Come 2024, there will be a new and innovative indoor golf league dubbed “The Golf League” (TGL). Spearheaded by golf legends Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, TGL has garnered the support of prominent sports figures, including tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams, NBA star Stephen Curry, and the Fenway Sports Group, owners of Liverpool Football Club.

This groundbreaking league will feature 24 PGA Tour players, including 15 of the current top 20 in the world. Some of the players that have signed up for the event include Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, and Colin Morikawa, 

While some details are still being ironed out, such as prize money and finalised team rosters, here is a quick summary of some of the details.

– TGL will be operated by TMRW Sports, a technology-focused sports company established by Woods and McIlroy in August 2022.

– The league will consist of six teams, each comprising four players. However, only three players from each team will compete in any given event.

– All TGL events will take place at the Sofi Center, located at Palm Beach State College in Florida. Each event is expected to last around two hours and will be broadcast live in the US, with the venue accommodating approximately 1,600 spectators.

– The format of the league involves teams playing each other once in a league format, and two points will be awarded to the winning team in each event.

– Matches will feature two sessions, including nine holes of ‘triples’ played in an alternate-shot format and six holes of ‘singles,’ where golfers go head-to-head.

– Points are earned by winning holes, and the team with the most points wins. In the case of a tie, a nearest-the-pin shootout will determine the victor.

– The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winners advancing to a best-of-three final.

– TGL events will feature cutting-edge technology, with players hitting tee shots into a massive screen. For shorter shots, adaptable greens with 189 actuators and jacks will modify the putting surface for each hole.

– The league will introduce new hole designs specifically created for the TGL season, departing from the use of iconic holes or courses typically seen in simulators.

Starting on January 9, 2024, this new league is expected to be one of the major talking points of the golf world next year. 

Leon Osamor