Starting in 2027, Detroit will have an entry in the professional simulator golf league — TGL presented by SoFi — founded by legendary players Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, part of TMRW Sports.
Motor City Golf Club (MCGC) is led by the Middle West Partners and its principals Michael Hamp, Peter Hamp, and Kevin Kelleher, who all have Detroit roots. The Hamp family has been longtime co-owners of the Detroit Lions, with Sheila Ford Hamp currently serving as principal owner and chairwoman.
For the new TGL team venture, Sheila Hamp, along with her husband, Steve, are co-owners of Motor City Golf Club.
“This is a great moment for Detroit sports and a proud moment for me personally,” says Michael Hamp, a co-owner of Middle West Partners and Motor City Golf Club’s new team governor. “My grandfather, William Clay Ford Sr., was an avid golfer, and I believe bringing a new format of the game he loved would make him really proud.
“I’m incredibly grateful for our partners at MCGC — it’s an honor to build this team together. Detroit’s fans are the most loyal in sports, and we’re excited to represent our city in TGL and build a team that Detroit fans will be proud to support.”
Adding to the ownership group are Rob Walton, owner of the Denver Broncos, and Jordan Rose, president and founder of Rose Law Group, a large woman-founded law firm in Arizona.
“We are excited to be a part of innovating the great game of golf,” said Walton and Rose in a joint statement. “TGL finds a terrific balance between honoring the tradition of the sport while adding elements that will grow its appeal and fan base. We look forward to being a part of Motor City Golf Club.”
Additionally, Middle West Partners is joined by co-owners Kit Hawkins and Vansa Chatikavanij of Present Ventures; technology entrepreneur Kal Somani, co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League; Ronin Capital Partners, led by Jay Farner, former CEO of Rocket Cos.; and RHC Group, an active sports investment firm and early supporter of TGL.
“Detroit is a fantastic sports town,” says Mike McCarley, CEO of TMRW Sports. “The city has a championship legacy and Detroit fans are passionate about their teams and they’ll let you know it.
“The ownership group for Motor City Golf Club will utilize their deep ties to the community and extensive expertise as NFL team owners to forge a TGL team that embodies Detroit’s culture for sports and the region’s love of golf. TGL’s inaugural season generated extensive interest in its expansion process and we’re proud to welcome Motor City Golf Club and its ownership group as we build on the league’s continued momentum in the years to come.”
Motor City Golf Club joins six other teams in TGL’s lineup. Brand and roster announcements will be made in the future with Motor City Golf Club beginning play in TGL’s third season.
TGL’s first season concluded in March 2025 with the awarding of the inaugural SoFi Cup to the league champion Atlanta Drive GC. Other teams include Boston Common Golf, Jupiter Links Golf
Club, Los Angeles Golf Club, New York Golf Club, and The Bay Golf Club.
TGL’s matches are played in the custom-built SoFi Center, a tech-infused venue on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
For more information on TGL, visit here.
