The TGL championship match between Atlanta Drive and New York Golf Club began on Monday, with Atlanta inching out a 6-5 victory. Xander Schauffele and his NYGC will need to win two matches on Tuesday night to secure the title.
Although the TGL season is all but over, the future is bright for the new simulator golf league.
Once the season began, I became a massive fan.
It was amazing to have golf to watch on Mondays and Tuesdays during the winter. Since I am not a huge basketball fan, it gave me live sports to watch before each week’s tournament.
TGL captured my attention, and it became part of my weekly routine.
Out of the 17 regular season matches, I watched 16.
Covering TGL Live from Palm Gardens
The one match I missed happened to be at the same time as my flight to Palm Beach. Genesis North America invited me to play golf at PGA National’s Palmer Course and watch the regular season finale between Atlanta Drive and Jupiter Links.
They gave me the VIP treatment. I sat in the Genesis Lounge next to the owner’s box. Before the match, we were allowed to go on the green and watch Jupiter Links and Atlanta Drive warm up.
Watching Tiger Woods warm up and being that close to him left me awestruck. The same could be said for every golfer who played. It was just surreal.
Only at the TGL could something like that happen.
Genesis saw the vision and was one of the first brands to invest in the TGL. The car brand is already immersed in golf with the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, the Genesis Scottish Open in Scotland, and the Genesis Championship in Korea.
So, it made sense that the luxury car brand wanted to participate in the project—it coincides with its desire to use innovation and technology to connect with people who love golf.
TGL and its broadcast coverage grew vastly from Match 1 to Match 17. It improved weekly regardless of television ratings. The further they explored and developed storylines, the better the coverage became.
Seeing it live was an opportunity I could not pass up, and I am glad I didn’t.
Live TGL Experience to Elevate Golf
Watching a match live was a completely different experience. Like with many professional sports, being there in person immediately makes it more entertaining.
The music was fun, and having YouTube Golf star Roger Steele host the match was great. Seeing the technology between holes was mesmerizing. Watching how the greens team transforms the green area for each hole was neat, and seeing it rotate showed off the unique technology they use.
Celine Deon was there, and when she sangwith ESPN’s Marty Smith, it was simply magical. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was also there with his friends and several other celebrities.
Those are moments you do not get at a typical tournament, and that is why the TGL can be something that can bring more fans to golf.
I’ve been to countless football and basketball games in stadiums like SoFi Center, and nothing like that has ever happened at one of those events.
The SoFi Center seats about 1,500 people. It felt intimate because the players were so close, but the atmosphere rocked.
I worried it would not meet my expectations, but it exceeded them. The TGL team focused on putting together the best fan experience for those who come to the SoFi Center, and it is just their first year, so there is room to expand.
As cliche as it may be, the PGA Tour, LPGA, DP World Tour, and even LIV Golf aim to grow the game. It is a saying that gets overused, but it matters when it comes to this simulator golf league.
TGL has a unique opportunity on its hands with its fast-paced golf matches. They want to make golf more accessible to not just the current golf demographic but also a new, younger one.
The new technology will attract people who like that kind of thing. Who knows, it may even turn them into golf fans. It also can keep young people’s attention because it is not a 6-plus hour round of golf.
There is a lot of potential surrounding the TGL as the first season ends, and people’s expectations for Season 2 should be even higher.
This first year has already been a success. Now, it is time to see what they can do to adjust and make it even better for the fans.
