After a year’s delay—and a lot of hype—the time has come. TGL is finally set to launch. In advance of its live televised debut tonight, here’s what you need to know about the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy-backed indoor golf league. And no, our resident Floridan Blogger, and Sub-Par golfer, Uncle Tim is not in this new indoor golf league.
What is TGL?
TGL is a 15-week golf series started by TMRW Sports — a company founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Mike McCarley, a former NBC Sports executive, and backed by big-name investors that include Steph Curry and Fenway Sports Group.
There are six TGL teams, representing cities around the U.S., consisting of four PGA Tour players each. Throughout the season, those teams will face off against each other live. Then the top four teams will move on to playoffs. The golfers will be mic’d up and shot-clocks will necessitate a snappy pace of play. There will be referees and timeouts like in other major league sports — even smoke(no vape) and walk-out music will introduce the players to the ticketed crowd. No glass plates or nets separate the fans from the golfers. So yes, a skulled greenside bunker shot could get dicey.
What does TGL stand for?
Tomorrow’s Golf League....wack ass name. But with Trump returning to office in a few weeks, Tiger and Rory are trying to Make Golf Great Again (MGGA).
What do the rosters look like?
The league is operating in partnership with the PGA Tour, which means no LIV golfers have been included. Major champions such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka won’t be hitting into the 60-foot tall screen.
• Atlanta Drive GC: Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Lucas Glover
• Boston Common Golf: Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott
• Jupiter Links GC: Tiger Woods, Max Homa, Tom Kim, Kevin Kisner
• Los Angeles Golf Club: Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood
• New York Golf Club: Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young
• The Bay Golf Club: Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, Shane Lowry
How long is the TGL season?
The TGL runs from January through March, with the regular season concluding on March 4. Potentially Uncle Tim and myself will be in attendance for the final match of these season for his birthday, because I am a good friend(not to brag). Matches will exclusively air on Monday and Tuesday nights, depending on the week and conflicting broadcast schedules. The top four teams after regular season play will advance to a four-week playoff season, with matches on March 17-18 and 24-25.
What is the TGL format and rules?
Three players from each four-man team will compete in each match-up. The matches will run for two hours and the players will play 15 holes.
In the first nine-hole session, the players will compete in “Triples,” which is 3 vs. 3 alternate shot. Each team will alternate playing until they complete the hole, and the lowest score wins. No points will be awarded for a tied hole, just like in traditional match play.
In the second session, head-to-head play will begin with “Singles.” One player will face off against another player on the first hole, then the second set of players will go against each other, then the third set. That cycle will repeat once more for the full six-hole “Singles” portion.
Teams can increase the stakes of a hole by implementing a feature called “The Hammer.” If the opposing team accepts, the value of the hole becomes two points, rather than one. If they decline, they effectively concede the hole.
Overtime will be a 3 vs. 3 closest to the pin contest between the teams, until a winner is decided.