Beyond golf, the venue is designed as a hospitality-forward sports bar and entertainment destination

Positioned near DIFC, Burj Khalifa, and Dubai Mall, the new location at Damac Towers by Paramount is an approximately 6,500 sq ft venue designed to serve professionals, residents, and visitors seeking a high-quality environment for recreation, networking, and events in the heart of the city. The location is also well-positioned to cater to Dubai’s growing demand for indoor, experience-led venues that offer year-round entertainment, particularly during the summer months. 

The new venue features five Trackman-powered simulators with multi-angle swing analysis and access to hundreds of world-renowned courses, providing opportunities to practise, play, and compete year-round – regardless of weather conditions. Complementing the golf experience, the venue includes three multisport simulators offering interactive gameplay across sports such as football and disc golf, along with skill-based challenges designed for groups of all levels. A private simulator room offers a space for small groups, client entertaining, and corporate gatherings, while flexible booking options support everything from casual play to league participation as well as private events. Guests can evaluate their equipment and test the latest technology through Callaway club fitting experiences, creating a clear path from practice to performance.

“We have been very deliberate in selecting the location for our second Five Iron in Dubai, and Business Bay stood out as a natural fit,” said David Zabinsky, Managing Partner of Five Iron Golf UAE. “With its proximity to major office hubs and residential communities, this venue allows us to better serve Dubai’s after-work and social crowd, while continuing to offer a high-quality, accessible golf and entertainment experience.”

The new venue in Business Bay introduces Five Iron’s signature blend of technology-driven golf, premium hospitality, and social entertainment

Beyond golf, the venue is designed as a hospitality-forward sports bar and entertainment destination, featuring a full-service bar, lounge-style seating, and interactive games including pool and darts. The space reflects Five Iron’s modern design aesthetic, balancing elevated finishes with an energetic social atmosphere suited for after-work gatherings, client meetings, group outings, and private events.

“Dubai continues to be one of the most dynamic markets in the world for hospitality-driven entertainment concepts,” said Jared Solomon, Co-Founder and CEO of Five Iron Golf. “The success of our first Dubai location in Dubai Marina confirmed strong demand for an experience that blends technology, sport, and social connection. Expanding into Business Bay allows us to further serve a global audience of professionals, residents, and visitors seeking a premium, welcoming environment to play, practise, and connect.”

 

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Five Iron Golf first entered the UAE market with its flagship location at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina in 2024, establishing strong demand for technology-enabled golf and social experience in the region. The Business Bay opening represents a strategic expansion within the neighbourhood’s commercial core, positioning Five Iron to serve both business and leisure audiences in one of the city’s most globally connected districts.

Backed by leading investors including Callaway Golf and Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments, Five Iron Golf operates more than 40 locations globally and continues to grow across major cities in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

The Business Bay location is now open and accepting reservations for simulator play, private events, corporate functions, and group bookings.

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Before co-founding PLATFORM Golf, Irishman Flanagan carved his career as an agent, working his way up at Hambric Sports and alongside some of the biggest names in the game. Brooks Koepka during his early years in Europe, Tommy Fleetwood, Adrian Meronk and others. It gave the Dublin man a clear view of how players actually improve and, just as importantly, where the gaps were. But PLATFORM Golf grew out of one of those gaps.

“I always say it was the three Ps,” Flanagan explained. “People, product and practice. The product was the thing that really stood out to me early on.”

Thomas Hackett and Rory Flanagan are the co-founders of PLATFORM Golf

That product has changed quite a bit since those early days. What started as a putting-focused concept has turned into a full indoor system built around one idea: making simulator golf feel more like real golf.

Through its patented platform and software, PLATFORM Golf introduces slope into the equation. Uneven lies for full swings, breaking putts you can actually feel under your feet. It sounds simple, but it addresses something that has always been slightly off with indoor golf.

“Indoors, everything is flat,” Flanagan says. “But if you think about it, 96 per cent of shots on a golf course aren’t. That’s the piece we’ve focused on.”

That thinking is a big part of why PLATFORM has partnered with Trackman. The integration brings together two sides of the same equation. Trackman handles ball data and simulation at the highest level. PLATFORM adds the physical environment around it.

It’s a combination that’s starting to show up in more places, including here in the Middle East.

Yas Links Abu Dhabi is the first venue in the region to install PLATFORM units, adding three systems into its academy. For a course that already has a strong reputation for coaching, it’s a meaningful upgrade rather than a gimmick.

PLATFORM Golf

The appeal is pretty straightforward. Players can work on shots from uneven lies and putt on a surface that actually moves, which is something traditional simulators haven’t been able to offer. It also fits the way golf is used in the region.

Indoor golf isn’t just a winter alternative in the Middle East. During the summer heat, it becomes essential. Coaching, practice, corporate events, even casual play all shift indoors for a few months of the year. That creates a different kind of demand compared to Europe or the US. Flanagan sees that as a natural fit.

“All the data shows indoor golf is growing much faster than traditional golf,” he says. “It’s more accessible, it’s easier to engage with, and in places like the Middle East, there’s a real need for it.”

That accessibility piece comes up a lot in how PLATFORM Golf is positioned. Golf in the region still carries a premium feel, and while that’s part of its appeal, it can also be a barrier.

The company has tried to address that in practical ways. Lowering the height of the platform to make it easier to install in different spaces. Bringing down the cost compared to other systems. Offering different versions depending on what a facility or developer actually needs. That last part is starting to matter more.

Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, new developments are being built around lifestyle. Gyms, wellness spaces, shared facilities. Golf simulators are starting to sit in that mix, whether in residential buildings or private villa communities. Flanagan says those conversations are already happening.

“We’re part of that discussion now,” he says. “When developers are deciding what goes into a space, golf is becoming one of the options. It’s about differentiation.”

It’s not just about serious golfers either. A lot of indoor venues in the region are built around social use, where the golf is only part of the experience. Food, drinks, groups that might not have played before.

If someone who doesn’t play golf steps into a simulator, it can be a bit of a strange experience. Flat lies, perfect conditions, not much connection to what the game really feels like. Adding slope and movement makes it more intuitive, even if the player doesn’t realise why.

PLATFORM Golf

At the other end of the spectrum, it gives better players something closer to proper practice. Golf is opening up, but it still needs to keep its core.

“You’ve got all these new people coming into the game, which is great,” he says. “But you still need to give them a pathway to improve, and that’s where this kind of technology comes in.”

There’s also a coaching angle to it.

PLATFORM has started building out what it calls its Academy, a digital layer that connects coaches and players through the system. With names like Claude Harmon III involved, and with Harmon based in Dubai, there’s a clear link back into the Middle East.

The idea is that a coach doesn’t need to be in the same place as the player anymore. As long as both are using the same setup, the session can still be relevant.

It’s a different model, but one that fits where the game is heading, especially in regions that are investing heavily in golf infrastructure.

For now, though, the focus is still on getting the product into the right places. Yas Links is one of them. There will be more.

PLATFORM Golf is not trying to replace traditional golf. The aim is to make everything around it better, especially when being on the course isn’t always an option. In the Middle East, that’s not a small detail.

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“It’s just a different form of golf,” he said.

In the year lead-up to its inaugural season, the league has paid painstaking attention to the details. The hitting areas have real turf, tended to by superintendents from the elite clubs of the area. The sand is, too, and the synthetic is a custom blend specifically for TGL.

Even so, the differences win out. It’s 15 holes of screen golf, played inside a stadium, with music blaring and orange hammers being thrown throughout. It requires different shots for players to master.

And almost two months in, players say they’re finally starting to get the hang of it.

TGL Tip #1: Where you aim on the screen matters

The TGL screen is huge. So big that, unlike standard simulators, they can hit into their virtual reality from different angles. Players have options on which portion of the screen they can hit into.

And it takes some getting used to.

Tony Finau, who likes to hit left-to-right fades, says his tendency was to aim too much into the left side of the screen—like he would on the golf course. It was only after a fellow chat from fellow faders Morikawa and Theegala that he made an adjustment.

“I noticed for my fade it’s easy to hit it up the left side of the screen, and I felt like it wasn’t coming back,” he says. “I watched Collin and Sahith hitting, and I realized I needed to aim a little bit more right than I was comfortable with.”

Megan Briggs/TGL

TGL Tip #2: Hit chips harder than you think you should

As I wrote about after my first visit to TGL, the ball sits higher in the turf than it would on ordinary grass. It effectively means the ball is sitting on a little tee: It can shave spin off chip shots, which makes them hard to stop. And with less resistance from the ground, it prompted Finau to make another change on the advice of his teammates.

“When you’re hitting off turf you think the club is going to bounce, but it comes off pretty clean,” Finau says. “Out of the sand and around the greens, both my teammates were like, ‘never decelerate.’ Make sure you accelerate through the shot. It’s not really going to bounce, so you can go ahead and give it some speed.”

Megan Briggs/TGL

TGL Tip #3: Beware chunks out of extra fluffy bunkers

TGL’s bunkers force pros out of their comfort zone the most. The lack of foot traffic and moisture running through the bunkers means the sand never has a chance to get compacted. It stays extremely fluffy—almost like beach sand—which makes chunking shots a very real possibility.

TGL Tip #4: Breaks aren’t as severe on putts

Anytime you roll a ball on synthetic turf, the ball rolls along with less friction. It means the ball often rolls along faster than the same putt on a real green. It also makes the green less susceptible to slopes. “I compare it to like a new build of a new golf course. The green almost hasn’t settled,” Fitzpatrick explains.

Megan Briggs/TGL

“There’s a lot of subtleties. There’s less break. You can see it one way, but it might just go a little bit that way. It’s not outside the hole. You’ve under-read it.”

Finau agrees:

“I trusted them a lot with the reads, more than kind of what I was feeling and seeing just because I hadn’t played on the greens,” he says. “There were a few times I had a crucial putt to make, and I trusted that they had the read down, and I made it.”

Main Image: Megan Briggs/TGL

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TGL announced on Friday that the six-time PGA Tour winner has signed a one-match contract with Los Angeles Golf Club. The team needed a player because “LAGC’s Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood both have pre-existing commitments and are unavailable for Monday’s match.”

Finau will play in LAGC’s match alongside Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala against New York Golf Club on Feb. 24 at the SoFi Center.

“I’ve watched many of the TGL matches these past six weeks and I’m looking forward to getting a chance to be a part of it and compete. Team golf is always fun and exciting,” Finau said in a statement. “Collin, Sahith, Justin and Tommy are great guys that I respect and enjoy being around. I appreciate Los Angeles Golf Club calling me up for this match. I’m excited to get to SoFi Center. The place looks electric, and I can’t wait to see it all first-hand and practice with the team. Monday is going to be a fun night.”

LAGC is currently 2-0-1 after losing in overtime to Atlanta on Monday. The team is second place in the SoFi Cup standings with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs beginning next month.

TGL teams have four golfers with only three players teeing it up in any given match. However, two players being out caused a need for LAGC to find a replacement. And it would be tough to do better than Finau. The 26th-ranked player in the world is a three-time Presidents Cupper, a two-time Ryder Cupper, and he’s coming off a T-5 at the Genesis Invitational.

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“We looked at all the different [PGA] Tour events, and the majors have audience sizes that are really significant, but those are locked up by different financial services companies. So that wasn’t really an option,” said Noto, who has been SoFi’s CEO since 2018. “There weren’t a lot of other tournaments that were an option. And so we were looking for something that will allow us, beyond [sponsoring] players, to get involved.”

Undeterred, Noto enlisted CA Agency to explore various opportunities. One of them was a concept that at the time only existed on paper. A new sports technology company called TMRW Sports came forward with an idea for an indoor simulator-driven team golf league. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were founders along with former Golf Channel executive Mike McCarley. The PGA Tour was a co-sponsor.

As long as the new venture would include many of the tour’s top players and be featured in prime time to a national television audience, SoFi was in. And that’s how Noto pulled the trigger on SoFi’s sponsorship of TGL, which is coming off Monday’s three-match binge on Presidents Day followed by a fourth match on Tuesday. SoFi not only secured the naming rights to the specially designed stadium in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but also to the trophy, the SoFi Cup, that goes to the winning team at season’s end in March. While no financial terms have been disclosed, the sponsorship is believed to be valued at upwards of eight figures; SoFi spent $625 million over 30 years for the naming rights to SoFi Stadium, home of the NFL’s Rams and Chargers, in Los Angeles.

SoFi CEO Anthony Noto takes part in the SoFi Center Ribbon Cutting ceremony before the TGL’s inaugural match in January – Mike Ehrmann/TGL

Speaking a few weeks ago at Pebble Beach Golf Links after playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with Wyndham Clark, whom SoFi sponsors, Noto expressed approval for what he had seen so far. And feedback from SoFi’s member clients, many avid golfers, is equally positive.

“We’re really pleased. It’s exceeded our expectations on the audience,” Noto said of ratings on ESPN, which has hovered around one million households. “The enthusiasm from the players has been incredibly robust. There are things we’re going to have tweak to make sure it’s competitive every week like any other sports league would. But so far, it’s been really above expectations. We’re really happy with it.”

Noto, explaining the business logic to the investment, said TGL enables SoFi, “to kind of bridge the awareness gap from when football ends in January until the summer. … That would help elevate our brand and increase the credibility of SoFi and make it a household brand name.”

As for the TGL brand, Noto is bullish with Woods and McIlroy as the faces of the league and many well-known tour players participating. Interestingly, he had mentioned the possibility of tweaks to the format, perhaps foreshadowing the change that was announced last week to the use of the “Hammer,” the mechanism by which a team can double the stakes on a given hole from one point to two. Previously, one team controlled the Hammer until it used it, but if that team were leading, it could essentially play keep-away from the opposition. Starting with Monday’s matches, each team was granted three chances to press.

The final piece to the puzzle for Noto was testing the technology himself. He had a Full Swing simulator put in his home. Then once the SoFi Center was built, he felt even better about TGL’s prospects.

“We went there and did a mock game with Korn Ferry Tour pros, and instantly I knew it was going to be a hit because the adrenaline you have in playing TGL is consistent,” he said. “It doesn’t go up every four or five minutes when you have a shot, but you have to be paying attention every second of the match, and you’re focused on what the person in front of you is doing, what the person behind you will do based on your own swing. And so you’re engaged the entire time and the two hours flies by. It’s a different format, but it still requires them to play the game of golf with great skill.

“Our member base loves it. The golfers love it, [and] the audience. It’s been a huge success and really popular; people love that we’re doing it,” Noto added. “The audience is twice as big as we thought it would be. The fact that it’s doing two times whatever else they would do during those slots on ESPN and two times what we thought, that’s a home run and we’re just getting started.”

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In preparation for his debut Monday night with the Boston Common Golf Club, McIlroy visited the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, last Wednesday armed with two simulators and some curiosity about the technology that TGL employs. TGL uses 18 Full Swing radar devices combined with eight Top Tracer optical cameras to ensure that results accurately reflect the quality of the shots. He came away satisfied with the results.

“Yeah. So tech wise and numbers wise, look, I’ve had the same concerns, I guess, just from I hadn’t obviously played a match,” McIlroy said Tuesday at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where he is preparing for his first PGA Tour event of the season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. “I went in there on Wednesday, and I brought two other launch monitors with me. I brought my GCQuad, I brought my TrackMan. Obviously, hitting balls into the screen and every number was virtually identical. That put my concerns to bed, which was really good. I hit balls in there for 90 minutes.”

The information-gathering mission didn’t translate to success as he and teammates Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott lost to Woods’ Jupiter Links team in overtime.

TGL played for the first time on Monday night instead of Tuesday, and it allowed McIlroy, the No. 3 player in the world, time to get a decent night’s sleep—he lives five minutes from the SoFi Center—and then fly to the west coast for the $20 million signature event.

While McIlroy allowed that getting used to the simulator is going to take time for all players, it appears that executing shots from the greenside bunker is presenting it own challenges. TGL uses of type of granulated quartz called SP 55, which is a very fine sand that also fills the bunkers at Augusta National Golf Club. Its small granules are considered optimal for TGL because it doesn’t sit on the surface of the synthetic putting green after being blasted out. Apparently, conditions inside the arena are contributing to the difficulty, illustrated by Tom Kim’s struggles during Monday’s match when he left his first recovery attempt in the bunker on the final hole of regulation.

McIlroy explained the issue.

“In the arena as the night goes on and, say, the humidity drops in there, they have to water the sand quite a lot to keep the moisture in it to keep it … they only get to water it before the game is played, but once we get in there, it starts to dry up,” he said. “So the bunker shot I hit last night, yeah, it felt like my club was going through flour instead of going through sand.”

Just four weeks into its inaugural season, TGL finally offered a tight match. McIlroy said that there were bound to be some growing pains.

“Look, these are all the things that you learn on the fly. This is a startup; it’s four weeks old,” he said. “Yeah, we’ve had time to prepare and we’ve done everything we can, but it’s a learning process as we go along. I think each and every week it’s got a little better. I obviously think last night was the best one so far. Hopefully, we just keep improving as we go on.”

Main Image: Megan Briggs/TGL

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This week, Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links G.C. and Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf will square off in TGL’s first-ever Founders’ Derby (our words, not theirs). We assumed neither club would leave their biggest star off the roster for the anticipated match, and that has been confirmed, but now we know who they’ll being playing alongside. Check it out.

Woods and McIlroy will both tee off first for their respective teams. Each club will hope to put their first TGL point on the board, but against very different backdrops. Jupiter Links G.C. have already played their opening match, getting blown out by Los Angeles Golf Club 12-1. Boston Common Golf, meanwhile, are the last TGL team to make their debut, and will be hoping to conquer their opening-night jitters.

On paper, Boston Common Golf appear to have the edge. Both Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley enjoyed resurgences in 2024 and McIlroy, despite his many recent heartbreaks, is still the third-ranked player in the world. Woods and Kisner, meanwhile, struggled mightily during their first TGL match. If last fall’s Presidents Cup was any indication, Tom Kim might provide a useful spark, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Jupiter Links G.C. and Boston Common Golf square off Monday, January 25th at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Main Image: Brennan Asplen/TGL

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Why Five Iron Golf Dubai?

Five Iron Golf has quickly become a premier destination for golf lovers in Dubai, and now, with their revamped membership package, you can enjoy all of the benefits at a fraction of the cost. Here’s what makes the new membership so incredible:

1. 90 Minutes of Daily Simulator Time

As a member, you get 90 minutes of daily TrackMan simulator access. This cutting-edge technology ensures you can practice your swing, track your progress, and play famous courses from around the world, all from the comfort of an air-conditioned, high-tech simulator. Whether you’re refining your skills or just having fun, this benefit alone makes the membership worth it.

2. Exclusive Discounts on F&B, Lessons, Leagues, and More

Who doesn’t love a great deal? Members enjoy 20% off on food and beverages, lessons, leagues, darts, and simulator rentals during peak hours. Plus, you’ll receive 10% off hard and soft goods, so you can stock up on golf gear and accessories without breaking the bank. This is the perfect way to make the most of your time at Five Iron Golf, all while saving money.

3. Access to the Premium Members Lounge and Spa Discounts

One of the standout perks of the new membership is access to the premium members-only lounge, where you can unwind, network, and enjoy a free breakfast every morning. Additionally, members receive 20% off spa treatments at both the Westin and Le Meridien, so you can treat yourself after a long day on the course or after a session in the gym.

4. Complete Fitness and Wellness Facilities

As a member, you’ll have access to not just the golf simulators but also a fully-equipped gym, sauna, and locker room. Whether you want to work on your fitness or simply relax after a game, Five Iron Golf provides all the amenities to keep you at your best, both physically and mentally. Plus, the dedicated concierge service will take care of all the little details, from scheduling lessons to booking tee times, so you can focus on enjoying your time at the club.

5. Exclusive Member Events and Networking Opportunities

Five Iron Golf isn’t just about the game – it’s about building a community. As a member, you’ll be invited to exclusive members-only events and social gatherings, some of which may feature guest appearances from top players or coaches. This is a great opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, share tips and experiences, and maybe even make lasting friendships along the way.

Additional Perks You Won’t Want to Miss

• Free daily mini golf – A fun and relaxing way to unwind with friends or family.

• Bag storage – Keep your equipment safe and secure at the club, so you never have to worry about lugging it around.

• 25% off food and beverages across Mina Seyahi – Enjoy your time outside Five Iron Golf with discounts at top F&B venues across the area.

 

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Incredible Value at Just 899 AED/Month

All of these fantastic perks are now bundled into one membership package, available for just 899 AED per month. And for those who prefer to pay upfront, Five Iron Golf offers an additional 10% discount if you pay for the full year at once. This means you can enjoy all the exclusive benefits and access to world-class facilities for an entire year at an even better price.

Join the Five Iron Golf Community Today!

With so many fantastic benefits, there’s never been a better time to join Five Iron Golf Dubai. Whether you’re looking to perfect your swing, enjoy a luxurious lifestyle, or simply have fun with friends, this membership has something for everyone. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your golf game and experience the best of Dubai’s golfing community.

Ready to become a member? Head to the Five Iron Golf Dubai website or visit the club today to learn more and sign up. Your golfing journey awaits!

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Players for Week 2 of TGL. Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim both on the bench pic.twitter.com/GzrrgiCq3T

— Josh Carpenter (@JoshACarpenter) January 10, 2025

Interestinggggg. Woods will be paired with two fast-talking funny men who are more than comfortable yucking it up with the media. Unfortunately like Woods, Kisner, who was recently named NBC’s new lead golf analyst, hasn’t played a ton of golf over the past 12 months. Homa also had a bumpy 2025, with his last top ten coming at the Wells Fargo Championship in May. Tom Kim, the fourth member of Jupiter Links G.C., will sit for the team’s opening match.

Woods and co. face Los Angeles Golf Club, who will start 2013 U.S. Open champ Justin Rose, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and World No. 13 Sahith Theegala. Like Kim, Tommy Fleetwood will sit.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, though, it’s to never count Tiger Woods out.

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Appearing on ESPN Saturday during halftime of the NFL game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, McIlroy promised that TGL—played indoors on a simulator in a specially designed arena—will deliver something truly unique.

“The first thing I’d like people to know is that it’s golf reimagined. Sort of trying to take golf into the 21st century,” said McIlroy, who along with Woods and former Golf Channel CEO Mike McCarley created TGL through their TMRW Sports business venture. “We have teams. Obviously, we have a lot of technology involved, trying to bring [golf] into the digital era. A lot of things we’ve taken from other sports, like a shot clock, a timeout, which you don’t see in regular golf. Trying to appeal to that bigger sports audience out there.”

The league features six teams of four players from the PGA Tour, though only three men compete in each 15-hole match scheduled to fit in a two-hour broadcast window. The season features 15 matches followed by a four-team playoff that wraps up March 25. The winning team receives $9 million out of a total purse of $21 million.

All matches are contested at the SoFi Center, a 1,500-seat arena built on the campus of Palm Beach State College specifically for TGL and which features not only a monstrous five-story simulator screen, but also a synthetic green that sits on a turntable 41 yards in diameter and upon which slopes can be changed from hole to hole.

The lineups for the opener are set, as is the order of play. The Bay Golf Club is fielding Shane Lowry (who will hit the first shot in TGL history), Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Aberg. Min Woo Lee is sitting out. For New York Golf Club, Rickie Fowler leads off followed by Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele. Cameron Young rides the bench this time. This also sets the matchups for singles, with Lowry against Fowler on holes 10 and 13, Clark vs. Fitzpatrick (11 and 14) and Aberg vs. Schauffele (12 and 15) to provide a little Ryder Cup vibe.

The opening hole is a 380-yard par 4 called “The Plank.” The 15-hole course plays to a par of 60 with five par-5 holes, including the last, called “Quick Draw,” which could be set up as long as 720 yards. Two par-4 holes, the eighth and 11th, are particularly long and could be consequential, measuring 528 and 535 yards, respectively. Hole designs are unique and do not resemble any existing authentic holes in golf.

TGL’s Quick Draw hole

Here are five things to watch for when the curtain goes up:

The quality of the technology

The one-year delay after the original SoFi Center was damaged gave TGL a chance to further refine the simulator technology to ensure that there is a commensurate relationship between the quality of the shot and the result on the giant screen. TGL is employing 18 Full Swing radar devices combined with eight Top Tracer optical cameras, which seems like sufficient tech, but it still has to sell to the 1,500 spectators in attendance as well as the TV audience.

Golfers or entertainers?

Clark said at last month’s media day that TGL provides a chance for players to show their personalities, and undoubtedly a key component of the enterprise will be the willingness of players to step out of their comfort zones to play to the cameras and the crowd. But will they sustain their good humour as the match progresses to those final few holes? Or will they burrow into their golfer cocoons down the stretch? With a $9 million prize going to the season champion, they might not be in a hit-and-giggle mood for very long. That said, interaction among teammates discussing strategy could yield some interesting moments.

Wyndham Clark tries out the TGL technology during media day last month at the SoFi Center.

Clock management

This could be instructive for the game at large. A player will have 40 seconds to hit a shot or he will incur a one-stroke penalty. The 40-second limit is based on Rule 5.6 of the Rules of Golf—which is almost never enforced in pro golf but will be in TGL by the referee. A player can avoid a penalty by calling a timeout; each team gets four. Pace of play should be brisk given the clock and players not having to walk between shots. It will be fascinating to see how quickly the contestants adjust to the time limit and if it adversely affects their games. We’re betting it doesn’t. And we’re also hoping the PGA Tour, a partner in the enterprise, is paying attention.

Hammer time

It will be interesting to see if the two teams throw around the “Hammer,” essentially a press that doubles the value of a hole to two points, like it’s unwanted change in their pockets. Bay Club starts with the giant disc, and it can be tossed onto the field at any time as a hole is played. The team that is challenged can decline the Hammer, which concedes the hole, but that team then controls the next application of it. The Hammer can be used multiple times on a single hole.

“Over” time

If the match is tied after 15 holes, an overtime session will commence with a best two-out-of-three closest-to-the pin competition from 25-50 yards to decide the winner. But that’s not what we’re referring to here. We could see “over” time because all matches will go the regulation 15 holes, even if the outcome is decided. We’re wondering what the entertainment value is there if a match is closed out after 11-12 holes. Maybe it gets even more chippy, the shots riskier or more heroic. Or it could be flat. Gotta fill the two-hour TV window no matter what. We’re kind of eager to see what transpires if this happens.

Main Image: TGL

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