Officials for online golf gaming environment World Golf Tour have announced that they have secured venture capital firm Panorama Capital as its lead investor in its Series B funding round, with Battery Ventures also returning to participate. VC news weblog VentureBeat estimates the round in “the double-digit millions of dollars.”

Due for a beta release this summer, World Golf Tour offers an online community in which players can compete on recreated courses and sponsored tournaments for an “authentic golf experience.” Since the demo’s launch in May 2007, World Golf Tour has attracted more than 500,000 players from over 150 different countries.

World Golf Tour will offer monetization and charitable opportunities for both partners and sponsors, with PGA.com, TaylorMade, and Adidas Golf already featuring their products in the game. In-depth information and direct links to reservation systems and resort booking sites will also accompany each recreated course.

Said Panorama Capital principal Michael Jung, who took a seat on World Golf Tour’s board as part of the financing: “World Golf Tour is leading the creation of compelling new media experiences on the Web. The technology behind the product is like nothing else on the market and enables a very compelling proposition.”