The TGL is officially underway! The league created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy is a rather new format in the golf world and will surely take some time for people to get hold of it. Apart from the completely digital aspect of the league, it also has several other smaller elements, which makes it all the more special and interesting. The Hammer is one of them. But what exactly is its use?

The Hammer allows teams to double the points available on a specific hole, increasing the stakes from one point to two. Teams may use this strategy if they feel confident, want to apply pressure on their opponents, or are in urgent need of points. Each match begins with one team holding The Hammer, which can be deployed at any point. If used before the start of a hole, the opposing team must accept the challenge, and the hole’s point value is automatically doubled.

The first match of the league saw New York GC going against The Bay Golf Club. NY Golf Club accepted the challenge. Clark made the most of the opportunity. It was hole 3 in the triples section when the first hammer of the league was used. But the hammer has its limitations too.

If it is played after a player has already teed off, there is a chance for the opponent to decline it. If they do, they will end up losing the hole. Additionally, once it has been played, irrespective of what the opponent’s answer is, it has to transfer across. But there is a silver lining. There is no limit to the number of times the hammer can be used during a single hole.

While the hammer is one of the smaller elements of the TGL that has attracted the attention of the spectators, the huge simulator screen is also one of the main attractions. But how exactly does it work?

How does the monitor system of the TGL work?

To capture every shot during a TGL match, Full Swing will deploy 18 radar-based Full Swing Kit launch monitors around the SoFi Center. Six launch monitors will be positioned behind both the back and front boxes of the TGL Screenzone, while three additional monitors will be placed in pits to the left and right of the Screenzone. All golfers, be they right-handed ones or left-handed ones, have their launch monitors. Several other units help to make sure that none of the shots are missed throughout the round.

“With 18 of these things being live, they basically talk to each other,” El-Saden said. “So we’re bringing a more robust processing to the unit.” All the tee boxes in the Center have three areas from where the players can choose to play. These include the real fairway grass, rough, and sand. The simulation software gives out coordinates for the software to know the position where the next shot will be hit. The process is new and will take some time to understand. Nonetheless, the players seem to have gotten a good grasp on it.

Are you watching TGL? How do you like it? Let us know in the comments section below!