Neal Shipley’s ace shows the power of TGL

Everything changed on Monday night.

With the Super Bowl and football season at large now officially behind us, the sports world was ready to give its whole heart to something. Just one day after the Seattle Seahawks won it all, Neal Shipley and The Bay Golf Club made sure that TGL was that thing.

The Bay took on Los Angeles Golf Club on Monday night in a TGL match that was available on ESPN. Things transcended even the worldwide leader though thanks to Neal specifically as he recorded the first ace in the league’s young history and went all kinds of viral.

It was perfect: The wait, the anticipation, the moment… Luke Clanton represented everyone watching by jumping all over Neal to celebrate. He may have been a little bit more excited as he had called it by asking Shipley to hoop one right before he actually did.

TGL has become this thing and found this spot that works so well in the overall sports landscape. It sits in between standard PGA Tour action so keeps golf fans involved with the game they all know during the work week. Factor in superstars and huge moments like Neal’s ace and everything is working together in a harmony that is simply perfect.

Shipley spoke to this overall effect and his TGL experience, Monday was his first night teeing it up at the SoFi Center in the league, in a chat with SB Nation less than 48 hours after the action unfolded. It was a great bit of insight into his own experience and energy that TGL is bringing to the sporting world.

You can watch our conversation below.

There is so much positive momentum and energy surrounding golf at large and TGL is a big reason for that. It is the game we all know and love (and have work to do towards!) in a way that allows our imaginations to run wild. The team aspect of TGL gives us a rooting interest absent from most events… it is exactly what has been needed for quite some time now.

Shout out to Neal Shipley for helping so many more people realize that.