This holiday season, December 17 marks the beginning of something special in golf. The Optum Golf Channel Games will change the way you watch the sport throughout the holidays. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler faces World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, leading two teams in five exciting competitions that break with tradition and bring new ideas to Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Florida.

Eight top golfers will compete for the best team by taking on tasks that test every part of their game. This will turn golf into a show where strategy and speed are just as important as technique. Let’s understand more about this.

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What are Optum Golf Channel Games? Understand the rules, format and more

The Optum Golf Channel Games have a format that has never been seen in professional golf before. Two teams compete in five different tasks, each designed to push participants out of their comfort zones. The sport is based on speed and strategy, and most tournaments have stringent time constraints that require quick judgments and flawless execution.

The timed drive competition will allow participants only two minutes to combine both power and accuracy. They have to hit drives onto a scoring grid where distance as well as precision coincide. This first challenge sets the tone, with head-to-head duels showing which squad can manage the pressure from the first swing.  Every shot naturally counts as points are added up in all five competitions.

The format makes sure there is no downtime. Players take turns completing challenges happening simultaneously across the course, keeping the excitement going for spectators and viewers. Teams earn points based on their performance in each competition, and the team with the most points at the end of all five tasks wins. Here, originality comes first, and execution within time limits differentiates the winners from the rest.

What are the different categories? Know about timed driving, timed short game, captain challenge and more

So, the timed short-game competition assesses how well one is able to adapt under a three-minute clock. Players have to chip from different places on the green before going through a putting gauntlet with different distances. Great short-game players are different from good ones because they can use a wide range of methods in a short amount of time. Just one error can lead to a loss of vital seconds.

Strategy will take center stage in the next challenge.

The 14-club challenge adds a level of strategy to closest-to-the-pin contests. Two players from each team takes clubs, including a driver and a putter, from the same bag for strokes from certain distances on the fairway. Once a club gets used, it’s out of play. Each of the 14 clubs gets seven shots per player on each side, and each team chooses one player to take a left-handed 15th shot that might be very important.

In the Optum Golf Channel Games, the captain’s challenge renders both Scheffler and McIlroy head-to-head. They hit from set spots, such as different iron distances, wedge shots, pitches, bunker shots, greenside work, a 30-foot putt, and a 10-foot putt. Points are given out based on how well you do at each station. The timed shootout ends the tournaments. Four players take turns shooting from three holes, with players deliberately placed at the tee, fairway, and green positions, aiming to get the lowest score in the least time.

How many teams are there? Know each in detail, big names, motto, logo and more

Team Scheffler takes American fireworks to Jupiter. The 19-times PGA Tour winner has a squad featuring 2025 Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, five-time PGA Tour winner Sam Burns, and college star Luke Clanton. Bradley’s experience as a captain, Burns’ proven success on the Tour, and Clanton’s rising skill all come together to provide a balanced American team ready for these unique difficulties.

Meanwhile, McIlroy’s side features global stars. His team will include Shane Lowry, who won the Open in 2019 and has been a strong performer for Europe in the Ryder Cup. Luke Donald, a former world number one and two-time European Ryder Cup captain, brings insight and experience. China’s Li Haotong rounds out the international team with his expertise at the Presidents Cup and his recent win at the Qatar Masters.

Both teams have a mix of young and old players, as well as proven champions and up-and-coming stars. Scheffler’s team has recent American success stories, while McIlroy’s team features the best golfers from around the world. The choices for captain show different styles: Scheffler’s meticulous approach contrasts with McIlroy’s aggressive one. These personality differences could affect how teams play in all five competitions, making decisions about who to become captain just as essential as how well each player plays their shot.

Where and how to watch Optum Golf Channel Games? Get every detail

The Optum Golf Channel Games will be held at the iconic Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Florida, under lights in primetime to attract the largest audience possible.

Fans in the US can enjoy the live coverage from their living rooms. How? Well, it will be broadcast on both Golf Channel and USA Network starting at 7:30 p.m. EST. There will also be pre-show programming before the competitions.

Tickets are available to the general public for anyone who wants to attend the event in person. This gives them direct access to this new golf festival. People who live outside the U.S. should check their local listings to see if the show is on.