TGL Adds Fifth Team as Season Schedule Reveals Expanded Rosters

Fans of simulator golf will see larger squads and a new competitor when the third season of The Golf League begins. The league confirmed a schedule of 14 matches that features a fifth team and increases the roster size from four players to five for every squad. This expansion changes the on-field dynamics, as only three players from each five-person roster will participate in any given match.

The format for the 2027 season mirrors the previous two years in most respects. Teams will compete in four regular season matches before the postseason commences in March. The league will not have as dense a schedule as in its early years, allowing for longer breaks between contests. For example, Boston Common Golf, managed by Rory McIlroy, will play its first match on Dec. 27. The team will not return to the course until Jan. 12 for its second outing. Its final two regular season matches are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 23.

The inaugural match of the season on Dec. 27 will feature McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf against Motor City Golf Club. This contest marks the debut of the first expansion team in the league’s history. Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, leads the Motor City squad. His roster includes Jackson Koivun, Si Woo Kim, Jake Knapp, and Bud Cauley. Boston Common recently made news by trading for Shane Lowry, adding depth to their lineup.

Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club will face the defending champions, the Los Angeles Golf Club, later on opening day. Both matches will take place in the afternoon at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Woods and McIlroy, the league’s co-founders, are expected to attend the kickoff. The league will confirm Woods’ participation in the actual play closer to the date of the contest.

The postseason is scheduled to begin on March 1 and continue through March 23. Specific dates and times for these playoffs have not yet been released. The regular season will proceed with the established format of 15 holes played across two sessions. Holes 1 through 9 will be played as triples, where three players from each team alternate shots. Holes 10 through 15 will be singles, pitting one player from each team against one another head to head.

Scoring remains consistent with previous seasons. Each hole is worth one point, and ties result in zero points. There are no carryovers between sessions. Teams may use a strategic tool known as the hammer, which is a yellow weighted flag. When a team throws the hammer on a hole, the point value doubles. The opposing team can accept the challenge or deny it, thereby conceding the hole. Each squad has three hammers available per match.

Players will face a 40-second shot clock. Exceeding this limit results in a one-stroke penalty. Each team is allotted four timeouts during a match, with two available for the triples session and two for the singles session. These timeouts do not carry over from one session to the next. Overtime, if necessary, will be decided by a three-on-three closest-to-the-pin competition.

The addition of the fifth team and the increased roster size mark a structural shift for the league. The schedule provides a clearer view of the competitive calendar, with the first swing hitting the simulator screen on the last Sunday of the year.