TGL Season 2: What’s New, Who’s Playing, and Key Technological Updates

Sports news » TGL Season 2: What’s New, Who’s Playing, and Key Technological Updates

2 weeks ago 17

The second season of the TGL, the tech-infused indoor golf league, is set to launch, opening with a rematch of last year`s SoFi Cup finals. Atlanta Drive GC, the inaugural champion, will face New York Golf Club, whom they defeated in a nail-biting finish during the previous season.

While the six team rosters remain consistent, two major figures will be absent at the start of the season: 15-time major winner Tiger Woods and two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas. Both continue to recover from back surgeries. Woods, who turns 50 soon, is expected to attend Jupiter Links GC matches, where he plans to wear a microphone to interact with players and opponents.

Last season saw disappointing results for two prominent teams: Jupiter Links GC and Rory McIlroy`s Boston Common Golf, which managed only one combined win across ten matches. Tom Kim, a member of Jupiter Links GC, reflected on the previous performance: “I think all of us are ready to not suck anymore. We`re ready to win, especially for a guy who`s not used to losing as much. And he`s on our butts to get into the playoffs.”

As the regular season begins, running from late December to early March, the league has introduced several significant updates and enhancements.

Page Contents

Larger GreenZone Putting Surface

One of the most noticeable changes is the introduction of a larger and more complex GreenZone putting surface. This area has been expanded by 38%, increasing from 3,800 square feet to 5,270 square feet. The number of hole locations has also grown from seven to twelve.

Technologically, 608 actuators are now used to morph the surface terrain. Andrew Macaulay, chief technology officer at TMRW Sports, noted that the large knoll in the upper tier was slightly lowered to improve visibility for in-arena fans, and a small bunker was removed to increase the usable putting space.

Furthermore, a major turf change was implemented: the turf is now laid down-grain toward the middle. This eliminates the challenging into-the-grain shots that frustrated players last season and is expected to create more predictable bounces for long iron shots, leading to more exciting viewing.

Wyndham Clark, a player for The Bay Golf Club, commented: “Now, every chip’s down grain, which I think will create more excitement for the viewership, because we’ll be able to do anything we want with a golf ball.”

Signature Holes for Every Team

Working with renowned golf course architects—including Gil Hanse, Beau Welling Design, Pizá Golf, and Nicklaus Design—the TGL has introduced new holes, six of which have been designated as signature holes for each team.

This innovation grants a subtle home-field advantage. For example, The Bay Golf Club`s signature hole, the `Bay Breaker,` features towering redwoods and fog, with the distant San Francisco skyline visible. Macaulay explained that during any match between two teams, both signature holes will be played. This means that a team gets to play its own customized hole every single match.

Beyond the signature holes, other notable new course designs include:

Stone & Steeple (Par-5): Designed by Gil Hanse, this hole features cross bunkers and a stone wall bordering a graveyard adjacent to a New England-style church. Accuracy is paramount, as shots hit too far left are severely penalized.
Stinger (Par-4): Inspired by Tiger Woods’ low-flight stinger shot, this hole encourages golfers to hit drives no higher than 50 feet over a natural rock formation. Success rewards the player with significant extra roll.
Cenote (Par-3): Named after the natural limestone sinkholes sacred to Mayans, this hole introduces visually unique elements.

Billy Horschel of Atlanta Drive GC encapsulated the approach: “We can still have the traditional holes, but we can have some holes that you would see in a video game. Because in some sort [of way], this is a video game that we’re playing. We’re playing a high-tech video game in a sense.”

New Graphics and Technology

TGL is boosting its broadcast presentation with advanced technology:

Shot Comparison Graphics: Utilizing Virtual Eye technology, the broadcast will track players` shots and feature data-rich, augmented-reality graphics overlaid on the green. These graphics will compare shot quality against team averages and the best historical approaches for that hole.
Live Shot Tracing: The tracking technology will trace the ball`s flight before it hits TGL`s massive screen—the largest simulator screen in golf.
Enhanced Camera Views: The SoFi Center now employs 79 cameras, including the returning, award-winning SmartPin Cam, which provides 360-degree views from the pin flag`s perspective, alongside new angles such as reverse shots from the fairway and hovering perspectives above the green.