
Summary
Working on EA/Tiburon‘s PGA Tour marked my first introduction to the Frostbite Engine, which I quickly learned and thoroughly enjoyed exploring for its broad capabilities in game design and non-linear audio playback. Over the course of this project, I focused on Sound Design for gameplay events and UI, as well as implementing and fine-tuning several audio playback systems. Notably, I designed the sounds for Club Strikes, Big Hit Moments, Heartbeat Moments, and Reward Pack Openings.
Additional Contributions included overseeing all Commentary Mastering and programming hundreds of contextual Crowd Reactions to respond to various gameplay events, significantly enhancing the overall sound and feel while ensuring alignment with EA’s quality standards and creative vision.
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Check out further details of my contributions below…

Sound Design & Implementation
Club Strikes
Together with the team, we captured authentic golf club sounds, recording an array of different clubs—drivers, hybrids, irons, and wedges from multiple brands—using a selection of high-quality microphones to capture each club’s distinct impact. This provided the basis for realistic club strikes, allowing me to design nuanced sound profiles for each type.



To enhance the realism of being on the course, we developed a specialized reverb and reflections system that dynamically adjusts reverb levels and proximity-based echo effects, simulating how the sound of each club strike echoes through the trees or reflects off distant buildings. This adds a true-to-life sense of environmental depth, allowing each shot to resonate naturally within its surroundings.
Big Hit Moments
Big Hit Moments are triggered when a player successfully executes a perfect drive off the tee, capturing the thrill of a powerfully accurate shot that can significantly impact the hole’s outcome. Achieving a Big Hit Moment activates celebratory audio cues, dynamic visual effects, and a unique camera angle to showcase the shot. The audio was designed to immerse players in the experience, rewarding them with an explosive blast that enhances the visual spectacle and reinforces the feeling of accomplishment, making these standout moments even more memorable.
Heartbeat Moments
Heartbeat Moments are intense, climactic situations where a player’s shot has a high chance of success, particularly when aiming for a long-distance putt or critical shot. These moments are characterized by a heightened audio experience, where players are sucked into the heartbeat vortex, enhancing the tension and excitement. The sound builds anticipation, drawing players into the action as they await the final outcome of their shot. Intended to create an emotional connection and increase player engagement, the sound design plays a crucial role in these moments, aligning with the overall immersive experience of the game.
Reward Pack Openings
Reward packs are collectible in-game items in EA Sports PGA Tour, earned through various achievements and milestones. These packs come in five tiers—common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary—each offering unique rewards like equipment and player upgrades. To heighten player satisfaction and excitement during collection, custom sound designs were crafted for each reward tier in order to reflect the increasing difficulty in earning them.

Additional CONTRIBUTIONS
Commentary Mastering
I was responsible for mastering the final Commentary Voice Over takes to ensure rich, authentic sports broadcast tone and clarity for the commentators’ dynamic and engaging delivery. Along with mastering, I assisted in editing several of the hundreds of recorded sessions, refining pacing and adjusting levels while applying additional processing to the field reporters’ commentary to give them a genuine live-on-the-course feel.
Additionally, I contributed to implementing many of the final takes into the game, ensuring the reactionary commentary and back-and-forth banter flowed naturally and reacted seamlessly to gameplay events, enriching player immersion and enhancing the overall experience.
Crowd Reactions
As part of a coordinated effort during production, our team collaborated with a group of walla performers at Swanguard Stadium, capturing a variety of yells, cheers, gasps, and jeers from different distances and group sizes to create the crowd ambience beds. I took part in the recording on site, and assisted with the editing, file naming, and management of final recordings.
Additionally, I played a significant role in programming hundreds of context triggers for crowd reactions across various golf scenarios, ensuring dynamic, authentic audience responses to shot outcomes and key gameplay moments. This attention to detail brought extra life to the crowds cheering on players as they progressed through the courses.
