Going to U.S. Open!!

[Mizuno Junky]

Just purchased my ticket for Sunday at the U.S. Open!! This is my first tournament ever, any advice on how to get the most out of my day? It says doors open at 6am, should I be there that early to get good spots before tee off? Thanks guys!

[Clambake]

It really depends on what you're looking to do. If you want to watch from the stands at 18 then you'll probably want to get there very early and head straight to the stands to get your spot for the rest of the day as they fill up fast. If you're looking to wander the course and walk with some groups then you really don't have to get there too early. I've got parking passes to get into 17 Mile Drive so I'm not sure about the general parking arrangements, but I understand the general parking is at Cal State Monterey north of Ft. Ord so remember that if trying to get there early.

If you're going for just one day and it's your first tourney ever, my suggestion is to not sit in the stands at 18 all day but instead walk all around the course with groups of different stature to get a feel for Pebble, experience the aura of the top players like Phil and TIger, and also observe the guys new to the Tour and the journeymen. I'd fight the temptation to just follow the leaders and instead see as many different players as possible, see as much of the course as possible, and really get a feel for how good all these guys are and how great the really top players are.

For the first tourney I ever went to (Los Angeles Open at Riviera) I walked wandered the course for a while just to enjoy Riviera without caring who I was watching, then I joined the crowd for a few holes with Fred Couples (he was THE hot player at that time), then I joined a group of guys at the low end for a few holes, and then rejoined the crowd for the leaders for the last couple holes to watch the finish. Oh, and I also found it worked great to eat lunch early, like 11am, to beat the lunch crowds, and it made it easier to then pop up into a grandstand at everyone else's lunchtime to sit for an hour and watch different groups come through. Overall I think that plan worked out really well, and I'd probably do the same at Pebble if I was only there for the one day.

While it was certainly a blast to watch the leaders, one of the more enjoyable and eye-opening parts of my day was hanging with the guys struggling. There wasn't any big crowd so it was easy to follow them and be real close, but the interesting part was seeing the emotion and difficulties up close. TV shows you the leaders and the great shots, but doesn't give you those moments of a guy standing off the side of the green after missing a par putt, leaning on his putter and literally shaking with nerves and cursing himself (quietly). I really gained a much better understanding on the pressures of a Tour golfer by watching a guy struggling to keep his card, and it also gave me a better undertanding of just how great the top players really are. It's sort of funny that my main memories of that day aren't about the leaders (frankly I don't even remember who won it!) but of the struggles, great recovery shots, and emotions from the guys trying to hold onto their card.

Have a great time, and I hope you have a great time. Introduce yourself to me if you see me on the course - I'll be the guy wearing a hat!

[Texas solo]

I recently went to my first tourny too...the Valero Texas Open. Upon advice from a buddy, I got there real early and went straight to the practice range. You'll see lots of guys there. Then I just went to tee #1, watched 2 groups tee off and proceeded to tee #2 for another two groups, etc etc. That way I wound up seeing just about everyone by #18. They had food and drink stops along the way, so that was not a problem.