Studios and published by Sierra Sports in June 2000¹. Building upon the foundation established by its predecessors in the Front Page Sports Golf series, the game was designed by golfers for golfers and featured the revolutionary TrueSwing 3 control system that allowed players to control their golf club in real-time using mouse movements². The game was released at a retail price of $24.95to$35.95 and quickly established itself as “the unrivaled king of golf sims” according to contemporary critics³.

The title distinguished itself from competitors by stripping away unrealistic golf-sim conventions and replacing them with a more true-to-life shot-setup mode³. It was the first golf simulation to offer both complete Season and Career tour-style gameplay, allowing players to create their own golfer with customizable face, body, and unique style of dress before taking them onto the pro tour or amateur circuit⁴. Despite lacking licensed professional PGA golfers, the game compensated with an unprecedented level of options and customization that reviewers praised as unmatched in any other golf title⁵.

PGA Championship Golf 2000 shipped with 13 golf courses—eight returning from the previous edition and five new courses developed exclusively for this release⁶. The game also included the powerful Course Architect tool, which enabled players to design their own courses, and Sierra made over 130 additional user-created courses available for download through WON.net, with that number eventually growing to over 1,600¹⁷. The game won GameSpy’s 2000 Sports Game of the Year award and received critical acclaim across major gaming publications⁴.

Game Info

Developer: Headgate Studios¹ Designer: Brian Silvernail, Vance Cook¹⁸ Publisher: Sierra Sports / Sierra On-Line¹ Engine: TrueSwing 3² Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me⁹ Release Year: 2000 Series: PGA Championship Golf Protagonist: Player-created golfer Sierra Lineage: Sierra Sports

Story Summary

PGA Championship Golf 2000 does not feature a traditional narrative story, as it is a sports simulation focused on the career progression of a player-created golfer. The game attempts to simulate what it might feel like to play golf as a PGA professional player, offering an authentic experience of professional golf competition¹⁰.

Players begin their journey by creating a custom golfer, selecting physical attributes, facial features, body type, and clothing style⁴. The game offers multiple progression paths through its Season and Career modes, where players compete in tournaments to build their reputation and earnings. The Career mode tracks long-term statistics and progression, while Season mode allows players to compete through a full professional golf season schedule¹¹.

The absence of real PGA Tour players was a deliberate design decision by the development team, who chose to focus their limited schedule on gameplay features rather than expensive licensing agreements¹. This allowed resources to be directed toward the Course Architect, improved graphics, and the innovative TrueSwing technology that defined the game’s identity¹².

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The centerpiece of PGA Championship Golf 2000’s gameplay is the TrueSwing 3 system, which Sierra described as a “breath of fresh air” in the golf simulation genre¹³. Unlike traditional three-click swing meters, TrueSwing uses real-time swing control where “computer golfers actually control the club in the on-screen golfer’s hands”⁸. Players use their mouse to physically swing the golf club, with the game calculating trajectory, power, and accuracy based on the actual mouse movement¹⁴.

The game also offers a traditional three-click swing method for players who prefer a more conventional approach¹⁵. A new “quick start” feature allows players to bypass some of the more technical aspects of the sport and get into gameplay faster⁴. The interface includes a Reverse Landing Camera and multiple viewing angles to help players visualize their shots⁶.

For modern players attempting to run the game, it’s important to note that the resolution should be set to 1024x768 or less for the game to properly register swing inputs¹⁶. The game requires DirectDraw wrappers to function correctly on Windows 10 systems¹⁶.

Structure and Progression

PGA Championship Golf 2000 offers multiple game modes that cater to different playing styles:

• Pro Tour Mode: Compete in professional-level tournaments against AI opponents
• Amateur Tour Mode: Start from amateur circuits and work up to professional status
• Season Mode: Play through a complete season of golf tournaments with cumulative statistics
• Career Mode: Long-term progression tracking across multiple seasons
• Skins Mode: High-stakes hole-by-hole competition
• Best Ball Mode: Team-based competition format
• Ryder Cup Mode: International team competition format
• Match Play Mode: Head-to-head competition
• Stableford Scoring: Alternative scoring system based on points⁶¹

The game was notable for being the first to offer ReadyPlay technology, which allowed cyber golfers to move up the course independently of other players in their group, significantly improving multiplayer pacing¹².

Puzzles and Mechanics

While not featuring traditional puzzles, PGA Championship Golf 2000 presents strategic challenges through its realistic ball physics and course design. The game uses true-to-life ball dynamics and different surface types to come as close to realism as possible¹⁷. Players must account for wind, terrain elevation, lie conditions, and club selection when planning each shot.

The TrueSwing system introduces a skill-based mechanic where the mouse learns the player’s individual swing style over time⁹. This creates a personalized experience where consistency and practice directly translate to improved in-game performance. The skill involved is described as “pretty high if you like a challenge”¹⁸.

The Course Architect mode adds a creative dimension, allowing players to design and share their own 18-hole courses. The tool includes an extensive art library for placing terrain features, hazards, and decorative elements⁴. However, reviewers noted that the Course Architect could crash frequently if terrain was not properly optimized⁵.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

PGA Championship Golf 2000 received widespread critical acclaim upon release, establishing itself as the benchmark for PC golf simulations. GameSpot awarded the game 8.9/10, with reviewer Stephen Poole declaring it “currently the unrivaled king of golf sims”³. He praised the game for stripping away unrealistic conventions and implementing a more true-to-life shot-setup mode³.

Eurogamer gave the game 9/10, stating “Quite frankly this is the best golfing simulation on the market” and highlighting the TrueSwing 3 system as “the main attraction”². GameVortex’s reviewer Woody (Shane Wodele) awarded an impressive 95%, exclaiming “WOW! I have never, ever seen the number of options in any other golf title as there are in PGA Championship Golf 2000!“⁵. He noted the only significant downfall was the absence of real-life professionals⁵.

CNET Gamecenter’s Jason Ocampo gave the game 8/10, calling it “a complete, innovative, and fun golf game” and praising Sierra’s TrueSwing technology as “a breath of fresh air”¹³. The Hartford Courant described it as “by far the most developed and satisfying of what has become a long line of golf games from Sierra” and called it an early contender for PC sports game of the year⁶. PC Gamer US awarded 91%, and GameSpy gave 90/100¹.

IGN was somewhat more reserved with a 7.7/10 score¹. The Washington Post’s Tom Ham praised the visuals, noting “The scenery here is top-notch” while observing that “the spectators still look like cardboard cutouts”¹. Amazon UK reviewers noted that “this game is aimed at the computing golf expert”⁹.

Modern Assessment

PGA Championship Golf 2000 has maintained a positive reputation among retro gaming enthusiasts. MyAbandonware users rate the game 4.48/5, with one reviewer calling it “a great reproduction of golf”¹⁸. User comments highlight the realistic gameplay and high skill ceiling that continues to appeal to dedicated golf simulation fans¹⁸.

The game faced some criticism in retrospect. The Eurogamer review of PGA Championship Golf 1999 noted that players must “tolerate the simple graphics and lack of single player depth”¹⁵, issues that persisted to some degree in the 2000 edition. The Game Over review summarized the consensus that “PGA Championship Golf 2000 is arguably one of the best golf simulations available for the PC”¹⁹.

Aggregate Scores:

• GameRankings: 88%¹
• MobyGames: 8.0 (#2,226 of 27.6K) based on critics’ average of 86% from 11 ratings⁴
• GameSpot: 8.9/10³
• Eurogamer: 9/10²
• PC Gamer US: 91%¹
• GameSpy: 90/100¹
• GameVortex: 95%⁵
• IGN: 7.7/10¹
• CNET Gamecenter: 8/10¹³

Development

Origins

PGA Championship Golf 2000 emerged from Sierra’s long-running Front Page Sports franchise, which was designed by Pat Cook and Allen McPheeters and included Football, Baseball, and Golf titles²⁰. The series represented Sierra’s ambition to create comprehensive sports simulations for the PC market. The game was developed by Headgate Studios, which had been acquired by Sierra in 1996²¹.

Senior Producer Mike Jacob explained the development philosophy: “Our goals when we started PGA Championship Golf 2000 were to achieve many of the things we wanted to have in PGA Championship Golf 1999, but were unable to due to timing for release”¹². This iterative approach allowed the team to refine features that had been rushed or incomplete in the previous version.

The conceptual origins of Sierra’s golf gaming ambitions can be traced back even further. Developer Michael Boone once reflected on early computer game development, noting “IBM seemed like the computer that business people and the affluent were buying. So, I should write a golf game for the IBM computer”²². This business-oriented thinking helped establish golf simulations as a viable PC gaming genre.

Production

Development of PGA Championship Golf 2000 involved extensive beta testing with the community. Sierra Sports issued a call for beta testers, requiring candidates to be available to play online during week nights and weekends, not be employees of competing game companies, sign non-disclosure agreements, and preferably have some knowledge of PGA 1999²³. The beta test selection process was completed in phases, with Sierra focusing on experienced players to test multiplayer capabilities²⁴.

The decision not to include licensed professional golfers was strategic. As Wikipedia documents, “the development team had limited schedule and focused on game features over professional golfer licensing”¹. This allowed resources to be allocated toward the TrueSwing technology, Course Architect improvements, and enhanced graphics that distinguished the final product.

Hardware acceleration was originally planned for the game but was dropped due to time and budget constraints¹². Despite this limitation, the team delivered significant improvements over the previous edition, including five new courses, improved golfer models, enhanced course graphics, and better in-game camera views¹¹.

Development Credits:⁴

• Director: Vance Cook
• Senior Producer: Mike Jacob
• Lead Engineer: Michael D. Jones
• Team Lead: Dale Deputy
• Interface Design/Artist: Matthew Peterson
• Course Creator: Scott Ferrin
• Art Lead/Photographer: Mitch Stevens
• Course Design: Brian Silvernail (Canaveral Dunes course)
• Color Commentators: Mark Lye, Grant Boone³

Technical Achievements

The TrueSwing 3 technology represented a significant advancement in golf simulation controls. Unlike traditional power meters, the system allowed players to physically control their swing through mouse movement, with the game calculating real-time trajectory and ball physics¹⁴. The interface learned each player’s individual swing style, creating a personalized experience⁹.

The game was developed with support for multiplayer gaming through modem, LAN, and WON.net online service¹³. The ReadyPlay feature was particularly innovative, allowing players in multiplayer sessions to move independently up the course rather than waiting for each player to complete their shots sequentially¹².

The Course Architect tool provided an expanded art library for terrain and object placement, enabling the creation of diverse and detailed courses⁴. Sierra actively supported the community by hosting user-created courses on WON.net, with over 130 courses available at launch and the total eventually exceeding 1,600¹⁷.

Technical Specifications

CD-ROM Version:⁵¹³

• Resolution: SVGA 800x600 minimum (1024x768 recommended), 32K colors
• Media: 2 CD-ROMs (596.7 MB total)²⁵
• Input: Mouse (required for TrueSwing)
• Multiplayer: Internet (WON.net), LAN, Modem

Minimum Requirements:¹⁹²⁶

• Processor: Intel Pentium 166MHz (Pentium II 233MHz recommended)
• RAM: 32MB (64MB recommended)
• Hard Drive Space: 150MB (200MB recommended)
• CD-ROM: 4x speed (8x recommended)
• Video: 3D hardware accelerator
• OS: Windows 95/98/Me

UK Release Requirements:²⁶

• Hard Drive Space: 765MB (full installation)

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	June 6, 2000	Windows	Initial North American release3
1.0	August 25, 2000	Windows	UK/Ireland release27
3.2.7.1	2000	Windows	Patch with seven new courses28
3.3.4.5	August 22, 2000	Windows	Patch with 18 bug fixes and 9 improvements29
Titanium Edition	December 11, 2000	Windows	7 new courses (20 in German release), enhanced multiplayer, expanded Course Architect30
Collector’s Edition	Summer 2001	Windows	12 new exclusive courses, 32 total courses31

Technical Issues

The game has several known compatibility issues with modern operating systems. On Windows 10 and later versions, the game requires DirectDraw wrapper software to function correctly¹⁶. Graphics rendering issues may occur on newer Windows versions that did not exist on the original Windows 95/98/Me platforms¹⁶.

A critical gameplay issue involves screen resolution: the resolution must be set to 1024x768 or lower for the game to properly register swing inputs¹⁶. Players using higher resolutions may find that their mouse movements are not correctly translated to in-game swings.

The Course Architect mode was noted to crash frequently during course creation, particularly when terrain optimization was not properly handled. Files could become corrupt during the course creation process⁵.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Dynamic Gallery System: The game features dynamic galleries of spectators that are attracted to better-performing players, adding to the immersive atmosphere of tournament play²
• Left-Handed Support: Unlike many golf games of the era, PGA Championship Golf 2000 included an option for left-handed golfers⁸
• Daily Outfit Changes: Created players could be set to automatically change their outfits each day of multi-day tournaments⁵
• Series Connection: The Front Page Sports Golf series that led to PGA Championship Golf ended for Sierra with the 2000 edition, after which Headgate Studios was sold and subsequently developed Tiger Woods PGA Tour games for EA²¹

Voice Cast

Character	Voice Actor
Color Commentator	Mark Lye
Color Commentator	Grant Boone
Two American Commentators	(uncredited)2

The game features ongoing commentary throughout gameplay from two American commentators who provide analysis of shots and tournament situations²³.

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

PGA Championship Golf 2000 was recognized as one of the top-selling sports games of its era and established itself as the definitive PC golf simulation of the year 2000¹⁵. The game won GameSpy’s 2000 Sports Game of the Year award, cementing its position in the competitive sports gaming market⁴.

The success of the franchise was significant enough that Sierra released multiple enhanced editions within a year of the original launch. The Titanium Edition, priced at $29.99, added seven new courses and improved multiplayer capabilities³⁰. The Collector’s Edition further expanded the content to 32 total courses³¹.

Collections

PGA Championship Golf 2000 was released in several configurations during its commercial lifespan:

• Standard Edition (June 2000) - 13 courses, $24.95-$35.95¹¹
• Titanium Edition (December 2000) - 20 courses, enhanced features, $29.99³⁰
• Collector’s Edition (Summer 2001) - 32 courses, expanded Course Architect³¹

The previous entry, PGA Championship Golf 1999, was re-released on Sierra’s budget label “Sierra Originals” and remained available during the 2000 edition’s commercial life¹⁵.

Fan Projects

The Course Architect tool enabled a thriving community of course creators. Over 1,600 user-created courses were made available through the WON.net download service, dramatically expanding the game’s content beyond the official courses¹. These community creations ranged from recreations of famous real-world courses to entirely original fantasy designs.

The game maintains an active preservation community through sites like MyAbandonware and the Internet Archive, which host downloadable versions for modern players interested in experiencing this classic golf simulation¹⁸²⁵.

Related Publications

• Game Manual: Included with retail release, providing comprehensive coverage of game features, controls, and Course Architect instructions³²
• Quick Reference Card: Packaged with Titanium Edition for quick access to key controls and features³²
• Errata Information: Documentation sheet included with later editions addressing known issues³²

Critical Perspective

PGA Championship Golf 2000 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of golf simulation games on PC. At a time when console golf games were increasingly emphasizing arcade-style accessibility, Sierra’s approach prioritized simulation depth and realistic physics that appealed to dedicated golf enthusiasts. The TrueSwing technology, while requiring more skill to master than traditional three-click systems, offered a level of control and nuance that hardcore fans appreciated.

The game’s legacy is complicated by its timing. Released just as Sierra’s ownership was transitioning through Havas Interactive and eventually to Vivendi Universal, PGA Championship Golf 2000 marked the end of an era for Sierra’s internal sports franchises²¹. Headgate Studios was sold shortly after the game’s release and went on to develop the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series for Electronic Arts, bringing their TrueSwing expertise to a much larger audience²¹.

While the graphics have not aged gracefully—contemporary reviewers already noted that spectators looked “like cardboard cutouts”¹—the core gameplay mechanics remain respected among simulation enthusiasts. The game exemplifies the “serious simulation” approach that characterized PC gaming in the late 1990s and early 2000s, prioritizing depth and authenticity over accessibility. For players willing to invest the time to master its systems, PGA Championship Golf 2000 delivered an experience that professional golfer Larry Nelson praised as superior to traditional practice methods, though he was referring to related golf simulator technology³³.

Downloads

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – PGA Championship Golf 2000²⁵
• MyAbandonware – PGA Championship Golf 2000¹⁸

Technical Support

• Sierra Help – PGA Championship Golf Updates²⁸
• VOGONS Forum – Compatibility Discussion¹⁶

Series Continuity

PGA Championship Golf 2000 is the third main entry in Sierra’s PGA Championship Golf series, which evolved from the earlier Front Page Sports Golf franchise developed by Dynamix²⁰. The series represented Sierra Sports’ flagship golf simulation line, competing against EA Sports’ PGA Tour franchise and Microsoft Golf.

The series began with the original PGA Championship Golf in 1998, followed by PGA Championship Golf: 1999 Edition, and culminated in the 2000 edition³⁴. The Titanium Edition, released in December 2000, is sometimes referred to as PGA Championship Golf 2001 in European markets³⁴. After the Collector’s Edition in 2001, the series effectively ended for Sierra as Headgate Studios transitioned to developing golf games for Electronic Arts²¹.

• Previous: 1999 - PGA Championship Golf 1999 Edition
• Next: 2000 - PGA Championship Golf 2000 Titanium Edition

References

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia – PGA Championship Golf 2000 – release dates, developer info, ratings, technical details, reception ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸

2. Eurogamer – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Review – TrueSwing 3 system, gameplay features, review score ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. GameSpot – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Review – Stephen Poole review, voice cast, gameplay analysis ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

4. MobyGames – PGA Championship Golf 2000 – development credits, awards, official description, ratings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

5. GameVortex – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Review – technical specs, review score, bugs, gameplay features ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. Hartford Courant – Game Review – contemporary review, game modes, courses ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

7. SPOnG – Sierra Sports Press Release – downloadable courses, features, TrueSwing details ↩ ↩²

8. SPOnG – Press Release – Vance Cook quote, left-handed support ↩ ↩² ↩³

9. Amazon – PGA Championship Golf 2000 – platforms, TrueSwing learning system, user reviews ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

10. Web Archive – CDMag Article – game description, simulation goal ↩

11. Web Archive – Sierra Sports Announcement – Season and Career modes, pricing, features ↩ ↩² ↩³

12. Web Archive – SportPlanet Mike Jacob Interview – ReadyPlay technology, development goals, hardware acceleration ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

13. Web Archive – CNET Gamecenter Review – Jason Ocampo review, TrueSwing praise, system requirements ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

14. IGN – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Announced – TrueSwing real-time swing mechanics ↩ ↩²

15. Eurogamer – PGA Championship Golf 1999 Review – series context, Sierra Originals budget release ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

16. VOGONS Forum – Compatibility Discussion – resolution requirements, modern OS compatibility ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

17. Internet Archive – 3-D Ultra Minigolf – ball dynamics description (Sierra golf technology context) ↩

18. MyAbandonware – PGA Championship Golf 2000 – user ratings, download information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

19. Game-Over.net – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Review – review score, system requirements ↩ ↩²

20. Sierra Fandom Wiki – Dynamix – Front Page Sports series history ↩ ↩²

21. Sierra Gamers Forum – Development History – Headgate Studios acquisition and sale, EA transition ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

22. Filfre.net – Early Golf Game Development – Michael Boone quote on IBM golf game origins ↩

23. Web Archive – CDMag Beta Testers Wanted – beta testing requirements ↩

24. Web Archive – CDMag Beta Test Update – beta selection process ↩

25. Internet Archive – PGA Championship Golf 2000 – preservation, file size, media ↩ ↩² ↩³

26. Web Archive – Eurogamer Review – UK system requirements ↩ ↩²

27. Web Archive – Gone Gold European Releases – UK/Ireland release date ↩

28. Sierra Help – PGA Championship Golf Updates – patch versions, update history ↩ ↩²

29. Web Archive – CDMag Patch News – patch details, bug fixes ↩

30. GameSpot – Titanium Edition Announcement – Titanium Edition release, pricing, features ↩ ↩² ↩³

31. GameSpot – Collector’s Edition News – Collector’s Edition courses, total course count ↩ ↩² ↩³

32. Sierra Chest – PGA Championship Golf 2000 Titanium – packaging contents, box information ↩ ↩² ↩³

33. Dynamix Golf WordPress – Larry Nelson quote on golf simulator technology ↩

34. MobyGames – PGA Championship Golf Series – series chronology, versions ↩ ↩²