DETROIT – The Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos owners have partnered with The Golf League (TGL) to form the Motor City Golf Club (MCGC).
The league’s seventh expansion team, which will be in effect starting in 2027 during the league’s third season, was announced on Tuesday (May 20).
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TGL, presented by SoFi, is the primetime team golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports.
TGL is a three-on-three primetime golf league on ESPN. Six teams from six different cities across the United States, comprised of the top players of the PGA Tour, play in two-hour weekly matches, culminating in playoffs and a championship.
There are two sessions, the first of which is “Triples,” which will feature a nine-hole three-vs.-three alternate shots.
The second session features “Singles” with six holes of players going head-to-head.
Players will play in a first-of-its-kind venue, hitting balls on a massive screen 24 times larger than a normal simulator screen from up to 35 yards out.
The short will be played in an area larger than four basketball courts on a tech-infused green on an adaptable surface to create hole-to-hole variations.
Six teams are participating this season: Atlanta Drive GC, Boston Common Golf, Jupiter Links GC, Los Angeles Golf Club, New York Golf Club, and The Bay Golf Club.
PGL will feature a basketball-style “Shot clock” and a referee alongside a “Timeout” to freeze the golfer and a hammer to raise the stakes. The players will be mic’d up for play-by-play action.
Middle West Partners, which was awarded the opportunity to expand TGL’s footprint, leads MCGC’s ownership group.
Its principals are Michael Hamp, Peter Hamp, and Kevin Kelleher, who all have Detroit roots.
The Hamp family has been longtime co-owners of the Lions, with Sheila Ford Hamp currently serving as principal owner and chairwoman.
For the new TGL team venture, Sheila and her husband, Steve, are co-owners of MCGC.
The experienced ownership group includes Rob Walton, owner of the Broncos, and Jordan Rose, president and founder of Rose Law Group, the largest woman-founded law firm in Arizona history.
Their enthusiasm for TGL’s platform and belief in the future of golf aligns seamlessly with the vision for Motor City Golf Club.
Additionally, Middle West Partners is joined by co-owners Kit Hawkins and Vansa Chatikavanij of Present Ventures; technology entrepreneur Kal Somani, co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League; Ronin Capital Partners, led by Jay Farner, former CEO of Rocket Companies; and RHC Group, an active sports investment firm and early supporter of TGL.
MCGC joins six other teams in TGL’s lineup, each showcasing the league’s cutting-edge technology, team-focused match play, and commitment to fan engagement.
Brand and roster announcements will be made in the future, with MCGC beginning to play in TGL’s third season in 2027.
Click here to get the latest on the launch of MCGC.
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