What’s New in the Second Season of TGL?

The second TGL season officially begins Sunday with a highly anticipated rematch of last year`s SoFi Cup finals. Atlanta Drive GC, which secured the inaugural title after two nail-biting, one-point matches, will face off against New York Golf Club.

While the six team rosters remain largely the same as the debut season, the league will temporarily proceed without two high-profile competitors. 15-time major champion Tiger Woods and two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas are currently recovering from back surgeries and will not compete at the start of the season.

Woods, who celebrates his 50th birthday on December 30, is expected to be present at Jupiter Links GC matches, where he will wear a microphone and interact with both teammates and rivals. All TGL matches will be broadcast across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+.

Last season proved challenging for two teams: Jupiter Links GC and Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf. These two franchises combined to win only one out of ten matches, failing to qualify for the playoffs.

“I think all of us are ready to not suck anymore,” said Tom Kim, a member of Jupiter Links GC. “We`re ready to win, especially for a guy [Tiger Woods] who`s not used to losing as much. And he`s on our butts to get into the playoffs.”

The six-team league, which kicks off Sunday and concludes its regular season on March 3, is introducing several significant technological and course design enhancements for its second run.

Larger GreenZone Putting Surface

The biggest technological upgrade is the expanded and improved GreenZone putting surface. According to TGL, the surface has been increased by 38%, growing from 3,800 square feet to 5,270 square feet. This expansion allows for 12 potential hole locations, a notable increase from the previous seven.

The topography of the green will continue to be controlled by 608 actuators, which morph the surface shape. Additionally, the two full-swing virtual greens beneath the turf have also been enlarged to 1,250 square feet.

“Obviously, the green is almost double the size,” noted 2023 U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark, representing The Bay Golf Club. “I’ve heard that it’ll be easier to read and a little more consistent, which I think is awesome for any of us, but especially guys that pride themselves on being good putters.”

To improve consistency and viewership, several design tweaks were implemented. The large central knoll on the upper tier was lowered by about 1½ feet to give in-arena fans a better view. A small bunker was also removed to maximize putting area, while the remaining two bunkers were enlarged and given riveted edges.

Crucially, the turf grain has been standardized to run down toward the middle, eliminating the tricky into-the-grain shots that perplexed players in the first season. This change means long iron shots on par-5 holes are now more likely to bounce and roll toward the target.

“Now, every chip’s down grain, which I think will create more excitement for the viewership, because we’ll be able to do anything we want with a golf ball,” Clark added.

Signature Holes for Every Team

TGL is introducing several new holes developed by golf course architects including Gil Hanse, Beau Welling Design, Pizá Golf, and Nicklaus Design. Six of these have been updated to serve as signature holes for each of the competing teams.

For instance, The Bay Golf Club’s signature hole, the `Bay Breaker,` is inspired by the San Francisco area, featuring towering redwoods, fog, and distant views of Alcatraz and the city skyline. This course design was influenced by famous Bay Area tracks like Pebble Beach, TPC Harding Park, and Lincoln Park.

Andrew Macaulay, Chief Technology Officer at TMRW Sports, explained the strategic advantage: “Every team has their own hole, and, of course, any given match between two teams, those two holes will be played. It’s an advantage for the team because they get to play their hole every single match, whereas their opponent, during the regular season, only gets to play it when they’re playing against The Bay, for example.”

Among the general new additions is Hanse`s first TGL par-5, `Stone & Steeple.` This hole features Sahara-style cross bunkers and a stone wall separating the playing area from a graveyard next to a New England-style church. The TGL description warns players must be accurate, as shots hit too far left are “not long for this world.”

Another new par-4, dubbed `Stinger,` encourages golfers to execute Tiger Woods` signature low-flight shot off the tee. A natural rock formation rewards those skillful enough to keep the shot low (no higher than 50 feet), granting a boost of extra roll past 260 yards into optimal position.

As Atlanta Drive GC member Billy Horschel put it: “We can still have the traditional holes, but we can have some holes that you would see in a video game. Because in some sort [of way], this is a video game that we’re playing. We’re playing a high-tech video game in a sense.”

New Graphics and Broadcast Technology

TGL is significantly upgrading its broadcast presentation with new shot comparison graphics powered by Virtual Eye technology, which tracks every shot on fairways and greens. This includes “data-rich, augmented-reality graphics overlaid on the green [that] will also illustrate shot quality at pivotal moments by comparing to team averages and the best approach ever on that hole.”

The league confirmed that “live shot tracing will track balls in flight before they hit TGL’s massive screen, the largest simulator in all of golf.”

The SoFi Center facility now features 79 cameras to capture every angle. This includes the return of the award-winning SmartPin Cam, which offers 360-degree views from the perspective of the pin flag, alongside new camera angles such as a reverse shot from the fairway back to the tee and a hovering perspective above the green.

Who is on Which Team?

2025-26 Season Schedule

Regular Season

• Sunday, Dec. 28: New York Golf Club vs. Atlanta Drive GC, ABC/ESPN+
• Friday, Jan. 2: Boston Common Golf vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, ESPN2/ESPN+
• Tuesday, Jan. 6: The Bay Golf Club vs. Atlanta Drive GC, ESPN/ESPN+
• Tuesday, Jan. 13: Jupiter Links GC vs. New York Golf Club, ESPN/ESPN+
• Tuesday, Jan. 20: Jupiter Links GC vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, ESPN/ESPN+
• Monday, Jan. 26: Boston Common Golf vs. The Bay Golf Club, ESPN2/ESPN+
• Monday, Feb. 2: Atlanta Drive GC vs. Jupiter Links GC, ESPN/ESPN+
• Monday, Feb. 9: The Bay Golf Club vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, ESPN2/ESPN+
• Monday, Feb. 23: Atlanta Drive GC vs. Boston Common Golf, ESPN/ESPN+
• Monday, Feb. 23: Los Angeles Golf Club vs. Atlanta Drive GC, ESPN2/ESPN+
• Tuesday, Feb. 24: New York Golf Club vs. The Bay Golf Club, ESPN/ESPN+
• Tuesday, Feb. 24: Boston Common Golf vs. New York Golf Club, ESPN/ESPN+
• Sunday, March 1: Jupiter Links GC vs. Boston Common Golf, ESPN/ESPN+
• Monday, March 2: Los Angeles Golf Club vs. New York Golf Club, ESPN2/ESPN+
• Tuesday, March 3: The Bay Golf Club vs. Jupiter Links GC, ESPN/ESPN+

SoFi Cup Playoffs

• March 17: Semifinals Match 1, ESPN
• March 17: Semifinals Match 2, ESPN

Finals Series

• Match 1: Monday, March 23, ESPN2
• Match 2: Tuesday, March 24, ESPN
• Match 3 (if necessary): Tuesday, March 24, ESPN