Is the innovative TGL destined to fall short of expectations?

TGL (Tomorrow’s Golf League), a new golf league fronted by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is now less than two months away from its long-anticipated debut. 

Established in 2022, play was supposed to begin on Jan. 9. Fate, however, had different plans after the league’s stadium, the SoFiCenter in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, suffered serious damage in late 2023. A temporary power system failure caused the roof to collapse, leading to an extensive repair process.

The innovative league will utilize the building for its ambitious take on team golf. Per the TGL, golfers will tee off from a tee box with real grass, as well as real fairway, rough, and sand surfaces, with all shots going into a simulation screen. From there, golfers will utilize a real playing surface that is roughly the size of a football field to complete each hole. 

Six teams will compete in the inaugural TGL season this January

Speaking of teams, there will be six different franchises comprised of four current PGA players like Woods, McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, and more. Players will compete in two matches, singles and triples, to earn points for their team. Teams gain points for matches won, which are then added to a season total, similar to the NHL or the Premier League. 

After the long delay and an unproven format, the real question is does anybody care? Between the ongoing battle between the PGA and LIV Golf, ratings for the sport have dipped and interest seems to be fading for all events outside of the majors. 

The Sports Business Journal reported a decrease of 19% in the PGA’s Sunday viewership this year for non-major events. Saturday viewership was no better, seeing a 17% drop. The picture for LIV is equally as grim, as Golfweek revealed an audience of just 89,000 people watched Jon Rahm win the league’s individual title in September. 

Sure, this team format seems to differentiate from the LIV team concept and includes a much different style of play. The signs remain unpromising though, as LIV has failed to attract a big audience to this point, even with mainstays like Bryson DeChambeau winning the U.S. Open and increasing the league’s credibility. 

A major knock on LIV is that it is unconventional and leans into the party-like atmosphere, upsetting the “classic” golf fans and standards. Will those same fans really enjoy watching pros hit into a simulator and then work on their short games for a few hours? That remains to be seen. Adding yet another competition could further oversaturate the market, even if the new venture is walking hand in hand with the PGA and can benefit from Tiger Woods fanatics tuning in to see him play on a regular basis once again.

Regardless, the TGL’s long road to the tee box has only added to expectations. The question now is how will it deliver to fans who are already reeling from the effects of an oversaturated golf landscape.

TGL begins its inaugural campaign on Jan. 7.