TGL Has Launched But Will it Catch on And be a Success?

If you love golf then you are certainly spoilt for choice. Not only can you watch the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, but you can now also get a glimpse of the future with the launch of TGL.

The first league of its kind that features a golf simulator, the idea is the brainchild of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Originally set to be launched in 2024, a storm left the highly innovative arena where the matches would be held heavily damaged so a decision was made to move the matches and launch the league in 2025.

The league consists of six teams, with the top four teams after the round robin phase going onto compete in the knockout rounds in the hope that they will be crowned the inaugural TGL champions. 

The first match saw New York Golf Club take on The Bay Golf Club and it was the Bay side that emerged victorious with Ludvig Aberg in particular impressing. 

With so much excitement surrounding the first match there was plenty of pundits and members of the media who were hugely complimentary about the setup and the enterprise in general. After watching the first match ourselves here is our exclusive breakdown.

The Overall Concept is Great 

For those of you reading this who have seen clips or snippets of the TGL, would have likely encountered the huge simulator screen which is undoubtedly the star of the show.

The simulator is huge and the graphics are better than the very best computer games. The ball flight looks natural and the terrain looks stunning. What is also hugely impressive is the fact that depending on where the ball lands your ball on the mat that you hit off will vary. If you find the rough the ball will be placed on a mat that replicates the rough on the course, if the ball is in the bunker, the ball will be placed on actual sand.

It’s as realistic as it gets and you can see that the players clearly enjoyed what they were experiencing. 

The Green is The Star of The Show 

Just like in real golf, the action is decided on the greens. Not only can the green rotate and introduce raised elements, the quality of the synthetic surface is high and ensures that the ball rolls well. 

The interactive green can be altered for every hole, so there isn’t a single hole that will ever feel the same. It was great to see some long putts made and with the players going to get even more comfortable the longer that TGL exists, the putting should get better and better. 

The Green is The Star of The Show


Could a Shot Clock be Used in Real Golf?

One of the main positives from those who were able to experience and absorb the first ever TGL encounter, one of the most popular elements of the broadcast was the shot clock.

Used for every shot, it ensured that the pace of the play was quick and it made the match tick along at a great pace. With golf having many detractors over how long current rounds can take to complete, the use of a shot clock within the TGL, does show that it could be implemented into the real life game. 

Even the most ardent of golf fans will find it difficult to watch a round that lasts beyond four hours, and as the game tries to adapt and modernise for today’s younger tech savvy audiences, timing is a huge issue that needs to be addressed. Although it would have to be adapted for the real life game, TGL’s successful implementation of a shot clock does demonstrate that it can work in the game and it will be interesting to see if it one day has a place in the modern game.

Personalities Can Shine Through 

If you have watched ‘The Match’ or other exhibition events it’s usual for the players to be mic’d up and its implementation has been fantastic as it allows for viewers to get a different perception of their favourite players. It allows the viewer to see what makes the players tick and the banter and joking between the players can lend an edge to the overall experience.

Every player competing in TGL is mic’d up and hearing the conversations between teammates and their opponents was a good feature. 

The conversation between the members of The Bay and New York Golf Clubs was on the light side and there will be a hope that as the pressure grows and the players get more used to their new surroundings, the level of conversation and gamesmanship between the different teams might ramp up a notch. 

Personalities Can Shine Through


Plenty More Action to Come 

With the action set to continue over the next months, a few of the TGL’s big guns are set to take their place in the arena.

The numbers of the first match in TGL were ok from a viewership potential, but TGL executives will be hoping that the return of Tiger Woods will help raise the profile of the emerging enterprise even further.

Woods and his teammates from Jupiter Links GC will take on their opponents from LAGC in what could be a superb matchup. 

Wherever Woods goes, buzz and hype tends to follow. With there being excitement about how TGL could help shape the game, it will be interesting to see its reaction when Woods takes center stage. 

Can TGL Last The Course?

Overall the first steps of the TGL were positive. It’s a fitting concept for today’s game and the initial reactions seem to have been positive. 

Whilst it is novel in its approach and the use of technology is simply fantastic, there could be a fear that once you have seen one match, you may have seen it all. 

Now we know what to expect, it will be interesting to see whether people will continue to tune in or whether the viewership will wane. 

The debuts of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are going to be eagerly anticipated but if either of these superstars fail to turn the dial, the future of the TGL could be looking a little bleak.