The Grass League bills itself as the world’s first “high-stakes par-3 golf league”–a bold departure from traditional 18-hole, week-long golf tournaments.
Instead of long rounds and weekend-long marathons, Grass League matches are played on lighted Par-3 courses under the stars, lending the game an energetic, social-sports vibe rather than the usual tranquil, hushed-green atmosphere.
Teams are organized into regional franchises, similar to a traditional sports league, adding rivalries, community identity, and the kind of fan loyalty you see in pro team sports.
Because of this structure–franchise rosters, regular events, prize purses, and fan-facing production–Grass League aims to bring a fresh, more accessible flavor to competitive golf.
League Mechanics – How Grass League Works
Here’s how the Grass League is structured under the hood:
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Franchises & Teams: The league is composed of 10 regional franchises. Each franchise holds a roster (14 players: 10 owner-selected, 4 from the league draft) of golfers–pros, amateurs, plus-handicappers–giving a mix of established talent and under-the-radar hopefuls.
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Draft & Qualifier: Players who want in but aren’t rostered can enter a qualifier, with successful entrants eligible for a snake-style draft. That helps rotate in fresh talent and maintain competitive opportunity.
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Event Format: Events are played in a 2-person scramble format–two-man teams from each franchise compete together, both players tee off, then choose the best shot, and play on from there.
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Scoring & Prizes: Some events score by team performance, others by franchise aggregate performance (adding together scores of all teams from a franchise). Each event carries a purse (event purses reportedly exceed $100,000) and franchises also compete for a season-long purse based on total league revenue and standings.
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Night Golf & Entertainment: Many events are played “under the lights”–with Par 3 courses illuminated by LED lights–turning golf into something more akin to a night-time entertainment event: music, spectators, hospitality tents, and social energy. This year,
In short: Think of it as a hybrid of competitive golf, sports-franchise structure, and live-event entertainment.
Why Grass League Could Matter – For Players, Fans & Golf’s Future
Accessibility & Opportunity
One of Grass League’s core appeals is inclusivity. The league doesn’t only rely on established tour pros; its draft and qualifier system allows newcomers, amateurs and plus-handicap golfers to potentially compete, get drafted, and play alongside seasoned players.
That opens up a new pathway for golfers who might otherwise never get a shot at televised, high-stakes competition. And because franchises don’t always field every rostered player, there’s flexibility for underdogs.
Entertainment & Audience Growth
By shifting to Par 3 golf, scramble format, night-play under lights, and a more social/spectator-friendly vibe, Grass League could attract audiences who find traditional tournament golf too slow or formal. The format is shorter, faster, easier to follow, and more lively.
That could help bring new fans, younger viewers, and a different demographic to golf: one more accustomed to quick-hit, team-based sports and night-time entertainment.
A Testbed for Innovation
For golf as a whole, a sport often criticized for being slow, elitist, or inaccessible, Grass League represents a kind of experiment: What happens when you remix golf’s fundamentals (Par 3, scramble, night) with pro-sports structures (franchises, rosters, purses)? If it succeeds, it could influence how golf is packaged in the future.
The 2025 Grass League Championship
The 2025 season of Grass League is already underway, and its climactic event is the upcoming 2025 GL Championship, to be played December 5-6 at Grass Clippings Rolling Hills in Tempe, AZ.
The championship will feature franchises fielding multiple 2-person scramble teams, and will award both event pursues and contribute to the season-long standings.
Perhaps equally important: the off-the-course production. The league emphasizes entertainment. This year, performers include Midland (Dec. 5) and BIGXTHAPLUG (Dec. 6).
Also notable: Grass League recently secured external funding (reported at $2.75 million) to support growth, live events, and hiring a league commissioner.
The Future of Grass League
The league recently announced the sale of its newest expansion franchise–Las Vegas Action–for $1 million, underscoring growing investor confidence in the league’s business model.
The Las Vegas Action was acquired by a group called The Sports Group Endeavors, a consortium with ties to sports operations, real estate, and entertainment. Their ownership group includes a former NFL player turned broadcaster, as well as executives with extensive backgrounds in real estate development and major industry leadership; reflecting the serious financial and operational muscle behind the investment.
“The Las Vegas Action represents the perfect intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture, and we are honored to join the Grass League at such a pivotal moment in its growth,” SG Ellison, speaking on behalf of the ownership group, said. “Las Vegas is becoming one of the most exciting sports cities in the world, and we believe the Action can grow into a franchise that reflects the energy, competition, and creativity that define this market. We look forward to building a team that the community can rally behind and that showcases the future of the sport.”
For fans and industry watchers, the Las Vegas deal represents more than just a new team; it is evidence that Grass League’s experiment in par-3, night-golf, team-based competition is being taken seriously by investors. With backing like this, the league’s ambition to reshape how golf is played (and watched) is suddenly much more tangible.
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