Smith: "Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TGL is doomed to fail"

Golf's latest venture - an indoor "high-tech league" launched by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy gets underway tomorrow night. 

The league - called TGL - will be run by TMRW Sports, the technology-focused sports company launched by the duo in August 2022.

I'm sure the first broadcast will be watched by millions out of sheer curiosity.

But beyond that, the future is unclear.

Will it be a success? That is the big question.

As McIlroy mentioned a few months ago, the proof will be in the pudding.

I'm going to stick my neck on the line now and predict that TGL will be a massive flop, despite the star names and tech involved.  

Here's why I think TGL is doomed to failure.

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Overestimating the appeal of virtual golf

Just like the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, TGL is designed to attract new and younger audiences to the sport.

But let's face it, this is just a bunch of golfers hitting a ball into a giant 64ft x 46ft screen.  

For shots of around 50 yards or less, players will switch from the simulator to hitting into an adaptable green that uses 189 jacks to change the slope of the putting surface.

Does this really sound exciting for someone that isn't interested in golf?

Impressive, sure, but exciting?!

Can you imagine something like this in another sport?

I'm not a fan of Formula One, but I certainly wouldn't watch Max Verstappen race against Lewis Hamilton in a simulator anytime soon.

I think the TGL concept alienates existing golf fans who like the purity of the sport and is likely to be a passing fad and a novelty that will quickly wear off for others.

Overestimating the appeal of team golf

Besides the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, does team golf really get the juices flowing?

Every other year the Ryder Cup is watched by millions around the globe, yet viewing figures are nothing compared to MLB, NBA and the NFL.

LIV Golf has already shown us that the team aspect has not really landed. 

Who in their right minds truly cares about the future of the RangeGoats or the transfer activity?

We are three years into LIV and still the most interesting aspect of the breakaway tour is wondering who will be the next player to take a bag full of cash.

Over reliance on star power

Tiger Woods is still golf's biggest needle mover, despite being 49 years old and on borrowed time.

But Woods won't be playing TGL every week and is quite likely to be rotated out of some matches because of injury.

Apart from Woods and McIlroy, TGL is not exactly filled with golfers that have a broad audience appeal.

I dread to think what the broadcast will look like when The Bay (Min Woo Lee, Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Aberg) take on New York (Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Rickie Fowler).

That could be a tough watch.

Potential for player burn out

Elite golfers play an exhausting schedule.

They juggle commitments with multiple tours and sponsors, appearing at events and playing in pro-ams, so it will be difficult to imagine the players involved in TGL will have it as their top priority.

Which is a problem.

If the players aren't all-in, then how can they expect the audience to care?

Player fatigue could diminish TGL rapidly.

I could be wrong.

In fact I hope I will be.

But I don't think TGL will be a success story come the end of 2025.

Do you agree or disagree?

Get in touch with the author on ben.smith@golfmagic.com