If awkwardly lifting furniture around your home isn't giving you the lower-back injury you desire, Tiger Woods on the Wii certainly will. You rare back with the Wiimote (a.k.a. the club) and light into the invisible space in front of you (a.k.a. the ball). The mechanics are basic: A smooth, even swing means more fairways, while a quick, jerky swing means more shrieks of back pain. But a smooth swing isn't easy, and the jittery-handed will struggle. The game punishes you for even the slightest case of nerves during the backswing, which will register as your real swing. That means a 60-yard dud instead of a 250-yard drive. Ironically, if you want to hit a shot with less force, you'll likely hit it at full power. Putting is harder than it needs to be (just like in real life), but that just confirms that this is the first worthwhile golf simulator out there. Wii golf: a good time standing in front of your TV spoiled.
Beyond the game: The pace of the game is excellent—you'll never have to stand around watching your computer-controlled opponent hit. You can breeze through a front nine in minutes.
Worth playing for: The One Ball mode is a scream. You'll alternate hits with your opponent, and whoever sinks the ball wins. Bunkers never looked so appealing.
Frustration sets in when: When putting, there's no power meter, so you're at the mercy of how hard you whip the Wiimote. This causes as many profanity-laced tirades as being on the real links.
Final judgment: Every golf and back-injury enthusiast should give this a try. The controls will aggravate for a while, but with enough practice, they're a non-issue.