Golf It!

A treadmill and a putter sound like a strange combination, but Golf It! is slow enough that I think you could make it work, as long as you’re okay with aiming while your hands are bouncing a little. I’d start with a casual course and not invite anyone who treats every putt like a championship match.

Gameplay

Mini golf works here because every shot gives you a small thing to focus on, and then you get a moment to reset before the next one. You’re not trying to keep up with a screen full of enemies or read a pile of dialogue while the belt keeps moving, which is a nice change. I think that makes Golf It! a more approachable exercise game than something that expects you to react every second.

The appeal is also the problem, a little bit. You’re lining up a putt, adjusting your power, and trying to get the ball where you want it, and doing that across a lot of holes can start to feel like the same decision with a different patch of grass around it. I don’t know why I can spend so long deciding how hard to hit a ball that is barely moving, but I probably would.

The courses and the chance to play with friends give the game room to stay interesting, since you can enjoy the ridiculous little turns a hole takes instead of treating every shot like a serious sporting event. I like the idea of a game where a bad putt is still funny, and you can get right back to it without a long story scene explaining what the ball’s been through. It’s a pretty simple pleasure.

I’d be more excited about it as a way to pass time during an easy workout than as a game that pulls me into a huge range of different activities. If you want constant action, putting is going to feel slow, and that is just what putting is. You get a few seconds to think, then another few seconds to be annoyed at your angle.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

Golf It! supports a controller, and I’d use one so you can keep your hands where they need to be without reaching for a keyboard. The pace is mostly yours to set, which matters a lot here, because you can take a breath and line up a shot instead of trying to perform a small surgery while jogging. I’d keep the speed easy enough that the aiming stays manageable.

The moving belt does make careful aiming less comfortable, though. You’re choosing direction and power, so loose inputs can send the ball somewhere you didn’t intend, and even a friendly game can get a little irritating when every putt drifts off line. I don’t know what the ideal walking speed is for this, but I’d begin slowly and change it if aiming starts to feel like its own workout.

A stationary bike may be easier for longer stretches because you can keep your upper body steadier while you line up a shot, but I wouldn’t say you need a bike to enjoy it. On a treadmill, I’d choose a pace where you can walk and steer without staring at the screen so hard that the rest of the room disappears. The golf ball can wait. Your feet still need some attention.

Playing with friends could make the pace less predictable, since you may spend time waiting for other people to take their turns. That could be a nice breather during a workout, or it could leave you standing on the treadmill wondering if everyone has wandered off to make a sandwich. I’d choose company that doesn’t mind keeping things moving.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The listed minimums are modest, so you don’t need a recent high end graphics card just to get the game running. I’d look at whether your computer has a suitable graphics card first, since the minimum calls for dedicated graphics rather than promising that integrated graphics will do the job.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

Golf It! makes sense for you if you want a relaxed game that gives you little pauses between shots, and it’s less suited to a workout where you want constant action. I’d give it a try on an easy walk or a steady bike ride, then see how much the aiming bothers you.

Overall Score: 2 out of 3