Standing for Tomorrow’s Golf League, the TGL is a fresh take on golf straight from the minds of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Six teams of four PGA golfers will participate in a season-long competition of indoor golf powered by a state-of-the-art simulator – the arena will also hold a permanent green for short play.
TGL hopes to innovate the game of golf through a mix of new rules, technological assistance and an unprecedented competitive format between the best golfers on the planet.
What is the TGL League Format?
Six TGL teams will go head-to-head throughout the regular season, competing for points with the hope of making playoffs. Based on their performance, they’ll be given points at the end of each match – two points for wins in regulation and overtime, one point for an overtime loss and zero points for a regulation loss.
At the end of the season, the top four teams will progress to the postseason to play single-elimination semifinals. The winning teams move on to a best-of-three championship with the reigning golfers crowned TGL Champions.
How do TGL Games Work?
TGL matches will consist of 15 holes broken up into two sessions. In the first session, three players on each team will play triples, meaning they’ll all play the same ball while alternating shots. Each hole is worth 1 point, going to the team with the lowest number of strokes.
In the second session, the remaining members of each team go head-to-head in a singles match with the same point-scoring as the first session. If a tiebreaker is needed, overtime will be a 3v3 closest-to-the-pin competition.
There are loads of new rules for each TGL matchup. First, each player is given a shot clock of 40 seconds for their swings – one-stroke penalties are given for a violation. Second, each team is given two timeouts for each session that do not carry over. The game will overseen by a referee and golf experts; as of now, it’s unknown who’s going to be wearing the veteran other than the TGL website labelling them as a “seasoned veteran”... Happy Gilmore, perhaps?
When does the TGL Start?
The TGL was originally set to begin on January 9, 2024 – unfortunately, due to an issue with the hosting stadium’s roof, the launch has been delayed until 2025 at a minimum.
A Statement From TGL. pic.twitter.com/UncQxfk3EI
— TGL (@TGL) November 20, 2023
The dome’s collapse was the main cause of the delay, but when considering other factors like scheduling and repairs, the TGL opted to be safe-not-sorry and set 2025 as the launch date. Due to this sudden decision, fans are bound to receive updates throughout 2024 -- when it comes time for the league to begin, find the best golf sportsbook out there and learn how to bet on golf for the TGL and beyond.
Where will TGL take place?
TMRW Sports has constructed TGL’s first stadium, the SoFi Center, in Palm Beach, Florida. Each match will be hosted at the SoFi Center due to the specified technology required for TGL’s unique format. The venue will have a 2000 occupancy limit and is located on Palm Beach State College’s campus – it’s also set to include recreational and educational facilities, the specifics of which are unreleased.
What are the TGL Teams?
There are a few roster spots to be determined and filled out, but the current six-team system with four players each looks like this:
Teams | Players |
---|---|
Atlanta Drive GC | Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Lucas Glover |
Boston Common Golf | Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott, Tyrrell Hatton |
Jupiter Links Golf Club | Tiger Woods, Three Players TBD |
Los Angeles Golf Club | Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Two Players TBD |
TGL New York | Four Players TBD |
TGL San Francisco | Four Players TBD |
We’re still missing 13 golfers from this list and with the launch date pushed there’s no telling when teams will announce their respective players. Jupiter and Los Angeles have teased portions of their team, but some clever marketing will leave fans in anticipation for a bit longer.
The remaining players who've committed to the TGL but don't have an assigned team are Shane Lowry, Tom Kim, Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Kevin Kisner, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark.
What is TMRW Sports?
TMRW Sports is a joint venture between PGA legends Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Mike McCarley, the previous president of golf for NBC Sports. TMRW Sports is labeled as a sports, media and entertainment company – TGL is the company’s first major project.
While the TGL has been the company’s sole focus, it’s not a bold statement to assume they’ll branch out into other areas of sport with a focus on new technology and fresh offerings for all sports fans. It’s yet to be determined what other sports TMRW could delve into, but with two of the best golfers in history and one of the leading minds of golf media, the links will be a major focal point of TMRW’s portfolio.