Nicklaus Design is one of three companies that have designed the 30 holes for TGL, the interactive golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
The Palm Beach Gardens-based Nicklaus Design is joined by Beau Welling Design and Pizá Golf to create the custom holes for the mix of virtual and real-world golf for the league owned by TMRW Sports Group.
TGL debuts Jan. 7 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens.
The three design groups, who worked in collaboration with TGL and its technology partner, Full Swing, each brought their own blend of creativity, tradition and innovation. TGL will incorporate those 30 holes into each 15-hole match. The league will consist of six teams, each comprised of four PGA Tour stars.
The holes are inspired by different authentic landscapes such as links, canyons, coastal, desert and tropical – without the constraints of traditional golf course design. Some are realistic, others only possible in a virtual world.
Scott Armstrong, TGL’s vice president of competitions and technology, said the holes “capture the nature of this league as we push the boundaries of what is possible when fusing technology and live action, while remaining authentic and fun.”
A look at six of the 30 holes
TGL released the layout of six holes on Thursday:
Quick Draw: A par-5 that can be played 720 yards with a safe tee shot around a canyon, or 538 yards if teams want to attempt to hit a plateau about 300 yard from the tee box.
Craic On: A 175-yard par-3 with hills and hollows of a traditional links-style hole.
Bluebonnet: A par-4 that can be played 450 or 343 yards depending on how much a golfer wants to challenge a canyon.
Cliffhanger: A 251-yard par-3 over an ocean cove to a green set back in the rocks and cypress trees of the Northern California coastline.
The Plank: A 380-yard par-4 that forces teams to navigate an uphill hole with tricky diagonal bunkering.
Serpent: A 603-yard par-5 that snakes its way from tee to green, with penalty areas squeezing both sides the entire length of the hole.
More:Rosters, logos for all six teams in TGL
Golfers will hit their tee shots off a platform into a giant screen 35 yards away. Approach shots will be hit from an area 21 yards from the screen. That forward platform is used once the ball is 140 yards from the green on the simulator.
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Each team will play alternate shot. While one team is hitting, the three members of the other team will gather around a simulator or “digital caddie” to look at distance, hazards, slopes and any other features to plan the next shot. Players will be mic’d up for those conversations.
Every shot will be tracked by eight sensors attached to four poles, two on either side of the screen.
Teams will compete in 15-hole, two-hour matches consisting of three players during the regular season. The primetime matches will be televised by ESPN.
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
