Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will captain teams in the games.
PublishedSeptember 3, 2025 3:00 PM EDT•UpdatedSeptember 3, 2025 2:33 PM EDT
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There have long been whispers about professional golf getting an All-Star Game. Whether the sport needs one, or whether fans even want one is beside the point now, because it appears one is coming in December.
In an announcement shared by NBC Sports, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are set to captain two teams in the first-ever ‘Golf Channel Games’ at Trump National Golf Club on December 17. Six players slated to compete alongside Scheffler and McIlroy are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
The two four-man teams will compete in four different timed challenges:
Timed Drive, Chip, & Putt – Players compete solo in the three precision-based disciplines – drive a total number of yards, chip within a certain proximity to the pin, and hole a certain number of feet of putts – as quickly as possible. 14-Club Challenge – Two Players, One Bag – One player from each team will square off in the 14-Club Challenge, drawing a club from a single bag (including driver and putter) in a closest-to-the-pin competition from a designated distance in the fairway. All 14 clubs, seven shots per player – and once a club is used, it’s out. All eight players will participate – four total matchups. Timed Shootout – A four-player alternate shot on three holes with teammates staged on the tee (1), in the fairway (1), and around the green (2). Finish with the best score in the shortest amount of time…the clock is running! Captains’ Challenge – Rory vs. Scottie – Each player hits from predetermined locations. Shots will include a 100-yard wedge, 50-yard pitch, bunker shot, greenside shot, 50-ft putt, and 10-ft putt. The lowest total distance from the hole for the combined shots wins.
All of these challenges have been done by seemingly every YouTube golf creator and many professional golfers on various platforms, but it’s clear that Golf Channel and NBC see that there is some sort of desire to have a golf All-Star Game on a Wednesday night, a week before Christmas Eve.
McIlroy even alluded to the games as having an All-Star Game vibe to them.
“The Golf Channel Games bring a fresh approach to golf, inspired by events like the NFL Combine and All-Star Games from top professional leagues,” said McIlroy. “They give players the chance to showcase their skills across unique challenges and offer fans a new way to enjoy the game in the postseason
While the biggest question surrounding the new event is obvious — why? — the answer isn’t all that complicated either.
There is a divide in golf audiences in today’s game. You have the YouTube golf audience, which certainly dabbles in traditional golf content and tunes into tournaments, but is also a very young audience accustomed to fast-paced, less serious, and overall fun content. The ‘Golf Channel Games’ could — emphasis on that word — could be that, and tapping into that audience is not just a no-brainer but a must for the likes of Golf Channel, NBC, and anything golf-related thrown on traditional television.
The TGL indoor simulator league had a strong debut season to begin in 2025. Maybe the ‘Golf Channel Games’ do the same.
