Could Sons of the Forest Become a Golf Game?

Now that the full release of Sons of the Forest is upon us, let’s talk about one feature that could’ve been in version 1.0, but isn’t — golfing. If you aren’t aware, there is an actual golf course in the game, and while it has a lot of resources, golf equipment, and dead bodies, you can’t really play golf there. We want to explain what’s holding you back from hitting the links in Sons of the Forest, and how a few changes could let you.

Teeing Off

We honestly think that Endnight is putting some time and commitment into the golfing aspect of the game. A few readers might know what we mean; you can hit a golf ball with a putter. Not only that, but there are two different swings: a short putter stroke by tapping the action button (, , ), and a big swing executable by holding the action button.

When the early access version first came out, you could not hit the ball with a full swing, but in version 1.0, the putter will connect with the ball on a full swing. If you tie these basic mechanics in with a solid course and revamped golf carts that have GPS, then teeing off on a spooky cannibal island doesn’t seem so far away.

Hazards Everywhere

Unfortunately, there are some big issues when putting this to practice, chief among them actually finding your ball. The entire course is covered in very long grass that makes it impossible to see where your shot went (especially if you’re keeping your head down). Connecting on a big swing more likely means you just lost a golf ball — and those strokes add up.

Another issue is the lack of club variance. Putters are excellent clubs, but you can’t really go the distance with them. Especially on this course, which has some par-6 holes. Even taking a big swing with the putter will only get you about 30 yards (ca. 27 m) in-game.

An Approach Shot

So what can be done? How can Endnight plausibly approach turning this game into a premier mutant golf sim? We’re not asking for anything weird like cannibals cutting the grass (they’re in food comas anyway from eating the old lawn crew). Instead, we have two basic ideas that could make this work:

• Let players add a GPS locator to their balls.
• Add in a different club, like an iron or wood.

Since version 1.0, it has become increasingly easier to find GPS locators. There is even one on a dead construction worker on the golf course. If we could combine these to our golf balls, it would make losing them impossible, unless you crushed it into the ocean (then I hope you have the Rebreather).

A bigger ask would be for the developers to include a new club. An iron or a wood that could hit the ball a solid 100 yards (ca. 91 m) would be perfect. However, this might be too much, as having two clubs in an already massive inventory would be silly. While it’s unorthodox, players could instead go full Tin Cup and simply use their slingshot for the longer shots.

Would you reserve a tee-time to play among the desecrated corpses? Would these changes entice you to golf in Sons of the forest? Let us know in the comments!