Feeling putt out! LA golf influencer leads crusade to #Freethetee amid furious backlash over tee time black market that allows the wealthy to 'steal' spots at public courses from kids and low-income fans

Los Angeles golfers have come out swinging after discovering the reason they can't bag tee times on public courses is because black market brokers are booking them up and selling them on for a profit. 

'I've met some of my best friends here. I learned how to play golf on these golf courses. As someone who was of lesser means at the time, it was invaluable to me to be able to get into the sport' Local golf coach Dave Fink told KTLA. 

'I just cannot allow that resource to be taken away from other people,' he said.

Fink unearthed the issue after being frequently unable to book a time on his local course, only to discover the slots were available on the black market online with a $40 booking fee. 

Fink became so irked by the situation that he began the #FreetheTee movement, to raise awareness of 'brokers' using AI bots to scoop up all the slots and sell them on for profit. 

Local golf coach Dave Fink discovered a black market where brokers were booking up available slots and then selling them online with a $40 booking fee

LA's Golf Advisory Committee held a meeting with local golfers and stakeholders to discuss the issue on Monday

Burbank resident Karen Thornton (right) attended the meeting, telling the committee the issue has been going on for years

'I have created some of my best memories at L.A. city golf courses,' Fink told KTLA.

Public golf courses tend to charge much lower fees than private members clubs, in theory allowing greater access to the sport for younger and lower income residents. 

'Hey there's this guy, and the only way you can get in touch with him is through this Korean messaging app called Kakao,' Fink told the LA Times about how he discovered one such broker. 

The broker had a page offering tee times at public courses including Balboa Golf Course, Harding and Hansen Dam.

'This is what he's charging per tee time, per person. OK? $30 for non-peak hours. $40 per tee time,' he told the Times.

'This is literally crazy and it's very unfair' Fink added.

Fink posted a conversation he had with the broker on his YouTube page, where the broker admits to taking the slots and selling them on for a premium.  

Wilson Golf Course has been targeted by the brokers 

Harding Golf Course slots have been sold online for profit 

LA's Golf Advisory Committee held a meeting with local golfers and stakeholders to discuss the issue in March.

Burbank resident Karen Thornton attended the meeting, telling the committee the issue has been going on for years, KTLA reported. 

'This is not new,' Thornton explained.

'It happened when I was playing 10 years ago. It takes golf away from the weekend dad who wants to show his kids what golf is like.'  

Another unnamed attendee criticized the company behind the public courses' online booking system, GolfNow and its parent company NBC Sports Group. 

'Where is the company? Who's the supplier in all of this,' one local gold enthusiast asked. 

Others complained that the booking issues have been raised before but no action has been taken, KTLA reported. 

'The same email goes out every year,' another golfer said.   

The committee is now preparing several reports into the matter and will report back on May 20.