As TGL heads into its first playoff series, Los Angeles Golf Club owner Alexis Ohanian has revealed his long-term vision for the indoor team golf league, with women’s golf being a key priority.
In a recent interview with Front Office Sports, Ohanian discussed LAGC’s top-seed status, his views on Season 1, and his commitment to expanding TGL to include women golfers.
“My very first question, at the very first pitch, was: ‘Why aren’t you doing the LPGA? When are you doing the LPGA?'” Ohanian said. “I invested under the condition that I’d have a right of first refusal for an L.A. women’s golf team.”
The Reddit co-founder and venture capitalist leads an investment group that includes sports stars Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Morgan, and former golf pro Michelle Wie West.
TGL Playoff Preview
The TGL playoffs begin Monday night with Ohanian’s top-seeded LAGC facing the fourth-seeded New York Golf Club. Neither Tiger Woods nor Rory McIlroy, who co-founded the league, will compete in the playoffs as their teams failed to qualify. Woods also recently suffered an Achilles rupture.
Ohanian praised the league’s willingness to make adjustments during its inaugural season, particularly highlighting the hammer rule change that improved competition after LAGC dominated early matches.
“I’ve been most pleased with the league’s adjustments to gameplay,” Ohanian noted. “Even though I wasn’t mad we were blowing folks out, I think you’ve gotta be long-term greedy, and think, ‘OK, what’s the best for the competition overall?'”
Business Growth and Social Media Success
As the self-described “youngest owner in the group” and “weird startup guy,” Ohanian measures success differently than traditional sports owners. He focuses heavily on digital metrics and social engagement.
“I’m paying attention to the virality of the clips that are getting published. I’m looking at those engagement numbers,” Ohanian explained. “Yes, we’re doing great numbers on ESPN, especially relative to those same slots the year before. But to me, TV is almost the lagging indicator.”
The league has seen increasing business interest since its launch, with Ohanian noting a steady rise in partnership inquiries. Unlike his previous venture with Angel City FC in the NWSL, Ohanian has taken a more selective approach with LAGC investors, limiting the number to 10-15 limited partners with significant financial stakes.
Offseason Plans
Looking ahead to the offseason, Ohanian plans to develop fan spaces in Los Angeles that function as entertainment establishments rather than traditional sports venues.
“We’ve got a couple of ambitious projects in L.A., to keep leaning into the fan base we have there,” he said. “We have a vision for what that L.A. golf clubhouse looks like, and it’s going to look and feel more like an entertainment establishment.”
Women’s Golf Future
Ohanian’s enthusiasm for bringing women’s golf into TGL stems from what he sees as untapped potential in the women’s game.
“Once I started spending a little time—you get on social media, you’re following Rose Zhang, Nelly Korda, Charlie Hull, you’re just like, oh my god, there’s so much untapped potential here,” Ohanian said.
He believes women golfers would excel in the TGL format due to their storytelling abilities and compelling personalities.
“They so overperform with storytelling. And whether it’s on social media, or broadly, they’re just much more compelling. I’m very excited about the prospect of having a women’s team in the TGL, as well as seeing what happens when we can do crossovers.”
While the timeline for women’s golf integration into TGL remains unclear, Ohanian expressed confidence that his vision will materialize “in the not-too-distant future.”
