Dangerous Grand Canyon golf stunt has TikToker facing charges

A screenshot of a TikTok influencer hitting a golf ball over the Grand Canyon.

A screenshot of a TikTok influencer hitting a golf ball over the Grand Canyon.

Reddit

Some forced carries aren’t worth the risk for the reward.

According to the Washington Post, TikToker Katie Sigmond is facing charges after she posted a video of herself hitting a golf ball over the rim of the Grand Canyon.

“Do we really need to say, ‘don’t hit golf balls into the Grand Canyon?’” the National Park Service posted on the Grand Canyon’s Facebook page. “Throwing objects over the rim of the canyon is not only illegal but can also endanger hikers and wildlife who may be below.”

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The post said a woman, who was pictured post-impact with half of the club also gone flying after breaking in two, posted the video on Oct. 26 on her personal TikTok page. Law enforcement identified the poster as Sigmond the next day.

The video has been removed from her account as of this week, but a screen recording of Sigmond’s Snapchat story was shared on Reddit.

The Park Service did not identify Sigmond in the video, but a park spokesperson confirmed to the Post that she was the person in the screenshot and a citation was filed with the U.S. District Court in Flagstaff, Ariz. The spokesperson also said many visitors to the park and members of the public helped law enforcement identify Sigmond.

The misdemeanor counts each carry the potential of up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines, the spokesperson said.

Sigmond has pulled stunts similar, such as bowling with a pumpkin or throwing fake cinder blocks at cars, she’s even proved to be quite an avid golfer, posting swing videos on the course, at driving ranges and Topgolf to her more than 6.9 million followers.

But in the video Sigmond swings a right-handed club, compared to her other posts where she is a lefty, and does not place the ball on a mat, instead hitting off the rock. This could possibly explain why the club breaks on impact.

It’s also not the first time the Grand Canyon has dealt with people playing sports at the park. The Post also reported on a 2021 incident when the Park Service was searching for a man who hit a baseball into the canyon.

Sigmond has not said anything publicly about the incident, and just like a pro after making a triple bogey, has continued posting videos on her account.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.