Pro Golf Under The Lights - Is LIV Riyadh A Gimmick Or A Game-Changer?

Whatever you think about LIV Golf, you can't fault it for trying new things. The circuit's latest innovation saw the season opener in Riyadh being played at night under floodlights.

Night golf has become a bit of a thing over the past decade as a few courses in the Middle East offer it, with the LET's Dubai Moonlight Classic being played under lights at Emirates Golf Club several years ago.

In the early stages of LIV Golf Riyadh, players have been mostly positive about the experience, aside from some reports that it was hard to spot their ball from long range.

But what about the viewer? Is this just a gimmick or a game-changer? Is there real potential for night golf to take off?

Three Golf Monthly writers have had a think about it and offered their views...

Paul Higham

You have to give full marks to LIV Golf for trying this out, and I think visually it looked great on television.

I'm all for something new in golf as it's a long season and it can get a bit repetitive with week after week of what essentially looks like the same product.

The constant music and that half-time show is not for me, but on purely the golfing aspect I thought playing at night is a great idea once in a while.

It offers up a new wave of challengers for the golfers and some new things to watch out for, like how do shadows bother the players? Can they read the greens properly? Does any moisture on the putting surfaces play a part?

And after all, interest and intrigue is all part of watching sport isn't it? And in the same way playing an iconic course or playing in tough weather conditions can heighten that interest, so too can night golf.

There's an added possible bonus here in that playing at night in places like the Middle East or Far East puts the event on at much more suitable times for the US and European viewers to watch.

That's something the PGA Tour might want to monitor if it is to try and go more global in the future. For now, though, it can be a decent change of pace - there could be legs in it.

Jonny Leighfield

I'd say night golf is a criminally underused concept which could really take the sport to new levels. LIV Golf Riyadh proved that - in the right circumstances - a change in lighting can be really entertaining and adds plenty for all involved.

While the general consensus from players in Saudi Arabia was that they couldn't see the end of shots with drivers and long-irons, that might well be one of the few unfortunate downsides to a format which had way more upside.

The music, the lights and the general buzz of something new all added up to make a really cool idea become a legitimate reality.

Moving forward, I'd like to see the other tours implement a night golf tournament here or there as it offers a unique view of the game and can attract a wide variety of fans for a couple of different reasons.

Firstly, it offers people the chance to properly engage by either attending in person or watching on TV after work, much like they might do with an NFL or soccer game, therefore boosting the atmosphere and aiding the overall product.

Secondly, there is a common belief that sporting events are just so much more exciting after the sun has gone down, so putting golf on later very occasionally might well pay off - as long as it is the exception rather than the rule.

I also think night golf should only take place if it lends itself organically - i.e. the event is taking place in a country where timezones don't quite match up or there is another significant competing tournament somewhere else in the world.

For my money, I'd love to see a little bit more night golf in the future after historic positive examples by the Ladies European Tour and now LIV Golf. If men's pro golf is to positively co-exist in the near-future, maybe night golf is a way of giving everyone what they want while actually sharing the game with a new demographic.

Elliott Heath

I agree with the guys that LIV is onto something with night golf. Golf under the lights definitely has a cool factor to it.

LIV Golf clearly hasn't invented night golf and is likely only doing it to appeal to Fox Sports and the US timezone, but it has taken the Riyadh event up a level.

I remember watching Tyrrell Hatton win the 2019 Turkish Airlines Open in a playoff under the lights and it elevated the spectacle of that event's finish, and that's exactly what it has done to LIV's opener this week.

Saudi Arabian pro golf events tend to struggle with attracting large galleries and they never look great on TV during the daytime with the odd person dotted about here and there so this week's decision to play at night has turned out to be a master stroke.

We're used to seeing golf look pretty much the same each and every week on the PGA, DP World and LPGA Tours, so LIV once again trying something new has to be commended. The team golf tour has taken inspiration from F1 in a number of ways, and why not when it is one of the world's biggest sports, and this is most certainly another one of those examples.

I also agree with the guys that there's no need for night golf week-in, week-out, but the occasional event played under the lights brings something fresh to the viewing experience and is far better for the majority of LIV's viewership in terms of timezone, too.

The local timezone appears to have attracted more fans, too, who are likely attending the event after their day at work. The atmosphere seems to be surprisingly good so I would expect LIV's likely return to Riyadh next year to be played under the lights once again.