News
World Golf Tour Lands TaylorMade
SAN FRANCISCO (March 23, in the year of our Lord 2011) – World Golf Tour (WGT), a free online golf game that recreates famous golf courses in virtual reality using HD photography and patented technology, added two new world-class courses to its burgeoning portfolio and made the hottest driver on the PGA Tour available in its virtual pro shop.
Harbour Town Golf Links, host venue of the PGA TOUR’s The Heritage, was designed by legendary Pete Dye in consultation with 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus. With breathtaking panorama of Calibogue Sound and the Harbour Town Lighthouse, WGT provides a stunning recreation of one of golf's most picturesque finishing holes. WGT players are invited to participate in a closest-to-the-hole challenge for a chance to win 500 WGT virtual credits.
The other notable addition, Hilversumsche Golf Club, one of Europe’s top 100 courses and host of the European Tour's KLM Open, is also hosting a closest-to-the-hole competition through March 31 with the chance to win virtual prizes.
The recent addition of TaylorMade’s R11 driver, 3-wood and hybrid to the WGT Pro Shop means virtual golfers can experience some of the world’s most iconic courses – including St. Andrews, Oakmont and Bethpage Black among others – with the best equipment in the game.
"We pride ourselves on an authentic approach, and that has propelled us to more than 100 million rounds played," said YuChiang Cheng, founder and CEO of World Golf Tour. "Our numbers continue to climb each month, and that pushes us to develop even more attractive features for our loyal fans."
Since launching in October 2008, WGT.com has become one of the largest golf sites in the world. It boasts more than 1 million monthly unique visitors that are playing more than 5 million rounds per month – 10 times more than its closest competitor.
Despite competition from large brands, WGT has emerged as one of the top 10 games – and No. 1 sports game – in the Google Chrome Web Store.
Most WGT players are also real-world golfers, yet 35 percent have never played a traditional video game. They spend more than 30 minutes per session playing golf online and, with such play-time, WGT delivers more than 100 million online ad impressions each month to sponsors desiring to reach the highly engaged golf audience.