BY: QUINN BURGESS, SATFF WRITER
Photo: @TGL / X
Since the COVID-19 lockdown, golf has been a growing sport, with new technologies helping its rapid expansion. Things like Top Golf and new simulator technology have given those who don’t like golf a chance to have fun with friends while trying something new. However, golf on television has recently shown the opposite effect, with ratings plummeting in recent years. Many have complained that the pace of play is too long.
In August 2022, TGL was founded by the two biggest names in the game of golf: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Partnering with the PGA Tour, TGL provides a new look into golf, with six teams composed of Tour golfers in a 3-on-3 format, with two teams playing on a given night. TGL, standing for Tomorrow’s Golf League, is played in its custom arena that spans 97 yards by 50 yards, about the size of a football field. Players hit from grass surfaces ranging from fairway, rough, and sand into a simulator screen that spans 64 by 53 feet, triple the size of a standard simulator screen. When players make it to the green, they are put on to TGL’s revolving green, which moves to however the hole is structured along with jacks that move the contours of the green to fit the slope of the hole they’re playing. The matches start with nine holes of 3-on-3 alternate shot format, with the last six holes being head-to-head, with each golfer playing two holes for 15 holes in each match.
Excitement for TGL comes from the players, with 16 of the 23 players all being in the top 50 players in the world, with six players being within the top 10 in the world, along with Tiger Woods. All players wear a microphone, providing funny moments and fascinating insights into strategy, bringing the game closer to the fans. Players are under a 40-second shot clock, failing to hit within the allotted time, causing a one-stroke penalty to their team. This gives TGL a faster presentation than watching the PGA on TV. The TGL season began on January 7 with the New York Golf Club versus The Bay Golf Club, drawing around 900,000 TV viewers.
Opening night for TGL was seen with mixed reviews; the match ended 9-2, with The Bay GC coming up victorious. This match was not as competitive as fans had hoped, with New York GC only winning one of the first nine holes. However, fans of golf and TGL held strong with the next match because it involved Tiger Woods, who golf fans don’t see as much as they used to. Jupiter Links and Tiger Woods lost 12-1 to Los Angeles GC in another consecutive blowout match for the TGL. This match still managed to bring in about 900,000 television viewers. TGL made their statement two weeks later, with Boston Common Golf versus Jupiter Links. Boston Common’s Rory McIlroy made his TGL debut against Tiger Woods and company, bringing in 860,000 TV viewers, compared to only 680,000 from the match a week prior. This match came down to the wire, with the first overtime in TGL history, ending in a Jupiter Links victory 4-3.
Going forward, TGL looks to expand golf’s influence on the world. TGL and its growing technological impact on golf has opened many eyes to the game, with its six teams that span across the country: Atlanta Drive GC, Boston, Jupiter (Florida), Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. TGL’s use of a shot clock has proven to many golf purists that golf shouldn’t be a five-and-a-half-hour venture, even if it’s only 15 holes. The use of the shot clock has led many to believe it should be installed in PGA Tour matches, with its fast-paced energy translating to professional play. All TGL matches are available through ESPN and ESPN+.
