By Skye Milburn
Tiger Woods and Rory Mcilroy are some of the biggest names in golf. Recently, the two professionals have come together to create a brand new tech infused golf league called TGL that’s partnered with the PGA tour. The new league provides a new kind of experience for fans, allowing them to watch teams of the top professional golfers while inside of completely custom built arenas made specifically for TGL.
What is TGL golf? TGL golf was founded in August 2022 and matches started taking place recently. It’s composed of six teams in a 3-on-3 format with PGA tour golfers that participate in 2 hour matches.
These matches take place in the TGL custom built SoFi center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
What exactly does TGL stand for? TGL actually stands for Tomorrow’s Golf League, which is based on TMRW Sports. TMRW Sports was founded by Woods and Mcilroy, as well as Mike McCarley—a former NBC golf executive.
They wanted to focus on making technology-based sporting equipment because this new and changing world is relying more and more on advanced technologies.
You may be wondering, “How will the TGL matches work?”. For each TGL match, there will be two rounds or sessions. The first session will have 9 holes and will be held in a 3-on-3 format, with shots being alternated between players. Unlike the first session, the second will hold a single player format, where golfers face head-to-head for six holes, each one playing two holes.
The SoFi center contains various technologies in its course that covers an area roughly the size of a football field, about 100 yards by 50 yards. The tee boxes are made of real grass, and there are various surfaces for players to hit off of, including rough, fairway, and sand. The golfers hit into a giant simulation screen, which is over twenty times the size of a regular golf simulator.
The greens that the players putt and play on are also tech infused. The slope of the greens can actually be changed to create more variety for every hole.
For the scoring, every hole is worth one point, and if the teams tie at the end of the match they will need to go into overtime to determine the winner. TGL’s overtime is similar to a penalty shootout seen in soccer, where teams compete taking turns hitting the ball, trying to get closer to the hole than the other teams. The first team to successfully get both of their balls closer than its competitors wins the match.
Each TGL match also includes a clock that displays a countdown of forty seconds. Players must hit their shot inside of this time frame or their team will face a one-stroke penalty, putting them at a disadvantage. This forty second time frame comes from USGA’s recommendation on pace of play.
The USGA stands for the United States Golf Association, and they have this recommendation in order for golfers to play at an efficient pace.
Each TGL match complements the PGA schedule as part of their partnership with the tour. The matches are weekly and will lead to playoffs, as well as one team eventually winning the SoFi cup.
For each match, teams can earn up to two points. These points then get added to their season total. This total determines their standings in placement in the SoFi cup. All TGL matches are available to watch on ESPN or ESPN+. Fans can check the ESPN golf hub page for more information or news about rankings and schedules.
There is no doubt this new league will change the game of golf, but TGL is definitely less serious when compared to the tour. Golfers use the couple months they have in the offseason to play TGL, giving them a chance to practice in a new, more exciting environment. The amount of stress put on these professionals during the tour is tremendous, and TGL lets them have a little fun before the season.
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