Oscar De La Hoya makes two golf claims
Oscar De La Hoya said in May 2016 that Donald John Trump broke golf rules on 2 holes during an outing at Trump National Los Angeles that De La Hoya said occurred about 2 years ago.
Trump rejected the allegation to the Associated Press and said he had never played a round with De La Hoya. Contemporary reporting documented conflicting accounts without independently establishing De La Hoya’s allegations as fact today.
Oscar De La Hoya describes the first tee
De La Hoya said his group was preparing to play the first hole when Trump arrived in a golf cart. He said Trump asked to join, and the group agreed because Trump owned the course.
The Los Angeles Times placed the account at Trump National Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The club remains an 18-hole golf course on the Palos Verdes Peninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean today.
Oscar De La Hoya alleges a fairway switch
De La Hoya alleged that Trump used several balls from the first tee after early attempts went toward water, outside the course boundary, and into bushes. He said Trump then drove ahead before the group followed.
According to De La Hoya, Trump later announced that his original ball was sitting in the fairway. De La Hoya said the group laughed because they believed they had watched the ball travel elsewhere.
Oscar De La Hoya describes another dispute
De La Hoya described another disputed moment on a 170-yard par 3 where vegetation blocked the green. He said Trump’s ball appeared to travel outside the playable area before Trump drove ahead alone afterward.
De La Hoya said the group reached the green and found Trump identifying a ball about 3 feet from the hole. He alleged Trump picked it up as a gimme without another player conceding it.
Donald Trump rejects De La Hoya’s account
Trump rejected De La Hoya’s account in May 2016, telling the Associated Press that he had never played a full round with him. Trump also said he respected golf too much to break its rules.
Trump argued De La Hoya raised the story to promote a boxing event and pointed to his golf record. De La Hoya was promoting Canelo Alvarez against Amir Khan in Las Vegas at the time.
Donald Trump course layout raises questions
De La Hoya’s description of the first hole created a dispute because he said balls entered the water from the tee. Golf Channel reported in 2016 that water was around the green, roughly 300 yards away.
Trump National Los Angeles currently lists hole 1 as a 358-yard par 4 with bunkers protecting the fairway and green. Its official course description does not identify water as a normal tee landing hazard.
Donald Trump and De La Hoya shared a course
Video from a 2010 event shows Trump and De La Hoya together on a golf course before the disputed outing. The Los Angeles Times reported that Trump struck a tee ball while De La Hoya watched.
That footage does not prove De La Hoya’s account of a later round, but it establishes earlier golf contact between them. Trump’s 2016 denial said he had never played a round with De La Hoya.
USGA rules explain lost ball penalties
Golf rules make the location of a ball important because a lost ball or a ball out of bounds can result in penalties. Under United States Golf Association Rule 18, a player taking stroke and distance receives a 1-stroke penalty and must play again from the previous spot.
This penalty structure applies when a ball is lost or out of bounds, although golf rules and procedures have changed through different editions of the rulebook.
USGA rules explain when a gimme counts
A gimme is not automatically valid under official golf rules unless an opponent concedes the stroke in match play. United States Golf Association rules allow an opponent to concede a stroke, a hole, or the match, and that decision is final.
De La Hoya’s description would not match official match-play procedures if a player simply counted a short putt without a concession. He said the group was not playing for money, meaning the situation was described as a casual round rather than a formal competition.
Oscar De La Hoya brings sports credentials
De La Hoya brought an elite sports background to his criticism, although boxing, not golf, built his reputation. He won Olympic lightweight gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games and captured world titles across 6 weight divisions during his professional career.
His professional boxing record finished with 39 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws. Golden Boy Promotions, which he founded in 2002, continues to list De La Hoya as chairman and chief executive officer.
Fun fact: Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles previously featured 3 artificial waterfalls. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes approved its removal in 2015.
Oscar De La Hoya spoke during event week
De La Hoya made the accusation in Las Vegas while promoting the May 7, 2016, middleweight event between Alvarez and Khan. Trump had just become the presumptive Republican presidential nominee after rivals suspended their campaigns.
Trump said the timing showed that De La Hoya wanted publicity for the boxing event, while De La Hoya linked golf conduct to presidential character. Those competing explanations were part of the original Associated Press exchange.
Rick Reilly documented broader golf claims
Sportswriter Rick Reilly later expanded similar allegations in his 2019 book about Trump and golf. Reilly said his reporting drew on interviews with more than 100 professionals, amateurs, course developers, caddies, and different playing partners.
Reilly’s reporting added volume to the public debate, but those accounts remain allegations rather than official tournament findings. Trump has repeatedly rejected claims that he breaks golf rules and has instead emphasized his playing record.
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Donald Trump’s golf remains visible in 2026
Golf remains a visible part of Trump’s public life. Trump has continued to highlight his involvement with golf through his clubs, events and public comments.
The De La Hoya allegation dates back to 2016, while Trump’s response to the claim has remained that he respects the game and does not cheat.
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Oscar De La Hoya and Donald Trump gave sharply different accounts of their time on the golf course. Which version sounds more convincing to you, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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