Brokers are scooping up tee times at munis in Los Angeles and reselling them. Golfers are not happy about it

Getting a tee time at Los Angeles’ municipal golf courses is becoming a real problem, according to a report.

In many cities around the U.S., tee times are increasingly difficult to get.

In Los Angeles, it’s becoming a real problem, at least at the city’s municipal golf courses.

In an article by the Los Angeles Times, brokers have gamed the system by scooping up tee times at several municipal golf courses and reselling them for $30 or $40, hiking the price for locals who seemingly have no choice but to pay.

The Times story reports that a local teaching pro and social media influencer, Dave Fink, started a #FreetheTee movement among his 200,000 Instragram followers.

The city courses such as Griffith Park, Rancho Park and Hansen Dam usually only charge about $35 but some golfers in L.A. say that as soon as tee times show up on the booking sites, most are gone within minutes.

“Six hours worth of tee times are gone in seconds,” Charlie (last name withheld) told the Times, which also reported that:

The L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks announced an investigation, roping in the city attorney’s office and the staff at GolfNow, a subsidiary of NBC Sports.

“I know people are frustrated,” said Rose Watson, spokesperson for the recreation and parks department. “At the end of the day, it’s not right, it’s not fair.” She said that “the city is on top of it” but asked for “a little more patience.”

The Times interviewed a broker named Ted Kim, who said it’s “not like I’m taking advantage of technology. I’m booking myself. I’m not doing anything illegal.” Kim said he makes a couple thousand dollars a month as a broker.

The Players tiebreaker rules: What’s the playoff format in 2024?

Here’s the answer.

We’re down to a thrilling finish at the 2024 Players Championship, with golfers possibly tying in the final round.

So if you’re here, you’re probably wondering: what are the tiebreaker rules and playoff format?

You’ve come to the right place! Here’s the answer, per the PGA Tour: it’s a three-hole playoff, with the winner being declared by best three-hole aggregate score from holes No. 16, 17 and 18. If they’re still tied after that? It’s sudden death for Nos. 17, 18, then 16, 17 and 18, so if one golfer birdies and the other doesn’t, it’s all over.

There it is! Enjoy the ending of this amazing golf tournament.

This American carded the lowest score in Asian Tour history on Saturday, shooting 59

“It’s pretty crazy. It hasn’t totally sunk in yet.”

John Catlin has three wins on the DP World Tour and four Asian Tour wins. But his latest feat is why his name will be known by more golfers now than ever.

Catlin, a 33-year-old American, shot 11-under 59 after holing a 20-foot eagle putt on the final hole Saturday at the Asian Tour’s International Series Macau event in China. He became the first player to break 60 in Asian Tour history, and his bogey-free performance helped him take the lead heading into the final round at Macau Golf & Country Club.

“Yeah, I’m pretty much speechless,” Catlin said, who later said all of his passwords end with 59. “It’s pretty crazy. It hasn’t totally sunk in yet. Wow. Yeah, the emotions are hitting me for sure. Just everything I’ve been through over the last two years. To be here. It’s pretty special.”

Catlin sits at 18 under for the tournament, beating LIV Golf’s Jason Kokrak by two shots. Kokrak and Lucas Herbert each shot 62 on the par-70 layout.

The purse is $2 million at the second International Series event of the year.

David Skinns’ second-round results at THE PLAYERS Championship

Former Vol David Skinns’ second-round results at THE PLAYERS Championship.

THE PLAYERS Championship is taking place Thursday-Sunday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Former Vol David Skinns is part of the field. He did not make the cut (E) after the second-round. Wyndham Clark (-14) is leading entering Saturday’s third-round. One-under par is the cut line.

Skinns played for the Vols from 2001-05, appearing in 46 tournaments. He came to Tennessee from Lincoln, England.

The former Vol has appeared in 33 PGA TOUR events during his career. He has made 14-of-33 cuts on the PGA TOUR. Skinns has appeared in 151 events, including three wins, on the Korn Ferry Tour during his career.

Did Donald Trump beat a pair of pro golfers? One Congressional candidate said he did

According to a former White House aide: “Trump put to shame two professional golfers.”

Former President Donald Trump enjoys spending time on the golf course, and he had long hoped to host a major tournament at one of the courses his organization owns. The 2022 PGA Championship was originally scheduled at his course in Bedminster, but the PGA of America took that away after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump still plays consistently and he has long been proud of his game.

But does the 77-year-old presidential candidate have the kind of game that can hold off touring pros? According to a former White House aide who is running for Congress, that’s exactly what happened during a recent outing.

At a rally in Rome, Georgia, candidate Brian Jack insisted that Trump did just that.

More: Take a look at the golf courses owned by Donald Trump

“I’m not sure if I should say this,” said Jack. “But just a few weeks ago, President Trump put to shame two professional golfers. I ain’t gonna mention their names, but just know he shot a 70 on 18 holes.”

According to a post at Mediaite.com, no course was mentioned in Jack’s speech, but this score would be in line with previous numbers Trump has insisted he’s produced.

Jack did not cite the course where this alleged 70 was shot. But if it was the notoriously difficult Trump-owned Bedminster, NJ layout, then Trump might have actually had an off day. Back in August, the former president claimed to have shot a 67 on that track. Two weeks earlier, a the same course hosted a tournament for Saudi-backed LIV golf. Trump’s claimed 67 would have beaten 47 of the 48 pros in the final round.

The aspiring congressman did not share any specifics — including whether Trump took any mulligans or played from the same tees as the pros. If Trump got any significant edges like that, then the pros certainly would not have felt as though they’d been “put to shame” — even if Trump shot a lower score. But the idea of Trump, at age 77, outplaying two current pros without receiving any type of advantage?

In 2023, Trump announced the victory via social media.

“I am pleased to report, for those that care, that I just won the Senior Club Championship (must be over 50 years old!) at Bedminster (Trump National Golf Club), shooting a round of 67,” the Palm Beach resident posted. “Now, some people will think that sounds low, but there is no hanky/lanky. Many people watch, plus I am surrounded by Secret Service Agents. Not much you can do even if you wanted to, and I don’t.”

Trump concluded his post: “For some reason, I am just a good golfer/athlete – I have won many Club Championships, and it is always a great honor!”

After Viktor Hovland’s recent move, half of the world’s top 10 golfers live in the same county. Which one?

Hovland’s move gives this county half of the world’s top 10 golfers in the current ranking and 10 of the top 30.

Palm Beach County in Florida has added another top 10 golfer in the world among its residents.

Norway’s Viktor Hovland, ranked No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, recently moved from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Palm Beach Gardens, where he is living with a friend. Hovland is scouting the area for the best place to buy.

Hovland’s move gives Palm Beach County half of the world’s top 10 golfers in the current ranking and 10 of the top 30.

Hovland, 26, had lived in Stillwater since arriving at Oklahoma State University. When asked about the move after his pro-am Wednesday before the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, he compared the weather in the Midwest to South Florida.

“The weather is a big one,” he said. “It’s just hard to beat it for golf, especially this time of year. This has kind of been a rough winter in Stillwater. Just not great for practicing. Even though I love Oklahoma. Summertime it’s great, and I certainly miss the people there.”

Stillwater’s average temperature from December through January is in the 50s. The city had three consecutive days in January when the low was below zero.

Hovland also was drawn by the proximity to international airports, especially Miami which has nonstop flights to Oslo.

“I do find it easier if I want to go back home to Norway, it’s a direct flight from Miami,” he said. “I can have family and friends come down and hang out. It’s a little bit harder for them to come to Stillwater, and, yeah, there’s not much to do there either. So at least in Florida, there’s a little bit more we can do.”

Hovland is the reigning FedEx Cup champion, which earned him $18 million, and has won six times on the PGA Tour. He joins fellow top 10 golfers Rory McIlroy (No. 2), Xander Schauffele (5), Patrick Cantlay (6) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (9) as residents of northern Palm Beach County. Hovland, McIlroy and Fitzpatrick were part of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, as were Jupiter residents Shane Lowry (54) and team captain Luke Donald.

Keegan Bradley (15), Cameron Young (21), Justin Thomas (23), Matthieu Pavon (24) and Brooks Koepka (30) round out top 30 county residents in the current ranking.

Others of note include Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger, Gary Woodland, Eric Cole, Lucas Glover and Matt Kuchar.

Koepka leads a long list of LIV golfers in the area, among them Branden Grace, Dustin Johnson, Anirban Lahiri, Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira, Charl Schwartzel, Peter Uihlein and Matthew Wolff.

Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els and Justin Leonard are among those on the PGA Tour Champions living in the county.

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf writer for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@gannett.com.

Golfers interrupted by a stampede of kangaroos that ‘went forever’

Video shows a rare sight of an extremely large mob of kangaroos running down the fairway, forcing golfers in Australia to step aside.

Some Australian golfers were forced to step aside and allow a stampede of kangaroos to run down their fairway, through sand traps and over the green in an encounter that seemed to last forever.

“Look at this,” Stephen Roche said as he began filming the amazing sight. “It’s a stampede. It is a fair dinkum stampede.”

The unusual interruption occurred Monday on the fourth hole of the St John course at the Heritage Golf and Country Club northeast of Melbourne. Roche posted video of the encounter on X.

Michael McCarthy shot video of the same encounter from a different angle, stating on X, “Felt like it went forever.”

Sure, kangaroos are common on Australian golf courses, but in these numbers?

“We have kangaroos on our two courses at Heritage Golf and Country Club,” Roche wrote on X. “But I’ve never seen this before.”

Someone asked if the kangaroos were tough on the greens. Roche replied, “Surprisingly no. Soft-footed animal. The only sign of them is footprints in bunkers.”

 

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson banned from NXXT after Florida-based mini-tour changes gender policy

“It is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports,” the CEO said.

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson’s playing options just got significantly smaller.

NXXT Golf announced on Friday that, effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate. A statement from the tour notes that it underscores the organization’s commitment to “maintaining the integrity of women’s professional golf and ensuring fair competition.” The news comes on International Women’s Day.

“As we navigate through the evolving landscape of sports, it is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports,” said NXXT Golf CEO Stuart McKinnon in a statement.

“Our revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes. Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels, and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field.”

Davidson, a three-time winner on the tour, currently ranks second on the mini tour’s season standings. She has played nine times this season on the NXXT.

The NXXT is the second U.S. mini-tour to make such a change. Last month, the Arizona-based Cactus Tour announced on National Girls and Women in Sports Day that it had reinstated a female-at-birth requirement.

A number of LPGA players have used the mini-tour over the years to kick off rust and develop their games as amateurs and young pros. Past winners include three-time major winner Anna Nordqvist, 2023 U.S. Women’s Open champ Allisen Corpuz, Grace Kim, Mina Harigae, Gabriela Ruffels and Cheyenne Woods.

Bobbi Lancaster, a retired physician who became the first transgender player to compete in LPGA Q-School, once spent time competing on the Cactus Tour. Lancaster recently told Golfweek that her views on allowing trans women to compete in elite women’s sports have changed.

Davidson’s victory on the NXXT in January got national attention after many believed her performance put her on the doorstep of the LPGA. The NXXT has a new partnership this season with the Epson Tour, the developmental feeder tour for the LPGA. The top five earners on the NXXT points list will earn two exemptions into Epson Tour fields.

The fine print, however, details that for players to receive those Epson Tour exemptions, the NXXT must have a minimum of 10 events with an average of 40 players, and fields were falling well short of that number.

In the wake of the Davidson controversy, the NXXT initiated an anonymous poll among its players to gather their opinions on the tour’s gender policy, the results of which had not been made public.

The tour also requested that Davidson undergo additional testosterone testing to ensure compliance.

Davidson earned a scholarship to play on the men’s team at Wilmington University, an NCAA Division II school in Delaware, before transferring to the men’s team at Christopher Newport, an D-III school in Virginia.

On Sept. 24, 2015 – a date that’s tattooed on her right forearm – Davidson began undergoing hormone treatments, and in January 2021 underwent gender reassignment surgery, a six-hour procedure that’s required under the LPGA’s Gender Policy.

Three years ago, Davidson became the second transgender player to compete in LPGA Q-School and did not make the cut. She tried again in 2022, missing the 54-hole cut by a single stroke.

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Watch: Stampede of kangaroos inundate Australian golf course

Stephen Roche and his golf partner got quite a show at Heritage Golf and Country Club in Victoria, Australia.

Stephen Roche and his golf partner got quite a show when they teed off on the fourth hole of the Heritage Golf and Country Club in Victoria, Australia.

Although the club is known for having small herds of occasional kangaroos hopping through the fairways, what Roche saw this week was something to behold. The course, the first Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ design in Australia, is a parkland-style course that initially opened in 2000.

A full stream of kangaroos took over the course, and Roche filmed the stampede, noting that the animals should avoid his golf ball.

The same club was the center of controversy a few years ago, when kangaroos were being culled from the busy course until neighbors and locals fought to find another solution. Instead of taking out the animals a new fencing system was installed at the time.

Stephen Curry hits epic golf swing celebration after nailing 3-pointer against Milwaukee Bucks

Stephen Curry is just like us all.

Stephen Curry is just like us all.

Well, at least his love for golf.

The Golden State Warriors point guard, a four-time NBA champion, is an avid golfer. He has participated in Capital One’s The Match, and last year, he won the American Century Championship, a tournament where he also had a hole-in-one. He even competed in a Korn Ferry Tour event in 2017.

And just like other golfers, there’s never a bad time to practice your swing, including in the middle of a professional basketball game.

That’s what Curry did Wednesday night, playing on ESPN against the Milwaukee Bucks. In the first quarter, Curry hit a deep 3-pointer and celebrated by practicing his golf swing. Because of course.

If only we were as good at our day jobs as Curry is at his.

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