Why TGL not yet ‘taking golf to another stratosphere’

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods both have a reputation for being predictably optimistic about the potential of their new, technology-led indoor golf course.

On the eve of Tuesday’s inaugural Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) match, McIlroy said this is “golf, reimagined” and that they are “trying to take golf into the 21st Century”.

During the opening night in Florida, Woods confidently stated they are “taking golf into another stratosphere”.

Although Woods’ assertion that this is “not traditional golf” was spot-on on the first day is a moot point, he later hit the mark.

Virtual golf and actual action combined for this.

There were fantasy holes featuring lava fields and cliff-top island fairways. There was a rotating green. Ryder Cup rivalry was attempted. Poor shots were greeted by pantomime boos from the 1, 500 or so spectators in the purpose-built Sofi Center.

And 15 holes were played in around two hours. Fantasy golf.

The Bay Golf Club and New York Golf Club squared off in the first match, and it became clear that TGL isn’t taking itself too seriously.

The six players were introduced with the elongated vowels of Rickieeeeee Fowler and Shaaaaaaaaaane Lowry in the boxing style.

Ireland’s Lowry, the 2019 Open champion who was hitting the first shot for San Francisco-based Bay, had earlier written on social media, “Imagine if I miss the 60-foot screen”. He lost his earpiece before striking the ball, but the nerves were real. He then removed his earpiece and forgot where he was on the tee peg.

Before Fowler’s infamous ball hit the enormous screen, which is 24 times bigger than a typical golf simulator, he yelled, “We’re the guinea pigs.”

All of the players were wearing microphones, which did bring the audience closer to the action, even though some were clearly more at ease than others. The discussions over putting up putts and shots were interesting, but the play was too quick for much banter.

Matt Fitzpatrick, playing for New York, said “sorry about that” in a very English manner after his miscued second to the first green cost his team the hole.

The 40-second shot clock, which helped keep the match moving at a high pace, was the biggest selling of the opening session. Rarely did the players let it drop under 15 seconds. If so, the arena echoed a heartbeat-related noise as the timer drew nearer to a close.

No one abused the penalty for allowing the clock to expire, despite the fact that play occasionally felt unnecessarily rushed.

All three players on each team alternated shots during the 15-hole contest’s first nine holes. The action moved to the short-game complex once the ball was less than 50 yards from the hole when it was thudded into the big screen from a distance of 35 yards. After each hole, 600 motors, working under the green, created a new putting surface.

Win a hole, win a point.

By the sixth hole, The Bay was able to take the alternate shot triples, which had largely lost its appeal.

When Fitzpatrick’s previous errors knocked a 70-foot chip into gimme range on the ninth, New York finally got on the scoreboard.

The final six holes were played as head-to-head singles, with each pairing contesting two holes.

Fowler took on Lowry, Fitzpatrick faced Wyndham Clark and Schauffele played Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, with the commentator’s attempt to stoke a Ryder Cup rivalry falling flat.

After the tenth hole, the match was decided. With four minutes remaining, Clark appeared unaware until his playing partners informed him that Lowry had defeated Fowler to give The Bay a 7-1 lead. However, the final eight holes were played because the league tie would occur if the winning holes were to be counted.

New York was awarded a second point by Lowry’s error, but Bay was already down nine.

Schauffele, who had attempted to chip over a hump on the green but was unsuccessful in getting his ball off the putting surface, gave them the opportunity to play the 12th hole.

The shot was welcomed by a chorus of pantomime boos. The Open champion grinned and then refused to accept the return. “I’d boo me too,” he said. His heart seemed to be out of the game at that point, perhaps.

When asked earlier about how the team chat had ended with his side leading 6-1 in the triples and singles session, Schauffele responded, “It was a relatively brief conversation with little to talk about.” 9-2 was the final score.

The league has six teams per week until March, with the top four reaching the semi-finals and the top three reaching the best-of-three final.

Woods ‘ Jupiter Golf Club plays New York next week, while the anticapted match against McIlroy’s Boston Common takes place on 27 January.

The star names of Atlanta Drive are Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay, while England pair Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose are both on a Los Angeles team.

The six teams have a total of 24 PGA Tour players, with each one making appearances based on their commitments to the regular season.

Despite not playing this week, Woods was still front and centre of coverage.

He talked of being “excited” about TGL being “a dream come true” and there being a “great atmosphere” in the stadium, with the spectators surrounding the roughly 100 by 50 yard playing area.

And despite declining to disclose which three of his Jupiter team’s four players would play next week, he did acknowledge that because of his injury problems, playing this kind of golf was a little easier for him.

The former world number one, who is currently tied for 15 major victories, three short of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18, said, “It’s a little harder to play a full-time schedule.”

The 49-year-old played all four majors in 2024 but missed the cut at three after finishing 60th at the Masters. And in September, he also had his most recent operation on his back.

The LPGA commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, stated in November that she had been talking to TGL about adding some of her players to the set-up, but nothing has yet been disclosed.

It would seem obvious for upcoming seasons given that TGL’s goal is to expand the game and draw in new fans.

In a similar way to LIV Golf, TGL is also trying to increase the team component of their competition. Therefore, it was a little strange to see all the players sporting branded tops and caps.

Fans were directed to team merchandise by adverts, but Lowry, Aberg, and Clark were all wearing mint green T-shirts, while Fitzpatrick, Fowler, and Schauffele were all wearing regular blue T-shirts.

And finally, could an element of the outdoors be brought inside? Although the fairways and greens were a little too welcoming, it should be simple to change. Wind frequently appears during computer-style play. Could that be done in addition to the simulator shots to give the game a little more risk?