This probably isn't the kind of game you expect to have sentimental significance to people, but it does for me, so I'm going to get that out of the way and then focus on the more objective stuff.
So I was in an abusive relationship throughout 2021-2022. I won't get into the details, but it was pretty extreme, and included controlling who I could speak to/the friendships I could have, for how long I could be with them, and so on. I was very trauma-bonded to this person - I could not see how bad it was. I knew I was miserable, I knew it was abusive, but I was making excuses and I couldn't bring myself to leave or even to stand up for myself.
I was finally 'allowed' to have a game night with my best friend for an hour, and on that game night we played Golf With Your Friends. It was the first time we'd played (though we'd both seen YouTubers play it before), and we started off with the Forest map - and it was the hardest I'd laughed since my relationship began. Tears in my eyes, hysterics, non-stop laughing. I later found out that my mother had been outside my bedroom door listening, because she hadn't heard me laugh in so long.
That was one of the first steps in realising I had to get out, and the best friend I played with that night is now my fiancee.
Less heavily, this has been the background game for so many good conversations with my friend groups. It's always so much fun - often people will be reluctant to try it because, well, 'Golf With Your Friends' doesn't sound like a very appealing and exciting game on the surface to most of them, but once we're in it everyone is yelling and laughing and asking me when we can play it again.
The official courses are pretty good and have a decent amount of variety, but once you're done with them the real fun is in the custom/Steam Workshop courses. Sort by popular/most liked, check the comments to make sure there are no glitches that might prevent you from finishing, and go wild. There are some genuinely creative gems in there.
I've played other golf games, and this one has my favourite controls and general graphics. They're pretty smooth and easy to get accustomed to in my experience, and I very rarely, if ever, got frustrated with the game for making me fuck up as a result of a glitch or bad gameplay - any errors I make are entirely my own.
The customisation is cool - loved the cosmetics you can unlock for finishing courses, and my ball is now rolling around with a halo and angel wings. I also enjoy my little swan-boat float.
