The grand unveiling of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL has left golf fans divided, with the virtual aspect causing some hesitation, though the introduction of a shot clock was an unequivocal hit.

McIlroy and Woods have been gearing up for the launch of the innovative TGL for quite some time now. Designed to be a cutting-edge golf league, TGL will showcase 24 leading PGA Tour players participating in weekly matches that are broadcasted live from a unique indoor arena situated in sunny Florida.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods watched on as TGL launched in Florida (Image: Mike Ehrmann/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images))

These top-tier players have been allocated among six teams: Atlanta Drive GC, Boston Common Golf, New York Golf Club, The Bay Golf Club, Jupiter Links GC, and LAGC. Differentiating itself from traditional golf, TGL is hosted indoors with competitors using an enormous golf simulator, demonstrating a keen embracement of technological advancement within the sport.

The inaugural match featured a tussle between Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Matt Fitzpatrick representing New York Golf Club and Wyndham Clark, Shane Lowry, and Ludvig Aberg playing for The Bay Golf Club. While reactions to the TGL debut were mixed, the novel shot clock attracted applause and the Palm Beach State College’s modern SoFi Center facility turned heads.

One fan exclaimed online: “Yep, it’s something….first impressions is hopefully this normalizes a shot clock,” while the sentiment was echoed by another who remarked: “I actually don’t hate it yet. I’m mostly jealous that there’s a place that exists with a 3000 square foot simulator screen and a green / pitching area that can change contours. That’s actually cool. Imagine having that as a practice facility.”

TGL’s virtual setup has caught some eyeballs, with fans tweeting their kudos. One fan wrote: “I like the technology and engineering of it. Also love the different style and shot clock to make it fast paced (once it actually started).”

The state-of-the-art new competition was supposed to launch last year before a delay ( Image: Mike Ehrmann/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

Another added: “I’m enjoying it so far… watching the ball fly on the screen with a shot tracker is weird for me… but other than that I’m enjoying it. the pace is good and the inane banter is minimal… a win so far IMO,” while someone else chimed in about the innovative course design, remarking: “Unrealistic holes are a choice but given that it’s virtual anyway, I think I’m good with it? I mean watching someone play virtual St Andrews wouldn’t measure up… so something new. Who knows.”

On the flip side, there are viewers who aren’t thrilled by TGL. Dissenting voices have cropped up, with critiques such as: “How does TGL, a made for TV golf simulator league, not show the distance on the shot tracer” and questions regarding the referee’s role like “What purpose does the ref serve?”.

The slow build-up of TGL’s first outing also left spectators yawning, as one stated: “It’s already boring. 17 minutes before they hit their first shot. Hype man. Pass.”

Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark led The Bay to a 9-2 win ( Image: Brennan Asplen/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

Additionally, a viewer pointed out an opportunity missed: “If I were launching a FUN NEW EXCITING golf league, I wouldn’t have the first 15 minutes of the inaugural TV window consist of … golfer interviews and rules/format explanations.”

In TGL, the team that wins each hole bags a point, and the team with the most points takes the victory. A match is played over 15 holes and consists of two sessions. The first session includes a ‘triples’ nine-hole three vs three foursomes match, while the second session features a ‘singles’ one-on-one battle over six holes, with each player taking on two holes. If matches end in a tie after regulation play, an overtime penalty shootout-style challenge is held.

Here, a team must hit two shots closer to the hole than their opponents to win. After the 15-week season concludes, the top four teams in the league will compete in the playoffs. This leads up to a best-of-three final that will determine the first TGL champion.