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Let the games begin!PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL This is all very cool. There's no doubt TGL has a bunch of questions to answer, but the concept is different, and we all know professional golf can use a positive media boost. I'll be inside the SoFi Center tonight to witness Match 1. What do I expect? I envision being blown away by the SoFi Center technology. I think the pace of play will be a lot faster than people think and I firmly believe this will be a wonderful opportunity for wagering to take center stage. Will all of this happen the first week, no. But here's what will happen with the delivery of our first TGL betting narrative. From now until the SoFi Cup Finals on March 24-25, you will receive a match preview. Most weeks there is just one match between two of the six teams. Each preview will contain the starting lineups, course layout, and betting card. I've mentioned this already, but I'm going start conservatively on the cards. This is a brand-new venture and there will be bugs. If you're a tournament player like me, the first question might cover the rules. We get wild rulings on the course every week, but what happens when there are glitches from the simulator? If you're a rules nut and need to know, read this ARTICLE. I followed up with TGL to see a full set of competition rules and they will be available just prior to Match 1; good timing! Golf competitions get complicated very quickly, so I strongly suggest you watch with an open mind tonight. This will be different than what you are used to. It is supposed to be and thank God because who could sit through another one of those made for TV matches. Match 1 starts in...The format, course, and starting lineupsOur newsletter is meant to be a preview. Some narratives are longer than others, but I do not want to go overboard on explaining the TGL or the format. They have done an exceptional job of creating a plethora of easily digestible content (βTGL EXPLAINEDβ). Here's a quick summary:
TGL is also going to have shot clocks, referees, the hammer bet, and hopefully tons of trash talk! Yes, players will be mic'ed up for this. Who starts with the HAMMER in Match 1? The Bay Golf Club Each match has two hours of scheduled TV time. I think these matches are going to move and that's the best news ever. Made for TV matches can be brutally slow. Players won't need to walk and hit their ball. Proximity will push the production and keep it fresh. The first scorecard was released on Friday, and it looks like the graphic below. Fifteen holes stretching 6,418 yards. That's probably pretty close to the course you play at home, except that is 18 HOLES! The average par 3 is 187 yards, par 4 476 yards, and par 5 621 yards. This week's card is composed of five par 3s, five par 4s, and five par 5s. A full explanation of each hole, design inspiration and keys to playing can be found on the TGL course page. We will look for layout edges each week, but the strategy folks at TGL have done their job for the most part. There's a par 3, 4, and 5 in each three-hole run. Breaking down who will win the betting segments (available onβ Fanduel β) will require more advanced research. Unlike a normal week, we can skip the weather report and most of the remaining outside influences. The crowd should play a role, but I will determine that tonight on-site. Until then, I'll hold my perspective on that aspect of the competition. Seven of the 15 holes are over 500 yards long and a par three over 230. We'll get more into the betting leans in the next section, but that's long. Ball speed is a benefit on this layout. Which is the fastest team? Well let's first look at the starting lineups:
Four of the six players just played in Hawaii at The Sentry. There's no doubt these guys are going to rack up some serious miles as the TOUR spends a majority of its time on the west coast and the DP World Tour is over in Dubai. These are the two youngest teams in the TGL, and they have 36 professional wins and five major championships between them. The order of play is important as it not only dictates the alternate shot sequence, but the singles matchups as well. 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry will hit the opening tee shot tonight. He's followed by Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Γ berg. The NYGC will start with Rickie Fowler, then Matt Fitzpatrick, and close with two-time 2024 major winner Xander Schauffele. Handicappers love to go deep on alternate shot predictions, but I'm going to watch one week and get a feel for the format before I predict the future. After all, when is the last time you played or watched a three-man alternate shot contest? The singles should show some edges, and it will be interesting which direction teams lean. Do you favor the order more for Triples or H2Hs? That's just another reason why we are covering the brand-new betting tour in the SoFi Center. There will be edges once my PGA eyes get a chance to check this out. As we expand our coverage week after week, pay attention for live betting posts during the competition. That's right, at RTL we love being in the middle of the action and most of helping you become a better "TGL" bettor! Betting breakdownHandicapping the New York GC versus the The Bay GC for a simulator match is unfamiliar territory. I give TGL a ton of credit, they built something completely new. Relying on player data from PGA TOUR competitions might be incorrect. That's why I am partnering with the TGL and getting a direct data feed from their software. TGL has agreed to provide me with their APIs during/after every match. This is a huge edge that other previews will not have access to. Combine that with on-site access and RTL is leading the TGL betting charge. I spoke with several players who tested the simulator software over the past six months. These were Korn Ferry Tour players who worked with the development team. The process to build out this competition was extensive. As such, I think we will see some entertaining golf played at a very fast rate. The first two holes start out with some serious decision making. This is what we want to see. Challenge these guys with shots they have never seen before. Make them face regret for their strategy like we feel. There have been many critics of the course/hole architecture stating it should be even more creative. I think this is nice bridge to start. Let's get one season under our belt before we really openly criticize these guys. Breaking down the triples, I see three areas where teams can separate from their opponents. The first is length. You don't have to worry about the ball rollback in the TGL universe. These guys will absolutely let loose with driver and getting closer on approach will be key. Overall T2G ball striking will be vital as when you see most of these holes, you won't believe the landing areas. I'm all for testing these guys and with the level of accuracy needed length and pinpoint control rule out. I'd place putting next on my priority chart. Good putters utilizing the same surface will make putts. Yes, I know they can manipulate it, but putting requires speed control along with green reading. Good/great putters do both well and match play contests always provide an edge to the flatstick aficionados. A large majority of these green complexes were built as a raised surface. The design of the green zone gives us the impression it will repel offline approaches. That means short game skill will be important. Most think it will be easy to hit GIRs with no wind and a perfect lie. It will help, but it won't calm their performance anxiety. Guys are going to miss shots and when they do, you better be able to convert. Comparing these two teams, TBGC has a decided advantage in driving distance and approach. Neither team is very strong around the green, and NYGC is a much better putting team on average. TBGC also has a birdie edge. They are stronger on par 4s and 5s and hit more GIRs. Team ball striking gives TBGC and edge in the long term. The more Triples holes they play, the more I like their chances of winning. For the H2H matchups, take a look below.
Fanduel was announced today as the official betting operator of the TGL. Although all of these betting options are not available at this moment, I am told there will be plenty of "live" options once the competition starts. Keep an eye on those boards and the RTL social handles. Depending on the media viewing situation, I will post as much in-game information as I can to create an edge for our community. These previews will run much quicker in the coming weeks since we won't have to explain as many aspects of the format and match play competition. I'll stick to the basics and will continue to deliver the best edge in on-site golf betting. Match 1 Card
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