Rory McIlroy has response to Rickie Fowler’s ‘not real golf’ comments on TGL

Rory McIlroy has responded to Rickie Fowler’s claims that The Golf League is ‘not real golf’, ahead of the inaugural season beginning next month

Rickie Fowler’s claim that TGL is not ‘real golf’ has been played down by one of the league’s founders in Rory McIlroy, after the Boston Common captain went into detail about the SoFi Stadium’s technology.

Fowler is among the 24 PGA Tour stars who will compete in the indoor league, which kicks off at the SoFi Stadium in Florida next month. The circuit will see six teams play week-in-week-out, with long-distance shots played into a screen simulator, before chipping and putting is played out in a short game area.

Fowler gave fans an insight into what they can expect when the league launches in January, and while he is excited, he was quick to point out the key differences between the indoor stadium and outdoor golf.

“I’m looking forward to it,” the 36 year old said during an appearance on The Smylie Show. “In a way, we don’t fully know what to expect until it gets going. It is not real golf, but it’s not, you know, hitting balls in your bedroom simulator or office simulator. It’s somewhere kind of in between.”

Despite concerns about the ‘reality’ of the indoor setup, McIlroy has dismissed any worries when commenting on the playing conditions. “The playing surfaces are very realistic because they are real,” the four-time major champion clarified

“We’re playing off real Bermuda grass for the fairways, real Bermuda rough, if you do hit into the rough.” However, he did confirm that the greens are artificial inside the SoFi Stadium. “Once you get within 40 yards of the green, then you transition to the green zone where all of that is artificial turf.