Slice & Dice Dominate Pre-Season as New National Team Match Play Golf League Takes Shape
June 25, 2025 — The inaugural National Team Match Play Golf League wrapped up its pre-season slate this weekend, with the Slice & Dice emerging as early favorites after posting a commanding 2-0 record across their exhibition matches against division rivals Dallas Drivers and Dallas Pin Seekers.
Playing at the prestigious Woodbridge Golf Club, the Slice & Dice showcased the balanced attack that many analysts predicted would make them contenders in the league's debut season. Led by team captain Shawn Lee, Slice & Dice dominated the Pin Seekers 15-8 and out dueled Driver 20-16 in their final tune-up.
"We came into this pre-season with one goal: establish our identity as a team," Lee said after Sunday's matches. "I think we've shown we can compete at every level of the bag, from our long game specialists to our short game wizards."
Slice & Dice success was built on exceptional play from all of their players. Lee, Crowell, and Pirkle controlled their matches with a combined score of 20-4.
Drivers Show Fight Despite Growing Pains
The Dallas Drivers, led by Sean Clark, finished the pre-season at 1-1 but showed flashes of the potential that made them a popular sleeper pick among league insiders. Their signature victory came in that final match against the Pin Seekers, where clutch putting and aggressive course management helped them secure a morale-boosting win heading into the regular season.
The Drivers' breakthrough moment came courtesy of rookie sensation Max Adams, who dominated his match. The 22-year-old from Dallas has quickly established himself as one to watch, combining power off the tee with a surprisingly mature short game.
Pin Seekers Face Uphill Battle
Unfortunately for the Dallas Pin Seekers squad, the pre-season results suggest a challenging road ahead. Finishing 0-2 in exhibition play, the team struggled with consistency issues that plagued them throughout their preparation matches.
Team captain Brian Hackney remained optimistic despite the disappointing showing, pointing to several near-misses that could have changed their fortunes.
"Golf is a game of inches, and we were on the wrong side of a few key moments," Hackney said. "But this team has character, and I know we'll be ready when the lights come on for real."
The bright spot for the Pin Seekers was the emergence of Kevin Hull who was able to keep both of his matches close. Hull went 0-2 in matches but only lost by a combined 3 points, showing the mental toughness that could prove valuable once league play begins.
Looking Ahead to the Opening Week
With pre-season in the books, all three teams now turn their attention to the regular season. Prior to the pre-season, the league had a team disband however the league is in talks with a new team to join and round out the league with a 4th team prior to the opener scheduled for July 13th.
League Commissioner Brian Hackney expressed satisfaction with the pre-season turnout and competitive balance displayed across all three franchises.
"What we've seen over these past few weeks confirms what we believed from the start – this format brings out the best in competitive golf," Hackney noted. "The team dynamic adds a layer of strategy and camaraderie that individual play simply can't match."
The National Team Match Play Golf League represents a bold experiment in competitive golf, emphasizing team chemistry and strategic decision-making over individual brilliance.
Based on pre-season performance, Slice & Dice enter as favorites, but both the Pin Seekers and Drivers have shown they're capable of upset victories on any given Sunday. In a format where momentum and team chemistry can shift quickly, this inaugural season promises to deliver the kind of unpredictable excitement that match play golf is famous for.
Regular season play begins July 20 at 3 PM CT, with a recap and highlight show Weekly Match Point podcast to air on YouTube.