I have seen one (1) iteration of Tomorrow's Golf League, the first one, and it was enough to get the idea: golfers whack away at a monster screen, their digital balls traverse digital flight paths on digital golf courses before digitally landing on digital greens.

The denouement then takes place around a 'real' green that's made of synthetic something-or-other, and which rotates into several configurations. There are also bunkers, three sorts of playing surface and, in terms of play, that's about it.

There is something about a hammer, and throwing in the hammer, if you want to, say, double-down, or something. And then it's up to the team or player being challenged by the hammer to accept the hammer and, well, sorry Rors, I could not give a flying proverbial, or even two.

Because: what is the actual point of all this? 

Why do it?

Each week the TGL gathers several of the world's best and wealthiest golfers in a tech-infused warehouse-come-stadium-of-sorts in Florida where they wear the same coloured shirts and pants, and gibber to one another while miked up.

There's also a referee floating about, the same guy each week, I didn't see him do anything in the first session, maybe he's been involved in Great Controversy since. But it would've made the news if it was news, by which one means if anyone cared.

Now, look, maybe the kids are getting around so many indoor leagues in Jupiter Links polo shirts and Boston Common hats. But even if so, the TGL, for mine, appears to be a great big waste of time and money. There'd be more point to another war in Afghanistan. There'd be more point collecting digital Pokémon cards. Perhaps more given it gets the kids out of the house.

TGL doesn't get out of the SoFi Center. And say what you will about LIV Golf - and as all the gods and the Great Golden Bear knows, nigh on everyone has - but at least it's played on actual golf courses, in the actual outdoors, with actual wind and actual sunshine. At least it's played in actual air.

This TGL thing, for mine, is, what's that word ... it's stupid. I think it's pointless. I think it is what it is: top players whacking balls at a screen for no discernible reason at all.

Now, I could research it of course but I choose not to because I don't care what the TGL teams are playing for, one assumes a lot of money. So, as Eddie Murphy would tell you, now they have three hundred million and 70 dollars.


One further assumes, while one is in an assumptive mood, that the 'threat' of LIV Golf was what sparked TGL into being.

But my - if they were so worried about LIV owning the teams concept, or teams golf proving very popular, maybe they could've played teams golf on actual golf courses on the actual PGA Tour. They could've played this TGL thing on the Tuesday before each tourney, at that week's tournament venue. Call it Tuesday's Golf League: Because Tomorrow Never Comes. 

Or something I dunno. I'm not going to workshop it, suffice to say they should've come with up with another idea, which was this: don't do it at all! Maybe gather in some thinkers, flesh it out, put bullet points on a whiteboard, and decide that, No, we won't be doing that. Because that would be stupid. Because it would be boring, and dumb.

Look, Tiger Woods is in the conversation with Jack Nicklaus for greatest golfer there has ever been. And Rory McIlroy sits with Sam Snead, Lee Trevino, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and the other gods in the pantheon, among the greatest there's ever been.

But how Tiger and Rors were able to convince the people who once owned all the money that they should create this Fantasia on Ice, it's like ... all you can think is that their star power shone into the eyes of so many private equiteers, and they nodded along, helpless, Yes, Tiger, whatever you say.

Tommy Fleetwood whacking away into the digital ether of Tomorrow's Golf League. PHOTO: Getty Images

Maybe it looked good in Powerpoint. Maybe it spreadsheeted up a treat. Maybe it polled well among the 18-24 demographic. Maybe the corporates had too much money, and fancied drinking beer in Florida while watching simulator golf.

Maybe it was just all the noise about LIV Golf, and such was the greater fear about its intrusion on the established tours' global hegemony - finely articulated by our own John Huggan in his column here - that it was rushed into existence, during golf's Covid-spike of popularity, as an opportunity begat of crisis.   

Or maybe they actually did think, and continue to think, that TGL is a cool and fun idea whose time has come because it appeals to the many people who enjoy simulated golf over the actual, outdoor version. 

Hell, maybe it's me.