IN;: Jack Nicklaus’ design team called in to assist TGL by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy
Jack Nicklaus’ golf course design team – Nicklaus Design – has been chosen to design a selection of holes that will be used for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new TGL presented by SoFi in 2025. TGL is a new tech-infused team golf league that has been founded by 15-time major champion Woods and four-time major champion McIlroy.Both Woods and McIlroy have sought the course knowledge of record 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus’ design team. TGL will tee off on 7 January 2025 and it will feature six times comprisng some of the world’s best PGA Tour players in a season-long, fast-paced competition on a prime time stage. The custom-built SoFi Center, a 250,000 square foot, tech-infused venue will play host to TGL on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. and other prominent media partners around the world will screen the action as it happens. But back to the top of the story and Nicklaus Design’s Chad Goetz, a master designer and long-standing member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, has been given the distinction of acting as the dedicated designer of all of the Nicklaus-designed TGL holes. Jack NicklausGoetz, who has worked on many leading projects at NIcklaus Design, is a true innovator and has the ability to blend traditional hand sketch design with cutting edge digital technology to provide unique playing experiences. “Designing holes for TGL presented by SoFi was a great opportunity to push my creative skills to the limit,” said Goetz. “While I relied on many of our time-tested design techniques and philosophies, the innovative game-play experience forced me to approach the design in new and exciting ways. “Throughout the process, I focused on variety, the importance of strategic decision-making and the creation of bold, entertaining shots. “All of us at Nicklaus Design are very proud to be a part of this new exciting golf competition, and we cannot wait to see how these world class players decide to play these unique holes.”Unburdened by the limitations of the physical world, designing for TGL will allow Goetz and the Nicklaus Design team to bring their innovative brand of creativity to new heights.“In addition to the experience we bring—having designed 439 golf courses that are currently open for play worldwide—we also have the unique asset of an in-house digital production team that allows us to add significant value to our clients and ensures we are uniquely capable of realizing the opportunities in the digital world,” said Paul Stringer, President, Nicklaus Design.
