Five Knee-Jerk Takeaways From Boston Common Golf’s Thrilling TGL Debut

Nobody is getting fitted for championship jackets just yet, but Boston Common Golf certainly is in the red after its TGL debut.

Boston Common and Jupiter Links Golf Club produced the best match of the four-week TGL season at SoFi Center on Monday night, a 4-3 overtime victory for Tiger Woods’ side. While Boston Common fell to 0-1 on the season, the product far outweighed the result.

Here are five takeaways from Boston Common Golf’s debut:

Combination of energy and entertainment
The energy felt authentic and the entertainment followed. TGL founding fathers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, facing each other for the first time, clearly cared. No snapshot proved that more than when Boston Common threw “The Hammer” — a flag that turns the hole from one point to two points. Boston Common trailed Jupiter Links 3-2 on the 13th hole when McIlroy sunk a 9-footer and threw the hammer as Tiger approached his 8-foot putt. Denying the hammer would’ve conceded the game-tying point so Tiger did exactly what you’d expect. He drilled his putt and spiked the golf ball in celebration. There were plenty of light-hearted chirps and trash talk — like when Boston tried to misdirect Woods to the flag — but the main thing was golf fans saw two of the biggest names and fiercest competitors in the game go head-to-head. Also, it’s important to note while there’s still room for improvement from a technology standpoint, TGL certainly isn’t just hitting it hard at a typical simulator. The duffed sand shot by Tom Kim on the 15th hole and near hole-outs showcased how much play around the green matters. And that’s not something you find anywhere else.

Let’s give it up for “The Hammer”
Everyone wants points, right? Well, the premise of “The Hammer” seeks to make that happen. It adds pressure and heightens the stakes while also forcing teams to be strategic with game management. Both Boston Common and Jupiter Links did so by conceding holes (losing one point) rather than accepting “The Hammer” and potentially losing two points. Some of the biggest moments in the match took place when the flag was thrown, Boston Common’s Keegan Bradley tossing it on the first of 15 holes. Word of advice for TGL competitors: More hammer, please. It makes everything more interesting.

Overtime is good, but one slight tweak
Professional sports leagues (MLB, NHL, etc). have made adjustments to overtime rules in an effort to speed up the conclusion — and wisely so. TGL’s overtime, introduced for the first time Monday, provides a quick and efficient ending as well. The match was decided by a closest-to-the-pin chip shot from approximately 40 yards out, which lasted about a minute after regulation. It was edge-of-seat entertainment and catered to the masses given every golfer steps up to a 40-yarder overconfident as if there’s some chance they stick it close. One slight tweak? Make the best-of-three a best-of-five so all three golfers get a turn. The fact neither McIlroy nor Woods got a chance was a bit of a bummer.

The benefits of McIlroy
Boston Common has the advantage of having one of the most popular players in the sport. McIlroy’s first swing off the tee registered a 189 mph (!) ball speed. His ball speed later hit 190 (!). It wasn’t just off the tee either. McIlroy’s 8-foot-8-inch par putt on the 13th hole was a thrilling save, only to be matched by Woods. The Ballfrogs — an objectively cool name and logo, too — benefit from having one of the founders. Jupiter Links’ mixture of Woods’ notoriety and Kim’s showmanship also is a product worth watching. Adding other showmen like content king Bryson DeChambeau and/or Brooks Koepka likely would heighten the product, too.

Celebs were out
Some of the biggest names in sports were at SoFi Center on the campus of Palm Beach State College. Red Sox legend David Ortiz, one of the biggest supporters of Boston Common Golf, delivered a message to the Ballfrogs. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, an avid golfer himself, also was in the house. As was MLB superstar Mike Trout, an investor in Jupiter Links.