Golfing Video Games in Reality?! Horschel Discusses Major TGL Updates
Billy Horschel is confident that PGA Tour stars will have the opportunity to demonstrate “how skilled they are” with thrilling new modifications to TGL before the upcoming season, airing live on Sky Sports. Horschel is part of the defending champions Atlanta Drive GC in this technologically advanced team league, where PGA Tour professionals compete in a specially designed indoor setting that merges virtual and real-world golf.
The first season showcased a variety of virtual environments, ranging from links to canyons, deserts, and seaside holes which mimicked those typically found in conventional golf. However, this year’s tournament is set to feature a range of innovative and unconventional hole designs.
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Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, and Justin Thomas reflect on an exciting TGL final where they emerged as champions of the inaugural season.
Renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse has been enlisted to assist teams in developing new holes and stated that they will “step beyond our comfort zone,” which Horschel thinks could lead to the integration of video game-like golf into reality. “I can appreciate why we hesitated to go in that direction initially, but we’re doing that in season two, designing holes that might be somewhat unrealistic in terms of standard golf,” Horschel shared during the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
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Enjoy the funniest and most memorable moments from the first season of the TGL.
“There was a concern that TGL might be perceived merely as a high-tech golf league, where players seemed indifferent and the holes appeared gimmicky; we aimed to demonstrate that it still incorporates many of the principles and styles of golf we practice on real grass.
“We developed numerous traditional golf holes, yet we have also conceptualized some that will highlight our shot-making prowess, emphasizing our identities as players and showcasing our talents.”
Several newly designed holes have environments and features that deviate from the norms of traditional grass golf construction, featuring unconventional challenges and penalty areas, with more expected to be unveiled throughout the season. “You’ll see some very low shots, slices, high cuts, high draws, low draws, whatever it may be,” Horschel noted.
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Curious about how team golf functions in TGL? Let’s take a closer look…
“Some of these holes may not seem realistic in the actual game of golf, resembling more what you might find in a video game setting.” There will be a perfect balance between actual golf holes and some of these distinctive designs that will showcase our shot-making skills.”
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Highlights from the TGL final match where Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, and Patrick Cantlay’s Atlanta Drive GC triumphed over Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Cameron Young’s New York Golf Club.
Horschel: TGL Allows Players to ‘Express More Personality’Teams compete in 15 holes of golf during each match, consisting of nine holes of triples – with three players against three in alternate shots – and six holes of one-on-one singles golf, with the top four teams at the end of the season advancing to the playoffs. Additional modifications for the 2026 season encompass a larger putting green featuring varied slopes, repositioned larger bunkers, more hole placements, larger hitting areas, and enhanced camera towers.
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Discover how one plays a hole in TGL and what distinguishes it from traditional golf.
Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Xander Schauffele are among the competitors in this made-for-TV event, and Horschel is eager for the second season to commence. “I had a lot of enjoyment last year, which I believe was evident,” Horschel confessed. “There’s a genuine curiosity about the TGL experience, from players and fans alike.”Whenever I meet someone unexpectedly, they inquire about TGL. So clearly, post-first season, there’s a strong following and a lot of enthusiasm, and I think – like many players and fans – we can’t wait for season two to begin.
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Get a glimpse of how the TGL golf courses are composed, before the new season starts on Sky Sports.
“(Fans enjoy) seeing the players as they are away from the traditional golf course. There’s an atmosphere where we can be ourselves. We can embody our true selves regularly. We can have fun, but concurrently, we are fiercely competitive athletes – losing is not an option for us.” Naturally, we experience loss quite often in golf, but we despise it. Nobody wants to lose to their friends, leaving them open to teasing in the future.”I believe TGL has effectively showcased who we are as individuals and players outside of golf, allowing us to lower our defenses a bit and share a deeper side of our personalities.” Tune into the full Billy Horschel interview on the latest episode of the Sky Sports Golf podcast, hosted weekly by Jamie Weir. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Spreaker, while vodcast editions are available on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.
Published: 2025-12-26 07:00:00
source: www.skysports.com
