GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — A golf club thief nicknamed the “Golf Club Bub” has landed in the rough, with a six-year prison sentence for a string of Valley thefts.
Connor Joseph Burgess, 31, received his sentence after pleading guilty to three felony charges of organized retail theft, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Thursday.
Authorities say Burgess stole more than $26,000 worth of merchandise from sporting goods stores between October and November 2025.
Burgess earned his nickname during the investigation, when Glendale police say he stole seven golf clubs valued at more than $4,200 from a Dick’s Sporting Goods store.
Investigators later connected Burgess to six additional thefts at multiple PGA Tour Superstores, another Dick’s Sporting Goods store and Scheels in Chandler.
According to prosecutors, the thefts were captured on surveillance video. Investigators identified Burgess through online listings where he tried to sell the stolen merchandise.
“Organized retail theft is not a harmless crime. It drives up costs for families and puts businesses and employees at risk,” Mitchell said in a written statement. “If you come to Maricopa County to steal and profit off our retailers, you will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
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