SoFi Center is state-of-the-art home of TGL golf league. What to know before its debut

Posted by Admin January 5, 2025 Golf

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When the TGL makes its debut as the new, hot golf league in town, the biggest star won’t be Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg or Rickie Fowler. It won’t even be league founders Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy.

The big draw will be the SoFi Center, the high-tech home of the revolutionary indoor golf league in Palm Beach County, Florida. The facility holds a supersized version of a golf simulator screen on top of a massive morphing green for a one-of-a-kind experience in the sport, nestled into one of its hotbeds.

Getting the arena ready to go was no easy task, especially after the first version was taken out by an act of nature just over a year ago. If you want an inside look, you can apply to be a “seat filler” for Monday’s dress rehearsal, but Tuesday’s league premiere is sold out.

Watch TGL live on Fubo

Here’s what to know about the TGL arena, including its specs and what’s inside it, as well as TV and streaming info for the debut match:

What is TGL golf?

TGL is a new interactive golf league founded by stars Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, as well as Mike McCarley, CEO of TMRW Sports Group, which owns the league. It features teams of PGA Tour golfers (yes, Tiger and Rory included) that will compete in prime-time matches from January through March.

Where is SoFi Center?

The SoFi Center is on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, about 70 miles north of Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. The arena sits off RCA Boulevard south of the Burt Reynolds Student Center.

The area was a perfect fit for the league because Palm Beach County is “where the vast majority of the players live,” McCarley said.

How big is TGL SoFi Center?

The SoFi Center is nearly 250,000 square feet. Its simulator screen is 64 by 53 feet, and the rotating green sits on a turntable 41 yards wide. It seats a capacity of 1,500 fans.

When was TGL SoFi Center built?

The SoFi Center isn’t the original planned home of TGL. It was supposed to live in an inflatable dome that collapsed when powerful storms moved through the area in November 2023, less than 2 months before the league was supposed to tee off. The launch was pushed back a year, and the current steel version of the arena was built.

“I think it was a blessing in disguise,” Woods said. “We were rushing to get it ready. I don’t think we had all the components we have now, and we certainly didn’t have the technology we’re able to have now. It worked out for the best for us as players, for the fans, and I think for everyone watching.

How does TGL work?

TGL is a mix of simulator and traditional golf. Players tee off from a platform into a 64-by-53-foot screen. That’s roughly the size of an IMAX screen (50×72). The league will feature 30 different hole layouts, and there will be fairway, rough and sand surfaces to hit from depending on where the shot lands on the screen. The sand is the same found at Augusta National, home of the Masters.

When the ball lands about 50 yards away from the pin, players will transition to the “Green Zone,” a 3,800-square-foot green that can be adjusted for variety on each hole. There are about 600 actuators under the green that will adjust the slope and layout of the green depending on the hole, as well as sand traps.

Where to watch TGL golf: Time, TV schedule, streaming info

Who: New York Golf Club vs. The Bay Golf Club
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live streaming: ESPN+ | Fubo

Watch TGL live on ESPN+

Palm Beach Post staff reports contributed to this story.

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