New holes, bigger green, more cameras and team signature holes: ‘We’re playing a high-tech video game,’ says Billy Horschel.
It’s game time: The Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) returns for its second season at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, running through March 3. The season opener is a rematch of the inaugural final, with Atlanta Drive facing off against New York.
Tiger Woods mic’d up for TGL
The six teams remain unchanged, but superstar and TGL co-owner Tiger Woods, along with Atlanta’s Justin Thomas, will sit out for now due to back surgery recoveries. However, Woods has promised to attend every Jupiter Links GC match starting January 13, equipped with a microphone. Fans can expect the 15-time major winner to chime in with commentary—his presence is key to the league’s entertainment value and media reach.
High-tech upgrades and signature holes
Technological upgrades include a 38% larger green zone—now nearly 500 square meters—with 12 pin positions (up from seven). The smallest of three bunkers was removed, while the others were expanded. TGL now uses 608 actuators to simulate slopes and breaks. ‘The green is easier to read now,’ says Wyndham Clark of The Bay. ‘It benefits the best putters among us.’
Artificial turf fibers now point inward, making every chip play with the grain. ‘It adds excitement for viewers,’ says Clark, ‘because we can do anything with the ball.’
Design meets drama
Six new holes were created as team-specific signature holes, designed by Beau Welling Design, Pizá Golf, Nicklaus Design, and newcomer Gil Hanse. The Bay’s ‘Bay Breaker’ features redwoods and San Francisco’s skyline. New York’s ‘Big Apple’ hole showcases Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, while Atlanta’s ‘Fore-O-Fore’ highlights the city’s skyline silhouette.
Hanse’s ‘Stone & Steeple’ for Boston Common is a par 5 with a Sahara-style cross bunker and a stone wall separating the fairway from a churchyard cemetery. ‘Shots that go too far left don’t live long,’ warns the TGL description.
Atlanta’s Billy Horschel sums it up: ‘We have holes like on a real course, but also ones you’d see in a video game. We’re playing a high-tech video game.’
Enhanced viewing experience
TGL has also improved its Virtual Eye technology for better shot comparisons and ball tracking. The SoFi Center now features 79 cameras, including the award-winning SmartPin Cam offering live 360-degree views from the flagstick’s perspective. Let the games begin.