Has anybody ever been to a Live PGA Event?

[lcbj68c]

Thinking about going to my first live PGA event. Probably a Fri or Thurs round at the Transitions Championship (Tampa, FL) or the TPC at Sawgrass.

 

Does anybody know of any tips or must-knows when it comes to going to a live golfing event? Is it better to set up camp on a specific green or teebox, or better to follow a few groups around throughout the day?

[Dmiles23]

We went to the PGA last fall when it was in WI and that was my first PGA golf tournament. It totally depends on what you want to do. Following guys like Tiger or Phil is tough because they have so many followers. It seemed like it would be hard to get a good view of them most times. But if you wanted to follow one of the less popular guys, it really isn't a problem to get a good view of each shot.

What we did was parked ourself by the tee box of a par 3, and we thought that was pretty cool. We got to see everyone pass by, and then you could also see how they finished the hole. If I were to go again, this is what I would do again. We were close enough that we could hear the conversations between the players and their caddy. It was a good time and I hope you have a good time!

[Hammer]

Went to the Byron Nelson in Dallas (actually Las Colinas) last year and had a blast!

Big tips:

1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. There isn't a ton of shade on the course and, obviously, the majority of the golf is played during the middle of the day so you will fry w/out it.

2. Follow groups of guys that you want to see. There are a lot of golfers that do not really matter on the course and several that are really bad to watch (I nearly got nailed by several sprayed shots).

3. Go to the local hot spots at night. You WILL see the golfers at the bars/nightclubs. They have their own groupies and the atmosphere is very pleasant.

 

Seriously, I would have never attended if my company wouldn't have paid the bill but I had a great time and will definitely go to more events...

[JimH5]

I went to the TPC event at Sawgrass several years ago. There is a par 3 on the front side (8?)--we parked there and were pretty bored as guy after guy hit to the green and 2-putted. I don't think we saw more than a couple of birdie putts in 2 hours.

 

Then we walked around for a bit. I think if I were to do it again, I'd find a guy I liked and then would follow him around.

 

FYI--Sawgrass 17 looks cool on tv and would be fun to play, but in person at the tournament, it was mostly a bunch of loud fat drunk rednecks.

[NeedMoreFans]

Went to the GMO quite a few times at Brown Deer and went to both PGA Championships at Whistling Straits. I have sat at a green, in the middle of the fairway, and followed groups. I would recommend doing a little of everything. I liked standing at the landing area from tee shots because you essentially got to see them hit 2 shots. If you get close enough, you can also hear the conversations between the golfer and caddy (depends on their shot, too). I like to walk around to see the course, but walking all day can get very tiring very quickly.

 

Get there early and head to the practice range. You get to see the leaders practice, and can sometimes get fairly close. It's neat to watch their coach go through their swing with them.

 

No matter what, try to take binoculars. If you are stationary, it is nice to be able to see who is coming. It's also not that hard to follow the shots with the binoculars, either.

[DHonks]

I've been to the GMO a few times, and about 3 years ago I made it to the US Open at Torrey Pines. We avoided Tiger and Phil, and had a blast with the sparse crowds. I'd estimate that 70% were following those two.

 

Oh, and wear comfy shoes!

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Had free passes to the Greensboro Open (NC) and a Senior event in Des Moines, IA. So I went. The coverage is better on TV, but it's not a bad thing to see a live event.

 

Based on my experience, here are some suggestions/reiterations from previous posters:

 

(A) Sunscreen and a hat are a must. Shade is hard to find, so you have to make your own, so to speak. Maybe look into a wide-brimmed hat.

 

(B) Keep hydrated. A beer or two is OK, but if you're there for most of the day, then you will need a good supply of water.

 

© Try to find a site where you can see multiple things happening. Depending on the course, you might be able to find places near the green at one hole with the ability to turn and see tee shots or second shots for the next hole. Perhaps you can follow an early group for several holes and then position yourself at an optimal site. JimH5 said he's been at Sawgrass, so he might have some ideas for where to position yourself. Watching the practice range is a good suggestion, too.

 

(D) Wear good walking shoes and "breathable" clothing. You want your feet to be comfortable and not be baking yourself in your clothes.

 

(E) Always obey the marshals/officials. Should go without saying. You don't want to be "That Guy".

[NeedMoreFans]

I agree with comfortable shoes. If you are a golfer, wear your golf shoes. I found them incredibly useful at Whistling Straits.

[dadofandrew]

Sssshhh.

 

Why tennis and golf make their fans be quiet are always beyond me.

[stalton]

I agree with comfortable shoes. If you are a golfer, wear your golf shoes. I found them incredibly useful at Whistling Straits.

I second the golf shoes, especially if you plan on following a group around the course. I, too, like others have been to the GMO and at Whistling Straits. Also pay attention to the weather, you never know when a stray shower might pop up.

[Patrick425]

I see a lot of people are suggesting "following around" a group. To me this really depends on the star power of the group. It's not easy to follow along with a golfer like Woods or Mickleson, especially if its a major tournament. You generally have to get 3 or 4 holes ahead of a group like that and then wait to get a good view as they go through.

 

If you are going to just park at one hole, I'm not sure why you would park at a par three. Other than the possibility that you might see a hole in one, it seems kind of boring to me(although the par 3 17th at TPC might be an exception to this). If I park at one hole, I like to pick a par 5 (or long par 4) that players are trying to reach in 2. Many times they will miss the green short and off the fairway, or even outside the ropes. If you are in the right spot you may be within feet of the player and his caddy as he makes his "scramble" shot to the green (15th at Brown Deer was a good example of this). While many find golf boring as a spectator sport, it's one of the few sports that you can get that close to the competitors. As a golfer I find it very interesting to listen to the golfer and caddy "strategize" about the shot.

 

If you go to the last round of the tourney, you may want to camp out at the 18th. However, you usually have to stake out a spot very early in the day and sit there for many hours.

 

Sssshhh.

 

Why tennis and golf make their fans be quiet are always beyond me.

Do you golf dadofandrew? If not, I think you would understand a little more if you did. Unlike many other sports, you have a very narrow margin of error. A fraction of an inch mishit can be the difference between being in the water or being on the green. I don't play for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but I know if someone makes a noise in my back swing or I see someone move in my peripheral vision, I'll probably mishit the ball and be a bit irritated about it. I can't imagine what it's like when you have that kind of money on the line. If you do happen to be a golfer and are not distracted by noises and movements while you are in the middle of your swing, then that is a pretty good talent! Tiger's dad use to throw things at him as he was practicing on the driving range to help him improve his focus. However, I know he still gets pretty irritated at the slightest noise while he is attempting to hit the ball.

 

As far as tennis, I think the silence is mainly during the serve.

[bigredrobbo]

Practice shouting "You da man"! or "Get in the hole"! really loudly, in case the $+%%@@$#% who normally shouts it doesn't show.

[homer]

Sssshhh.

 

Why tennis and golf make their fans be quiet are always beyond me.

Just the tradition of the game. There's no "home team" to root for. You're supposed to root for a good match and to do that everything should be equal for everybody.

[miggs721]

Do you have any favorite golfers???

 

Also, my first live Event was the GMO in 1996 at Brown deer and Got Tiger to sign a white nike hat for me, and Payne Stewart on a program!!!

 

Since then, have been to The Phoenix Open about 4 times in the mid 2000's....biggest party on the PGA Tour

 

Have been to the PGA both times at Whistling, and in Medinah in 2004, Presidents Cup in Virginia, and Ryder Cup in Oakland Hills

[Hammer]

Heading to the Shell Open in Houston on Wednesday...should be a good time!!

[Blindcheck]

I went to the John Deere Classic here in the Quad Cities....

 

If you want to see a lot of different golfers and get a feel for the whole course.... I would suggest walking the course backwards....Starting at hole 18 (once players have gotten to 18) and work your way backwards...you will see the entire course and since you are going backward and the players are going forward, you get to see pretty much the hole field...Also if you keep track of the pairings, you can manage to get a good spot when you know one of the top players is coming up....Because you can "pause" your walk backward when you know that Tiger or Phil is coming up in the next group or two.

[Patrick425]

I thought the best thing I ever saw at a tourney was the mini ear sets they handed out last year at the PGA championship. No matter where you were you could listen to the XM/Sirius broadcast and know what was going on as far as the leaders were concerned.