Tiger Woods’s highly anticipated TGL is all set to make its big debut on Jan 7. This isn’t your typical golf tournament, it’s a tech-driven, team-based league game that has got the fans buzzing with excitement. But as they say, no great innovation comes without a bit of skepticism.

Remember when Rickie Fowler had everyone scratching their heads with his take on TGL? “It’s not real golf, but it’s not hitting balls in your bedroom simulator; it’s somewhere kind of in-between,” he said. It was hard to tell if Fowler was endorsing the concept or subtly hinting at doubts. Either way, Fowler’s now fully on board as part of a team, so we can safely assume he’s picked a side.

But just as fans were gearing up for the league’s premiere, a fresh controversy made headlines. NUCLR GOLF took to its X handle claiming that TGL had hired paid seat fillers for its events at the SoFi Center. According to the report, actors could earn $150–$250 per event, plus some free merchandise, to ensure the stands looked full. Adam Freifeld, a spokesperson for TGL, confirmed the arrangement, explaining, “We have a small, intimate venue and like an awards show we use seat fillers to, you know, fill seats.”

As you would expect, this all-new revelation has got people talking. So was the hype around TGL, as believed to be, or was it all just a bit of clever staging? TGL quickly stepped in to clarify, saying the paid actors were only for dress rehearsals in January and for creating additional content, not for live events. However, WPTV, which originally reported the story, doubled down, standing by its claims that the advertisements referred to ‘live event audiences’ from January to March.

It’s a tricky spot for TGL, and the backlash it’s been getting isn’t making things any easier

TGL comes under the scrutiny of fans

TGL has been hit with accusations of using paid seat fillers, and it seems like fans are having a hard time trusting the league’s side of the story. One fan wasted no time saying, “I believe the journalist over any spokesman for TGL, a sketchy enterprise ran by sports agents.” It is what is, and that’s how some people feel about the whole situation—the official statements do not convince them, and they feel there’s more going on behind the scenes than TGL is letting on.

The criticism doesn’t stop there. Some are worried the league’s format just won’t resonate with audiences. “Cause there are no fans of this format. TGL will be a massive ‘L’ for golf in 2025.” They’re basically saying this whole tech-heavy indoor golf idea just isn’t going to fly. For them, it’s not the kind of golf that’ll keep people coming back.

And then there’s the more extreme reaction: “I’m being dead serious here, who the f–k is going to watch this past the first event? Do people really want to see a dude hit balls into a wall inside a room? This ‘league’ will fold after its first year. This is objectively dogwater entertainment.” Yeah, that’s pretty harsh. But for some fans, the thought of hitting golf balls into a screen just isn’t something they can get excited about.

And of course, there’s the whole ‘money’ side of things. “Money money money,” one fan said, taking a jab at the reported $160 ticket price for general admission. It feels like fans are starting to see TGL less as a groundbreaking innovation and more as a money-making operation—and that’s not sitting well with everyone.

Some fans, however, are holding out hope. “If you don’t think they can sell these seats out you are not a smart-minded person!” one commenter declared. They seem pretty sure TGL can pull it off, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty in the air.

And then, of course, there’s the LIV comparison. It’s hard to ignore the similarities between TGL and LIV Golf—they’re both trying to break the mold of traditional golf. While LIV used big money and a new team format to shake things up, TGL is leaning into technology to do its own thing. One fan even pointed out, “That’s positive news!!! I did not want to see this new league have to pull an LIV.” Both leagues are aiming to be different, but whether that will be enough to win over the hardcore golf crowd remains to be seen.

As TGL gets ready for its debut, there’s definitely some serious skepticism in the air. The league has a lot of fans questioning whether it’s just another gimmick, and with the first events coming up soon, it’s going to need more than just promises to win them over.