Golf Gets a Tech Upgrade

TGL, a new golf league, is partnering with the PGA TOUR to fuse advanced technology and live action.

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, GOLFERS HAVE BEEN TEEING OFF at public courses and private country clubs. But in recent years, an increasing number of players have opted for alternatives beyond the green. From driving ranges to indoor simulators, off-course golf has more than doubled in the last decade, totaling 32.9 million participants in 2023, according to the National Golf Foundation, while on-course golf now accounts for less than one-half of the game in the U.S.

But it's not just recreational golfers who are jumping on this growing alternative golf trend. PGA TOUR superstars Tiger Woods and Rory Mcllroy are launching TGL presented by SoFi, a new high-tech golf league under their company, TMRW Sports, which is taking the game off the grass and into a custom-built arena in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. When the season officially begins in January 2025, six teams comprised of PGA TOUR standouts will go head-to-head in a season-long competition, offering fans a way to experience the game like never before.

"We have a sport with 600 years of history and tradition combined with technology that allows for a lot of opportunities to help golf continue to accelerate its cultural relevance with different groups of fans," said Mike McCarley, CEO and founder of TMRW Sports, who devised the TGL concept alongside Woods and Mcllroy. "We wanted to combine star power and a progressive approach to team golf that would resonate with fans."

The Lay of the Land