AndWhatStudio.com

Fore! Anyone who’s ever wanted to play along with the greats should not miss Golf Launchpad Tour’s debut at Yahoo!’s Last Gadget Standing here at CES 2008. They don’t get more realistic than this golf simulation from Electric~Spin. Not only does it let you play a realistic 18 holes at your favorite course, it allows you to play along with your favorite pro golfers, too. And you can do it right from your own home with—get this—your very own clubs. That’s sure to improve your handicap!

The kit contains a USB plug-in golf mat with a golf ball tethered to it. You simply hold your club over the mat, wait for the green light, and take your swing. The game offers realistic feedback that lets you feel the results of your swing thanks to a fast processor and a “real physics”-based interface. But the big news is the addition of a technology from NDS called XTV that allows for new 3D virtual interactive experiences.

The combination of Electric~Spin’s ultrarealistic golf simulation technology and NDS’s XTV Ready interactive TV technology is about to create a virtual golf experience like no other. While watching a PGA tour event on television, viewers can use the Golf Launchpad/XTV Experience to virtually play and compete with their own clubs, on the same course, at the same time—and all from the comfort of their own home. XTV Ready experience works with the PlayStation 3 and a number of set-top boxes. It’s available this spring for $199.