LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Kings center and captain Anže Kopitar will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season and like many retirees he’ll be devoting his time to a different passion: golf. 

Kopitar is the newest investor and limited partner in the Los Angeles Golf Club, one of five teams in the TGL golf league, a newly formed team golf league in its second season that hosts matches inside an arena and features a fusion of virtual courses and high-tech, rotating greens that aims to attract a new generation of golfing fans and provide an innovative arena experience. 

“Myself being a pretty passionate golfer and really loving the game, following stuff and seeing the TGL getting some traction and how fun it was to watch, I didn't really think about getting the opportunity, but when the opportunity presents itself, I just kind of jumped on it,” Kopitar said. 

The Kings captain said that he was approached by LAGC president Neil Hubman about becoming an investor and he was eager to be on board.

Getting hooked on golf

Kopitar’s personal experience with golf is uniquely tied to his time in Los Angeles. Hailing from Slovenia, he didn’t have much experience with golf growing up, but after his decades-long transplant to sunny SoCal, he found himself playing it more and more, especially in charity games put on by the Kings.

The competitive drive that has made him one of the best hockey players of his generation also played into getting him into golf  as well after a disappointing charity tournament performance left a sour taste in his mouth.

“I wasn't really into it until I severely embarrassed myself my second year on that charity golf tournament. So I figured I’d just work at it a little bit. And then I hit the seven iron right in the sweet spot and then I was hooked,” Kopitar said. 

Kopitar joins an investor group that includes several other notable athletes and figures in entertainment like primary owners Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams and Venus Williams and an extended investor group that includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Morgan and Shonda Rhimes. 

Staying connected to LA

While he plans to move his family back home to Slovenia when the NHL season is done, taking a stake in LAGC gives Kopitar and his family a new way to stay connected to the community that he’s called his home and left his mark on for two decades. 

“It'll be a great excuse for me to come here and see everybody and be a part of this community like I've been for 20 years… Both of my kiddos were born here. We have friends outside of hockey here. Now this thing that popped up with LA Golf Club,” Kopitar said. “It’ll be very fun to come back here and maybe not be as stressed as I am during the season."

LAGC's season kicked off with a Jan. 2 match against Boston Common Golf at SoFi Center in Palm Springs, Fla. that ended in a 7-5 victory for Boston Common, the first match of many that Kopitar will have the chance to watch as a new member of the organization.

“Anže represents everything we value at LAGC, elite competition, leadership and a deep connection to Los Angeles. He’s a world-class athlete, a passionate golfer, and someone who understands what it means to represent this city at the highest level. We’re proud to welcome him into our investor group.” Hubman said in LAGC’s official announcement.