ARCHITECT HANSE JOINS TGL PRESENTED BY SOFI DESIGN TEAM FOR SEASON 2

The holes are purpose-built for TGL’s fast-paced, team match play format and are designed specifically to force risk-reward decisions, heighten scoring volatility, challenge TGL’s six teams and amplify in-venue and broadcast energy for fans.

“Adding Gil Hanse — widely regarded as a standard-bearer in modern golf architecture — will bring fresh ideas to our collection of hole designs,” said Scott Armstrong, Vice President, Competition Technology and Operations for TGL presented by SoFi. 

“Based on feedback from our players and analysis of hole data, our Season 2 catalog will again challenge teams to be strategic, force shot-making and to bring more of the memorable match-changing moments that highlight TGL.”

“Starting with a relatively blank slate for TGL has been liberating. Designing holes for TGL has given us an opportunity to step out of our comfort zone and step into other aspects of golf course design in the virtual world,” said Hanse. “On a few of our TGL holes, we decided to honor the concepts, thoughts, and styles of some of the greatest designers from golf history like A. W. Tillinghast, Allistair MacKenzie, Donald Ross, etc. 

“It will be gratifying to see virtual representations of those concepts and theories broadcast, not only on television, but on this huge screen as our designs challenge the best players in the world.”

First Hanse-Designed Hole: Stone & Steeple

• Par 5 that tips out at 590 yards.
• Tee shots will navigate Sahara-type fairway bunkers similar to those Hanse used in his restoration of Baltusrol Golf Club’s Lower Course. Approach shots must carry large fairway bunkers to a green fully guarded on the left by a rock wall, which is marked as a penalty area.
• This New England-based design features a church steeple and graveyard left of a rock wall — reminding players that anything too far left is ‘dead.’
• An interview with Hanse about Stone & Steeple and his involvement with TGL can be found on com.
• Images and flyover of Stone & Steeple can be found on TGL’s Media Hub (login required).

Season 2 Catalog to Include New and Updated Hole Designs

• Hanse joins Beau Welling Design, Pizá Golf and Nicklaus Design as TGL’s design groups that work with Full Swing to create TGL’s catalog of holes.
• Season 2’s Catalog will include brand new hole designs as well as returning holes like Quick Draw, Temple, Pick Yer Plunder, The Spear, Alpine, The Plank and Flex, many of which have been updated based on analytics and player feedback to continue to bring excitement and drama.

• Holes will continue to mix authentic links, canyon, desert and coastal environments, while also introducing new and less common backdrops and locations — free from the constraints of green grass golf course construction.
• More new holes will be released in the coming weeks.

Hole design updates previously announced, include:

• Team Holes – New for Season 2, six holes have been updated to serve as official Team Holes for each of the teams. These holes will have a new look with localized backdrops and terrain.
• TGL and Full Swing upgraded the game engine software to Unity 6, which leverages the engine’s High DefinitionRender Pipeline (HDRP) to deliver more realistic and immersive virtual golf environments.

Season 2 tees off with TGL’s broadcast network debut on Sunday, Dec. 28 (3 p.m., ET on ABC) with a Finals rematch between defending champion Atlanta Drive GC and New York Golf Club. 

Additional early-season matchups include Boston Common Golf vs. Los Angeles Golf Club on Friday, Jan. 2 (7 p.m., ET on ESPN2), The Bay Golf Club vs. Atlanta Drive GC on Tuesday, Jan. 6 (5 p.m., ET on ESPN) and Jupiter Links GC vs. New York Golf Club on Tuesday, Jan. 13 (7 p.m., ET on ESPN). 

TGL’s full schedule and ticket information is available at TGLGolf.com.