Mean 18 Golf places you right on the fairway of an 18 hole golf course. During the game you view the course from the vantage point of someone standing behind your golfer. Your field of view (and the direction of your shot) can be rotated right or left.
The swing of the golf club is controlled by a bar graph on the left side of the screen. After beginning a swing, the player must press the fire buttons at the proper time to set the force of the swing and to avoid excessive hook or slice.
When the ball lands on the green, the viewpoint switches to an overhead perspective. Putting is done using a graph similar to the one used on the fairway.
The course features many of the challenges found on a real golf course: trees, rough, sand traps and water hazards. The game offers two levels of difficulty. Players may also vary the difficulty by choosing between regular and pro tees.