Golf’s Grass League Stakes New Ground With Las Vegas Franchise

Players compete at an event earlier this year at Grass Clippings Rolling Hills in Tempe, Arizona.

Grass League

Las Vegas is the latest market to bet big on the potential for par-3 primetime golf.

The Grass League – an up-and-coming high stakes competition that blends professional and amateur golfers in a team-centered format — has awarded its next expansion franchise to Las Vegas. The franchise was acquired for $1 million by The Sports Group Endeavors, as golf becomes the latest sport to call Las Vegas home. In the past decade, Las Vegas has added the Raiders (NFL), Golden Knights (NHL), Aces (WNBA), and the city will soon bring in the Athletics (MLB).

The expansion comes at a pivotal time for the Grass League, which is set to cap its season with the GL Championship Dec. 5-6 at its flagship host site: Grass Clippings Rolling Hills in Tempe, Arizona. The league said it is exploring options for a dedicated home course in the Las Vegas market.

“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,” said SG Ellison, who is part of the ownership group and has built one of the largest Taco Bell franchise networks in the country (including a significant presence in Las Vegas). “We look forward to building a team that the community can rally behind and that showcases the future of the sport.”

Joining Ellison in the Action’s ownership group are AQ Shipley, a 12-year NFL veteran who’s now a radio analyst for the Arizona Cardinals; Brandon Stein, who has led real estate development in the Las Vegas region for more than two decades; and former TaylorMade, adidas and Taco Bell CEO Mark King.

Grass League competition under the lights

Grass League

Many of the owners of the 10 current Grass League franchises reflect the league’s effort to straddle competition and culture, with a mix of influential leaders across sports, entertainment, and business. Other notable owners and ownership groups in the league include Good Good Golf, Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts, former PGA Tour professional and Travis Mathew co-founder John Mallinger, and current PGA Tour golfer Wyndham Clark.

“We are excited to continue introducing key sports markets into the Grass League—markets that represent cutting-edge ownership, culture, content, and energy,” said Grass League Co-Founder and CEO Jake Hoselton. “Las Vegas is exactly that kind of market. It resonates with a global audience and is essential to our expansion now and into the future.

Future Venue?

With events streamed on Peacock, Golf Channel and YouTube, the Grass League continues to grow its primetime golf experience that blends high-stakes, pressure-packed golf with creator style storytelling. But new venues are also a part of the expansion plans and, with Las Vegas, it’s a process that could reshape short-course golf in Southern Nevada.

Players from the New York Blue Birds celebrate earlier this year in Tempe.

Grass Clippings

One intriguing possibility is the former Las Vegas Golf Center, just minutes from the Strip, which closed at the end of 2024. It had a lighted, 9-hole par-3 course with appealing proximity to the casino resorts and the airport.

Another possibility might be the Cloud 9 course at Angel Park, which has nine of its 12 par-3 holes fully lit for nighttime play and already provides accessible, fast-paced golf built for energetic evening crowds. No determinations on venue have been made at this point.

In mid-2025, the Grass League closed a $2.75 million round of funding to help accelerate its mission to establish par 3 golf as a standalone sport. At the time, the league also started taking applications for a new franchise.

The logo for the Los Vegas Action, the newest franchise addition to the par-3 Grass League.

Grass League

The Grass League said it can support up to 24 franchises and anticipates adding roughly one new franchise a year going forward, with potential U.S. markets including Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Houston, and Miami. South Korea, Tokyo and Mexico City are among those identified as expansion spots internationally.

The league’s current lineup of franchises includes 10 franchises in seven states: