When our host Colin Weston attended a TGL match (Tiger's Jupiter Links vs Rory's Boston Common) he quickly learned that several of the compelling holes played out on a 60' high simulator video screen and 360º rotating, undulating green are designed by previous guest Agustin Pizá, who is the creative force behind Pizá Golf Design.
First appearing on The ModGolf Podcast back in November 2021, Augie rejoins us to pull back the curtain on his design inspiration as he walks us through six of the fun and challenging holes he and his Pizá Golf team created for TGL.
Are you a watcher more than a listener? Then you can watch our video with Augie on The ModGolf YouTube channel as he walks us through his inspiration and process on six TGL hole designs. Click on this link or the image below as Colin and Augie discuss how their mutual backgrounds in architectural design influence their creativity in the golf space.
Here are images of all six holes that Augie shares with us for you to take in while listening to the podcast:
The Plank Teams will need to walk “The Plank” as they navigate this uphill hole with tricky diagonal bunkering. For this short 380-yard par 4, it could be tempting for teams to go for the driver, but 3 pot bunkers narrow the landing area adding risk to the aggressive play.
Agustín says: "For The Plank, we wanted to design something simple but also something that required you to think through your shots. To achieve this, we positioned the bunkers to create several dynamic diagonal lines across the hole."
"When you stand on the tee box, that positioning gives you the sensation of, ‘Oh, it’s full of bunkers, there’s nowhere to land my ball!’ But obviously that’s not the case, you have several landing areas and platforms to access. The Plank is designed to be a drivable par-4, depending on the wind, but the strategy will change if it’s a crosswind versus wind at the players’ backs. If less than a driver is chosen off the tee, a well-placed tee shot still leaves a short approach and great chance at birdie."
Pick Yer Plunder Set in Bounty Bay, this hole is the ultimate match play par 5. From the gold tee, players are faced with three options. The riskiest, and by far most rewarding choice, is going straight over the guardian bunker to a 27-yard-wide fairway, requiring a 300-yard carry.
Choosing the right option, the fairway is just 37-yards-wide and requires a 285-yard carry. With a solid drive, players will be left with less than 250 yards remaining. The safest play is to the left, where the fairway is 70 yards wide. But the further left you miss it, the more blind and long your second shot will be.
Agustín says: "A 590 yard par 5. The hole idea is you can take that middle section and you will be rewarded. You will only have a 200 yard shot to the GreenZone to get on in two. The alternative is to play the right arm or the left arm. You will have to play the second shot on a high cliff or a low cliff. This hole not only plays with your psyche on ways of playing it, but also where you land could create some blind shots and some other challenges that you probably were not expecting."
On The Rocks This stunning downhill par 3 hangs off the edge of a cliff in the North Sea of Scotland. The green sits on a 41-yard-wide island that replicates the exact same-sized turntable in TGL's GreenZone at SoFi Center. Players will be tempted to be aggressive, most will likely have a short iron in hand, but any slight misjudgment and a team may quickly find themselves On The Rocks.
Agustín says: "This is one of the last designs that we created, it's a par 3 that sits right on the cliffs. What we did very special here, is we took the GreenZone and just erased everything, all the surroundings, and kept the turntable. We have five distinct tee boxes. The first two tees are right in the center and they are somwhere between 100 yards and 130 yards. On the sides, the tee boxes spread out to ask for a fade or for a draw. If you go towards the furthest one out, it'll ask for a draw and it's 180 yards out."
Sidewinder A high trajectory right-to-left tee shot will reward teams with Position A on this reachable Par 5, while bunkers dot the approach to the green, which sits beyond a small ravine. While the design is similar to Serpent, the penalty areas have been minimized with the intention for Sidewinder to have a bit less bite.
Agustín says: "You can take the conservative route on the right and if you hit over 290 to 310 yards you will get that speed slope onto position A. If you try to clear the left side and be more aggressive you will get rewarded even more. If you cannot get home in two then you will have to find a very good strategy to attack the GreenZone. You have to choose whether you want to lay your ball on the left or the right and that will be dictated by where the flag is played."
The Spear A close relative of Temple, teams will face a simple risk vs. reward choice when teeing off on The Spear. The design places a pinch point right around the PGA TOUR average carry and gives players a choice to either hit a long and straight tee shot past the pinch point, or lay up short and play to the green in three.
Teams that hit the ball short of the pinch will have plenty of room to lay up as they progress towards the green. Players that are able to execute the risky drive and land safely are then rewarded with a green light to go for the floating GreenZone in two.
Agustín says: "The Spear is a full par 5. Architecture at the end is about playing with form and we started to create this hole by playing with triangles and we came up with The Spear. It pinches away on the fairway at approximately 300 yards, give or take. That's where it's going to make players think, with a crosswind likely a key factor in play, too. The strategy is right there in your face. It's a heroic hole. Do you want to lay up to guarantee a three shot hole or do you want to try to clear it and take that risk as it opens up in a very generous way? You'll have a very good chance of getting home in two if you clear the pinch successfully."
Temple is a hole design inspired by ancient civilizations and based on simplicity, the art form of two triangles facing each other to create a unique risk vs. reward with its hourglass shape. The choice off the tee is whether to carry the narrow intersection where the opposing triangles meet, or to lay up short and run the risk of a 240-yard or longer shot into the green. From the tee box, the fairway reaches its narrowest point at 285 yards before it widens again. The entire hole is surrounded by penalty areas and wind will be a factor within the virtual setting, complicating the decision for teams.
Agustín says: "Temple is a par 4 playing over 500 yards that we found in the mountains of South America. This is a very special design because it plays with simplicity. With just two forms - two triangles pinched in the center - it can give us so much excitement and strategy, and we have placed the green in a position to reward the most aggressive shots off the tee."
Want to connect with Augie? Visit his bio page for contact information. And visit The TGL website to learn more about all 29 holes designs that were available for the 2025 TGL season.
Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!
As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.
I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.
I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.
Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf
I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin
We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?
Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.