Zurich Classic of New Orleans

[Mr_Slice]

I know that the tournament isn't until the last week of April, but I'm bursting with excitement. I've just purchased a Fan Pack to attend the entire tourney. Prices were relatively reasonable, even though I have nothing to compare them to. I got two all-week entry passes, a couple of beverage vouchers and the all-important Sponsor Parking Lot pass for $125. There were much more expensive passes that included bar access, tent access, preferred seating and such, but all of that was too rich for my blood. I think I did just fine.

It's amazing how everything fell into place. I'd wanted to attend this tourney ever since I found out that the new TPC of Louisiana was hosting it this year. I wasn't going to be able to go because I was transfering to Seattle two weeks before the tournament, but that got delayed and now I'll be here. I'm hoping that the new course will also draw a few more top players (Vijay is defending champ) than the tournament did last year. The week of the tourney is sandwiched perfectly between my birthday (April 23) and my daughter's birthday (May 4). She may be only two, but one of the days is going to be Daddy/Daughter day. Gotta get her interested young, ya know?

Wow. I'm just so pumped. It's too bad that I won't know the field until right before the tourney. I guess all good things are worth waiting for, though.

[iacas]

Congrats! I've never been to a PGA Tour event (will be this year, just after yours). Awesome!

Update: I did it (http://nslog.com/archives/2005/02/17/memorial_tournament.php). I'll be attending the Memorial. Bought two passes (no real perks, but week-long passes including practice rounds) for $310. Will stay with my friend Seth, who will go along with me several of the days.

The week beforehand you can darn well bet I'm going to review information to find out where I should sit, what I should do each day, etc.

[iacas]

Just saw this today:


The Zurich Classic of New Orleans has raised its purse by $400,000 to $5.5 million. Vijay Singh will defend his title the last week in April at the TPC of Louisiana, which only opened last year.

Cool.

[Mr_Slice]

The tentative field list for the Zurich Classic (http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r018/field) is up on PGATour.com. None of my favorites (Scott, Woods, Garcia) are going to be there, so I'm trying to decide who to follow, or if I should just get comfortable at a single hole and stay there as the field plays through.

I'd follow Daly, but his personal site doesn't have him playing in New Orleans so I'm not expecting him to be there. As of now I'm leaning towards following Poulter. My wife likes Justin Rose, so I suppose that is always an option, as well.

Does nyone that has been to a PGA Tour event before have any advice on good spectatorship?

[Mr_Slice]

So, I almost ran over David Toms with a stroller. Cool, huh? The guy is pretty darn short. It's amazing to be so close to these professionals when you're at the tournament. By far the closest any fan will ever get to an athlete at a sporting event, at least on a regular basis.

For those of you who've never attended a tournament before, I recommend not taking your young kids. We tried. The experiment failed after only one hole. At least I saw John Daly knock the crap out of that ball, though. I'm so addicted now. Being there is like a drug.

Back to the tournament now...

[Mr_Slice]

Rain delays are much more annoying in person.

[iacas]

Rain delays are much more annoying in person.
No shit. This year has been craaaaaaaazy!

[mediaguru]

Oh man that sounds like fun. I haven't been to a PGA tour event. My first will be next years MASTERS.... yea yea.

I have been to 4-5 champions tour events here in my town. I followed around a pretty fair 3some of Jack, Arnie & Lee. What a bunch of hacks. Followed around Gary Player too for 18 holes. He shot 64 with a bogey on the front. I also followed around Dave Stockton & Tom Weisass. Dave was cool. Got his autograph. Tom Weisass is just that: an ass.

[nurseduffer]

Rain delays are much more annoying in person.
You must be having a blast!!! I would probably follow Dimarco and I would have to see Singh. Ya know I had $10 on Dimarco in Reno to win the Masters. I would of won $310. On the last day while watching the round I could of cared less about the money I was just really pulling for him. :-( But Tiger had his little red shirt on....
Anyway...have fun tomorrow!

[Mr_Slice]

You must be having a blast!!! I would probably follow Dimarco and I would have to see Singh. Ya know I had $10 on Dimarco in Reno to win the Masters. I would of won $310. On the last day while watching the round I could of cared less about the money I was just really pulling for him. :-( But Tiger had his little red shirt on....
Anyway...have fun tomorrow!

Thanks everyone, it truly is an experience all should have. Erik, you're gonna absolutely love your two trips to tourneys this year. ;-)

I think I'll probably go ahead and follow DiMarco, despite everyone else most likely doing the same. Ya never know, I might get an autograph on the day he stepped into the elite. Hehe. Well, it really could show that he's here to stay if he can win this thing. He's been playing quite well.

The greens at the TPC of Louisiana are unruly. Up and down, up and down. I'd love to try my weekend golfer hand at this course. :-D

[TitleistHOG]

How did the course look, I am going to play it on May 27th?

[Mr_Slice]

How did the course look, I am going to play it on May 27th?

Wow. I'm stationed here with the Navy but transfering out May 19 or I'd have to offer ya a drink. You're from Arkansas, huh? Well, so am I. Born and bred to bleed Razorback red. :-D In fact, we're the same age. Where are you from?

Regarding the course: it was gorgeous. Very well maintained. Lots of sand, so I hope you're good out of the bunkers and traps. And also a lot of very drastic undulation around the greens. All in all, very pretty and it should be both a joy and challenge to play.

[Slicer]

Well, this may have nothing to do with your experience at TPC of Louisiana, but back in the 80's when my Dad worked for Marriott and was a co-sponsor of the Doral in Miami we used to go to the tournament there all the time. I got autographs from a ton of pros, including Andy Bean, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, and even Pat Summerall who I caught behind the tower of the 18th green when he was taking a break.

I guess I have a different take on experiencing a tournament live and in person. Frankly it's hard to follow anything because there are so many people that get in your way to get a decent view. You can't see putts on the green roll or not. At least you can't identify whether or not the guy missed it by a little or a lot - you generally just go with the flow and if everyone else screams when a putt goes in you do the same, etc. But you can't see much from the gallery. And then there is always the "sit in the stands behind the 18th hole" approach. Yeah, that's fun (um, not really). You get to watch everyone hit the same approach shot and putt out on the same hole.

Well, that was 20 years ago, and I was only in high school, so I guess I was too young to really appreciate it back then. My old boss, back in 1990, got me tickets to the Honda Classic when it was at Eagle Trace that year. I still remember watching John Huston walk up the 18th fairway to finish out and collect his trophy. But again it's hard to follow much from the gallery. I guess everyone has a different experience and expectation though.

I joined the PGA Partners Club and they gave me a free one day pass to any PGA Tour event, so I'm probably gonna spend a Saturday to attend the Booz Allen when it happens in June. If anything I will get a better idea if it would be worth it to spend $250 on a week pass for the Presidents Cup, which will be here in September this year.

Maybe now that I am older and wiser I will have a different take on the PGA gallery experience. B-)

[TitleistHOG]

I was from the Fort Smith area. Went to school at U of A. Now I live in Harrison, Arkansas. Where were you from?

[Mr_Slice]

I was from the Fort Smith area. Went to school at U of A. Now I live in Harrison, Arkansas. Where were you from?

Born in Fayettville. Many a family reunion at Lake Fort Smith (when it was still open). Lived most of my life outside of Little Rock in Maumelle. Went to Pulaski Oak Grove and Little Rock Central before graduating from North Little Rock High.

Hadn't ever lived anywhere else until I joined the Navy when I was 18.