LIV Golf’s troubles haven’t gone unnoticed, particularly following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. However, the league’s financial struggles have also brought a four-year-long dispute between Flushing It and No Laying Up back into the spotlight, with the feud now spilling over onto social media. The X-based golf news page, run by Tom Hobbs, recently took to the platform to address comments made about him by members of No Laying Up.

“I’ve been made aware that members of No Laying Up said on a recent podcast that I have been reporting bad news from LIV Golf because I was ‘waiting for some payments to come in,’” he wrote. “They have also regularly insinuated for 4 years that I have been paid for covering the league and I have now ‘flipped.’”

Hobbs added that these claims are “completely false,” saying he shouldn’t have to defend himself against the accusations. However, he felt he had to do so because of the influence and popularity No Laying Up commands in the community.

“I do not make any money from Flushing It Golf outside of the minor ad revenue share from social media platforms, and I never have,” Hobbs said.

The owner of Flushing It also revealed that he had been approached by unnamed organizations to present biased views, but “I’ve rejected every single offer.” Hobbs then explained that his motivation for starting the X account “came after COVID as an outlet to get away from serious issues I had in my personal life that I was struggling to deal with.”

He initially started the account to share memes, but it gradually evolved after its launch in 2021.

“I now try my hardest to share interesting news stories in as factual a way as possible with extensive sourcing,” he added. “I know it’s hard for some people to believe, but I am literally just a tradesman from the UK who is obsessed with golf. So I talk about it online, and I really enjoy it.”

However, the story doesn’t end there. Daily Telegraph’s James Corrigan quickly weighed in to defend Flushing It.

“This is a bit silly from @NoLayingUp,” he wrote on X. “Flushing It has been honest in all this.”

Corrigan’s tweet didn’t go unnoticed, as No Laying Up entered the conversation to present its side of the story.

“lol cmon James. First, the comment was made in jest, and of course the context is missing,” No Laying Up’s X account responded. “And second, he’s spent years attempting to discredit us, including threatening physical violence. Just a smidge of research, my friend! All we’re asking! Or maybe just ask us directly.”

They also attached a screenshot of several old tweets from Flushing It to make their point. The screenshot showed a heated exchange with Todd Carter (@TronCarterNLU) of No Laying Up. The posts are highly confrontational, with Flushing It calling him “the biggest melt on golf Twitter” and repeatedly saying they will meet one day.

The exchange then escalates, with Flushing It using personal insults and profanity, including telling him they would “love to have a chat” and calling him a “C**T.” In another post, Flushing It wrote, “I fking mean this. Watch ya back,” making the dispute appear far more personal than a typical disagreement over golf coverage.

Regardless of the claims, there is no evidence that Flushing It was ever on LIV Golf’s payroll, and he has gone unpaid after Saudi Arabia’s PIF pulled its funding from the breakaway tour. LIV has reportedly struggled to make payments to contractors and vendors since its financial troubles began earlier this year, resulting in several lawsuits against the league.

LIV has also laid off a significant number of employees as it attempts to restructure the league in partnership with its new lead investor, BC Partners. In any case, despite Flushing It’s denial of being on LIV’s payroll or receiving payments from the league, fans don’t appear to be buying his explanation.

“You were an absolute shill for LIV…,” one user commented. “You were the biggest fanboy …so, your so-called motivation above is not the complete story. You weren’t covering golf objectively – you were in the tank for LIV and had inside info from a LIV player(s) and used that source to taunt the ecosystem of golf with the next big turncoat rumor. You were the source of much angst – we will never forget.”

Someone else added, “You’re just an opportunistic shill that picked the wrong endeavor. What a way to waste your time on this earth. Covering LIV for free!? Lmao. Yikes!”

It’s worth noting that fans’ dislike of LIV Golf stems from Saudi Arabia’s PIF funding and sportswashing concerns, the division it has created within professional golf, and its format. Critics argue that the league has weakened traditional competition through guaranteed money, no cuts, and 54-hole events. 

Some fans have also been frustrated by players choosing LIV primarily for financial rewards and reduced schedules, seeing it as a departure from the prestige and competitive grind of traditional professional golf. 

Even another user wasn’t satisfied with Flushing It’s denial. “Nah dude, I’ve seen the receipts. You’re nothing but a troll simping for the worst sports league of all time. And of course now playing the sympathy card. Not buying it,” the user wrote.

Another user was baffled that Hobbs wasn’t being paid. “I refuse to believe that any sane person would tweet that level of pro-LIV slop for 4 years without being paid for it,” the comment read. 

A different user had a similar view. “I legitimately assumed this account had changed hands in recent months given how much of a 180 you’ve done in your approach to LIV,” they wrote.

That said, it appears Flushing It hasn’t managed to convince everyone that he is in the right with his denial.