Bay Golf Club won the debut TGL… and used the hammer for the first time.
Golf Brennan Asplen/TGL/TGL via Getty Images
I saw it on Tuesday evening debut of the new TGL golf leagueand with him A plenty of innovations not seen on the PGA Tour. From shot clocks to a huge simulator and a triple format, viewers were treated to a new take on the ancient game. Did we mention it all took place indoors?
But one of the most interesting oddities presented in The inaugural TGL match was “The Hammer”. Here’s everything you need to know about the new regulations.
What is the TGL Hammer and how does it work?
Physically, the Hammer is a yellow and orange piece of material shaped like a hammer resembling Thor. But here we are most interested in what it represents and how it is used.
The team in possession of the Hammer may throw it into any hole. When rolled and accepted, the total score on the hole increases by one. While holes usually count as 1 point, the Hammer increases that number to 2.
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If the Hammer is thrown before the start of the hole, the opposing team must accept it. However, if it is bowled on any other shot, the opposing team has the option to throw it away, but if they do so, they also surrender the hole.
You can imagine a situation where a team knew they would lose the hole, so by discarding the Hammer, they limit their opponents to 1 point instead of 2.
Either way, once thrown, possession of the Hammer automatically passes to the other team.
While we didn’t see it during the inaugural TGL match, on rare occasions the Hammer can be thrown multiple times into the hole.
How the Hammer was used in TGL’s debut
The official first use of the hammer occurred on the 3rd hole of the debut match between Bay Golf Club and New York Golf Club.
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Bay Golf Club opened the match with the hammer after winning the coin toss, and when TBGC player Wyndham Clark made a seven-foot birdie on hole No. 3, he threw the hammer, hoping to give his team an extra point. And he did it. Clark drained a birdie to extend his team’s lead from 1-0 to 3-0.
When the teams reached the 7th hole, the NYGC team, already losing 6-0, still had the Hammer. TBGC’s Shane Lowry prepared to hit his tee shot, but before he could, NYGC’s Xander Schauffele threw the Hammer at his feet. You can see this moment below.
Lowry accepted Hammer’s challenge, but both teams finished on par, so no points were awarded and the score remained 6-0.
This was the last time the Hammer was used on the first night of TGL’s existence. Ultimately, TBGC was able to maintain a large lead and finish the NYGC with a final score of 9-2.
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