Golf Game Trails the Leader

Just when you thought, or hoped, that the computer golf crown had been awarded for the last time, along comes yet another pretender--MicroProse’s “Greens.”

This new “Links” knockoff includes plenty of bells and whistles--six built-in courses, different types of games and a handicap system. But “Greens” again proves the cliche: Imitation is the sincerest form of capitalism.

Formally dubbed “David Leadbetter’s Greens: The Instructional 3-D Golf Simulation,” “Greens” tries to be a playable computer golf game and a workable simulation that real golfers might use to improve their own real games. It works well enough in the former task but these two non-golfers are rather dubious about the latter.

The computer golf standard was set a couple of years ago by Access’ “Links” series. That game, which has since been revised in a nifty “Links 386” issue, took golf simulations out of the cyberspace of the computer and put it on replications of real courses where it belongs.

The “Links” look was stunning, and the makers of “Greens” have done their darned-est to match it--though they have forsaken some of the finer graphic elements for increased speed. The “Greens” sound isn’t anything to get excited by, but the different camera angles and views are cool. The clubhouse view menu system is silly, but the general setup for play is straightforward and easy enough to master. As usual, the MicroProse manual is first-rate.

In all, a very mixed reaction. If you have never seen “Links,” you will probably approve of “Greens.” If you are familiar with “Links,” you probably won’t like “Greens.”

That makes sense, too. After all, once you’ve played Augusta, how can your usual course ever look the same?

Greens

Rating: **

IBM and compatibles; 2 MB RAM and hard disk; mouse recommended. List: $59.95.

Computer games are rated on a five-star system, from one star for poor to five for excellent.