Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Agustin Piza Selected to Design Series of Golf Holes for TGL Presented by SoFi

Pizá Golf, acclaimed worldwide for its leading-edge architecture and golf course designs, is excited to share that its founder, Agustin “Augie” Pizá, was selected to design a series of golf holes for TGL presented by SoFi. The innovative golf league, created by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Mike McCarley of TMRW Sports, combines cutting-edge technology with teams of top PGA TOUR players for weekly two-hour prime time matches starting in January.

TGL presented by SoFi features six teams of top PGA TOUR players competing in a season-long, fast-paced competition that brings golf to prime time on Mondays and Tuesdays. Using a mix of technology throughout SoFi Center’s field of play, teams will face off in two-hour matches across 15 custom-designed holes in a hybrid of virtual and real-life action. 

Creating an electrifying “greenside” fan experience, SoFi Center wraps 1,500 fans around TGL’s field of play, which is about the size of a football field at nearly 100-yards long and 50-yards wide.  TGL’s technology mix allows for every shot to be broadcast live; a shot clock – forcing teams to hit within 40-seconds; unprecedented audio access with all players mic’d; advanced shot data; a production plan featuring robotic and embedded cameras throughout the field of play; and a high-tech, in-venue lighting and video presentation.  

Each match, the course will be comprised of 15 of TGL’s custom-designed holes by renowned golf course designers. The holes are inspired by authentic golf landscapes such as links, canyons, coastal, deserts, and tropical settings and created to uniquely challenge TGL’s teams of world-class golfers. As holes are announced, images, flyovers, and descriptions will be available on the TGL Media Hub.

Augie Pizá, acclaimed internationally and the recipient of numerous awards, has established a distinguished reputation for “Re-defining Golf Facilities” through his innovative design concepts such as Wellness Golf®, Multi-purpose Golf, and Butterfly Golf. His creative prowess has been acknowledged by Forbes Magazine, which has twice named him among the top one hundred inventive minds from Mexico.

“It’s exciting to be chosen to design a collection of holes for TGL. The opportunity to create thought-provoking and unique golf holes for this innovative league is truly an honor,” commented Pizá. “Starting with a blank canvas presented an exhilarating challenge, free from the constraints of surrounding landscapes or natural elements, which allowed pure creativity to drive the design process.”

TGL has recently released three of Pizá’s creative and innovative golf holes. They are as follows:

TEMPLE – Temple is a hole design inspired by ancient civilizations and based on simplicity, the art form of two triangles facing each other to create a unique risk vs. reward with its hourglass shape.

The choice off the tee is whether to carry the narrow intersection where the opposing triangles meet, or to lay up short and run the risk of a 240-yard or longer shot into the green.

From the tee box, the fairway reaches its narrowest point at 285 yards before it widens again. The entire hole is surrounded by penalty areas and wind will be a factor within the virtual setting, complicating the decision for teams.

“Temple is a par 4 playing over 500 yards that we found in the mountains of South America.”

“This is a very special design because it plays with simplicity. With just two forms – two triangles pinched in the center – it can give us so much excitement and strategy, and we have placed the green in a position to reward the most aggressive shots off the tee. We should be in for a treat with this one.”

THE PLANK – One of Augie Piza’s favorite holes. Teams will need to walk “The Plank” as they navigate this uphill hole with tricky diagonal bunkering. For this short 380-yard par 4, it could be tempting for teams to go for the driver, but 3 pot bunkers narrow the landing area adding risk to the aggressive play. If less than a driver is chosen off the tee, a well-placed tee shot still leaves a short approach and great chance at birdie.

THE SERPEANT – This par 5 snakes its way from tee to green, with penalty areas squeezing both sides the entire length of the hole. Getting home in two is in play but requires a gutsy blind shot into the green. With water protecting the front, the safer alternative is to play Serpent in three.

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