Tiger Woods 13 brings changes to the franchise's swing mechanic, but this certainly isn't the first time that the series has played around with this crucial part of his game. We take a look at where Tiger's swing has been and where it may be going.

Like most sports franchises, Tiger Woods' progression has been marked by both fertile and fallow years. Current series developer EA Tiburon is promising a big step forward in Tiger 13 in part because of a host of changes to the game's swing mechanic, but do these changes represent an actual revolution or merely a rearranging of familiar elements?

We won't know exactly until we get our hands on the finished product, but we took some time out to analyze the evolution of Tiger's swing in the next-generation Tiger games to see how these new features stack up against some of the series' past mechanics.

Tiger 06 (Only on Xbox 360 for next-gen)

• Shot Stick – Tiger's foundational analog swing mechanic. In this version of it a wobbly swing is indicated by a faint red trail
• Shape Stick [lower right-hand corner of screenshot] – You can move the right analog stick and hold it on the spot on the ball you wish to strike for draw/fade and to alter the ball's trajectory
• Tiger 06 had other series staples such as mid-air spin, different shot types (punch, flop, etc.), and a camera showing you the Ideal Putt

Tiger 07
Additions/Changes:

• Loft Stick [lower left-hand corner of screenshot] – Opening or closing the club face with the right analog stick lets you get under the ball for extra loft, apply back/forward spin on the ball, and add power for putts
• Fade/Draw are now induced via your swing. This includes a realtime color trail during your back/downswing
• True Aiming – This is an onscreen circle that shows where your ball is likely to land, if not utterly shanked, based on your golfer's skill

Dropped/Subsumed:

• The Shape Stick

Tiger 08
Additions/Changes:

• Fade/Draw now produced before your swing via the right and left bumper (R1/L1) buttons
• The Putt Preview feature replaces the Ideal Putt cam
• Three-Click Swing option
• Shot Confidence – Your True Aiming circle is affected by your history at that course and that particular hole

Dropped/Subsumed:

• Ideal Putt cam

Tiger 09
Additions/Changes:

• A new HUD element has been added which lets you see your back/downswing trajectory on a ball [lower left-hand corner of screenshot]

Dropped/Subsumed:

• Shot Confidence

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