As the best golfers in the world practiced Monday at Oakmont Country Club, a price war erupted over parking in neighborhoods near the course.

It highlighted a dilemma that golf fans faced on the U.S. Open's opening day: Park for free in one of two lots offered by the United States Golf Association and take a 25-minute shuttle ride, or pay increasingly more for spots closer to the course.

Some entrepreneurs as far away as New Kensington tried to draw in paying customers by offering shuttle rides to the course. In Oakmont, the day began with several residents renting space in their driveways and yards for $50 or more per space, but the market dropped after a few residents along Hulton Road dropped their prices to about half as much.

“We pretty much go off what they do,” said Antoni Aivaliotis, 19, pointing to neighbors at Hulton and 15th Street who offered parking on their corner lots for $25 a space.

“It's not like we can charge more for spaces that are farther away,” said Aivaliotis, whose family lives several houses away from Hulton.

Just then, a boy on a bicycle zipped past Aivaliotis' house with a Mercedes following him to a parking space even farther away. The boy held a sign that read, “Parking $20.”

A few streets away, prices were more fluid.

When asked how much he was charging people to park behind his family's home on 13th Street, Brad Bonaroti, 30, joked, “It depends on how nice their car is.”

After collecting $50 from two drivers early in the morning, Bonaroti said his prices slid down to $40.

Bonaroti's parking operation, consisting of three men, took on a more professional appearance than most. His crew communicated via walkie-talkie, and he drummed up some business by creating a Twitter account called @2016openparking. It had more than 100 followers Monday.

Borough officials have raised concerns in the past about residents' parking-for-profit ventures during major golf events at Oakmont Country Club. At the last one, the U.S. Women's Open in 2010, Oakmont threatened to cite 14 property owners who rented space in their yards for parking, but it opted not to because of confusion about the borough's rules.

Borough Manager Lisa Cooper Jensen said an ordinance prohibits parking in yards, but it gives violators up to 10 days to comply. In this case, that would be after the U.S. Open ends. Jensen said Oakmont is not cracking down because of the “futility of enforcement,” but she said the borough will consider imposing stricter rules before it hosts another Open.

“Let 'em fine me,” said Bob Malain, 78, of 13th Street, who has rented parking spaces at his home since 1994.

To dissuade authorities from doing so, however, Malain put a sign in his front yard that noted he has paid more than $77,000 in local taxes “to support policemen, firemen and teachers” since the 1994 U.S. Open.

As for what the parking money he makes will support?

“This money goes to my wife's slush fund,” Malain said.

For those who don't want to pay for parking, organizers are providing free parking and shuttle rides at two lots several miles from Oakmont Country Club.

Hartwood Acres, an Allegheny County park in Hampton and Indiana townships that is about 9 miles from the course, is serving as the “red lot.” The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, a sprawling shopping complex in Frazer, about 6 miles away, is the “blue lot.” The combined lots will offer about 10,000 spaces.

Tom Fontaine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7847 or tfontaine@tribweb.com.

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