As tough because it to think about, we’re now almost two months into a number of the world’s finest golfers attempting to keep away from lava on Monday and Tuesday nights.
TGL, the indoor simulator league with the rotating inexperienced, has captured the curiosity of golfers and informal sports activities followers, helped by engaging time slots on ESPN and a listing of rivals that features co-founders Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Has all the pieces been good? No manner — did you see when Tiger hit it 99 yards final week, solely to seek out out the outlet was 199 yards away? That doesn’t occur at TPC Sawgrass. However even probably the most pessimistic amongst us has to acknowledge that there’s one thing right here.
With one week left within the common season we really feel like we’ve given TGL sufficient time to return out of beta and make a robust judgment on what’s working and what’s not, and who we’d wish to see added for a (presumed) Yr 2 in 2026.
What’s working for you?
Gabby Herzig: I’ve been pleasantly shocked with the anecdotal proof that the product is getting new eyeballs on golf — the texts from family and friends members who marvel how this new league works and what it’s all about are nonetheless frequent. The ESPN rankings have assorted week to week, however they’ve been strong total. That tells me my instinct on one main constructive popping out of TGL is right: The Monday/Tuesday night time prime time spot is a good time slot for the sort of product. Seeing Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and different gamers mic’d up, hitting golf photographs in between huge match appearances is a value-add to the skilled panorama. It offers an attention-grabbing new lead-up to the majority of the normal golf season. The extra publicity followers have to those athletes on totally different levels and in new codecs, the extra potential there may be for extra traction and engagement with the PGA Tour product. Because the weeks have handed, I really feel the gamers have gotten extra obsessed with loosening up, chatting amongst one another and celebrating like different professional athletes do. I’ve loved the addition of extra “mic’d up moments,” the place the printed compiles sound bytes from gamers that may have been missed throughout play. The brand new guidelines for the hammer have additionally been a complete game-changer. The matches at the moment are more likely to reverse course if one crew is pulling forward — that definitely can’t harm.
Brody Miller: The gamers don’t care at all in a very deep manner. However they care so rattling a lot in that very same manner you need to beat your pal greater than something on this planet. That works for me. That’s the product in my eyes.
On the absolute easiest degree: We see main stars we don’t typically get to see outdoors of intense environments attending to fiddle and compete with one another. The tv occasions like “The Match” simply don’t work, for a myriad of causes, however this provides informal viewers one thing to activate on a Monday/Tuesday night time and switch their mind off to get pleasure from. Emphasis on turning their mind off. The second viewers take this severely, it loses steam.
However on nights the place matches get shut — extra on that later — TGL thrives. And it’s due to that easy purpose. It’s absurdly enjoyable seeing six celebrity golfers get aggressive the identical manner you do together with your buddies over a sport of cornhole. Collin Morikawa, typically a dry determine in match settings, was dwelling and dying with every shot in Monday’s comeback and getting hyped. Guys like Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele or Billy Horschel being pure heels and trolls is sweet, informal leisure.
Gamers act composed or respectful once they hit an enormous birdie putt on 17 at a match. They misplaced their minds when Sahith Theegala’s putt went in Monday. And the addition of the hammer rule adjustments instantly sparked extra of this by maintaining matches aggressive and growing the quantity of instances we get to see gamers sassily throw a flag.
The various faces of display golf! pic.twitter.com/u8jhgP5kGZ
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) February 25, 2025
Hugh Kellenberger: It’s a grasp. It’s a sporting occasion but it surely’s not a sport. We don’t need them to chuckle and never care in any respect in regards to the consequence, however TGL can’t additionally make us or them care about The Bay vs. Jupiter Hyperlinks. It’s why all of the memes about New York needing to rebuild hit — it’s attaching a degree of significant sports activities discourse to an occasion that simply doesn’t demand it.
And that’s OK! There are such a lot of sports activities on proper now, each night time of the week — the results of sports activities being the one factor that reliably will get individuals to look at stay TV in 2025. Not all of it may be tremendous critical, life or dying stuff. However Billy Horschel doing Billy Horschel issues for 2 hours on a Monday night time? I can get behind that.
What’s not working?
Herzig: We’d like a wellness test on FullSwing’s simulator expertise. TGL has some critical points if they will’t determine give the gamers full confidence that their photographs are ending up in the fitting locations once they hit into the 60-foot-tall custom-built display. TGL and league members have been vocal in regards to the expertise — co-founder Rory McIlroy got here out and admitted he cross-tested FullSwing towards Trackman and Foresight Sports activities, two well-liked launch screens, and he got here away happy. However that doesn’t change the truth that gamers appear to be constantly perplexed by their very own ball flight. We’re speaking in regards to the world’s finest right here — they know what it feels wish to hit the ball 120 yards vs. 140 yards. Even Hideki Matsuyama, who is understood to barely crack a smile not to mention a furrowed forehead, seemed hesitant about the results of a number of photographs on Monday night. If I have been TGL, I’d be trying into switching launch monitor companions for subsequent season. There’s a purpose why tour gamers carry round transportable launch screens from Trackman and GCQuad Foresight. These merchandise are the most effective within the enterprise.
Miller: Gabby laid out the expertise points immediately, and that’s definitely the No. 1 challenge. That is pushed as a serious playing product, and it’s not even correct! Not good! Though watching gamers attempt to cover their annoyance is likely one of the 5 finest issues in regards to the league.
However to go deeper, the golf is simply not very fascinating. It’s a simulator league, in order that was all the time an uphill battle. I don’t imply this could really feel architecturally compelling. My bar may be very low right here. There’s simply one thing so empty about even the most effective photographs. A prolonged shot with a 3 wooden right into a inexperienced takes one bounce and sticks close to the pin. And the unhealthy photographs normally really feel prefer it may be the expertise. The one instances I really really feel locked in are after we transfer across the inexperienced and I really feel the stakes (and the opposite gamers reacting). In TGL’s protection, that’s why the speedy pace is such a constructive for me. No lingering on the golf. It’s simply enjoyable, innocent instantaneous gratification.
Not the primary time this has occurred in TGL. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/afLWIf9fVr
— TGL (@TGL) February 25, 2025
Kellenberger: I truly don’t thoughts when the simulator has clearly failed, as a result of it introduces a degree of randomness that may not be there in any other case with the most effective gamers on this planet hitting in a wind-less digital world. However that’s additionally problematic for betting, so I get the argument for change.
I’m going to deal with the printed, as a result of a number of the aggressive parts truly work about in addition to they might probably have for Yr 1. ESPN appears to not know what it needs TGL to be, typically behaving as the kind of broadcast that can’t imagine it has actual stay professional athletes within the constructing and different instances deeply invested in a playoff race. Each approaches fall flat. There needs to be a strategy to intensify the most effective components about TGL whereas additionally not getting in its manner. That will most likely exclude Marty Smith — he’s on my TV sufficient that somebody on the market clearly likes him, however I’ve by no means understood the attraction. The published stops and loses all vitality each time they throw it to him.
Who do you need to see in Yr 2?
Herzig: Possibly I’m asking for an excessive amount of, however I’d wish to see TGL go full throttle into the youth motion, get LPGA gamers concerned, and perhaps even enable a LIV crew to enter the league. I’d like to see Luke Clanton (who was in attendance on Monday night), Akshay Bhatia and Nick Dunlap get spots on TGL rosters. And why not add an LPGA participant to every squad? Think about Charley Hull as the most recent addition to Boston Widespread or Nelly Korda strategizing on a chip shot with Tiger Woods. The obvious character, who can be an ideal match for the TGL mannequin, nonetheless, is Bryson DeChambeau — the king of YouTube golf. Bryson, I think about, would carry a completely new aspect to the league within the type of fan interplay. He is aware of discuss to a digital camera and make the viewer really feel like they’re a part of the motion. We’re nonetheless lacking that within the present TGL format, as a result of none of those guys are lively YouTubers. It’s simply not of their nature.
Miller: I’m very pro-adding LPGA gamers and younger names, to Gabby’s suggestion. This isn’t actual golf. We don’t have to get slowed down by distance conversations. The enjoyable right here is within the fish-out-of-water aspect of seeing these individuals react in methods we don’t usually. Getting Korda and Zhang in there so as to add extra wrinkles can be nice.
Then, definitely all of us need to see the Texas stars that aren’t right here already. Scottie Scheffler is likely one of the final trash talkers in cash video games and pickleball or the rest. The present two finest gamers on this planet — Scheffler and Xander Schauffele — are literally the 2 most closely fits for TGL, so it’s a disgrace we haven’t truly seen both outdoors of the latter’s Night time 1 look. And may you think about Jordan Spieth’s neuroticism with these simulators? Can’t miss TV. We simply want to determine get his caddy, Michael Greller, concerned.
Kellenberger: Arthur Clean, Atlanta Drive’s proprietor, stated Monday night time they’re open to including extra groups and bringing within the prime girls. In order that’s most likely occurring. Different names I had on my record that haven’t already been talked about: Megan Khang, Cameron Smith, Robert MacIntyre and Will Zalatoris.
Does Patrick Cantlay have to be part of TGL? (Cliff Hawkins / through Getty Pictures)
Who do we’ve got to get out of SoFi Middle?
Herzig: No offense to those guys, however Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Younger and Matt Fitzpatrick would possibly have to go. Their personalities are simply not a match, for apparent causes.
Miller: Gabby no! Matsuyama being the marginally bizarre, uncomfortable outsider has led to some nice leisure. And perhaps I’m a nerd, however Cantlay being hyper-fixated on hammer technique is so humorous to me.
After that, sure. Get the individuals out who don’t appear to be they’re leaning into being right here. Younger doesn’t need to be there, clearly. Fitzpatrick tries, to be truthful, however his sort of humor simply doesn’t come via. Adam Scott is the person, however he doesn’t appear very . And that’s utterly OK! It’s nonsense. However I feel we’ve seen that the individuals who need to be right here add probably the most leisure. No one is tuning in for Billy Horschel, however he makes the product higher.
Kellenberger: “Would possibly have to go.” Gabby is so form to those guys. Cantlay and Matsuyama are most likely too excessive on this planet rankings to dismiss fully, however they’re by no means going to be the celebs of this factor. Glover, Younger and Fitzpatrick for certain have to be changed. Kevin Kisner can be a greater match upstairs with Matt Barrie than enjoying, and Justin Rose is just not the long run, both. Are we certain Min Woo Lee is sweet at golf? Rickie Fowler needs to be on a year-to-year contract too.
(Prime photograph of Billy Horschel: Carmen Mandato / TGL through Getty Pictures)