Good news for weekend golfers across Southern California: Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new bill banning the practice of brokers buying up tee times at public golf courses and reselling them at a markup — a move that will help ensure that public courses remain accessible to everyday residents rather than those willing to pay a premium to scalpers.

The legislation targets a growing frustration among recreational golfers who found it increasingly difficult to book a spot at their local public course, only to discover that brokers had swept up available times and listed them for resale at inflated prices. The new law puts a stop to that practice, leveling the playing field for players of all backgrounds who simply want to enjoy a round of golf at a publicly accessible facility.

For Los Angeles-area golfers, the change is especially welcome. The region is home to a number of popular public courses that draw players from across the city and surrounding communities. With demand consistently high, the broker resale market had made it genuinely difficult for ordinary residents to secure a tee time at a reasonable cost.

The signing of the bill reflects a broader effort to protect public recreational resources from being commodified in ways that shut out the very communities they are meant to serve. Public golf courses are funded and maintained with community access in mind, and advocates of the new law argued that allowing brokers to corner the market on tee times undermined that core purpose.

With the law now on the books, golfers can look forward to a more straightforward and fair booking experience at public courses throughout California — a small but meaningful win for anyone who has ever refreshed a reservation page only to find every slot mysteriously gone. Grab your clubs and book that tee time: the course is yours again.

Sources: Los Angeles Times