TGL had it’s biggest day yet yesterday with a triple-header of dramatic matches. But the best highlight of the simulator golf marathon actually occurred before the SoFi Center’s shot clock was officially turned on.
That’s because Tommy Fleetwood made a practice ace. And now he’s added a new wrinkle to an old hole-in-one debate. Emphasis on new with his shot being hit into a giant screen.
We’ve engaged in countless hole-in-one debates throughout the years. In fact, our Greg Gottfried tried to get to the bottom of one – “Does one on a par-3 course count?” – earlier this month. And Greg failed to do so, because there are a LOT of different opinions on the matter out there.
Well, there’s a similar question regarding whether simulator aces count. And while we’re inclined to say they don’t, you might want to see Fleetwood’s first before deciding:
https://twitter.com/TommyFleetwood1/status/1891589380587897038
How about that? Wow. Great shot, Tommy. And an even better question!
Again, it’s a simulator ace, but it’s not just on any simulator. As golf fans have seen since the launch of TGL last month, the SoFi Center uses real grass so Tommy actually teed this one up by puncturing the turf. And his shot travelled a lot further than on a normal simulator. And he smoked that one straight as an arrow. And, most importantly, it came on a par 4! So there’s a lot going in favour of this counting.
On the flip side, Fleetwood’s golf ball bounced off a gigantic boulder. A gigantic fake boulder that is, because, again, this is on a simulator. And it came in a practice round, and not during an actual TGL match. Although, as you can see in the same clip, he came crazy-close to replicating the shot during L.A. Golf Club’s overtime loss to Atlanta. (He also holed out in overtime during a closest-to-the-pin contest.)
So, should it count as a hole-in-one? Well, most of Golf Twitter doesn’t think so.
Nope. Simulator golf is not golf and you know it LOL
— Judith Coleman (@heyjudeworld) February 18, 2025
If this counts then so does my Wii golf ace.
— OHomanIO (@homa_jacob) February 18, 2025
https://twitter.com/johnpaulsth/status/1891659727408447606
Simulator golf doesn’t count, that would be like me counting all the holes in one I’ve gotten on golden tee
— Larry (@stillingslk) February 17, 2025
If you can't pick it up out of the cup, how do you know really it went in?
— Bill (@Bill_Quinn) February 17, 2025
Sorry, Tommy. Hope you didn’t already buy everyone there drinks.