Shane Lowry prepares to hit a shot in TGL’s debut match with the shot clocks looming in entrance of him.
Mike Ehrmann/TGL/TGL Golf through Getty Photos
The second-ever TGL match is about to start Tuesday night time, January 14, at SoFi Middle, with Tiger Woods taking middle stage for the primary time along with his Jupiter Hyperlinks Golf Membership. And for the second week in a row, TGL’s hottest innovation shall be on show. We’re speaking, in fact, about the shot clock.
However what precisely is TGL’s shot clock, and the way does it work? Right here’s every little thing it’s good to find out about the distinctive twist on golf’s pace-of-play guidelines.
How the shot clock works in TGL
Whereas creating the brand new indoor league from nothing, TGL’s mind belief, which incorporates Woods and Rory McIlroy, needed to determine which elements of the standard recreation of golf to maintain, and which of them to kick to the curb.
One of many complaints about professional golf is round sluggish play, and the league knew it wanted to maintain the motion going shortly to maintain viewers engaged. However what if they might not solely maintain the tempo quick, but in addition entertain spectators within the course of?
In TGL’s debut, this good guidelines twist made the entire thing work
Enter the shot clock.
When you watch a TGL match or have a look at the picture on the prime of this web page, you’ll see two massive shot clocks on the principle video board in clear view for each gamers and followers. Further digital shot clocks are positioned in different elements of SoFi Middle.
The shot clock begins at 40 seconds, which suggests gamers have 40 seconds to hit every shot. That, thoughts you, is identical period of time professionals are allotted to hit pictures on the PGA Tour. Nonetheless, with out shot clocks on Tour programs, gamers usually go far over their allotted 40 seconds in Tour occasions, usually with out being penalized.
Not so with the TGL. The TGL shot clocks permit everybody to maintain observe of the tempo of play. As well as, as soon as the shot clock reaches 15 seconds, the sound of a heartbeat performs out loud throughout the sector for every further second that ticks down, including further stress to the gamers and additional enjoyable for the followers.
It additionally permits for elevated fan reactions. A number of instances in TGL’s debut match, followers began chiding gamers when the shot clock began winding all the way down to zero, one other factor you received’t see at Tour occasions.
It’s unlikely we’ll see shot clocks make their method to golf’s main excursions anytime quickly, however you possibly can see them in motion once more Tuesday night time within the TGL’s second match, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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