In contrast to its great graphics Fut Coins, Tiger 2003's audio is alternately impressive and annoying. Its ambient sounds are excellent, particularly the wind and the crashing surf. The ever-present chirping birds, a fixture of PC golf games, sound realistic but can be a bit excessive. And reactions in the gallery are generally accurate but often overplayed--real-world near misses don't normally elicit a collective gasp. Similarly, in real-world golf, you won't hear a commentator say, "Got a tough line in this bunker--it's just buried," when the player is lining up a two-foot putt. Tiger 2003's announcers, David Feherty and Bill Macatee, deliver the lines in a way that, while usually accurate, often sounds generic and doesn't seem to recognize unique circumstances or difficult shots.
Fortunately, and most importantly, Tiger 2003 plays great. Headgate pioneered the mouse-motion TrueSwing back in the late '90s in Sierra's PGA Championship series and has been able to put together a proper rendition of it in Tiger 2003. The TrueSwing system accurately takes into account where you start and stop your swing and how much side-to-side variation you apply. Though some stodgy fans may prefer the traditional three-click swing, if you opt for Tiger 2003's TrueSwing, your mouse is going to feel as much like a club as it possibly could.
No matter which type of swing you select, Tiger 2003 offers woefully inept caddy advice. It's possible that Headgate might have devised such a poor assistant to challenge you to really think about your next shots, but in any case, your best bet is to usually rethink the club and direction that your caddy suggests on nearly every shot. Thankfully, the game's physics are generally excellent. Balls rarely go where they shouldn't go, and your lie will exert an appropriate effect on your upcoming shot.