TGL’s Whimsical Wonder: A Splendid Spark That May Dim Over Time

The sport of golf currently finds itself in a significantly divided state regarding entertainment.

Allow me to clarify that I genuinely have a passion for golf. I enjoy playing golf, I appreciate watching golf, and I am fond of golf-related content in general.

However, being a supporter of golf and viewing it has become increasingly challenging.

I mention all of this to highlight that the launch of TGL last week was incredibly thrilling for someone like myself. TGL essentially serves as simulator golf featuring the most prominent figures in the sport participating, equipped with microphones and providing entertainment (even if they are golfers).

Tuesday night showcased the latest episode of TGL, and the Los Angeles Golf Club (my preferred team, no big deal) utterly dominated Jupiter Links. Statements like that still seem somewhat absurd to write, but since the league is in its infancy, we have to adapt to some of this.

As an enthusiastic golf fan, I observed every moment and found it enjoyable, yet I would be dishonest if I claimed that the sports fan within me was not also monitoring Florida being challenged by Mizzou simultaneously. SEC basketball holds significant importance, and anticipating TGL to become must-watch programming immediately is a lofty goal, but part of the reason I was tuned into the Gators and Tigers was that TGL’s excitement was beginning to wane.

It is exceedingly obvious that a tremendous amount of financial resources, timing, and endeavor has been invested into TGL with the hope of its success. I wouldn’t wager against that occurring long-term. Clearly, I am cheering for it.

But even after only two weeks, we have now clearly realized, as if we didn’t already know, that each two-hour event cannot merely consist of professional golfers teasing one another. We understand that we aren’t going to witness incredible golf shots, given that this is a simulator league… and that’s perfectly fine! It’s enjoyable! We also don’t require the dialogues between the players to be captivating. However, something, anything, must serve as the engaging element for this new league, or it risks facing the same destiny that has befallen each version of The Match.

I’m not going to pretend that I know the precise solution, but I will state that I make a concerted effort to consume an extensive amount of golf content on television, social media, YouTube… and so forth. Even as someone like that, I still require something to capture my undivided attention against an SEC basketball game on a Tuesday night.

The initial astonishment, excitement, fun, and overall “this is awesome” aspect is diminishing just a tad.

We require more.