“The Golf Club 2019” is adding a new name to its commentary team.
Broadcaster Luke Elvy will join returning announcer and HB Studios developer John McCarthy for the title’s third installment.
Golf fans will recognize Elvy from his recent work with CBS in addition to his time with Sky Sports, FOX Sports, TNT, PGA Tour Live and PGA Tour Radio.
A 25-year media veteran from Australia, he now works in the United States and lives with his family in Canada.
“Ian Baker-Finch was my right-hand man on Australian televison,” Elvy told GolfChannel.com in an interview at the Quicken Loans National. “And Finchy said to me, ‘What are you doing here? You should be with me in the States.’ He introduced me to a few people over here and that’s how the transition has happened over the last five or six years.”
Elvy didn’t have any prior relationship with HB Studios, who reached out to him via his management at CAA. As for why he got the job, he pseudo-jokes: “They heard the accent, and said, ‘We like that. That works for us. Let’s go.’ That’s literally how it happened.”
He participated in two separate recording sessions over three days, first at his home back in February and then at the HB Studios shortly after The Players Championship. He teased his involvement when the game was announced in May.
Hey gamers & golfer’s, be sure to pick up a copy of @thegolfclubgame when it launches later this summer, it’s a beauty! You might also recognize some of the commentary. https://t.co/EpgvU2EgmJ
— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) May 21, 2018
Although he doesn’t describe himself as a “gamer,” Elvy lauded the game’s immediate playability, even for a novice.
“It’s exactly how you’d want golf to be,” he said.
“The Golf Club 2019” will be the first in the HB series to feature PGA Tour branding. The Tour had previously licensed its video game rights to EA Sports.
In addition to a career mode that will take players from the Web.com Tour all the way through the FedExCup Playoffs, “The Golf Club 2019” will also feature at launch replicas of six TPC courses played annually on Tour – TPC Summerlin (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course (Waste Management Phoenix Open), TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course (The Players Championship), TPC Southwind (FedEx St. Jude Classic/WGC-FedEx St. Jude Championship), TPC Deere Run (John Deere Classic), and TPC Boston (Dell Technologies Championship).
“I played nine holes at Scottsdale,” Elvy added. “It’s a very close comparison. Visually, it’s very realistic.”
The Golf Club 2019 is due out this August on PlayStation 4, XBOX One, and PC.
