Welcome to our CaddyBytes' 2025 Golf Channel Games - Skills Challenge Coverage. The Skills Challenge format has been a popular offseason event in professional golf, testing players' abilities in specific skills like putting, driving distance, and short game shots rather than traditional stroke play. These events have featured a mix of PGA Tour professionals, celebrities, and legends in a relaxed, entertaining format.
After a long hiatus, the old predecessor to this years new 2025 Golf Channel Games event that was once the 'Skills Challenge' 'Silly Season' - unofficial golf event by various sponsors over the years has been 'rebirthed' as the new in 2025 Golf Channel Games with VERSANT as the 2025 sponsor. This new Golf Channel Games 'Silly Season' made for television event will debut on December 17th, 2025 featuring two competing four man teams - captained by Rory McIlroy and Scottie Sheffler respectively and held at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter Florida.
McIlroy and Scheffler will lead two four-man teams at the Golf Channel Games in the following timed and strategy-focused challenges under the pressure of the clock and the primetime lights:
Timed Drive, Chip, & Putt – Players compete solo in the three precision-based disciplines – drive a total number of yards, chip within a certain proximity to the pin, and hole a certain number of feet of putts – as quickly as possible.
14-Club Challenge –
Two Players, One Bag – One player from each team will square off in the 14-Club Challenge, drawing a club from a single bag (including driver and putter) in a closest-to-the-pin competition from a designated distance in the fairway. All 14 clubs, seven shots per player – and once a club is used, it’s out. All eight players will participate – four total matchups.
Timed Shootout – A four-player alternate shot on three holes with teammates staged on the tee (1), in the fairway (1), and around the green (2). Finish with the best score in the shortest amount of time…the clock is running!
Captains’ Challenge – Rory vs. Scottie – Each player hits from predetermined locations. Shots will include a 100-yard wedge, 50-yard pitch, bunker shot, greenside shot, 50-ft putt, and 10-ft putt. The lowest total distance from the hole for the combined shots wins.
The previous most famous iteration was the old ADT Skills then Bard Capital One Challenge, which was an offseason event that tested golfers' abilities in putting, driving distance, and short game shots like bunker play and chip shots. In a memorable 2003 upset, baseball superstar Mark McGwire beat out a field of professional golfers to win the event. The event featured a mix of PGA Tour professionals and celebrities in team and individual skill competitions.
Skills Challenge Years
Featured Skills
Skill Tests
Driving distance, precision putting, bunker shots, and chip shots are typically featured in Skills Challenge events.
Skill DetailsSkills Challenge History (2000s - Present)
2025 Golf Channel Games
New Era of Skills Competition
Location TBA
Successor to ADT Skills Challenge
Expected Features:
Skill-based challenges, top PGA Tour players, entertaining format
2003 ADT Skills Challenge
Memorable Upset Victory
United States
Baseball superstar beats pros
Skills Tested:
Putting, driving distance, short game
2000s ADT Skills Challenge
Peak Popularity Era
Various Locations
Featured four teams of pros and celebrities
Notable Participants:
Fred Couples, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson
Notable Participants
Pros & Celebrities
Throughout History
Professional Golfers:
Fred Couples, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler
Celebrities: Wayne Gretzky, Mark McGwire
Event Format
Skill-Based Competition
Unique Golf Challenge
Core Skills Tested
Putting precision
Driving distance, Bunker play, Chip shots:cite[2]
Historical Context
Unofficial PGA Tour Events
Golf Entertainment
Part of unofficial tournament tradition
Similar to:
Skins Game, other made-for-TV events
The ADT Skills Challenge Legacy
The ADT Skills Challenge was particularly notable for its relaxed atmosphere and entertaining format. Unlike traditional tournament golf, the event focused on specific skills in a more casual setting, allowing players to showcase particular aspects of their game while engaging in friendly banter with competitors.
Forum discussions from the time mention the appeal of watching "the relaxed banter" between players and how stars like Rickie Fowler would "turn the hat around to get more aerodynamic" during driving challenges. The event also featured memorable moments like players considering whether to "go over the palm tree or through the gap" on trouble shots, demonstrating the creative shot-making the format encouraged.
The upcoming Golf Channel Games in 2025 represents a revival of this popular format, bringing back skill-based competition to showcase golf's most exciting players in a unique, entertaining setting that differs from week-to-week tour competition.