The latest controversy in the sports industry has to be the carbon emissions produced by athletes. While many know it is a controversial topic, there is no stopping the fans from voicing their concerns about our dear planet Earth. So, why are we talking about CO2 emission here? Well, the Sports Business Journal just released an article on the latest update in the TGL’s future, and let’s just say, there might be some cons to it.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s brainchild TGL has partnered with ONEflight which is a luxury private airplane company. The deal has been made, considering their upcoming launch in January, then ONEflight will be TGL’s official private aviation partner during the launch. But why does TGL need private planes anyway? Well, it is because their schedule is clashing with that of the PGA Tour. Let us help you understand; the PGA Tour 2025 schedule starts on the 30th of December 2024, with The Sentry, and the first battle of TGL will be taking place on January 7th.

Sounds like a clash right? Well, that’s why TGL has decided to partner up with ONEflight which will provide air travel for players from PGA Tour events to TGL matches back and forth. After The Sentry tournament’s conclusion on January 5 in Maui, TGL’s opening night of matches will take place 2 days later in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is nearly 5,000 miles away. While this will definitely help the players relax and rewind for their next battle, it sure isn’t going to help the environment and that is tonnes of CO2 released into the air after every flight.

We all know that private jets release more CO2 compared to commercial flights but how much exactly? Well, according to various studies, a private jet can release more than 2 tonnes of CO2 in just one hour of flight. But how is this affecting the planet exactly? Well, there are some very substantial reasons for that.

Golfers have a significant carbon footprint

Many professional golfers already have a very visible carbon footprint, which is primarily due to the increasing travel because of their sport.  Many pieces of research reveal that golfers have the second-highest CO₂ footprint among all the other sports which is surpassed only by divers and followed closely by surfers. You will be surprised to know that on average a golfer produces over 2,000 kilograms of CO₂ annually mostly because of their travel, per Golf Sustainable.

Hence, the latest TGL endeavor is only going to make it even worse for the planets. Everyone must have read the news when netizens were bashing Hollywood Popstar and Kansas City Chief member, Travis Kelce’s girlfriend Taylor Swift because of how often she uses her private jets. But that’s not all, almost every top golfer in the industry owns a private jet. Yes, from Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, everyone has the means to make their air travel easier and faster. So, what are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comments section below!