Grass League
High-stakes, team-based par-3 golf league.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | $2.8m | Seed | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Grass League, founded in 2023 by Jake Hoselton, Jimmy Hoselton, Connor Riley, and Pete Wilson, is a professional sports entity establishing high-stakes, par-3 golf as a standalone sport. The league features a franchise model with city-based teams owned by investors, athletes, and celebrities, including notable figures like Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark. This structure fosters regional fan bases and diverse ownership. The league's format is designed for a modern audience, with events held on lighted courses at night, creating a festival-like atmosphere with music and food vendors to attract younger demographics.
The competition includes both amateur and professional golfers playing in a two-person scramble format for significant cash prizes. While professional players compete for purse money, amateurs can benefit from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. The business model diversifies revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, media rights, merchandise, and franchise sales. The league recently closed a $2.75 million funding round led by Creator Sports Capital and Old Tom Capital to expand its infrastructure, media production, and add new franchises. Media partnerships with entities like Bleacher Report and live streams on platforms including YouTube and Peacock enhance its digital-first content strategy, targeting broad consumption on social media.
The league's flagship venue is Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills in Tempe, Arizona, which serves as a prototype for future lighted par-3 courses. The founders, all avid golfers from Phoenix, identified a gap in competitive amateur golf and aimed to create an energetic, community-focused alternative to traditional golf tournaments. The inaugural season in 2024 featured several events, and the league plans to add up to two new franchises by 2026, building on its current roster of 11 teams.
Keywords: par-3 golf, franchise sports league, golf entertainment, night golf, team-based golf, professional sports, amateur golf, sports investment, digital media, live events