TGL is five matches into its nascent existence. The indoor golf experiment has had some ups and also some downs as it finds its footing on uncharted territory. But the picture emerging is one that has a lot of potential and will be built on innovation.
There’s the state-of-the-art technology, sure, but the true north star for Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods will be whatever creates the best television product. There's a certain sense of excitement to see a sport being figured out in real time and it comes with the opportunity to make things up on the fly.
With that in mind, here are some back-of-the-napkin ideas for TGL to consider—or throw right in the trash going forward.
Less screen, more green
One of the things that’s jumped out over the first few weeks of competition is how much more exciting it is to watch the short game portion of the proceedings than it is to watch drives. One reason for this is that wayward tee shots are not penalized like in the real world with the existence of trees, uneven footing and brutal angles. Balls defy gravity and don’t fall into bunkers or, worse, jump out of them. The further away from the hole players are operating, the less realistic it feels.
What if TGL leaned into par-3s more heavily? This would undoubtedly create more drama on the physical portion of the course with more competing up-and-down chances and more do-or-die putts. On paper, this would make every hole slightly more competitive and, over the course of 9-hole team play, create tighter matches headed into individual competition. It would also create a better rhythm as three players share a hole that should take three shots or fewer to complete. —Kyle Koster
The nuclear option
O.K., keep an open mind here. If we operate from the position that TGL does not have to be “real” golf and can break all the rules, what would the actual harm of widening the hole be? It is, of course, a wildly gimmicky notion that will not sit well with some enthusiasts and those who would pretend to care that it cheapens the product. On the other hand, it would create more exciting play, more long-range putts would go in, and desperate hole-out attempts would be slightly more hopeful and compelling.
One of the things TGL has done really well is create something that generates awesome, consumable highlight packages. As audiences change and every viral opportunity must be realized, why not create more bites at that apple? Every other sporting league is constantly trying to get more offense in the game, so why not embrace the chaos with better scoring? —KK
From way downtown
If making the cup bigger is an absolute no-go, then how about a more reasonable option: a “three-point” circle outside 10 feet? Early efforts with “The Hammer” haven’t yielded much intrigue—to the point where people are still confused as to how it can factor into the rules. The 10-foot circle would provide a much more tangible twist and could appear digitally on the green for easy comprehension. There are a few different options for what making from beyond the arc would mean—it could serve as a tiebreaker or not count as a stroke. But what it does is establish a baseline for a player to become a great “outside shooter.” In the same vein, TGL could create a landing zone for approach shots extremely close to the pin that can also quantify that part of the game. —KK
It’s a numbers game
That quantitative quality mentioned above would serve TGL in another area they need to figure out. All sports are driven in part by stats because they provide conversation and contextualization. As a blank slate there’s a tiny sample size for this league to draw upon. But players need to have win-loss records. They need to have putting percentages. They need to be judged against each other in understandable ways. There should be a Triple Crown to chase. Or a triple-double. Right now the presentation is mostly vibes, which is great. Yet numbers and stats help to moor things to reality and provide connective tissue from one match to the next. —KK
Not real golf
My whole thing about TGL is it’s trying too hard to mimic real golf. If I want to see these guys play real golf, I’ll watch them play the PGA Tour and the majors. What TGL should provide is something we don’t get every week on Tour.
First, the holes need to be crazier. Think Golden Tee. Right now the players are hitting toward relatively benign targets. Even the hourglass hole was rendered virtually pointless when Woods and McIlroy simply blasted over the neck with their drive. I want to see these guys hit big hooks and draws, things you don’t see regularly on Tour. Give me something different. —Brian Giuffra
Chipping competition
The most compelling moment of TGL so far was when Boston Common and Jupiter Links squared off in a sudden-death chipping competition. The chips weren’t great, but at least it was something you don’t see on TV already and there were stakes on it. This mimics some of what we see on YouTube golf (think Bryson DeChambeau’s hole-in-one challenge) and showcases these players in a different way.
Just as at the driving range when you start by chipping, start matches with a chipping competition where one team challenges the other to some chip they’ve practiced before. Bunker shots, 50-yard chips, whatever. It will give people a reason to tune in right away and start the competition off with fast action. —BG
Bring in the amateurs
A lot of golfers wonder how they would fare against against a PGA Tour player if their handicaps were taken into account. Well, here’s your chance.
Allow an amateur to take on a PGA Tour player for one hole of the event. Make that player someone relatable (a 10 index sounds about right) and allow them to go toe-to-toe against a pro as part of the competition with the winner earning a point for their team.
The real benefit here is the smack talk. The pros have sponsors to worry about and we’ve seen most of their personalities don't translate to live TV. An amateur with nothing to lose? They’d celebrate wildly if they won and, hopefully, trash talk a bit while the pro was preparing to play.
Again, something we don't see on Tour every week. —BG
Trick shots
I’m not sure these players are built for this the same way the Bryan Brothers are, but trick shots are a cool way to showcase talent and create viral moments. Can Tiger still juggle with ease the way he once did? That's not a recurring schtick, but I’d tune in to watch.
Perhaps this is more of a flop shot challenge or hitting a small target somewhere in the arena. I’m reminded of the famous story of Byron Nelson hitting the flagpole off the back patio at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey when he was an assistant pro there. I’ve been lucky enough to try the shot with a similar club to what Nelson used and it still amazes me he did it.
Give people something that amazes them and they can also try, in some way, at home. —BG
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 8 Bold New Ideas for TGL to Consider Moving Forward.
