At Glance
‣ The TGL, a tech-infused indoor golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is set to begin in January 2025 on ESPN, featuring innovative rules such as a shot clock, hammer for raising stakes, timeouts, a referee, and players being mic’d up.
‣ The gameplay involves teams teeing off on real grass into a simulator screen, with subsequent shots played from fairway, sand, or rough squares based on where the initial shot lands, culminating in a short-game area the size of four basketball courts.
‣ The league will include a unique scoring system with matches played in two sessions (three-on-three alternate shot and singles match play), points awarded for hole victories and overall match wins, leading to a season-end playoff with the top four teams competing in single-elimination semi-finals and a best-of-three championship.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗚𝗟 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 @SoFi.
Coming January 2025 on @espn.
Listen to TGL's own @RickieFowler talk match format, rules, and team golf. ⬇️
— TGL (@TGL)
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are cooking up something big with their TGL, set to light up screens in 2025. This isn’t just any golf league. It’s a tech-infused spectacle designed for the prime-time audience in the US. But, oh, the drama! Originally slated for an earlier launch, a storm in Florida threw a wrench in the works last November, damaging the arena.
Yet, the setback barely slowed them down. The hype train for TGL hasn’t lost steam, with juicy details dropping left and right this week. Picture this: January 2025, ESPN airs the inaugural TGL match. Rickie Fowler, another big name in golf, breaks down the game in a snappy video. He talks shot clocks, hammers (yep, you read that right), timeouts, and even a referee. And guess what? Players will be mic’d up the whole time. Talk about getting up close and personal!
Another video gives us the lowdown on gameplay. Teams will start on a real grass tee box, racing against a 40-second shot clock to hit into a massive simulator screen. Where the ball lands determines the next move, from fairway to sand, or rough. It’s like golf, but cranked up to eleven.
Fast forward to ‘the green zone,’ and we’re off the simulator and onto an area as big as four basketball courts. And yes, the shot clock’s still ticking. It’s intense, folks. For those who live and breathe golf, subscribing to the Golf Monthly newsletter is a no-brainer. Stay in the loop with all things tour, gear, and, of course, TGL.
The format’s a mix of team and solo play, with points up for grabs in each match. Win in regulation or overtime, and your team’s climbing the leaderboard. But lose, and well, better luck next time. The season’s climax? A playoff showdown with the top four teams, battling it out in a nail-biting, single-elimination frenzy.
TGL’s not just about the golf. It’s about the show. Each team gets four timeouts a night, with a seasoned ref keeping things in check. And with players mic’d up, fans will get an all-access pass to the strategy and banter that usually stays on the course.
As for the lineup, it’s stellar. Woods, McIlroy, Fowler, plus stars like Justin Thomas and Max Homa. But not everyone’s sticking around. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have bowed out, each making moves that shook the roster. Only current PGA Tour players will tee off in TGL’s grand debut next year. So, mark your calendars and get ready for a golf experience like no other.
