LIV golfer Harold Varner III found himself in a wild on-course drama this week, reportedly getting asked to leave Bear Slide Golf Club in Indiana. This wasn’t about his swing or a bad putt, though. Nope, this was a full-blown group size dispute that spiraled out of control at a public course, just a short drive from where Varner is playing LIV’s final event of the year.
Booking a Foursome, Rolling With Six: The Bear Slide Showdown
Here’s the rundown: Varner’s group had a tee time booked for a foursome. Simple enough, right? Except when they showed up on Tuesday, August 18, they were a full 30 minutes late and rolled in with six golfers. Bear Slide Golf Club, known as one of the top public courses in the area, tried to accommodate them by suggesting they play as two threesomes. That’s a pretty fair compromise, especially when you’re late and have more players than planned. But Varner’s group wasn’t having it. They hit the first tee and insisted, not once, not twice, but four times that they should be allowed to play as a sixsome. The starter, clearly just enforcing the rules, told them that simply wasn’t allowed. Things got a little heated, with one member of the group even telling the starter he was being “rude.” Another person in the group actually defended the starter, confirming he was just doing his job. Varner himself pressed the issue, asking the starter if they could play as a sixsome, then taking it to the pro shop three separate times, where he was informed it was a firm no, especially with other groups behind them.
Ignoring the Rules, Earning the Exit
Despite all the warnings, the group started play as two threesomes. You’d think that would be the end of it, but no. By the fourth hole, conveniently away from the clubhouse, they decided to join up and play as one big sixsome. Staff at Bear Slide caught them in the act. As soon as Varner’s group finished putting on that fourth hole, the course staff wasted no time. They were promptly informed they needed to return their carts to the clubhouse and were no longer welcome on the course. They all got refunds, sure, but what a way to end a round. The club’s Facebook post on the incident didn’t mince words, suggesting maybe the group felt they deserved “special privileges” because of who they are. Meanwhile, there were actual paying groups on the third and fourth holes, and two more on the second. Talk about backing up play.
Varner is T-16 heading into the final round of LIV Golf Indianapolis, but this off-course drama is wild. Bear Slide Golf Club made a statement: rules are rules for everyone, no matter who you are or your “connections.” It’s a good reminder that even the pros gotta respect the course policies.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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