TGL: A New Era of Golf Entertainment
As we find ourselves at the midpoint of TGL’s inaugural season, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on what this new league has brought to the table. TGL has shown glimpses of its potential to be a captivating blend of entertainment and competition. It’s a delicate balance, akin to walking a tightrope between the lightheartedness of an NBA All-Star Game and the intensity of a PGA Tour event. Yet, there have been moments when TGL has managed to hit that sweet spot, offering fans a thrilling experience.
One of the standout moments of the season so far was the fourth match, where two of the league’s founders, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, faced off. In a nail-biting contest, Tiger Woods led Jupiter Links Golf Club to a 4-3 overtime victory over Rory McIlroy and Boston Common Golf. This match exemplified the potential of TGL to create unforgettable moments.
So, what does TGL need to do moving forward? It doesn’t have to choose between being purely entertaining or fiercely competitive. Instead, it should aim to create more of these electrifying matches. While it’s not easy to have every match turn into a showdown between two of the most popular golfers in the world, it’s clear that the closer the match, the more engaging the action becomes. This also leads to better banter between the teams, adding an extra layer of excitement for fans. — Paolo Uggetti
TGL Midseason Takeaways
As TGL reaches the halfway point of its debut season, ESPN golf writers Mark Schlabach and Paolo Uggetti have taken stock of what’s been working and what hasn’t. Plus, ESPN has handed out superlatives for the best shots and moments of the year so far.
Two Different Experiences for Fans
To truly appreciate TGL, you need to experience a match inside the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The venue is a marvel, featuring a 3,800-square-foot rotating green that transforms the slope on each hole and the world’s largest simulator screen. It’s a state-of-the-art facility that sets the stage for an exciting new era of golf.
At this point, TGL offers two distinct experiences for fans: those watching on TV and those attending the events in person. The TV experience captures the essence of the league, with the trash-talking and banter between golfers that you won’t find in traditional PGA Tour or LIV Golf events. However, for spectators at the SoFi Center, it’s challenging to hear the golfers, which is an area that needs improvement before the second season.
Overall, TGL has delivered on its promise of a tech-infused golf league that moves quickly within a two-hour TV window. It’s been entertaining at times during its debut season. — Schlabach
A Major Change Previewed in the Second Half of the Season
A recent rules change ahead of Monday’s tripleheader could make the matches more competitive. Instead of the “hammer” changing teams, each squad will have three hammers at the start of every match. The hammer can be used only once per hole, and it changes the value of a hole by one match. If nothing else, it gives teams something else to think about in terms of strategy. — Schlabach
The change to the rules for the hammer ensures that it gets utilized more often. Entering Monday’s tripleheader, teams in the lead had been smartly holding on to the hammer once they held possession to control the other team’s ability to make a comeback.
We still need more adjustments, though. The technology needs to be sharper. It’s clear that the tech isn’t flawless, and while there is a randomization element that can be compelling — especially when the best players in the world know exactly how far their three-quarter pitching wedge goes — sharpening that part of the gameplay is crucial to creating more competition. I also hope they do something about the way the ball rolls (or doesn’t roll, rather) on the green.
Guys shouldn’t be able to have a 3-wood from 265 yards out stick to the green like Velcro. Plus, the more the ball rolls on and off the green, the more fans can see creative shots and chipping off the real, in-arena green. That, to me, is the more compelling part of the gameplay. Speaking of which: as a few of the matches have shown, we need to see more long birdie putts go in. It feels like the green speeds, combined with the undulations, are not creating opportunities for guys to make putts from longer than 5 feet. — Uggetti
TGL Midseason Superlatives
Nothing says “midseason” quite like superlatives. We gave out hard-earned awards for the best shots and moments of the year so far.
Best Match: Jupiter Links GC vs. Boston Common Golf, Jan. 27
This was the biggest match of the TGL season thus far, and it didn’t disappoint. Headlined by the two biggest names in the sport — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — Jupiter Links and Boston provided fans with the most entertaining and closest match of the year, so far.
In addition to giving fans a tightly contested event, this match also gave fans a first look at Woods and McIlroy going head-to-head in the league they created. This was the only match to go into overtime.
Best Drive: Cameron Young‘s 345-yard Shot
Young did his best to keep New York Golf Club in the game during the team’s match vs. Atlanta Drive Golf Club on Jan. 21. With his team down one point on Hole 4, Young reeled off a 345-yard shot to put his team in a great position. Young is the league leader in average drive distance (338.8 yards).
Best Approach Shot: Collin Morikawa‘s 158-yard Shot
In his first shot of the night during Los Angeles Golf Club’s match vs. Boston Common on Feb. 4, Morikawa came out hot, nearly sinking a 158-yard approach shot to put his team in position to take an early lead. Morikawa was the league leader in total points won entering the second half of the season.
Best Putt: Adam Scott‘s 31-foot Birdie
In addition to Tiger vs. Rory, Jupiter Links vs. Boston also gave us the best putt of the season thus far, as Scott sank a 31-footer for birdie on Hole 14. The putt gave Scott the win over Kevin Kisner and Boston a point to keep the match tied at 3-3. This marked one of the longest putts of the season.
Best Entertainer: Tom Kim, Jupiter Links GC
When it comes to getting the fans riled up, nobody does it quite like Tom Kim. After sitting out Jupiter Links’ first match of the season, Kim debuted in the biggest match of the year against Boston. He lived up to the moment, leading Jupiter to an overtime win. But, more importantly, Kim provided the type of entertainment and fan interaction many golf fans hoped for when the league was announced.
Best/Worst Moment: Kevin Kisner Hits the Flag Pole
After it seemed that Jupiter Links’ TGL debut couldn’t have gone any worse, Kisner proved that it could. With his team down 10-1 against Los Angeles — and after hitting into the bunker on Hole 14 — Kisner’s attempt to get back on the green didn’t go so well. His shot from the bunker smacked the flag pole and went flying, leaving his opponents, fans, and even his teammates with nothing to do but laugh.
Originally Written by: ESPN staff
