TGL presents questions and opportunities for golfers

The TGL simulator golf league schedule has been announced along with (surprisingly steep) ticket pricing info as the upstart golf spin-off inches closer to its debut in January 2025. Co-owners Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy might not be participating right away, but what will be immediate are the questions traditional golf fans will raise upon the league’s arrival.

Much has already been written about the uncertainty around TGL’s viability despite not having started yet, but not much has been offered in terms of what might actually work for a primetime, TV-only golf simulator format. Let’s break down two opportunities for TGL as it attempts to capture the eyes of regular golfers.

Equipment data in real time on every shot

One benefit of the TGL format (as far as we know right now) is that a controlled simulator environment with golfers competing in a team format will allow every shot to be shown live during the broadcast. This is a perfect opportunity for equipment brands to showcase the benefits of their new equipment in the hands of the best golfers on the planet coupled with realtime data.

Technology like Top Tracer and ShotLink have been staples during traditional golf tournaments for years, but only a small subset of players’ data was shown during the telecast. This data isn’t presented in a manner to educate the viewers either, at least in terms of why metrics like ball speed, spin rate, and launch conditions are important to understand.

TGL’s systems presumably can fill this void for primetime viewers. Barely half of all golfers will ever go through a club fitting, for example, where core shot data metrics are used to benefit the player. This provides a stage for golf’s OEMs like never before and will encourage them to bring their proverbial “A-Games” to a captive studio audience fixated on real time data and performance.

Showcasing the best in a new light

Building further on this idea of educating new golfers in real time, this is also a massive opportunity for the game’s best to be seen as Masterclass teachers in a controlled environment nobody has seen before. We commonly refer to the PGA TOUR players as the best in the world; what better way to see them prove this point in a truly unique situation using the skills and tools at their disposal?

The COVID boom in golf saw an influx of new players join a game that remains the most difficult to play. Understanding shot types and decision-making processes from the game’s strongest players is commonplace at “regular” golf tournaments, but not to the degree of what TGL can offer. Players will need to rely on pure science and technique to execute shots with precision in a simulated environment that is programmed to emphasize precision.

TGL isn’t trying to replace traditional golf and all of nature’s unpredictable challenges. Instead, it is stripping down the game to its data-driven bones while daring competitors to show us all what they’ve got. There is no substitute for the test offered on the world’s best courses, nor is there a way to redefine the concept of a level playing field out in nature.

There is still much to be learned about the upstart TGL league and criticisms are not unfounded. It is unclear why this product is needed and why now is the best time for its debut. As with most new ideas, however, it can be helpful to appreciate the attempt at novelty while considering some of the fringe benefits it can bring to the game.