Going to a golf tournament

[lessthanbread]

I’m going to my first golf tournament at the 3M Open.

Have general admission tickets for Sunday.

Those who have been to golf tournaments before and more specifically the final day, what is your usual plan for making your way around? Do you find a seat in the stands somewhere and stay there? Do you walk around aimlessly? Follow one group the whole way?

I read a forum post somewhere that sounds like a good time:

Usually there will be some big name/favorite player with a tee time somewhere in the morning. Follow them for 18 holes, then turn around and walk the course in reverse until you pick up the leaders and follow them to the finish

[ezzinomilonga]

It sounds as a good advice. Or at least, i would do exactly the same.
The problem could be if your favorite player actually IS in the last start
I should follow Phil, if he's in the field. Everywhere. Always. I really love this guy. I wish to follow him, then G-Mac and Tiger.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your sunday in any case..it will be a Great show, to see the game you love, being played by the best players in the world. I'm really happy for you. You'll come back full of energy that you'll put into the game

[theclv24]

Never been to a Sunday round, but pretty much every other round, from Saturday to practice rounds, regular tour events, majors, and everything in between. 

These days for a PGA event, especially for a new event in Minnesota like the 3M, I think it will be packed and hard to move around the course. Unless it's early in the day and you are following a relative no-name, you are going to have trouble following a group. If you are following a big name player, you will have to post up 3-4 holes ahead just to see them come through, and even then you might be 2-3 rows deep.

Here's my suggestion for the best experience. Go out early and follow a group with no marquee players. It allows you to see the course, and gives you an appreciation for how these pros build their rounds. As that group starts to finish up, the leaders may be starting to tee off. You could try following some players, but again I think the crowds will make that pretty hard to do. You may be better off finding an interesting hole towards the finish, and try to get a good spot in the stands. You can then watch the rest of the field and the leaders come through.

[lessthanbread]

Thanks for replying guys. Should be quite the experience regardless, especially since I’ve had the pleasure of playing the course twice and my wedding reception was there. I do anticipate it to be nuts. Us Minnesotans love our golf. I’m just glad I live walking distance to the event.

[Deleted]

I have been to the 2013 PGA at Oak Hill and the 2017 ( i think it was that year) BMW at Crooked Stick. I have played both courses so it was cool to see it being played by the pros. The PGA we had practice round tickets and Thursday tickets. Did not want to deal with weekend golf at a major. The practice round was awesome we followed some no names at the time and it was like walking with your buddies down the course. My friends wife got hit by a ball lol. Thursday was crazy. We went early and watched Phil for a couple holes then I got ahead about two holes ahead to see Tiger. Got lucky and he hit a ball where I was standing near the green. I should have taken a pic but they had a no pic policy. Looking back should have said F it and took it. After that we went to a tent and got drunk lol. I was wiped out from the night before and all the walking plus we were playing 36 the next day. The BMW I took my oldest son who was around 9 at the time. Saw a bunch of player like Spieth and Rory and whoever else. My son is very tall (going to be 6 5) and was complaining he could not see over people. So we went way ahead and watch some come in.

To be dead honest I would much rather watch it on TV. Probably never do it again. I got my bucket list though. Saw Tiger and a Major and was able to take my son to a pretty important event in hopes of inspiring him. Which really did not work because he could not see much for half the time. Also people get so drunk and always yelling sh%$. It get's really annoying. Reminds me of football games. Way better to watch in my basement.


Ohh and if it is a Major near you and you plan to play golf at a public course. Be prepared for 6 hour rounds. It was insane how packed the course were and we had Tee times from months back. Never do that again either unless it is a private course. As I said above we were supposed to play 36. Yeah that never happened. 

[lessthanbread]

The only other golf event I've been to was the practice round at the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. I was only about 10 then so I don't remember a whole lot of details. Do remember seeing a hole in one. Saw Phil and Greg Norman. Did not see Tiger, apparently he wasn't out when we were there. I'm sure it was packed but don't remember too much about that.

I fully expect it to be a mad house during that whole week, even after seeing Tiger is NOT coming but no real shocker there. Still got Koepka, Phil, Day, Hideki... and whoever else decides to come. I'm so used to golf courses around my area being packed I've settled to 1-2 rounds per week early in the morning anyway.

[linkslover]

I've been to one tournament, the English Open at The Belfry back when I was a kid, so about 25 years ago now. A local golfer was leading after three rounds so I followed him all the way round. Saw every shot for 17 holes. Didn't see a thing on the last. He won.

[tylannister]

Just came back after a long day at the BMW International Open in Munich. Fantastic day of golf, I got to follow a lot of great players, including my new favourite, Beef Johnston.

As for the topic of the post, I recommend looking for corners (if existing) where you can dominate 3 or 4 holes on a short walk. I never follow a flight for a complete round... it is exhausting, but not from the physical point of view (if you play golf yourself...) It is very tiring to fight for a good view at 18 holes / average of three shots per hole.
I rather recommend to study the course and try to be always one or two flights ahead of the players you really wanna watch and wait for them at the hole. As said above, that being done in 4-5 holes, gives you a good watching experience. I.e., today I had this combination of groups that interested me:
#1: Quiros, Siem,...
#2: Johnston, ...,...
#3: Sergio Garcia,...,...
#4: Kaymer, Wallace,...

Instead of fighting with all the germans following Kaymer, I'd rather follow the group before #1, which didnt seem to interest anybody and, when I had good spot, wait there for all four target groups to come... and repeat again. I leave some nice pics from todsy, Munich is a nice tournament where you get to be VERY near to the players.

[lessthanbread]

Beef! That guy is the man! Thanks for sharing. Good tips.

[tylannister]

Jun 21, 2019 16:20:53 GMT -5 lessthanbread said:

Beef! That guy is the man! Thanks for sharing. Good tips.

He is as nice as you imagine. Pure charisma. He even chatted with me for some moments when I met him walking around after the game. I wish him 10 majors. At least.

[lessthanbread]

Jun 21, 2019 16:26:47 GMT -5 tylannister said:

Jun 21, 2019 16:20:53 GMT -5 lessthanbread said:

Beef! That guy is the man! Thanks for sharing. Good tips.

He is as nice as you imagine. Pure charisma. He even chatted with me for some moments when I met him walking around after the game. I wish him 10 majors. At least.

So cool. I’ve been a fan since he came into the spotlight. I don’t know how someone could not be a fan of a guy like that

[linkslover]

Beef looks like he has lost some weight.

[TarheelGolfer]

I have started going to my fair share of tournaments over the last few years. The wife enjoys it for some reason so I have been blessed to go to different tournaments through the years.

Been to a few Sunday rounds myself and it is a mixed bag so I will give it the (Wells Fargo Championship) Sunday treatment:

A few things what do you want out of it? I think this sentence drives how you tackle it.

We avoid any of the big names like they are the plague? We have them come to us on a hole. To me at least there is no such enjoyment then being 10-15 deep walking the course to catch a glimpse of Tiger/Fowler/Spieth or whoever the big draw is. If you need to I would either stay half a shot ahead of the crowd and then every once in a while let them come to me or just plain sit at an interesting hole (whatever interests you the most) and let the high profile players come through. But we enjoy the relative peace and quietness of a good old course layout.

With that being said, what we do is usually get there when the gates open up. Get/Know the Tee Times and start walking the course. If we get early enough we usually will follow someone out for a few holes. Also, if needed we would sometimes walk the course backward bright and early. To get the lay of the land so to speak. If you know the course well then be it. We have started to bring chairs as well and will drop them off bright and early in the morning at a hole we know we want to watch. I am going to be honest I am not sure about the etiquette of this but have seen it done at 17 at Sawgrass and we did it this year at 18 at Wells Fargo.

1) If you do decide to hunker down on a hole make sure it has bathrooms and your beverage pretty darn close. Wells Fargo had some sections that are out there and potty breaks could be an adventure if you have an immediate need.

2) This one is touch and go. Some of the best experiences I have had is talking to the volunteers along the ropes. Got some great stories, good times, and some jokes. You may run into the occasional grumpy one but the majority along the ropes are truly a joy.

3) If you have a lesser known favorite (I will usually walk a few holes with HV III because he will usually say something funny and will interact with the crowd a bit) and he goes out early walking the round might be so bad.

These next two are if you are going all day:
4) Go early. I am assuming they are going to bus you in. Busses at least at the tournaments I have been move fairly quickly bright and early in the morning.

5) If you are staying all day. Give some consideration to leaving a little early. I have spent two Sundays on a course. PGA @ Quail and Wells Fargo @ Quail Hollow. We stayed until Matsyuma finished and after JT had basically won for the PGA. The busses going home were an absolute zoo. They did their best I am sure but I think it took us an hour standing out in a good old Charlotte Summer Evening. Now on the other one, well dang it was just this year I think it was Sunday. We were heading out earlier and the rains came. That blew up the buses as well. We ended up staying through the first batch of storms and then called it a day before the second blew threw. So we beat the crowds from the first wave of storms by (to my standards wearily waiting it out under a true, different story) and then beat the remaining crowds when when we saw the second wave of storms coming in.

Lastly, have fun, stay away from the clowns, and enjoy the second best thing to actually being on that course.

PS Please don't yell at Kevin Na to pick the dang pace up either. . Although, the last time we saw them he did pick up the pace just a bit.

I will add that although it doesn't pertain to this particular situation Thursday/Friday (in my case) are bigger blast.  With split tees and times it cuts down on the waiting.

[lessthanbread]

Awesome! Thanks for the reply. The great thing about this tourney is I live a 15 minute walk away from the course so transportation is no issue at all. I would for sure like to at least see one of the top guys like Koepka and maybe try to get close for a shot or two but for the most part, I just want to see some great golf, have a few drinks with my step dad, and see an awesome finish (will have to plan ahead for that I'm sure)

[TarheelGolfer]

Yeah look at the chair policy. Like I said still don't know the actual etiquette but it is seeming to become a thing. One thing I just remembered and since you are so close, there is no reentry. At least at all the ones I have been to.